Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: sgmypod on June 25, 2008, 10:05:46 PM

Title: Sg pickup
Post by: sgmypod on June 25, 2008, 10:05:46 PM
Have had a crawler in it...little bright, a nailbomb..too much mids, a warpig..too much power now...great sounding but now am after vintage.

Am wanting vintage sg..which would be better for this a a4 mule or a rebel yell(both are s/h)
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: Lord Blakers on June 25, 2008, 11:04:28 PM
Vintage + SG - lots of mids = Riff Raff

Might not be a second hand option, but sounds like what you're after.

The Mule has mids a plenty and I'm I don't really think the Rebel Yell falls into vintage territory.

If it's a definite decision between the two - I'd go for the Mule. Everyone should have at least one guitar loaded with Mules - they can pull off almost anything.
Title: Re: Sg pickup
Post by: Philly Q on June 25, 2008, 11:29:30 PM
Quote from: sgmypod
Have had a crawler in it...little bright

It's funny, I never tried the Crawlers in an SG, but in my LP I found them really quite dark!

Never had Mules, but I think they must be a better bet for vintage SG tones than the RY.  And if you found the Crawler bright, the RY would be brighter again.
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: Chris Rowberry on June 25, 2008, 11:48:29 PM
Well if its vintage you are looking for and you have decided its between the Rebel Yell or The Mule pickups then i would recommend having The Mule as after all its design is based on PAF pickups. The Mule pickup is however is going to be brighter then the Crawler and since you found that quite bright then maybe as all your other pickup choices would suggest something a little higher output.

I would recommend also having a look at some of the other options Bare Knuckle Pickups have to offer for example the Riff Raff or the vintage hot VHII which have A5 magnets giving more power to that vintage tone.

Chris
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: Fourth Feline on June 26, 2008, 12:58:29 AM
After some experimentation, I found 'Vintage S.G. ' in a set of Alinico IV Stormy Mondays.  

More balanced in the e.q , and tighter in the bass than Alnico II Stormys, but minus the hardness and bite of Riff Raffs.  Alnico II Stormys were very nice, but a bit soft and 'blurred'  in the bass for my liking ( and I use 30, 42, 52 on the bottom end ).

Tim recomended the Alnico II to IV magnet swap instead of a pickup swap.  I lost ( as Tim predicted ) a little sweetness on the top end, but still have  enough to play mellow.

Thanks to 'Twinfan' who persuaded me to persevere with  the AIV Stormy / S.G transplant , instead of leaving the S.G. stock, and saving the Stormys in the cupboard for a future project.

I also found Mississippi Queens where a close second, but I had a 335 copy that was begging for the M.Qs

 :)
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: Catalyst77 on June 26, 2008, 10:04:32 AM
I tried Warpigs in my SG; it was pretty insane; in the end it ended up with riff raffs in there and I couldnt be happier.
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: sgmypod on June 26, 2008, 10:53:36 AM
still have a crawler neck(same as abraxas?) which is great,warpig..yup insane, but has been longest in there...am swaying to riff raff(not one of the others) at mo
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: Philly Q on June 26, 2008, 11:12:46 AM
Quote from: sgmypod
still have a crawler neck(same as abraxas?)

Not quite the same, I always thought they were but I think the Crawler neck's a little hotter (but still A4).  There was a thread about it somewhere but can't remember when exactly.

Riff Raff is definitely great in an SG, and I'm still a little bit tempted to try a VHII (although Twinfan put me off them a bit).
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: sgmypod on June 26, 2008, 11:20:21 AM
yeah neck crawler is such a sweet pickup in the sg, was(as part of the set) my first BKP...and has stayed in guitar I first put it in
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: sgmypod on June 26, 2008, 03:00:05 PM
Have bit the bullet and bought a bridge riff raff for my sg..poor thing has had a few BKP pickups is about time I get the right one
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: Tim on June 26, 2008, 04:15:27 PM
Riff Raff humbuckers are going to be bang on for this as they're based on '60 patent no. humbuckers as used in the first SGs.
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: sgmypod on June 26, 2008, 04:22:43 PM
I am hoping so..have kept crawler neck as like the sound of that in my sg
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: Philly Q on June 26, 2008, 05:26:37 PM
I wonder if the Crawler neck might be a bit too hot to hang with the Riff Raff?  

