Rebel Yell / Holy Diver VS JB / CUstom / A8's ?

[SDK2]

Hi all in a previous post Humbucker bridge for a Stack Strat i was looking into different HH's to but into Alder body/ maple neck HHS Strat with for Judas/Maiden sound.
From all the Custom's , JB's , hybrids and Distortion's thrown in the discussion i never got a feel any of these will fit. Wither too much bass or treble, or too little mids, or less output. And i don't want to go for the hotrails. I almost went for a Custom SH-5 and was ready to play with the A8 mag swap when i came across the Bare Knuckle pickups:

Stevie Stevens Rebel Yell



Holy Diver



i't difficult to say form the EQ graph what the B/M/T ratio is , but from the clips this sounds like B7 M8 T8/7
From what i've heard i think both of these (leaning towards Holy Diver) will fit perfectly.

Any thoughts ? Anyone that can compare them with the JB/CUstom/Distortion/ A8's Duncan has ?

 

[Jeff5]

Re: Rebel Yell / Holy Diver VS JB / CUstom / A8's ?

I don't love BKPs, but I did use the Holy Diver for a time and it will nail that sound if that is what you are looking for.

 

[SDK2]

Re: Rebel Yell / Holy Diver VS JB / CUstom / A8's ?

I don't love BKPs, but I did use the Holy Diver for a time and it will nail that sound if that is what you are looking for.

What didn't you like about the BKPs/Holy Diver?
Do you think that will pair with the Vintage Hot Stack Plus Strat STK-S7 and the Custom Stack Plus Strat STK-S6 i have in the strat ?

 

[DonP]

Re: Rebel Yell / Holy Diver VS JB / CUstom / A8's ?

I will tell you that I am nailing Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Metallica tones with my combinations of stuff and life is good. You can't just look at the pickups. You have to look at the whole recipe; pickups, guitar, pedals, amp and speakers.

Good luck.

 

[PierceOkken]

Re: Rebel Yell / Holy Diver VS JB / CUstom / A8's ?

The holy diver is really amazing... if you can get your hands on one. They are not cheap and finding them used AND in good condition is a pain. That being said, it is an UNBELIEVABLE pup. It is the sound of 80's glam. It just has that chugga-chugga-thunk-thunk that makes your chest throb. It is like a cross between a jb and a distortion. It has that amazing midrange punch coupled with a huge, tight low end. The tops are sparkly and cascading. I would also recommend the dimarzio super 3 or two. Two very good pups for a little cheaper. I can't say much for the rebel yell, I have not played them. If you find a holy diver, get it. You won't be disappointed.

 

[SDK2]

Re: Rebel Yell / Holy Diver VS JB / CUstom / A8's ?

I will tell you that I am nailing Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Metallica tones with my combinations of stuff and life is good. You can't just look at the pickups. You have to look at the whole recipe; pickups, guitar, pedals, amp and speakers.

Which combination would that be ?

 

[DonP]

Re: Rebel Yell / Holy Diver VS JB / CUstom / A8's ?

Which combination would that be ?

Some may laugh or scoff, but these work for me. I am really happy with the tones.

First, I have a 1998 DSL100 1/2 stack with T75 speakers.

For Judas Priest, I have a 1988 ESP Horizon ("bright" - neck thru, ebony FB, OFR) loaded with a Custom Custom. Straight into the red channel, it just nails anything from Green Manalishi to Painkiller.

For Maiden, I just found this one. I have a Kramer Beretta neck-thru (rosewood, fixed bridge) with dual no-name pickups, but they look like Super Distortions. Into a TS-10, then into the green channel dirty. I tried an RG550 loaded with the Super D / PAF Pro set, but that axe doesn't sing like this one with the cheap pickups.

For Metallica (still a little fine tuning), an EMG loaded axe (I was using one with an EMG89 in the bridge) into a Boss Metal Core ML-2, into a fairly clean green channel of the DSL100. I'm still working on the EQ for this one, it needs a little more lower mids. It is very close but I may try an Invader pickup instead. I also have a Mesa Studio preamp, but the ML-2 works really good. I'm shooting for tones before the Black LP. I was having trouble getting that pounding bass tone with the Marshall, but the ML-2 really helped get the speakers thumping.

Another tone I have nailed is Thin Lizzy. I have a 1977 stock LP Custom (T-Top pickups) into the dimed boosted green channel of the DSL100. This combo also does a great GnR tone.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: Rebel Yell / Holy Diver VS JB / CUstom / A8's ?

I love the Rebel Yell in an Explorer, which is fairly fat by nature. For a brighter guitar, the Holy Diver might be a better fit. I like the tone of the Diver bridge in a Strat much better than the JB; plus the HD interacts far better with the volume knob.

IMO either BKP should pair pretty well with stacked singles.

FWIW, the Rebel Yell neck humbucker is one really sweet pickup too.

 

[SFW]

Re: Rebel Yell / Holy Diver VS JB / CUstom / A8's ?

I've had a set of Rebel Yells for a few years now. The defining trait of all of the BKP pickups is their clarity. When you first play them it will almost freak you out. lol! The RYs have a very mids forward push to them. They work great in a Les Paul. I can't speak to how they sound in an alder bodied strat style guitar. I've run the JB, Distortion and the PATB-1 set in my Charvel. Ended up with the PATB-1 set, as I felt they offered the most balanced tone. The string separation is very nice. I can say that they have been my favorite set of pickup in a tree loaded guitar. The PATB-3 is also very nice, but it doesn't hit the front of the amp in the same was the the PATB-1 does.