I had a Nailbomb set in my '73 Les Paul Custom
neck model was way too strong and scooped for me
like a brighter Duncan '59 with huge output
great clarity, but it didn't have that smooth tone you would expect from the neck pickup of a les paul custom
I was expecting the bridge model to be something like the Holy Diver that I loved, but with more upper mids and edge, but it's actually a whole different pickup
despite of both being 16k and alnico 5, the nailbomb has a lot more output, different wire gauge, a lot more treble and a lot LESS mids
it was actually the least middy model I've tried of their contemporary line (I only didn't try the c-pig and c-bomb)
it's kinda like a Duncan Custom V, but hotter, punchier and not as scooped, but it does have a mild midrange
it sounded awesome through my amps (a modded JMP and a Zambelli Hyperdrive prototype, both in the Bogner/Facelift ballpark), but I was really looking for something MIDDY, so I had to let them go
so I pm'ed Wade and asked details on the Afwayu and he said it should be a bit warmer
he also said that it had a lot of mids ("the mids want to explode"), but without the spike of the JB
he recommended a matched set, but I wanted something more paf like for the neck, so I ordered the Afwayu for the bridge and a 2nd Degree Black Belt for the neck
the 2nd Degree Black Belt reminds me of the Bare Knuckle neck Cold Sweat, but less modern sounding, with a bit less mids and more treble attack, but far from the mid scooped character of a Duncan '59, Burstbucker Pro or the neck Nailbomb
more like a vintage Gibson T-Top, but thicker sounding
what really surprised me about the Afwayu os that it was a lot like the Nailbomb, but with the mid voicing I was looking for
lot of punch and tight low end, aggressive high end, but still capable of doing smooth leads
just like the Nailbomb, but with a ton of mids instead of the Nailbombs hollow PAF-style mids
kinda like a mix of the Nailbomb and the Holy Diver
not as open and smooth as the Diver, not as focused as the Nailbomb, but with the Diver fat mids and the Nailbomb metal edge
I wouldn't say none of them is better than the others (except the nailbomb neck, that really didn't do it for me)
really depends on your taste (or addiction) for mids
by the way, I just put an order for a custom overwound Bare Knuckle Riff Raff with a larger magnet for my '81 Les Paul Standard
ps: ALL pickups mentioned are alnico 5