Passive Pups: SH-15 vs Aftermath

[Lasse Lammert]

here's a little shootout, SD Alt8 SH-15 vs BKP Aftermath....

This is only tuned to D to keep it fair (I think BKP don't sound good below that, but down to D they sound pretty good).
Anyways, let's see which one you prefer in a blind test...

both Pickups were in the same guitar (Ibanez RG570 first series) and fed through the same Amp/Cab/Mic setup


A

B

 

[Empathy]

Me rike A.

 

[Teddyboy]

A here too

 

[Robert W]

B sounds fuller to me.

 

[timislegend]

B is way tighter... but they both sound nice.

 

[Trevoire520]

I like A

 

[P-E]

B is tighter but sounds kind of tubbier... I guess I prefer A.

 

[PhilTheBeard]

Def A

 

[MatrixClaw]

I liked B cause it's tighter and more chunky on the palm muted part. A barely sounded like it was even being muted.

However, the tones are pretty close, I really couldn't even tell if the difference was the pickup, or the playing - The playing on B seems a bit off compared to A at the beginning for me

 

[Rex Rocker]

I liked B better.

 

[Lasse Lammert]

Perhaps I should post the guits without the drums, then it'd be a bit more obvious how flubby B sounds (it doesn't sound bad at all, I ike it for tunings not lower than D), but it's got quite a bit less gain and definition than A

A is the SD and B is the Aftermath of course.

The Voicing of the SH-15 is surprisingly close to an EMG81 btw with very high output

 

[drawnacrol]

A emphasizes the pinch harmonics more and sounds tighter while B sound slightly thicker.

 

[Mago]

B for me, sounds fatter

edit: only read what was what after the vote, kinda surprised it was the BKP.
Usually I didn't like them, but maybe its as you say and they sound cool on tuning not below D

 

[drew_drummer]

Listened to them before I read your response Lasse, and yeah, I chose B pretty much instantly from the first few notes. It's kind of night and day for me - B sounds HEAVY.... A sounds like distorted guitar.

 

[John_C]

There I preferred B, although I'd probably end up pulling some of the low end out. A would need much more reinforcement by bass guitar to get it sounding awesome and chunky haha

 

[ApeScaleConflict]

B had more note definition on the fist riff so. Biggest difference is the FEEL when you play it, if it gives you the feeling that "this is easy and tight" then it's great. Same time the other Pup will sound the same but doesn't give that feeling.

 

[xFkx]

I was rooting for B until the final riff came in, aweful, so I vote for A, but B has a nicer top end to my ears

 

[Uros]

B. It's metal, while A is not . Simple as

 

[Lasse Lammert]

I actually think A is much tighter and crunchier...the closest passive pup there is to an EMG I think

 

[Uros]

It is tighter, it's just not that metal imho. FWIW I am not much of a fan of EMG actives, so that should explain it