Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: PINKBITS on December 18, 2008, 02:59:36 AM
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G'day from Australia lads. I was just after some advice from the BKP pickup gurus 8)
I've currently got a 01 Les Paul Standard with a Seymour Duncan SH-1 59 in the neck and a Seymour Duncan SH-14 Custom 5 in the bridge. I play this through a Laney GH50L head and a Laney Celestion v30 loaded 4x12 Cab.
Laneys rock by the way!
I generally play classic rock, rock, hard rock and hard blues ala Gary Moore. I do like the Duncans but do find they are a little harsh in the top end and they generally just seem to lack something which I can't put my finger on. I think the fact that they are both neutral in the misdz may have something to do with it as well.
Anyways I emailed Tim and he suggested that I try out a Crawler set or Rebell yell bridge and mule neck.
At this stage I am leaning towards the crawlers per what I have been able to research thus far but am concerned they may be a little dark.
What do you guys suggest would work best for my styles and the rig I have?
Thanks for the help!
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http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk260/DAFSTRAT/LPSTANDARD.jpg
Pic of my baby. This is the photo of when I got her. The board needed a real good oil, she's nice and dark now. I also don't have the pu covers anymore. I just prefer it without.
Hope the pic works
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They can be a little dark on American voiced amps but they sound awesome on British voiced amps.
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I replaced a Duncan '59 and JB in an Edwards LP with a set of Crawlers and found them quite noticeably darker, so they'll almost certainly sound darker than your '59/Custom 5 set.
Not saying that's a bad thing...
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i have a Rebel Yell in my Fernandes Ravelle and i have to say that's it's a great improvement over my Seymour Duncan that was in there. i am having some Crawlers on my Fender Jags, but haven't got them yet so can't compare. The Rebel Yell has a little mid-lift i believe so that Steve Stephens would cut through the keyboards at live gigs.
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Thanks for the replies guys. Maybe the crawlers aren't what I'm looking for. I don't need my tone to be darker just smoother and more refined than my current pu's.
Althought the Laneys are a bright amp by nature I have retubed it with SED Winged C 6L6GC power tubes. Tungsols in v1 and v2 a JJ in v3 and another tungsol in v4. These tubes have darkened the amp a bit and taken away the fizzines.
However as said I am a little concerned that the Rebell Yell would accentuate the upper mid spike that the v30's give you? The Mule however does sound like it would be a beautiful neck pickup.
Do you guys have any other suggestions that might provide me with what I'm after.
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If you want smoother and more refined, but still want higher-than-vintage output, maybe the Abraxas set?
I've only owned the neck model (which, like the Mule and Crawler neck models, has an Alnico IV magnet and lies inbetween the two output wise). But from what I've read, the bridge model has a smooth, not-too-edgy sound which might be what you're after. I don't think it's as dark or growly as the Crawler.
One to check with Tim, perhaps.
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If you want smoother and more refined, but still want higher-than-vintage output, maybe the Abraxas set?
I've only owned the neck model (which, like the Mule and Crawler neck models, has an Alnico IV magnet and lies inbetween the two output wise). But from what I've read, the bridge model has a smooth, not-too-edgy sound which might be what you're after. I don't think it's as dark or growly as the Crawler.
One to check with Tim, perhaps.
Isn't the Crawler neck an Abraxas????? :?
Yeh I do want higher than vintage output in the bridge anyway. I do like how punchy the SH-14 is in the bridge.
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Isn't the Crawler neck an Abraxas????? :?
No, for a long time we thought it was, but it isn't:
http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=10194.msg133039#msg133039 (http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=10194.msg133039#msg133039)
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I wouldn't say the Crawlers are dark, they have sufficient cut and work perfectly in a Les Paul.
otoh, I'm sure the Abraxas set would work too.
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Thanks again guys. Tim did suggest the Crawlers and I would like to think he knows what he's talking about. :lol:
What's the Crawler neck like? I am tempted to go a Crawler bridge and Mule neck.
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fwiw, I wanted a 'slightly' hotter than stock Mule neck pickup and Tim suggested the Crawler - sounds really nice. Tim told me the Crawler neck is a smidgeon hotter than the Mule, like 500ohms.
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Having only recently tried my first BKP calibrated set (Cold Sweats, FWIW), I've finally realised Tim knows what he's doing when pairing neck and bridge models!
I'd go with the Crawler neck, which as HTH said is only a wee bit hotter than the Mule anyway.