Perhaps not, it isn't super-powerful, and can't do any harm to try!  :)
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: Chris Rowberry on June 26, 2008, 05:56:50 PM
They should be fine together since the Riff Raff is an A5 magnet which will give it more power.
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: sgmypod on June 26, 2008, 06:44:05 PM
is only 7. something ain't that hot
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: carlaz on June 26, 2008, 09:19:25 PM
Quote from: Philly Q
Quote from: sgmypod
still have a crawler neck(same as abraxas?)

Not quite the same, I always thought they were but I think the Crawler neck's a little hotter (but still A4).  There was a thread about it somewhere but can't remember when exactly.


At least one thread! :lol:

When I got my Crawlers, I had an email from Tim claiming the Crawler and Abraxas neck were the same -- and I think the general belief about this here arose from my quoting this email.  However, I think it was later established that this was not, or rather no longer, true; presumably Tim tweaked the designs sometime after I got my Crawlers, though I don't remember whether if it was later Crawler or Abraxas (or both?) necks that shifted away from the original "unified" version.
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: sgmypod on June 26, 2008, 09:25:23 PM
had mine a while so don't know on this
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: Philly Q on June 26, 2008, 09:46:17 PM
Quote from: carlaz
Quote from: Philly Q
Quote from: sgmypod
still have a crawler neck(same as abraxas?)

Not quite the same, I always thought they were but I think the Crawler neck's a little hotter (but still A4).  There was a thread about it somewhere but can't remember when exactly.


At least one thread! :lol:

True!  :lol:

Here's one of 'em:

http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10194&highlight=crawler+abraxas+neck

And having had both neck models, there was certainly a noticeable difference between them - the Abraxas seemed a bit sweeter, the Crawler a bit more rawk.  May be down to different guitars of course.  And the Abraxas had a cover.
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: sgmypod on June 26, 2008, 09:59:52 PM
find mine quite smooth..does cover make a big difference
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: il˙ti on June 26, 2008, 10:18:21 PM
Quote from: carlaz
At least one thread! :lol:

When I got my Crawlers, I had an email from Tim claiming the Crawler and Abraxas neck were the same -- and I think the general belief about this here arose from my quoting this email.  However, I think it was later established that this was not, or rather no longer, true; presumably Tim tweaked the designs sometime after I got my Crawlers, though I don't remember whether if it was later Crawler or Abraxas (or both?) necks that shifted away from the original "unified" version.

Yeah, changed the specs. If I remember correctly, the Crawler remains the same (back when they were the same Tim said he'd wind it for ~7,6k and that's what my '07 Crawler neck is) and the Abraxas is wound slightly lower now than it used to.

Edit: dug up that agre old post. Excuse the multiple quoting.
Quote from: carlaz
Quote from: Benmartin1977
Is it really the case that the crawler and Abraxas neck are the same?


This, at least, I can confirm courtesy of an email to me from Tim on 07 January 2006:
Quote from: Tim
They are the same pickup Carl ............. it's a wind I really like, DC7.6K Alnico IV and I use it on both Crawler and Abraxas sets as a neck so it's bang on for the Santana tone. Where things differ is in the mid position, the Crawler has AV and AIV on together which produces a serious quack in the mids. The Abraxas has AIV in both positions which produces a smoother mid with less quack.

Also a good quote for the man himself about the Crawler "quack".  :D
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: Chris Rowberry on June 26, 2008, 10:27:20 PM
Quote from: sgmypod
find mine quite smooth..does cover make a big difference


A cover will make the pickup sound slightly warmer where as an open one would have slightly more presence. :)
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: viking on June 26, 2008, 10:53:14 PM
Quote from: sgmypod
Have bit the bullet and bought a bridge riff raff for my sg..poor thing has had a few BKP pickups is about time I get the right one
If you found the Crawler/Bridge to be too bright,you could find the Riff-Raff/Bridge much brighter (for what i heard about it...never tried one :wink: ).Is the Crawler not vintagy-enough ?
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: Philly Q on June 26, 2008, 10:57:44 PM
Although the Riff Raff is always described as a bright pickup, I've never found it particularly bright in my SG-X.

It's possible that my SG has the infamous 300K pots - I've never bothered to check - which would round out the sound a little.
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: sgmypod on June 26, 2008, 11:04:28 PM
mine had 300k pots..so some of probs in finding pickups may have been them...only found out recently.....but crawler didn't quite work for me in other guitars
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: viking on June 26, 2008, 11:12:19 PM
Quote from: sgmypod
mine had 300k pots..so some of probs in finding pickups may have been them...only found out recently.....but crawler didn't quite work for me in other guitars
What kind of music do you play?
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: carlaz on June 26, 2008, 11:49:55 PM
Quote from: ilyti
If I remember correctly, the Crawler remains the same (back when they were the same Tim said he'd wind it for ~7,6k and that's what my '07 Crawler neck is) and the Abraxas is wound slightly lower now than it used to.


