So I came back to watch this video this morning because I ended up buying the Aftermaths after watching this comparison. However, I also found a cheap Ibanez at guitar center with Polymath PUPs and talked em down to $500 (I also needed the neck for one of my old Iron Labels), and I gotta say... if you're playing leads, the Polymaths are the way to go man. It has lower output overall but the high freq output of the Aftermaths when playing leads with an alder body guitar and maple neck sound like cats fighting without some serious EQ. I put the Polymath pups in my Ibanez RG5320 to replace the Aftermaths and OMG are those things amazing for leads or rhythms with a lot of punch in the mids. The Aftermath PUPs I put in my Basswood body Iron Label guitar and it truly makes a difference tapering the high freq tones inherent to the Aftermaths. Suffice it to say, both are awesome, and I make my choice based on this video. But IMO, if you're putting them in an alder/swamp ash/african mahogany body guitar with a maple neck (especially roasted maple) and the typical ebony fretboard... the Polymaths are what you want. But if you have a Mahogany, Rosewood, or Basswood body then get the Aftermaths (especially if you tune to D standard or Drop C). The tonal differences in the tonewood itself are slight, but when it comes to the quality of BK PUPs, those tonal variations are actually apparent. These two PUPs along with the Ragnaroks are AMAZING (as is every BKP set I've ever purchased) PUPS and worth every penny, but pay close attention to the tonal properties listed on their website, because they genuinely sound like their Low-Mid-High bar charts describe them. Anyways, I just wanted to return to the video that contributed to my decision and post my observations based on my guitars which they were used in. Thanks again, awesome channel bro, and great demo 🤘
Thank you! I fully agree that Polymath is more defined , you can probably hide more playing imperfections on Aftermaths, but I think that both pickups sounds great on high gain tones
They both sound great on high-gain! The Splitcoil on pickups A sound better to me than the B's though. Overall I liked the A's better even though they are pretty similar, can't go wrong with either.
The aftermath sounds great in this. Listen to this through a proper set of speakers and you'll hear it properly. The aftermath has much better low end attack, and is a thicker throughout. It also seems to handle the high gain better. Not a fan of the polymath, in anything I've heard really. Great sound test of the Aftermath, about time it was done justice.
that aftermath sounds so good in the mix at the beginning. Poly seems like it needs more umph tbh... like a little thin. Nothing wrong with either though. I would consider the aftermath for like Inferi songs and the polymath for cleaner djent songs. If you want more power and more fizz, maybe aftermath.
Perfect explanation and that’s what I was saying. They both sound similar with the polymath being a little brighter, but they sounded flubby on the low end. The Aftermath is still king of the tight low-end metal tone IMO.
That Chug section for the ''A pickup" (without spoil), is insanely tight, clear and martial, damn I've never hear this pickup like that in action, I would love to hear this one agains't the Warpig !
Nice comparison. A lot of ppl complain that the aftermath is a one trick pony but it is actually pretty versatile. I thought the triple magnets would destroy my DAW too but it didn’t do that either. I play more black metal/crust music and the aftermath wins this comparison.
Still like the aftermath better. The polymath is a little brighter with better clarity on on the neck pickup but it just seem as tight on the low end. I need to run the signals through a spectrum analyzer because they’re pretty damn close. But overall I was digging pickup A more than the B on most examples. I do like the cleans better on the polymath but I’m a metal guy so that’s not really a major contributing factor to which I’d choose… 🤷🏻♂️
Thanks, thinking about getting the Polymaths, pretty much knew which one was which on the first clean strum. Can't go wrong with either, but I really like the Polys.
Hi Michal, thanks for doing a really good comparison video of the Aftermath and the Polymath. I was able to tell which riff is Aftermath and which riff is Polymath. I hear from others who tried the Polymath, it's slightly less output and requires a bit more effort on your part when playing. And they are not forgiving pickups. How did it feel to you when you played them both?
