about the blackouts I have a doubt:has alexi changed pickups in ALL of his guitars or just in the Scythes and Sawtooth ones?because this album seems to have been recorded(by what can be seen on COBTV)with the Finland ESP and the Arrowhead,so if he hasn't switched in all of them he has recorded again with EMG HZ+MM04,
I don't think Alexi is allowed to be endorsed by Seymour Duncan and then record with EMG. Thats the whole point of endorsments. It's a bit illogical too that Alexi goes changes his pickups and doesnt use them even for recording. On the other hand it would make perfect sense. The scythe&Sawtooth being live guitars and the SDs meant for live shows but as i stated earlier i doubt it will be possible because of the endorsment. I think all the songs are with blackouts.
According to motherfucking wikipedia:
* ESP Custom XXX: Black finish with yellow bevels, Seymour Duncan AHB-1 active humbucker, gold hardware, arrowhead inlays, "XXX" and "CKY" scratched on the body. He used this scratched guitar only for a few shows in the USA and later this guitar became his practice guitar.
* ESP Custom White/Black Pinstripes: White finish with black pinstripes, EMG-HZ H4 humbucker, chrome hardware, scythe inlays. This was Alexi' s first ESP Custom Shop guitar, seen on early performances like Tuska 2003.
* ESP Custom Black/White Pinstripes: Black finish with white pinstripes, EMG-HZ H4 humbucker, chrome hardware, reversed sawtooth inlays. This one was built in 2004 and was used most frequently on performances since then.
* ESP Custom Black/Pink Pinstripes: Black finish with midnight pink pinstripes, EMG-HZ H4 humbucker, black hardware, reversed pink sawtooth inlays (matching the pinstripes and ESP logo), COBHC written in pink on the back. This is Alexi' s newest guitar with unexpected color themes. It was introduced in 2007 at the Music Fair in Frankfurt, Germany.
* New ESP Custom Black/ White Pinstripes: Black finish with white pinstripes, Seymour Duncan AHB-1 active humbucker, chrome hardware, reversed sawtooth inlays.(Alexi's old Sawtooth was giving him a lot of problems. This guitar's only differences are the headstock's signature of Alexi and the new Humbucker.)
* New ESP Custom Black/ Yellow Pinstripes: Black finish with yellow pinstripes, Seymour Duncan AHB-1 active humbucker, gold hardware, reversed sawtooth inlays.
So this would make "all" his guitars that he uses equipped with AHB-1(Blackout) except the scythe. BUT i think that is a flaw...i think he got a new scythe and sawtooth without gainboost and got the pickup replaced. He didn't have the same Sawtooth at tuska so maybe he didnt have the same Scythe one either(I wasn't close enough to tell when i was at tuska so someone tell me)