legolas151
Member
Hey!
So.. I didn't actually get those Black Hawks 6 (ceramic) today, I'm doing this more for the review + comparison with the Aftermaths 7.
I didn't know what to expect from the Black Hawks - apart from versatility, which was one of the main reasons for me to buy it. Now I ordered the set, but am actually only using the bridge for now, because my guitar has space for 1 humbucker and 1 mini humbucker (single-coil sized) pickups. The guitar I have the bridge black hawk in is a LTD MH-327, with the specs: Mahogany body, Maple top, neck-thru Maple neck and Rosewood Fingerboard.
Sound (compared to the Aftermaths 7 and in general): The sound is, in my experience, really full. Definitionwise it's even clearer than the aftermath; although it's in mahogany (instead of basswood, like the AM7), it sings the lowest note whichever it is (my 6th string is currently a Bb). Also the chord definition is just too good to exist: even with tons of distortion, the clarity is perfect! Besides, chords in general sound HUGE, single notes sound really full and djent chords are just imense. The sustain is also really good, notes can be held for a long time before fading, although the pickup is really tight. I like its tightness, but imo the AMs (in a Ibanez RG1527, basswood body) is better. Specially (and almost only actually) for tight staccato riffing; the bass response from the AMs is faster and they have more attack. It makes them naturally more percussive than the Black Hawk. I also find it easier to do pinch harmonics with the AMs. Both have perfect dynamics (like every BKP i've heard of)
I've also tried the split coil thing from the BH. Normally the coil used from the bridge pickup is the one nearer to the bridge, but I took the nearer to the neck. The result is, of course, more versatility and a great, fully usable not-so-bright clean sound.
Overall: I'd say the Black hawks have less metal specific elements than the AM. Don't get me wrong, both are really versatile - specially with the split coils thing. But, I mean, positive aspects like "pinch harmonics more easily" and "better for low tight staccato riffing" are definetely focused more for metal. Again I'm not saying the AMs sound thin or "unclear". No, both pickups do well in all of these aspects and are semi-perfect, only in different ways. Of course the perfect one would be, IMO, a combination of the best from both of them, but such thing doesn't exist (yet)... anyway, couldn't be happier
P.S. I: no pics yet
P.S. II: no pet pics yet
P.S. III: I'm using only the BH bridge pickup, but I bought the set because I'll sell my LTD in a near future to buy a new guitar with 2 humbucker slots and fit those bad boys.
So.. I didn't actually get those Black Hawks 6 (ceramic) today, I'm doing this more for the review + comparison with the Aftermaths 7.
I didn't know what to expect from the Black Hawks - apart from versatility, which was one of the main reasons for me to buy it. Now I ordered the set, but am actually only using the bridge for now, because my guitar has space for 1 humbucker and 1 mini humbucker (single-coil sized) pickups. The guitar I have the bridge black hawk in is a LTD MH-327, with the specs: Mahogany body, Maple top, neck-thru Maple neck and Rosewood Fingerboard.
Sound (compared to the Aftermaths 7 and in general): The sound is, in my experience, really full. Definitionwise it's even clearer than the aftermath; although it's in mahogany (instead of basswood, like the AM7), it sings the lowest note whichever it is (my 6th string is currently a Bb). Also the chord definition is just too good to exist: even with tons of distortion, the clarity is perfect! Besides, chords in general sound HUGE, single notes sound really full and djent chords are just imense. The sustain is also really good, notes can be held for a long time before fading, although the pickup is really tight. I like its tightness, but imo the AMs (in a Ibanez RG1527, basswood body) is better. Specially (and almost only actually) for tight staccato riffing; the bass response from the AMs is faster and they have more attack. It makes them naturally more percussive than the Black Hawk. I also find it easier to do pinch harmonics with the AMs. Both have perfect dynamics (like every BKP i've heard of)
I've also tried the split coil thing from the BH. Normally the coil used from the bridge pickup is the one nearer to the bridge, but I took the nearer to the neck. The result is, of course, more versatility and a great, fully usable not-so-bright clean sound.
Overall: I'd say the Black hawks have less metal specific elements than the AM. Don't get me wrong, both are really versatile - specially with the split coils thing. But, I mean, positive aspects like "pinch harmonics more easily" and "better for low tight staccato riffing" are definetely focused more for metal. Again I'm not saying the AMs sound thin or "unclear". No, both pickups do well in all of these aspects and are semi-perfect, only in different ways. Of course the perfect one would be, IMO, a combination of the best from both of them, but such thing doesn't exist (yet)... anyway, couldn't be happier
P.S. I: no pics yet
P.S. II: no pet pics yet
P.S. III: I'm using only the BH bridge pickup, but I bought the set because I'll sell my LTD in a near future to buy a new guitar with 2 humbucker slots and fit those bad boys.