Hello Uncle Yoshi, I concur with everything you've heared about Polymaths. They have fairly low output from all the high gain pickups I've tried and they're also quite demanding in a sense that they're less forgiving. They also seem to sit in a mix better without any major tweaks.
Hi, I just got the Polymaths because of this video. However, my pickups sound very lofi compared to your di tracks. Your di's have so much detail and complex highs, I have none of that. I have fresh NYXL strings, pickups as close as possible, running through Countryman Type 10 into RME Fireface UFX 2. Still my di sounds like plating rubber bands. Are you running the di's through Axe FX 3, using it as the interface? I noticed that your di's are clipped too, I wonder what causes that. I appreciate hugely any help!
Hey man, yes, I captured those DIs using Axe FX 3. I just loaded them again into Reaper and they are in the ~15dB area, not sure where the clipping you see comes from. Can you upload your DIs so I take can a look? On this recording I'm using Elixir 10-52 strings + 1.5mm dunlop max grip pick, not sure if that helps. Maybe there is something funky going on with your wiring?
Were your DI tracks for this recorded directly from the Axe Fx 3, with no altering of the input signal? I'm comparing with an AFX3 as well and want to make sure it's an accurate comparison.
@@guitartonez Thanks, I just wanted to run them through my own presets to get a better idea of their tone. They're both so spanky and bright, but sound like so much fun to play!
@@Nicholas-sg7qk Thanks for sharing, this it exact use case I had in mind while sharing the DIs. Let me know what your thoughts are after running these through your presets!
@@guitartonez I've put them through my AFX3 for a while, and I'm uncertain still. The pickups sound like SO much fun, but they seem really bright and "thwanky", like they naturally sound like they have an OD pedal on with the tone knob cranked. I worry everything will sound ultra-modern no matter what mood I'm in. What do you think, does that sound accurate at all?
@@Nicholas-sg7qk I think it does, both pickups have a decent amount of highs and are definitely on the brighter side when it comes to the sounds. I think the ash body in my guitar might also contribute to the overall brightness.
@@guitartonez I am looking forward to buying the slightly cheaper Setius, can you tell me what makes those Mayos stand out so much? I heard Mayo are amazing guitars and I want one but what is so special about them?
So I came back to watch this video this morning because I ended up buying the Aftermaths after watching this comparison. However, I also found a cheap Ibanez at guitar center with Polymath PUPs and talked em down to $500 (I also needed the neck for one of my old Iron Labels), and I gotta say... if you're playing leads, the Polymaths are the way to go man. It has lower output overall but the high freq output of the Aftermaths when playing leads with an alder body guitar and maple neck sound like cats fighting without some serious EQ. I put the Polymath pups in my Ibanez RG5320 to replace the Aftermaths and OMG are those things amazing for leads or rhythms with a lot of punch in the mids. The Aftermath PUPs I put in my Basswood body Iron Label guitar and it truly makes a difference tapering the high freq tones inherent to the Aftermaths. Suffice it to say, both are awesome, and I make my choice based on this video. But IMO, if you're putting them in an alder/swamp ash/african mahogany body guitar with a maple neck (especially roasted maple) and the typical ebony fretboard... the Polymaths are what you want. But if you have a Mahogany, Rosewood, or Basswood body then get the Aftermaths (especially if you tune to D standard or Drop C). The tonal differences in the tonewood itself are slight, but when it comes to the quality of BK PUPs, those tonal variations are actually apparent. These two PUPs along with the Ragnaroks are AMAZING (as is every BKP set I've ever purchased) PUPS and worth every penny, but pay close attention to the tonal properties listed on their website, because they genuinely sound like their Low-Mid-High bar charts describe them. Anyways, I just wanted to return to the video that contributed to my decision and post my observations based on my guitars which they were used in. Thanks again, awesome channel bro, and great demo 🤘
Congrats on the purchase, that's a good price for set of Polymaths! Thanks for the comments, I'm very glad I could be of any help here!
