Schecter KM-7 (Keith Merrow) Signature Thread

[LeviathanKiller]

Comparison between the Seymour Duncan Sentient and Fishman Keith Merrow neck pickup

Cable -> Axe-Fx II XL+ -> Focusrite Scarlett 2i4
Compressor -> Band-Commander amp -> cab IR is "ML Angle SM57-M160 01".
Bass/Mids/Treble/Pres is 3.5/4/6/2.5. No settings changed between clips.

Clip 1
Fishman KM Voice 1: http://www.mediafire.com/file/pd794550jl2hdj5/20180503_134734_fishman_km_clean_neck_voice1.mp3
Fishman KM Voice 2: http://www.mediafire.com/file/v2p2pevfkso9n06/20180503_134734_fishman_km_clean_neck_voice2.mp3
SD Sentient: http://www.mediafire.com/file/oxvxhtmh4l03obj/20180503_134734_sentient_clean_neck.mp3

Clip 2
Fishman KM Voice 1: http://www.mediafire.com/file/9jnebsgzc4jyase/20180503_135436_fishman_km_clean_neck_voice1.mp3
Fishman KM Voice 2: http://www.mediafire.com/file/2k7ir8cw76id07p/20180503_135436_fishman_km_clean_neck_voice2.mp3
SD Sentient: http://www.mediafire.com/file/r0b33691fzfe7yk/20180503_135436_sentient_clean_neck.mp3
SD Sentient (split): http://www.mediafire.com/file/6a3znsfo4f0czmn/20180503_135436_sentient_clean_neck_split.mp3

 

[Albake21]

Comparison between the SD Nazgul and Fishman Keith Merrow bridge pickup

Cable -> Axe-Fx II XL+ -> Focusrite Scarlett 2i4
Used a T808 OD boost block, Das Metall amp, and cab block IR is "ML Angle SM57-M160 01". Bass/Mids/Treble/Pres is 5/5/6/4. No settings changed between clips.

Seymourd Duncan Nazgul: http://www.mediafire.com/file/ud6q2zp8c82ksa2/20180503_122253_nazgul.mp3
Fishman Fluence Keith Merrow (voice 1) : http://www.mediafire.com/file/khaiova1a12b1up/20180503_122521_fishman_km_voice1.mp3

Thank you for this! To be honest, it's not too different. But I'm also at work right now without my good headphones or monitors. It sounds like the Fishmans have a bit more growl to them, but they overall seem pretty similar which I guess wouldn't be too surprising considering they are both voiced for Keith. Overall definitely prefer the Fishmans, I'm excited to be getting my Moderns today.

 

[LeviathanKiller]

Comparison between the Seymour Duncan Nazgul and Fishman Keith Merrow bridge pickup

Last comparison group unless anyone asks for more (something different)
This time with then Kemper profiler

Cable -> Axe-Fx II XL+ -> Kemper -> Axe-Fx return -> Focusrite Scarlett 2i4
T808 OD boost from Axe-Fx -> Kemper with Josh Middleton profile "JTM USA 5909MKII 4" no setting change except +0.5 on gain

Fishman KM Voice 1: http://www.mediafire.com/file/alnzxedc51qvc8m/20180503_143053_fishman_km_dirty_bridge_voice1.mp3
Fishman KM Voice 2: http://www.mediafire.com/file/ho6ly8s607c1sb2/20180503_143053_fishman_km_dirty_bridge_voice2.mp3
SD Nazgul: http://www.mediafire.com/file/7tawa12bdphvkav/20180503_143053_nazgul_dirty.mp3

 

[LeviathanKiller]

In my personal A/B comparison so far, the Fishman Keith Merrow bridge pickup seems a bit more upper-mid-heavy than even the Nazgul. The Fishman pickups are VERY VERY (very) clear and articulate. Bass is tight and controlled. Not boomy at all. You might think there isn't any bass actually when switching from another guitar. That's also probably why the mids seem even more pronounced than the Nazgul. All of that leads me to think that these will work very well in mixes (and live contexts) where there is proper bass support to fill out the low end space. The Nazgul is very bass heavy compared to these and that bass seems very "tacked on" in the sense that it's not as musical but is just "there". The quality/characteristics of the mids in the Fishman KM set won't be to everyone's tastes. They can be slightly quacky/twangy/metallic/clanky occasionally (there are new strings on here though so that's partly why so I'll update on this later). Comparing these in swamp ash 26.5" scale to the Aftermath set in my mahogany 28.625" scale, I say the Aftermaths are a bit darker and more bass and the Fishman KMs are more articulate. The Fishman KMs don't quack like the Aftermath set though. One of my initial impressions with the Fishman KM set is that sometimes it feels like I'm playing with a high-output single-coil in the bridge...

I don't feel like there's much of a difference when switching to voice 2 on the bridge pickup either. It takes a small bit of the upper mids out and puts some bass back in.
Can't comment about any of the single-coil tones yet since I have to modify the guitar with a switch and do some wiring before I have access to that.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

You're making me regret cancelling my Fishman KM set preorder.

