Which pups Hellraiser C7

[markbolwell54]

Thinking about changing the pups in my Schecter Hellraiser C7 purely because I feel like trying something different.

The only worry I have is spending a couple of hundred on some pups that I don't like so was looking for some opinions and what to go for?

Options are BKP's now that they do soap bar size or blackouts? I have played blackouts in an RGA7 did like the sound but it just seems like the obvious safe bet.

I play standard B and drop A tunings, melodic metal but do like bands like After the Burial, For Today, I the Breather.

So which pups do people recommend?

 

[markbolwell54]

P.s I only want to stick with soapbar size pickups.

 

[Itchyman]

Is that the Mahogany one? Get BKP Aftermaths and 1 meg pots. It sounds awesome. Ken Lawrence suggested it to me, while speccing out my guitar, and I decided to try it. It's definitely going to be what I use in that guitar.

 

[markbolwell54]

Yes Mahogany.

 

[yellow]

EMG 81-7/85-7, but since u got a 707 in the neck, just throw a 81-7 in the bridge

 

[markbolwell54]

EMG 81-7/85-7, but since u got a 707 in the neck, just throw a 81-7 in the bridge

I have an 81-7 in my Viper but dont like the sound. too thin to my ears, i prefer the 707 over the 81-7.

 

[Curt]

Seymour Duncan is offering their new passive 7/8 string pickups in soapbar covers, as well as the invader, and distortion. Don't know about current stock in your country, though.

 

[Mike]

Everyone's going to say some form of Bare Knuckles (Aftermaths, Nailbomb etc.) But my vote goes for the DiMarzio D Activator 7. I have a set in my Mahogany ESP LTD AW-7 and I am absolutely floored at the tone I get out of them. They completely destroy the 707's. None of the low end mud poop. ( I actually traded my C7 to help fund my new ESP) But the D Activators are like literally half the price of an aftermath set.

 

[Mike]

I have an 81-7 in my Viper but dont like the sound. too thin to my ears, i prefer the 707 over the 81-7.

I too had this problem, but it's actually not 100% the pickups fault. That guitar had other issues that ESP would not acknowledge (Like a terrible batch of wood or a construction flaw) and as a result the Viper 407's (if that's the model you are making reference too) Sound completely thin and almost like they have a really low output or something ( I got rid of mine for that reason)And also ESP does not make them any more

 

[markbolwell54]

I too had this problem, but it's actually not 100% the pickups fault. That guitar had other issues that ESP would not acknowledge (Like a terrible batch of wood or a construction flaw) and as a result the Viper 407's (if that's the model you are making reference too) Sound completely thin and almost like they have a really low output or something ( I got rid of mine for that reason)And also ESP does not make them any more

Yeah I have the 407 but I have put the 707 in the bridge and it is brutal as ...., really heavy sounding but a bit on the dark side for my style.

 

[markbolwell54]

Anyone else got any recomendations or any experience of a hellraiser with different pups?

I spoke to BKP yesterday and they are recomending Aftermaths, Nailbomb or Holydiver. The only thing I am a little worried about is that I've always played active pickups.

 

[Andii]

I've really been trying to spread the word about Lundgren's M series lately.

The covered version that fits and EMG route looks like this:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/400631_601831069834849_1617266313_n.jpg

On the Lundgren site:
Humbucker | Lundgren.se | Guitar Pickups - Stratocaster® - Telecaster® - P-90® - Humbucker - Bas

Made in Sweden. Meshuggah's signature pickup. The only pickup that I would consider perfect. It has unbelievable tightness, but is also thick. Massive attack and dynamics with an eq curve that really works. It's so clear and so smooth at the same time.

I've been preaching about these pickups like I'm spreading the gospel or something, but they don't get enough love.

I acquired an M8 and will never swap it out because it's perfect. It looks pricey, but it's so much cheaper than the swapping game we've all played before.

 

[Mike]

I always played actives too, but after getting sick of the same tone, I made the switch to passives and haven't looked back. Overall I feel passives are much more versatile. Don't fall for the misconception that just because a pickup is active it will command more power. Definitely not the case.

 

[yellow]

Well if you dont like the 81-7, did you like the SD Blackout Bridge? I like em, even tho im an EMG person, actually Im VERY impressed with SD in there ballsy attempt to give em some active competition, i like blackouts alot

 

[markbolwell54]

EMG X?

 

[markbolwell54]

I've now swapped the pups from my Viper into my C7 which means I've got a 81-7 in the bridge now.

1st impressions are that its nice and snappy but lacks the balls of the 707.

Now that I've swapped all the wiring over (plus one hell of a soldering burn on my finger) I can easily swap pups around from 81-7, 707 and a friend of mine has kindly said I can borrow one of his blackouts to try. The reason I couldnt do this before is that the 707TW are 7 pin quick connect so cant swap with 3 pin pups.

The EMG X series look interesting though. Any had any experience with them?

 

[markbolwell54]

Anyone got any experience of the 81-7X?

Think its boiling down to a choice between this or blackouts

 

[gigawhat]

My vote would be Lace bars. I have a Deathbar in the bridge and an X-bar in the neck of my Hellraiser and it sounds awesome! Super crisp and clean, and really keeps the clarity with high gain.

 

[A_Damn_Moment]

I swapped the emgs out of my hellraiser c7 for blackwater guitars neos and love them. Havent used many different 7 string pickups so not reviewing here.. just a heads up you may have to drill a hole to the bridge for a ground wire