How did u set the pickup heights for them? I have an aftermath on a 7 string and im not sure how to set it quite right
Great comparison man! Aftermath sounds warmer & rounder to me. Poly is more crisp and defined. Nice mayo too :)
Thank you! I fully agree that Polymath is more defined , you can probably hide more playing imperfections on Aftermaths, but I think that both pickups sounds great on high gain tones
They both sound great on high-gain! The Splitcoil on pickups A sound better to me than the B's though. Overall I liked the A's better even though they are pretty similar, can't go wrong with either.
The aftermath sounds great in this. Listen to this through a proper set of speakers and you'll hear it properly.
The aftermath has much better low end attack, and is a thicker throughout. It also seems to handle the high gain better.
Not a fan of the polymath, in anything I've heard really.
Great sound test of the Aftermath, about time it was done justice.
that aftermath sounds so good in the mix at the beginning. Poly seems like it needs more umph tbh... like a little thin. Nothing wrong with either though. I would consider the aftermath for like Inferi songs and the polymath for cleaner djent songs. If you want more power and more fizz, maybe aftermath.
Perfect explanation and that’s what I was saying. They both sound similar with the polymath being a little brighter, but they sounded flubby on the low end. The Aftermath is still king of the tight low-end metal tone IMO.
I get the feeling the Polymaths were designed to fit inside of a mix with less eq’ing
Well done, great riffs. I had a clear favorite. Thanks. Now I have something to add to my list.
33rd sub. My lucky number!! .
Thanks for watching and for the sub!
That Chug section for the ''A pickup" (without spoil), is insanely tight, clear and martial, damn I've never hear this pickup like that in action, I would love to hear this one agains't the Warpig !
Fantastic comparison! The Polymath takes the W here for me. It sounds perfectly balanced, clear and tight.
Yeah Mayonaise! LOL!
i am love Mayones guitars loaded with bareknuckles. Nice playing and sounds.
These riffs are amazing
Nice comparison. A lot of ppl complain that the aftermath is a one trick pony but it is actually pretty versatile. I thought the triple magnets would destroy my DAW too but it didn’t do that either.
I play more black metal/crust music and the aftermath wins this comparison.
Cymbals are soooooo loud. Eating up all the guitar
Mixing is not my strong side ;D you can download DIs and play with them, there is a link in the description.
Still like the aftermath better. The polymath is a little brighter with better clarity on on the neck pickup but it just seem as tight on the low end. I need to run the signals through a spectrum analyzer because they’re pretty damn close. But overall I was digging pickup A more than the B on most examples. I do like the cleans better on the polymath but I’m a metal guy so that’s not really a major contributing factor to which I’d choose… 🤷🏻♂️
Your tone could use some figuring out. At the volume it's at, there's no reason why the drums would be burying it like this. It's barely audible.
Oh yeah, the mix is pretty trash. It's been two years, I would have done it differently now.
Thanks, thinking about getting the Polymaths, pretty much knew which one was which on the first clean strum. Can't go wrong with either, but I really like the Polys.
What’s the body spec of this regius? I also using regius 6 with SD sentient/nazgul set and considering between those two sets!
It has ash body and poplar top, haven't tried sentient/nazgul but have heard mostly good things about them.
Trying to decide between polymath and juggernauts
Hi Michal, thanks for doing a really good comparison video of the Aftermath and the Polymath. I was able to tell which riff is Aftermath and which riff is Polymath. I hear from others who tried the Polymath, it's slightly less output and requires a bit more effort on your part when playing. And they are not forgiving pickups. How did it feel to you when you played them both?
Hello Uncle Yoshi, I concur with everything you've heared about Polymaths. They have fairly low output from all the high gain pickups I've tried and they're also quite demanding in a sense that they're less forgiving. They also seem to sit in a mix better without any major tweaks.
you can tell the difference by looking at the pole screws. I think I prefer the Polymaths
I got the difference between the two correct, but I'll have to say...
