tired of Bareknuckle Black Hawks, alternatives?

[FIXXXER]

Hello,

I was an EMG guy for a very long time, basically because i wanted that Metallica sound
which seems pretty stupid now when i think about it...

After a while i switched to SD, as i wanted to have passive pickups due to the reputed better dynamics.
I ended up getting the best tones out of a SH-6, however, when i ordered my last guitar, for some
inexplainable reasons (maybe hype or the need to try something new) i decited to try the Black Hawks.

I really like the clean sound but when it comes to heavier stuff, they sound kind of "undefined"
which is the exact opposite what i was expecting when i was watching and reading reviews.

The SH-6 had an insane clarity and punch but it could be the guitar construction of course.
I had it in a Mayones Regius 6 and the sound was insane, however the guitar didn't fit so i moved on.

Right now i have a Sabre Guitars Ghost with an Evertune, which is supposedly taking away some of
the clarity and punch if you believe some people on the internet, however i do not really think that
the Evertune is causing any harm to the sound, i actually think it's the pickups, the Black Hawks.

I am looking for that extremely defined and edgy (not harsh) hi gain sound!
if you set up a drop tuning and play the first thre strings open, that roarrrr, that's what i am looking for.
With the SH-6 i could clearly hear the single strings on their own and the sound was still full, it's really hard to describe...

i found an example that comes very close, at 0:50 you can hear that open string roar...



however with the same setup the black hawks kind of sound muddy, not really bad but
kind of messy, the definition is missing. also wehn i play triplets etc. on the lowest string,
i can not get that extreme definition, i hope you can get an idea what i am talking about,
these things are really hard to explain.

Right now i am thinking of a few possible alternatives

- EMG HET SET, well, these are active, not sure if i really want active pup's again

- FISHMAN FLUENCE MODERN, hmm these seem to hi-tech and also active, i'd like to keep it as simple as possible

- SD SH-6, though i am not sure if it would sound as i expect it to sound as my current guitar is completely different to the Mayones Regius 6.

- SD DIMEBUCKER, from what i have read it's absolutely NOT what i am looking for, however
listening to the example i posted it comes really close to what i am looking for...

Any suggestions?

 

[Delitzsch]

I think that the Dimebucker is exactly what you're looking for. I had it in a swamp ash body guitar. The SD Black Winter might be cool, too. I've heard it in a similar guitar and it sounded good and aggressive.

 

[Megin]

Maybe you should try SH-6 again? Black Winter or Nazgul? Lundgren M-6 is another option. Insane clarity and punch there too. Yes I know it's expensive but it's the only pup I have been satisfied with in my ESP Horizon. Really great pup. Oh, I had never heard of Sabre guitars before and went to site but it was suspended. Anyone who claim the Evertune will affect the sound have have never owned own. So many trolls on the net.

 

[H-evolve]

Maybe you should try SH-6 again? Black Winter or Nazgul? Lundgren M-6 is another option. Insane clarity and punch there too. Yes I know it's expensive but it's the only pup I have been satisfied with in my ESP Horizon. Really great pup. Oh, I had never heard of Sabre guitars before and went to site but it was suspended. Anyone who claim the Evertune will affect the sound have have never owned own. So many trolls on the net.

I must go +1 with the Nazgul. I use D-Activators, which are quite nice, but reading your description... There is something that perhaps might be achieved with the Nazgul. I don't know, maybe I am mixing things with my own tastes, but I have always been tempted by the Nazgul and I am a big passive pickup guy

 

[FIXXXER]

@Delitzsch
might try the Dimebucker out, however it's a hard decision, as it does not sound that much different from the SH-6 tbh.
The latest SD pickups kind of attract me a bit more, Black Winter, Nazgul, Sentient, IIRC Keith Merrow is using these also
and tone wise he's also pretty close to what i am looking for.

@Megin
Yeah can't go wrong with the SH-6 but i always like to try something new.
The Lundgren M-6 seems quite interesting too.
I've been watching videos on youtube the whole day trying to figure out
what sound i might end up when chosing pickup X or Y but it's really hard to judge, couldn't find any good comparison.
+1 on the Evertune thing, the only thing i can think of is the space between the bridge and the pickup. With a hardtail guitar the distance seems to be a bit shorter which will result in a more defined tone but it's nothing too big.
I can't imagine how the bridge itself is going to harm the sound in any way, you are absolutely right, trollz.

Oh btw, the Sabre Guitars site does not work for some reason, there's still a facebook page working if you are able to access facebook.

@Hugues Berger
yeah i am also leaning toward the Nazgul atm, the Lundgren M-6 seems like a good one too,
definitively taking these two into consideration.

 

[nezvers]

If you liked SH-6 than it won't be THAT different again.

 

[FIXXXER]

you mean the SH-6 in comparison to the NAZGUL?

btw. any experience with the fishman fluence pickups?
they seem to be extremely clear and crisp, also i think i have reas somewhere that these
do not have any (or very little) hum/noise?