Suddenly really liking a couple of the new Kiesel pickups!

[Ascension]

One of my biggest surprises with the new Kiesel pickups was the combo of the Marks singles and the Berrilium. Because my 17 DC 135 was not routed for the bobbin for a conventional single where they are normally wired I would have had to go to the Custom shop for say a pair of Surfers or Texas Hots so the Marks singles looked like a good choice to at least try. When a set showed up Reverb with a Berrilum bridge for $100 grabbing them was a no brainer. What I didn't expect was how good they would sound. These are a departure from what Carvin Kiesel has been doing in that they are A 2 mag scatter wound singles that are at about the same output as my Surfer set is. The Berrilium is also a A 2 slightly overwound PAF style pickup. The tones overall were stunning.
Will put the Marks singles in the same class as the Duncan Surfers and Texas Hots or the Lollar Vintage Blonds not just good but great pickups.
Here is a nice piece by Stel with the exact same set up I have in my DC 135 that is pretty representative of what I'm getting with this set up. The cleans with this set up are absolutely breathtaking also!

[AJ6stringsting]

I still have a couple maple spacer mesh shield original M22 SD's on hand. they are cool pickups. One is loose in my parts box the other in my Pink 91 X 220C with a M22N. It's still offered in the Jason Becker sig guitar with a M22N in the neck. They now have a M12SD that is really really cool. It was introduced in the new Jason Becker Ying Yang guitar with a Marks single in the neck and sounds fantastic! Not many clips up yet with it but had a chance to play a Ying Yang and like this pickup a lot. Bigger and smoother than the M22SD not overly compressed very articulate pickup.

I also liked the old Carvin AP 11 singles a lot as well as a couple of the C22's in particular. My White 13 DC 600 has a C22B/C22J seat in it and it's really nice. The C22B reminds me a lot of a Air Zone and the neck a Air Classic Dimarzio set up. Big round and sweet and will stay in that guitar.

If you ever want to get rid of those Carvin M22SD's let me know.

[Ascension]

If you ever want to get rid of those Carvin M22SD's let me know.

The new M 12 SD is the exact same wind with the same double thickness A 5 in a conventional 12 pole not 22 pole pickup BTW. Always thought the Carvin M22 and C 22's sounded a little like Duncan PA trembuckers because of the 22 poles.

[bigcupholder]

The new Holdsworth pickups are good. PAF-level output and compression but a more modern voicing. They've got a broad midrange bump and controlled bass. Nothing spikey or harsh, just a fairly good all-around pickup.

I have a set of Dimarzios I've been meaning to install in that guitar for almost a year but I haven't had that moment yet where I'm recording and getting annoyed by some character of the pickup, so it hasn't been a priority. They're growing on me now that I have it set up in D standard and I'm playing more high gain stuff.

The Lithiums are trash for most styles or if you want to keep amp settings remotely similar between guitars. Way too bright and thin. I could get something reasonable with a 10-band EQ in front but it wasn't worth the hassle.

Sent from my SM-G970W using Tapatalk

[Mincer]

The new Holdsworth pickups are good. PAF-level output and compression but a more modern voicing. They've got a broad midrange bump and controlled bass. Nothing spikey or harsh, just a fairly good all-around pickup.

I have a set of Dimarzios I've been meaning to install in that guitar for almost a year but I haven't had that moment yet where I'm recording and getting annoyed by some character of the pickup, so it hasn't been a priority. They're growing on me now that I have it set up in D standard and I'm playing more high gain stuff.

The Lithiums are trash for most styles or if you want to keep amp settings remotely similar between guitars. Way too bright and thin. I could get something reasonable with a 10-band EQ in front but it wasn't worth the hassle.

Sent from my SM-G970W using Tapatalk

The Holdsworth ones are the only ones I'd be interested in anyway. In many of his guitars, he used a neck 59 in the bridge (with double screws).

[JB_From_Hell]

I wish they had actual descriptions of the pickups available. I've been dorking around with the builder for awhile, and am getting really close to ordering an Osiris or Vanquish.

[Ascension]

The new Holdsworth pickups are good. PAF-level output and compression but a more modern voicing. They've got a broad midrange bump and controlled bass. Nothing spikey or harsh, just a fairly good all-around pickup.

I have a set of Dimarzios I've been meaning to install in that guitar for almost a year but I haven't had that moment yet where I'm recording and getting annoyed by some character of the pickup, so it hasn't been a priority. They're growing on me now that I have it set up in D standard and I'm playing more high gain stuff.

The Lithiums are trash for most styles or if you want to keep amp settings remotely similar between guitars. Way too bright and thin. I could get something reasonable with a 10-band EQ in front but it wasn't worth the hassle.

Sent from my SM-G970W using Tapatalk

First off agree with you in a big way on the Lithium's one of the worst sounding pickups I have ever used.
Your spot on with the new Holdsworths. Take that basic tone warm it up a little add just a little compression and some output and you have the Beryllium.

[Ascension]

I wish they had actual descriptions of the pickups available. I've been dorking around with the builder for awhile, and am getting really close to ordering an Osiris or Vanquish.

Absolutely agree with this about the only thing up on the humbuckers is this. i do have some real world insight on some of them if I can help but it's idiotic that they don't have anything up on line on pickup specs.

[JB_From_Hell]

Absolutely agree with this about the only thing up on the humbuckers is this. i do have some real world insight on some of them if I can help but it's idiotic that they don't have anything up on line on pickup specs.

Was just playing on the builder again, and they have a new crescent moon inlay. Looking at all black, green zebra pickups, and the moon inlay with offset dots in green on an ebony board. I really wish they offered the Vanquish headless.

People seem to dig the Thorium for metal. Thinking that and the Holdsworth neck.

[AJ6stringsting]

The new M 12 SD is the exact same wind with the same double thickness A 5 in a conventional 12 pole not 22 pole pickup BTW. Always thought the Carvin M22 and C 22's sounded a little like Duncan PA trembuckers because of the 22 poles.

I just wish that they would add the original M22SD, those 11 poles, per bobbin made that pickup more versatile.

I'll just look on Reverb or EBay for those original M22SD's.

[krovatron]

Digging the Holdsworths that came in a used Headless I picked up. Supposedly unpotted?

[Mincer]

Digging the Holdsworths that came in a used Headless I picked up. Supposedly unpotted?

I've heard them described as 'minimal potting' whatever that means.

[krovatron]

I've heard them described as 'minimal potting' whatever that means.

Right lol

So looking at specs, if I swap the A5 out for RC or UO A5 or just A2, Looks like I will be in Berrilium territory? I am surprised how great these pups take high gain.

Mincer I have been meaning to write about my experience with the Black Winter. Super Impressed with it in my PRS 277 in B/Bb/A. Makes me think of a more passive voiced D Activator. The clean is unreal. I think it would kill in single humbucker guitars.

[Mincer]

Mincer I have been meaning to write about my experience with the Black Winter. Super Impressed with it in my PRS 277 in B/Bb/A. Makes me think of a more passive voiced D Activator. The clean is unreal. I think it would kill in single humbucker guitars.

Indeed they would. I think sometimes the name 'Black Winter' prevents some people from even considering it, but it does many things so well.

[Rex_Rocker]

I always struggle to hear what the pickups are doing in lead tones like that. I mean, it sounds incredible in the vid, but those kinds of tones I find are so expresive and nuanced, that they become perfomance-dependant enough that those people could be playing Glarrys and making them sound heavenly, LOL.