A was better for the single note riffs, and B was perfect for thick chords.
Hi, I just got the Polymaths because of this video. However, my pickups sound very lofi compared to your di tracks. Your di's have so much detail and complex highs, I have none of that. I have fresh NYXL strings, pickups as close as possible, running through Countryman Type 10 into RME Fireface UFX 2. Still my di sounds like plating rubber bands. Are you running the di's through Axe FX 3, using it as the interface? I noticed that your di's are clipped too, I wonder what causes that. I appreciate hugely any help!
Hey man, yes, I captured those DIs using Axe FX 3. I just loaded them again into Reaper and they are in the ~15dB area, not sure where the clipping you see comes from. Can you upload your DIs so I take can a look? On this recording I'm using Elixir 10-52 strings + 1.5mm dunlop max grip pick, not sure if that helps. Maybe there is something funky going on with your wiring?
I also did an eq compensation to match the tone, and it needed over 20dB boost on the highs! Crazy
Nailed it. I got it right after the first A riff.
also, very cool audio too. Reminds me a bit of Rabae Maasad
I vote for A. I think its the Aftermath.
Pickups are revealed at the end of the video!
This was a great comparison. :-) got them right.
The polymath will fit perfect in a mix. But i like the high end of the aftermath.
Man what was that song in Riff 2? If it’s your progression well done (but really good job on the video either way).
Thanks for the kind words! I wrote both riffs however they didn't make it into a full song.
@@guitartonez that’s awesome.
Glad to see this comparison! I have a set of Aftermaths in my 7 and just put a set of Polymaths in my 6. Both sound.. absolutely sick.
Thank you very much! Most useful comparison video I've seen so far :-)
You're welcome! It's great to hear that you found it useful!
Hey man, nice demo. Would you mind sharing what tone woods are in your Regius build?
Thank you! It has swamp ash body and maple-mahogany-amazakoe-wenge neck.
Great video!
Check out Lundgren Black Heaven
Thanks, I've acutally never played on Lundgren's but I only hear good things about them. This will be my next pickup manufacturer to try!
Which is pickup A and which is pickup B??
No spoilers in the comments ;) it's at the end of the movie (08:16)
Great demo comparison
Thank you!
Were your DI tracks for this recorded directly from the Axe Fx 3, with no altering of the input signal? I'm comparing with an AFX3 as well and want to make sure it's an accurate comparison.
Hey, these are clean DI tracks directly from AF3, no signal modifications. What are you up to? :)
@@guitartonez Thanks, I just wanted to run them through my own presets to get a better idea of their tone. They're both so spanky and bright, but sound like so much fun to play!
@@Nicholas-sg7qk Thanks for sharing, this it exact use case I had in mind while sharing the DIs. Let me know what your thoughts are after running these through your presets!
@@guitartonez I've put them through my AFX3 for a while, and I'm uncertain still. The pickups sound like SO much fun, but they seem really bright and "thwanky", like they naturally sound like they have an OD pedal on with the tone knob cranked. I worry everything will sound ultra-modern no matter what mood I'm in.
What do you think, does that sound accurate at all?
@@Nicholas-sg7qk I think it does, both pickups have a decent amount of highs and are definitely on the brighter side when it comes to the sounds. I think the ash body in my guitar might also contribute to the overall brightness.
Holy shit is that a Mayo?
Yes, that's a Regius!
@@guitartonez I am looking forward to buying the slightly cheaper Setius, can you tell me what makes those Mayos stand out so much? I heard Mayo are amazing guitars and I want one but what is so special about them?
@@TheGeekosDen If I were to name one thing that would be build quality. Every single piece of this guitar looks and works perfect. There are no flaws.
Блин, какие рифаки афигенные!
Thank you!
@@guitartonez у тебя есть готовые треки ? Или группа ?