 

[Albake21]

In my personal A/B comparison so far, the Fishman Keith Merrow bridge pickup seems a bit more upper-mid-heavy than even the Nazgul. The Fishman pickups are VERY VERY (very) clear and articulate. Bass is tight and controlled. Not boomy at all. You might think there isn't any bass actually when switching from another guitar. That's also probably why the mids seem even more pronounced than the Nazgul. All of that leads me to think that these will work very well in mixes (and live contexts) where there is proper bass support to fill out the low end space. The Nazgul is very bass heavy compared to these and that bass seems very "tacked on" in the sense that it's not as musical but is just "there". The quality/characteristics of the mids in the Fishman KM set won't be to everyone's tastes. They can be slightly quacky/twangy/metallic/clanky occasionally (there are new strings on here though so that's partly why so I'll update on this later). Comparing these in swamp ash 26.5" scale to the Aftermath set in my mahogany 28.625" scale, I say the Aftermaths are a bit darker and more bass and the Fishman KMs are more articulate. The Fishman KMs don't quack like the Aftermath set though. One of my initial impressions with the Fishman KM set is that sometimes it feels like I'm playing with a high-output single-coil in the bridge...

I don't feel like there's much of a difference when switching to voice 2 on the bridge pickup either. It takes a small bit of the upper mids out and puts some bass back in.
Can't comment about any of the single-coil tones yet since I have to modify the guitar with a switch and do some wiring before I have access to that.

To be honest, I'm really glad I went with the Moderns instead of the KM. This sounds perfect for certain players, but I'm not one of those players. Thank you so much for the great comparisons and write up.

 

[Flick]

What gauge strings are you guys using on this 26.5 scale?

 

[Frostbite]

What gauge strings are you guys using on this 26.5 scale?

I'm using 10-52 with a low 68 in Drop G# and it's been perfect for me. I tried a 64 for the low string and it was just a little too loose for me and the 68 fixed that

 

[TedintheShed]

What gauge strings are you guys using on this 26.5 scale?

I've been using LaBella HRS 9-64. Great strings. I'm in drop A

 

[NosralTserrof]

What gauge strings are you guys using on this 26.5 scale?

I use Ernie Ball 7 String Power Slinkys, gage .11-.58

Things can get a little loose, but it can do everything from Drop F to Bb Std. Intonation might be wack, but since this is a utility 7 atm, I gotta work with what I gotta work with.

Maybe in 3 years one of the Mk3 imports will be cheap on Reverb and that'll be my T H I C C string guitar

 

[Flappydoodle]

Thank you for this! To be honest, it's not too different. But I'm also at work right now without my good headphones or monitors. It sounds like the Fishmans have a bit more growl to them, but they overall seem pretty similar which I guess wouldn't be too surprising considering they are both voiced for Keith. Overall definitely prefer the Fishmans, I'm excited to be getting my Moderns today.

I saw a video where they basically it was a copy of his passive pickups. The first thing he wanted to do was replicate his passive sound, then add some extra options - (and having some benefits of active pickups such as low noise etc).

They do sound cool though.

 

[Albake21]

I saw a video where they basically it was a copy of his passive pickups. The first thing he wanted to do was replicate his passive sound, then add some extra options - (and having some benefits of active pickups such as low noise etc).

They do sound cool though.

So it's basically just a Nazgul/Sentient 2.0

 

[Stuck_in_a_dream]

^ No, it was not that simple. Please go back and read Keith's own account on this same thread.

 

[JEngelking]

KM-6s for $699 in Musician's Friend's Stupid Deal of the Day.

 

[Albake21]

KM-6s for $699 in Musician's Friend's Stupid Deal of the Day.

Damn I was hoping it was the MK2, MK1 is a no go for me.

 

[ImNotAhab]

Damn I was hoping it was the MK2, MK1 is a no go for me.

Hey man, just wondering what is with the MKI vs the MKII that made it a deal breaker for you?

 

[Albake21]

Hey man, just wondering what is with the MKI vs the MKII that made it a deal breaker for you?

The QC wasn't the greatest on the MK1s and were greatly improved on the MK2s. Not only that, but the MK2s also have a few nicer touches like a nicer nut and some nicer aesthetic choices.

 

[LeviathanKiller]

I saw a video where they basically it was a copy of his passive pickups. The first thing he wanted to do was replicate his passive sound, then add some extra options - (and having some benefits of active pickups such as low noise etc).

They do sound cool though.

So it's basically just a Nazgul/Sentient 2.0

^ No, it was not that simple. Please go back and read Keith's own account on this same thread.

The neck pickup is actually just a Fishman Fluence Open Core Classic neck pickup and then the bridge is a slightly modified Classic.
http://www.sevenstring.org/threads/the-fishman-fluence-thread.329214/page-3#post-4872951

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

So it's basically just a Nazgul/Sentient 2.0

No, not those passive pickups. He owned another set of custom passives, and he wanted to modify a set of Fluence Classics to sound close to those.

 

[TedintheShed]

Bummer...

They just announced that the MKIII Pros aren't shipping until mid June. I can only assume that means my MKIII Studio will ship much later than the ETA of this month I was told since some pictures of the Pros being made have already popped up on Schecters custom shop FB page. I wanted it before Gearfest so I could start trying out amps with that guitar.

I know it was just an ETA, but I'm still a bit disappointed...