Pickups for a drop tuned McCarty?

Johnny Rigs

"Hold on to your butts" - Samuel L Jackson
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Mar 1, 2018
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Connecticut
I’ve got a McCarty AP that I would like to give a best go at using for some post-rock and progressive metal type songs. So at least Drop C#, but as low as Drop A. I had a \m/ in the bridge and thought that was pretty good, though I never tried it lower than Drop C. Looking for a covered pickup set, though - I think it’ll look better. Before I look for a covered \m/ set, are there any other PRS or non-PRS pickups worth checking out? Not HFS - have it, don’t want it. Haven’t tried the Tremonti. Something tight and articulate. No flub ;)

Example music would be: Plini, Cloudkicker, If These Trees Could Talk, I Built the Sky, pg.lost, Rabea Massaad.
 
Polymath, Ragnaroks, 85/15 & \m/ combo, etc
I think I bought an 85/15 + \m/ set from you. If I remember right, did you replace the screw slugs with gold ones for me? I think I’d like my next set (Metal or otherwise) to have that same look. Matches the hybrid hardware of the AP.

Thought about the Polymath. It’s on my list.
 
I had hfs/vb and M sets in my McCarty when I had it tuned to D and drop C.

Hfs worked but it wasn't as tight and articulate as the M set.

M set was perfect.
 
I watched this video with the Aftermath, Polymath, Juggernaut, and Silo compared. The Aftermath was the closest to my liking.

 
I think I bought an 85/15 + \m/ set from you. If I remember right, did you replace the screw slugs with gold ones for me? I think I’d like my next set (Metal or otherwise) to have that same look. Matches the hybrid hardware of the AP.

Thought about the Polymath. It’s on my list.

Yeah that sounds like something I would do. Hybrid hardware is super easy. 5-40 Fillister screws 1/2” long

I have Polys in my CU24 and they are fantastic.
 
Seymour Duncan Alpha & Omega or Scarlet & Scourge. Being the signature set of Mark Holcomb.
But foremost a good amplifier and a good cabinet with (a) good speaker(s) comes first.
 
Seymour Duncan Alpha & Omega or Scarlet & Scourge. Being the signature set of Mark Holcomb.
But foremost a good amplifier and a good cabinet with (a) good speaker(s) comes first.
I’m mostly running a Synergy preamp setup now through the power section of a Mesa Electradyne. Into a loadbox + IRs. I have the Friedman BB/BE, ENGL Powerball, and Freyette Deliverance modules.
 
I heard recently an extended range guitar (IBZ 8-string with Fishman Fluence pups) through an especially Metal voiced 100 Watts amp through a IR device - and some low frequencies sounded awfully sloppy.
I do have the same amp, a 450 watts (custom) cabinet and aswell an extended range guitar (EBMM Kaizen 7), tuning either standard B-E-A-D-G-B-E or G-D-A-D-G-B-E.
And it sounds still - even on bass or bass and treble positions - stiff.
 
So I pulled the stock tailpiece off the McCarty to compare it to my Mannmade 2300 adjustable bridge for another thread. For kicks I popped that one on, and sure enough, it actually pulls the uncovered \m/ pickups and black rings together. I might have something solid going on here..
 
I watched this video with the Aftermath, Polymath, Juggernaut, and Silo compared. The Aftermath was the closest to my liking.

I Will Never Steer Anybody Wrong. ;)

Additionally, A Lot Of The Bands You Mentioned Initially Have Used The Aftermath. I Have It In A Few Of My McCarty's (And Other Guitars) And It Is Perfection For What You Mentioned. One Of My All Time Favorite Pickups Ever Made.
 
I Will Never Steer Anybody Wrong. ;)

Additionally, A Lot Of The Bands You Mentioned Initially Have Used The Aftermath. I Have It In A Few Of My McCarty's (And Other Guitars) And It Is Perfection For What You Mentioned. One Of My All Time Favorite Pickups Ever Made.
Since it’s my thread, I can detail for a sec. I’ve been away from here for over a year. Things have clearly transpired. When did your keyboard get stuck on Title Case? And what sequence of events did I miss that led up to it? :p
 
I do a lot of down tuning. My S2 Custom 24 lives in D standard tuning and I'm quite happy with the way the 85/15 TCI pickups behave in it. I've also got a CE 22 with Dragon I pickups that lives in C# standard tuning and it's an absolute monster. I would recommend either of these sets. Others that are worth a look from Bare Knuckle are the Crawler, Miracle Man, and Emerald sets. Another underrated pickup that's worth a look is the Monty's Full Monty.
 
I do a lot of down tuning. My S2 Custom 24 lives in D standard tuning and I'm quite happy with the way the 85/15 TCI pickups behave in it. I've also got a CE 22 with Dragon I pickups that lives in C# standard tuning and it's an absolute monster. I would recommend either of these sets. Others that are worth a look from Bare Knuckle are the Crawler, Miracle Man, and Emerald sets. Another underrated pickup that's worth a look is the Monty's Full Monty.
My 06 CE-22 wasn’t old enough - it came with Dragon IIs. Pulled those out pretty quick. I’ve got an HFS/VB set in there now and it’s in Drop C#. They’re decent, but I’m not totally settled. Although last night I was messing around and found that the Friedman Buxom Boost with EQ off and just a bit of the Tight and Boost controls up is a pretty effective combo.
 
So I pulled the stock tailpiece off the McCarty to compare it to my Mannmade 2300 adjustable bridge for another thread. For kicks I popped that one on, and sure enough, it actually pulls the uncovered \m/ pickups and black rings together. I might have something solid going on here..
Link to other thread?
 
Investigate the Naylor Railhammer pickups, the higher outputs versions were designed to bring clarity to down-tuned use while maintaining full-force impact. I've had the Hyper Vintage set in my McCarty since they came out, I'm not a down-tune player and the vintage voice is perfect for my needs, but Joe Naylor had the down-tuned crowd in mind when he designed these pickups - no dead spots, great for full-step/step-and-a-half bends.
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