Ah, that explains it!
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: sgmypod on June 27, 2008, 08:48:08 AM
well have quite a range I like anything from nickel creek(bluesgrass) to the birds, to sabbath, free, aerosmith, blackfoot, to D/straits, pink floyd, spingsteen, R/stones, to Queens of the stone age, system of a down......missed loads out but kinda saying my tastes have grown and diversafied as I got older....but have a few guitars to cope with this..so Sg is to be 60's - 70's sounding...lets be honest I love AC DC is why I bought it(the guitar)
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: Philly Q on June 27, 2008, 09:38:54 AM
Quote from: sgmypod
well have quite a range I like anything from nickel creek(bluesgrass) to the birds, to sabbath, free, aerosmith, blackfoot, to D/straits, pink floyd, spingsteen, R/stones, to Queens of the stone age, system of a down......

Now there's a band I haven't listened to in ages - in fact all my Blackfoot albums are on vinyl!   :oops: :lol:
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: sgmypod on June 27, 2008, 09:45:55 AM
could have gone on for a while..but yeah good band..classic album marauder..or vertical smiles
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: Philly Q on June 27, 2008, 10:32:36 AM
Just to be difficult (as usual  :roll:  :lol: ) I'm going to say I liked the earlier stuff better - Strikes and especially Tomcattin'.  They lost me on Siogo, I was gutted when Charlie Hargrett left and they started having line-up changes.
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: sgmypod on June 27, 2008, 10:42:45 AM
kinda first got into them on marauder..my dad was into them so loved stuff like diary of a working man...strikes and tomcattin are ones I like as well....for cheezy end which I was into when younger....vertical smiles....to be honest he only had upto vertical smiles(which I know have upto vertical smiles..on vinyle...his)
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: Philly Q on June 27, 2008, 11:47:27 AM
Quote from: sgmypod
kinda first got into them on marauder..my dad was into them so loved stuff like diary of a working man

Now that makes me feel old!  :lol:

I remember tracking down the first two albums on import, I think I had to get them mail-order from the US - not so easy in those pre-internet days!!
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: sgmypod on June 27, 2008, 12:10:49 PM
yeah remeber my dad trying to get vinyl imports not much fun..usually traced through tower records in london
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: sgmypod on June 28, 2008, 11:11:44 AM
It came today fitted not long after....and can't stop doing ac dc....but cleans up great and is quite versatile
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: sgmypod on June 28, 2008, 12:14:01 PM
weird box says alnico 2, warranty says alnico 5
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: viking on June 28, 2008, 10:49:18 PM
Quote from: sgmypod
well have quite a range I like anything from nickel creek(bluesgrass) to the birds, to sabbath, free, aerosmith, blackfoot, to D/straits, pink floyd, spingsteen, R/stones, to Queens of the stone age, system of a down......missed loads out but kinda saying my tastes have grown and diversafied as I got older....but have a few guitars to cope with this..so Sg is to be 60's - 70's sounding...lets be honest I love AC DC is why I bought it(the guitar)
Thanks.I know it's kind of tricky to describe the music we play.But there are so many Metal-freacks on this board  :wink:  :!: For AC/DC,RiffRaff was the obvious choice.Well done!Is it matching well with the Crawler/neck?
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: Chris Rowberry on June 29, 2008, 12:38:56 AM
I don't think we mark the boxes with what Alnico is in the pickup. Where are you reading this on the box exactly ?

But i can assure you it will be an Alnico 5 in there :)
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: Philly Q on June 29, 2008, 01:20:11 AM
Quote from: Chris R
I don't think we mark the boxes with what Alnico is in the pickup. Where are you reading this on the box exactly ?

It's in the write-up on the back/bottom of the box - my Riff Raff has the same.

I think the labels were printed a very long time ago, when the early Riff Raff spec did indeed include an Alnico II magnet.  :wink:
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: sgmypod on June 29, 2008, 08:07:32 AM
Yeah was write up thought the paper inside would be right..matches well with crawler
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: Chris Rowberry on June 29, 2008, 10:34:56 AM
We will inform Tim of this and we will most likely correct it on our next order. The Riff Raff will have A5 in it for sure though :)
Title: Sg pickup
Post by: sgmypod on June 29, 2008, 04:33:28 PM
sorted...sounds great