Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
At The Back => Time Out => Topic started by: WezV on November 02, 2007, 05:22:06 PM
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Well the range of BKP's is pretty good but there are still a few things i really wish they did.
Top of the shopping list would be some minibuckers. Both epiphone/LP deluxe style and firebird!!
I also quite fancy an alnico style of pickup like the old gibson ones
(http://www.scottymoore.net/images/alnicov.jpg)
Basically a p-90 with small adjustable alnico magnets used as the polpieces
Something like fenders telecaster custom pickup maybe.
then maybe more options on the bobbins. I know they have black purple and cream - not sure if there are many other colours yet. I would really like the odd wood topped bobbin as well, it would be like a BKP with lots of 'got wood' jokes - think of the hilarity.
yeah - i have been reading up on pickup theory and its got me PASsing (trying to think what the equivilent of GAS is). I dont want to go back to the generic brands if i can help it!!
anyone else got any they would like to see
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Sorry, no new ideas, but I am liking firebirds a lot, tempted to get one (eventually) and the mini humbucker's return would be nice :)
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BKP is doing a great job, so I feel like a tw@t for being critical. But oh well, here goes.
Covers for 7-string pickups.
Different color options for 7-string pickups.
Single sized humbuckers (yes, I know Tim hates those. But I hate single coil sounds :P )
An HSH set named after Vai, called Fire Garden Suite :D
Bass-set named after Billy Sheehan, called Chameleon.
Renaming the Painkiller, Slow Hand, Sinner, Riff Raff, and Brown Sugar after bands that are actually good.
(yes, the last one is a joke, you can breathe now)
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BKP is doing a great job, so I feel like a tw@t for being critical. But oh well, here goes.
definately doing a great job - i wanst meaning it to be critical at all. More just a 'what would you have if you could' kind of thread.
at worst we all throw out ideas that are not practical for a company like BKP so wont happen- at best they get some free market research
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filtertron stylees would be cool
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+1 on mini HBs and firebird pickups
Firebirds sound so damn good!
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Let me say this, BKP is one of the very few who have the courage to create something unusual, like alnico III and IV pickups. Im confident that people who dare do that will come up with plenty of mindblowing pickups over the years.
Some things like a real vintage Dog Ear on a semi just cant be copied. I have a 60s 125T which has one and its just such an gift to play those lazy blues rifs on i could not imagine i could do without it.
Its just that they did things different in the old days, or maybe BKP does still do it the old way, i am greatly anticipating my first BKP's to say the least.
If i had to think about something to wish for it would be the one and only, ultimate Gibson Custom pickup which i just cant seem to find.
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I've had Tim rewind some old Casino P90s in the past and they have been great.
And a few weird (and even junk) pickups that Tim has breathed life into
Worth remembering the rewind service when a replacement is just not appropriate/possible
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Single sized humbuckers (yes, I know Tim hates those. But I hate single coil sounds :P )
I agree.
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see i must admit i am firmly in the no to single coil sized humbuckers camp - to much of a compromise for me. One of the things i really like about BKP is that they focus on getting the most from simple pickup designs rather than overcomplicating the issue with designs that have never really worked well.
that may make my thread redundant :roll:
nah - i still think there are a few classic designs that could do with the BKP touch!!
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And if you ask me, "true single coil" sounds never really worked well. If you're making humbucker sized pickups that sound like p-90s, single coil sized pickups that sound like humbuckers doesn't seem that far fetched to me.
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(yes, the last one is a joke, you can breathe now)
I was REALLY about to mail you a BOMB instead of The Mule I promised! :D
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(yes, the last one is a joke, you can breathe now)
I was REALLY about to mail you a BOMB instead of The Mule I promised! :D
Nothing wrong with a 'bomb, it's a great pickup. :twisted:
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In the spirit of the thread, I'd say Rickenbacker types but I should think Tim and the guys have their hands full as it is.
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And if you ask me, "true single coil" sounds never really worked well. If you're making humbucker sized pickups that sound like p-90s, single coil sized pickups that sound like humbuckers doesn't seem that far fetched to me.
It's easier to put a small thing into a big space rather than a big thing into a small space.
Physically a P90 is a similar size to a humbucker so not so difficult to do.
