Recently I picked up a Schecter KM-6 Mk II, Keith Merrow signature model. Other than the somewhat boring (for metal!) natural satin finish, it's really an excellent, well-designed and well-built guitar. At least for me personally, I'm tired of the "metal = black" trend, and I like the natural wood finish for it's somewhat understated appearance. My only quibble is with the pickups which come stock with it, and specifically the Nazgul. (I will digress a bit and say that, so far, the Sentient doesn't do it for me either. I have used and liked the Jazz and 59, and although the Sentient is supposed to have the good qualities of both, it seems a little bland. I'll probably throw an A-2 or A-4 in it and see what happens.)
My "benchmark" bridge pickups have been either the Custom-8, or Distortion. Normally, I'd probably just buy another 59/Distortion set for this guitar, BUT... this is the second $1000-dollar guitar I've bought in just the last three weeks! (The other one is also a Schecter, the Banshee Elite-6. The KM is pretty nice but I absolutely LOVE that Banshee! Happy NGD, to meee! :9
Anyway, the budget is blown and any additional purchases will have me in the doghouse with Wifey. :O So I thought it prudent to at least try a mag swap and see if that does the trick.
The Nazgul seems pretty good at what it's designed for, down-tuned metal, but more often I'm playing anything from 70's and 80's rock and metal to modern rock and alternative; things like Ted Nugent, Dokken, Alice In Chains, and Metallica to maybe Seether, Mudvayne or Killswitch Engage. The Distortion worked pretty well for a lot of that stuff when I had one in my Jackson, so if there's a magnet swap that might bring the Nazgul closer to that, I'm game to try it. I'll be keeping the KM in E-flat and maybe drop-C at times. To me, (and especially compared to the Custom-8), the Nazgul just seems too tight, kind of dry like you hear all the individual strings in a chord, yet the chord itself lacks the powerful cohesive, full sound of the Custom-8 (or what I recall from the Distortion). Plus the Nazgul has kind of a clankiness to it, kind of hypersensitive to every minute touch of the pick. Adjusting EQ settings on the amp helps, but there's only so much my little HT-5 can do!
I have a pretty decent assortment of magnets to experiment with, but I'd rather not do an endless series of mag swaps on this thing. So I'd like to start with an educated guess, which is where all of YOUR voices of experience come in! I have RCA2, A2, A3, RCA4, A5, UOA5, RCA5, double-thickness A5, ceramic from a Custom, and A8. Now, I did once try an A8 in the Distortion, but ended up going back to the regular ceramic Distortion after all, so I'm a little leery of the A8 in a Nazgul, but I think an A5 of some kind, or an A8, would be a good starting point. My plan is to do a swap with my next string change. Ultimately the experiment costs nothing, and it's always kind of fun anyway. So, what are your recommendations? Thanks!
My "benchmark" bridge pickups have been either the Custom-8, or Distortion. Normally, I'd probably just buy another 59/Distortion set for this guitar, BUT... this is the second $1000-dollar guitar I've bought in just the last three weeks! (The other one is also a Schecter, the Banshee Elite-6. The KM is pretty nice but I absolutely LOVE that Banshee! Happy NGD, to meee! :9
Anyway, the budget is blown and any additional purchases will have me in the doghouse with Wifey. :O So I thought it prudent to at least try a mag swap and see if that does the trick. The Nazgul seems pretty good at what it's designed for, down-tuned metal, but more often I'm playing anything from 70's and 80's rock and metal to modern rock and alternative; things like Ted Nugent, Dokken, Alice In Chains, and Metallica to maybe Seether, Mudvayne or Killswitch Engage. The Distortion worked pretty well for a lot of that stuff when I had one in my Jackson, so if there's a magnet swap that might bring the Nazgul closer to that, I'm game to try it. I'll be keeping the KM in E-flat and maybe drop-C at times. To me, (and especially compared to the Custom-8), the Nazgul just seems too tight, kind of dry like you hear all the individual strings in a chord, yet the chord itself lacks the powerful cohesive, full sound of the Custom-8 (or what I recall from the Distortion). Plus the Nazgul has kind of a clankiness to it, kind of hypersensitive to every minute touch of the pick. Adjusting EQ settings on the amp helps, but there's only so much my little HT-5 can do!
I have a pretty decent assortment of magnets to experiment with, but I'd rather not do an endless series of mag swaps on this thing. So I'd like to start with an educated guess, which is where all of YOUR voices of experience come in! I have RCA2, A2, A3, RCA4, A5, UOA5, RCA5, double-thickness A5, ceramic from a Custom, and A8. Now, I did once try an A8 in the Distortion, but ended up going back to the regular ceramic Distortion after all, so I'm a little leery of the A8 in a Nazgul, but I think an A5 of some kind, or an A8, would be a good starting point. My plan is to do a swap with my next string change. Ultimately the experiment costs nothing, and it's always kind of fun anyway. So, what are your recommendations? Thanks!
