My recommendations for pickups: SD Custom (ceramic, 2, or 5) bridge, SD Pearly Gates neck.
The Custom series is definitely the most versatile of the bunch, handling all the needs of classic rock to metal. For a spongier feeling bass, smooth highs, and tons of mids, the custom custom is the answer. The custom 5: scooped mids, brighter top end, deeper bass. The custom (ceramic): tight bass, thick mids (not as much as the custom custom) and an articulate high end.
The good thing is with a simple magnet swap (costs about 5 dollars I think) You can change between these three models each with its own unique feel and eq. The custom series is strong with most types of music and sounds more so than any pickup I have ever tried, but in particular the custom custom is best for classic to hard rock, with the custom excelling at high gain, and the custom 5 somewhere in between (though noticeably brighter).
As for the cable argument; let's drop that, there's some people who will never listen to reason and if we're lucky they'll leave the rest of us alone and move to Kansas.