Squishing a HB down to a Fender single coil size comes with a lot of comprimise.
If you don't like single coil pickups - play Humbuckers
Actually Splitting some of the humbuckers and using coils together like on the Petrucci guitars works well
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(yes, the last one is a joke, you can breathe now)
I was REALLY about to mail you a BOMB instead of The Mule I promised! :D
Nothing wrong with a 'bomb, it's a great pickup. :twisted:
Except that I was referring to a real BOMB! :D I love my nailbomb dude, no way I'm giving him that, ahahahhaa :D
He is buying The Mule from me. And this was a joke. He will understand when he sees it. :D
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A Miracle man/voodoo Children H/S/S set
an SC to fill the gap between Irish tours and trilogies
MINIBUCKERS
New Website :roll:
But no SC sized HBs- I support Tim's logic here- too much of a compromise.
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But no SC sized HBs- I support Tim's logic here- too much of a compromise.
...but they do have a sound of their own. Yeah it's not a single coil sound and it's not a humbucker sound, but it's definately a sound that a lot of people like, and use, and have done for years (Iron Maiden, anyone?). I know it's a sound that Tim doesn't like personally, but a lot of people do and i just don't understand why you would refuse to support your customers wants and requests based on your own tastes. It just seems to be bad business.
Correct me if I'm wrong.
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8-string ceramic warpig with burnt chrome cover
Bit specific, I know...
:D
Roo
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yeah - i have been reading up on pickup theory and its got me PASsing (trying to think what the equivilent of GAS is). I dont want to go back to the generic brands if i can help it!!...
I think because you've just been reading up, it'd just be PISsing... Pickup Inqusition Syndrome :p
7 string covers they need to do, and the 8 string model needs to come to life soon too :)
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Good suggestions here.
+1 on the stapletop P90, mini humbuckers and Ric pickups.
And +10 on the Filtertrons. I'd like to hear Tim's take on the classic as well as the hot rodded filtertron sound.
Maybe some Jazzmaster and Jaguar pickups would be nice too.
I know this all small market stuff but SD is doing them too. They even do Dyna's and P90's in a filtertron cover.
Gretsch guitars still has a small market share but they're selling more and more guitars every year.
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I would like to see some bass pickups - i know they will do P and J bass stuff on request but i would really like to see a modern soapbar style bass pickup that compliments the high gain guitar pickups they do
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they'd probably only sell a handful (mostly to me!), so completely non-viable economically, but i have dreams about 7 string P90's.
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oh, also, something that'll fit in those god-awful emg 7 string cavities.
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so completely non-viable economically
I think most of what we are suggesting would fall into that catagory - but we can still dream :wink: .
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Coloured Bobbins... If it came to an extra £10 or something ontop of the pickup I would go for it!
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+10 on the Filtertrons..I agree with that
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...but they do have a sound of their own. Yeah it's not a single coil sound and it's not a humbucker sound, but it's definately a sound that a lot of people like, and use, and have done for years (Iron Maiden, anyone?). I know it's a sound that Tim doesn't like personally, but a lot of people do and i just don't understand why you would refuse to support your customers wants and requests based on your own tastes. It just seems to be bad business.
Correct me if I'm wrong.
That's what I was thinking really. If I was in Tim's position I'd make true single coil pickups too, even though I don't like them, because I know that a lot of people do. Even if it's a compromise, there's still a market for single-size hums. (One that is named after Maiden is a no-brainer isn't it? :D )
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It's easier to put a small thing into a big space rather than a big thing into a small space.
Physically a P90 is a similar size to a humbucker so not so difficult to do.
Squishing a HB down to a Fender single coil size comes with a lot of comprimise.
If you don't like single coil pickups - play Humbuckers
Actually Splitting some of the humbuckers and using coils together like on the Petrucci guitars works well
I can see the logic in that, but some would say that the MQ is a compromise too, and it's not everyone that sees single size hums as a compromise because they do have a sound of their own. Ask Andy Timmons.
I agree with the last part. But I figure that's the reason that on a Strat the 2 and 4 positions are the only I like. On an HSH configuration, I would use a true singlecoil in the middle, but only use it with the split humbuckers.