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Brilliant, thanks guys. Looks like the Crawler set for me 8)
I actually only got onto BKP pus as i picked up a Trilogy bridge pu for my Strat off Ebay. I have a couple of hand would BG Phatty singles in the neck and middle that measure around the 10k mark so they match up really well with the hot Trilogy.
I mainly play hard blues and rock with that particular Strat and the Trilogy is the best Strat bridge sinlge I have ever used for the type of tunes I'm playing.
Tim makes fine, fine pu's that's for sure.
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Nothing to add expect welcome to the forum and that's a nice looking LP!
Tim does know what he's doing with the calibrated sets (hence the 'calibrated' bit).
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The Crawler neck is (at the moment at least) imo the most orgasmic neck pup there is. I have a set is a PRS which basically has same wood/sound like a standard les paul. The Crawlers are awesome :D
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Hmmmmm, I see a lot of hype building up for Crawlers these days ...
Maybe PhillyQ, Twinfan and I should all get a set and start posting praise messages to give it a real boost.
Any BKP set is gonna be great in its own right anyways, but changing the fashion from time to time just keeps things interesting 8)
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Hmmmmm, I see a lot of hype building up for Crawlers these days ...
Maybe PhillyQ, Twinfan and I should all get a set and start posting praise messages to give it a real boost.
I've already had a set of Crawlers, in my Edwards LP. Sold them when I sold the guitar, as I didn't think I'd be able to use a set of purple/black zebras again, unless I bought another purple guitar (wish I'd kept my Axis Sport!).
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You could have asked tim to change the plastic cover... It's cheap...
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On single coils it is, but on humbuckers they are the bobbin on which the coil is wound ;)
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Yeah, too much hassle to change the bobbins!
I could've got them covered instead, but to be honest the Crawlers were a little too dark for me anyway (I know others will say they don't find them dark, but they were in that particular guitar!! :P )
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On single coils it is, but on humbuckers they are the bobbin on which the coil is wound ;)
Didn't know exactly as I'm not going to open a pickup, but I had a feeling that wasn't like single-coils, that's why I suggest sending back to Tim, he can do it, for sure... single coils everybody can do it at home... :D
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Although in my personal experience I've only owed two guitars that had a big impact on how pickups reacted, I agree that in some cases it really does happen.
My Epi Explorer didn't want to party with any BKPs, just sounded dark and an overall 'odd' EQ curve. EMGs fixed that (still have this beast).
My old LP classic+ was really bright - had to put a DiMarzio AirZone in there to level it out (now sold).
In my experience of Crawlers, I thought they were thick and punchy with plenty of mids. Overall their tone is voiced in PAF sense, but obviously with she-it more mids.
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Nothing to add expect welcome to the forum and that's a nice looking LP!
Tim does know what he's doing with the calibrated sets (hence the 'calibrated' bit).
Thanks mate. 8) I actually played Strats and only Strats for years. Got the Lester earlier this year and now It's the only guitar I'm playing.
Would have got a Les Paul years ago but they are very expensive in Australia. Bit older now with a bit more coin behind me so jumped on it.
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I'm interested to know what you finally went for and how they sound? :D
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... to be honest the Crawlers were a little too dark for me anyway (I know others will say they don't find them dark, but they were in that particular guitar!! :P )
"We like the dark! Dark for dark business!" 8)
Anyway, since I usually chime in with support for Crawlers, I may as well do so again -- though it seems plenty have beaten me to the punch.
I have a Crawler set in my 1993 (I think) LP Std, installed after much "which BKPs?" agonizing that was settled by email from Tim explaining why I recommended the Crawlers. And I soon decided (a decision confirmed again and again since), that he was right.
I play a range of styles, from classic rock type things to doomy metal, and one of the great things about the Crawlers is their versatility. You've got the classic vibe there, but also plenty of power to crank things up, as well as a bit of push in the mids to help cut through. They also coil tap nicely, just to add to that tonal palette. Basically, you just point your amp where you want it, and you can play whatever you want. Plus, as someone pointed out, the neck pup is way tasty! :)
That said (and although we like the dark), the Crawlers are not the brightest pups in the world. 8) I think they sit beautifully in a LP-style guitar, but if you want something to brighten the tone up, then Tim's other suggestion of Rebel Yells is a good one.
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funny enough, i have a set of crawlers in an Epiphone Zakk Wylde Les Paul and they are very bright sounding, the complete opposite of what everyone else has said! there's plenty of guts in the sound, but definately a lot of high end. it must just be my guitar since everyone else has experienced the opposite.
i do agree that the neck pickup in particular is gorgeous sounding.
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Proves that the guitar does make a difference to how a set of pickups sounds :) . That's always been my experience anyway.
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Hi Guys,
I have two PRS 22 one with the Crawler set and one with the Rebel Yell's.
I play a variety of music from Classic Rock to a functions band playing old style stuff that requires a lot of clean.
Both pickups exhibit their own character. With distortion the Crawlers are obviously more PAF like with a good bluey rock sound. The neck pickup can sound a little dark (thats to my ears anyway) on its own but that doesn't worry me.
Both pickups are very versitile and IMHO have good split coil sound (which was a must have) with both outers coils on in particular, great for clean playing.
I bought the pickups on Tims advice, mainly to cover different bases and genres of music, which I have to say, for my needs they do the job admirably.
SJ
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1. I think the Crawlers is what you want. Go with Tims advise he isnīt wrong. I did and I am totally satisfied with my Crawlers. I donīt find them dark sounding. They have low mid = fat.
Iīve got Nailbombs in my Ibanez Jem and they are more extreme in the top Crawlers are defently not!. And more mid-sounding (high-mid).
2. Search for "Crawlers" + "Donatello" and youīll find my soundclips.
3. I have Laney VH100 (modified) and V30-cab. Sounds great but I god rid of the high razzle thing with the mod. Original I think Laney sounds really great with Greenbacks.
Sorry for the bad english. Iīm Swedish and sometimes its hard to find the right phrases.
(Love Australia by the way, great country and nice people.)
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Here are my soundclips
Melodic metal solo
http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=10925.0 (http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=10925.0)
Paradise City - live
http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=3931.0 (http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=3931.0)
Slow blues
http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=14573.0 (http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=14573.0)
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I donīt find them dark sounding. They have low mid = fat.
I would also tend call the Crawlers "fat", rather than "dark", but sometimes I think "dark" is what people call "fat" when they wish the tone had more high end. :lol:
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I donīt find them dark sounding. They have low mid = fat.
I would also tend call the Crawlers "fat", rather than "dark", but sometimes I think "dark" is what people call "fat" when they wish the tone had more high end. :lol:
Yeah, I think I probably call it "fat" when I like it and "dark" when I don't! :)
I wasn't crazy about the Crawlers in my Edwards LP, but I would've kept them and tried them in something else if they hadn't been purple/black zebra.
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Hi,
My reference to "dark" most probably translates to others "fat" as suggested
Both Crawler Bridge and Neck are articulate and clear, in my guitar anyway.
sj
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Hi Guys,
I have two PRS 22 one with the Crawler set and one with the Rebel Yell's.
I play a variety of music from Classic Rock to a functions band playing old style stuff that requires a lot of clean.
Both pickups exhibit their own character. With distortion the Crawlers are obviously more PAF like with a good bluey rock sound. The neck pickup can sound a little dark (thats to my ears anyway) on its own but that doesn't worry me.
Both pickups are very versitile and IMHO have good split coil sound (which was a must have) with both outers coils on in particular, great for clean playing.
I bought the pickups on Tims advice, mainly to cover different bases and genres of music, which I have to say, for my needs they do the job admirably.
SJ
For high gain hard rock like Billy Idol, Whitesnake, Skid Row, and heavier Iggy Pop, which would you recommend?
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Hi Guys,
I have two PRS 22 one with the Crawler set and one with the Rebel Yell's.
I play a variety of music from Classic Rock to a functions band playing old style stuff that requires a lot of clean.
Both pickups exhibit their own character. With distortion the Crawlers are obviously more PAF like with a good bluey rock sound. The neck pickup can sound a little dark (thats to my ears anyway) on its own but that doesn't worry me.
Both pickups are very versitile and IMHO have good split coil sound (which was a must have) with both outers coils on in particular, great for clean playing.
I bought the pickups on Tims advice, mainly to cover different bases and genres of music, which I have to say, for my needs they do the job admirably.
SJ
For high gain hard rock like Billy Idol, Whitesnake, Skid Row, and heavier Iggy Pop, which would you recommend?
Jim,FWIW, I have RY and Crawler in similar LP Standards, and its just like Tim told me it would be-Crawlers have a "sweeter" top end,but very similar-I would reach for the RY for that type of music,but both would easily satisfy(my Crawler LP is my Neil Schon/Lukather axe...)
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Thanks.
I assume the differences are subtle and not ABing them back to back I'd probably not hear a difference. I have RYs in a Les Paul standard which works great.
I have one or two more LPS where I want more oomph. One will get a COLD SWEAT and the other another RY or CRAWLER.