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...but they do have a sound of their own. Yeah it's not a single coil sound and it's not a humbucker sound, but it's definately a sound that a lot of people like, and use, and have done for years (Iron Maiden, anyone?). I know it's a sound that Tim doesn't like personally, but a lot of people do and i just don't understand why you would refuse to support your customers wants and requests based on your own tastes. It just seems to be bad business.
Correct me if I'm wrong.
Yes, it would be great to have some maiden PUs here... Even if they would be just ordinary humbackers. I mean, I really think such a great company should have some part of such a great band. After all, they are the most influenced Heavy metal band, aren't they?
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I would disagree that a MQ is a compromise, no change in the pickup itself, just casing
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I'd love to see low-output humbuckers with alnico polepieces in the BK range. 8)
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I would disagree that a MQ is a compromise, no change in the pickup itself, just casing
+1. I think it's probably wound a bit differently, due to the different size and depth of the coil, but it's pretty-much a no-compromise way of making P-90s for humbucker guitars.
I wonder how Tim would feel about Jazzmasters, Jags, Filtertrons, "Alnico" P-90s and all these different suggestions? They're all very specialised, so the sales would be extremely limited - and it probably just wouldn't be cost-effective to tool up for making them. Yes, Duncan offers them, but they're in a much better position to afford the initial capital outlay.
And - perhaps - they're types of pickups/guitars that Tim personally isn't much into?
But since we're "wish-listing", I'd like to see BKP Melody Maker pickups and Firebird/Deluxe mini-humbuckers, but there's always the rewind option. And I'm not a fan of single-coil sized side-by-side humbuckers (Hot Rails etc), but I do like stacked pickups like Kinmans and DiMarzio Virtual Vintages.
At the end of the day, though, all these things are available from other manufacturers. It's probably best not to spread yourself too thin by trying to cater to everyone.
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At the end of the day, though, all these things are available from other manufacturers. It's probably best not to spread yourself too thin by trying to cater to everyone.
+1
Much as I'd love to be able to get a BK quality pup in any type I choose, I'd much rather know that any BK I do buy is of the same standards (or better) than what I have now.
But as this is a wish list I'd love to see custom engraved covers (that is, I get to choose what's on them).
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Very interesting thread actually, im a great fan of any vintage type pickup, however at some point it simply becomes too limiting. I have this nice old Gibson semi and for lazy jazz and blues its fine, but how many can afford to have a guitar just for this type of playing.
Having my own (small) company i can imagine BKP not wanting to stray too much from a commercial viable platform like humbucker and single coil type pickups . Offering a rewind service pretty much would cover any replacing demand.
And anyway, if you really would want a adjustable alnico polepieces dogear or P90, just buy the one gibson offers as replacements (they are also in the '54 LP custom offered trough their custom shop) and ask if BKP can rewind it. Wont be cheap but its certainly not impossible.
Still, im guessing here but i think those old alnico polepieces just were too expensive to make to justify their existence soundwise, probably thats why they are no longer made commercially.
Probably BKP will wire up an exceptional new pickup once in a wile so ill doubt i will get bored :wink:
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Still, im guessing here but i think those old alnico polepieces just were too expensive to make to justify their existence soundwise, probably thats why they are no longer made commercially.
they are also a lot more fiddly to make than a normal P-90. the alnico magnets are mounted on little plates with springs so you can adjust them using the screws - thats a lot of tiny parts compared to a normal pickup construction
i still want one at some point though
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One thing worth remembering is that Tim has gone the extra mile and has had all his own parts made up.
By this I mean that all the base-plates, bobbins, formers and hum-bucker covers are BKP originals
For him to introduce lots of new styles of pickups and do it his way involves a small fortune of investment which he would need to see a return on within a reasonable time-span to make it worth doing.
Also worth remembering that Tim runs a small team (no more than 5 or 6 people) and they have their work cut out with the current product lines.
To introduce something that is a departure from what they are already doing might be spreading everybody a bit too thin. I certainly know how this feels from just losing one full time member of staff and the increase in workload it creates.
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white humbucker covers would be cool. Powder coated white instead of black would be possible I guess, and maybe almost practical
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as this is a just a harmless wish list, i'll add my thoughts:
mini-humbuckers and the p90 size 'alnico' = +1 :)