Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: gwEm on May 28, 2010, 11:20:20 AM
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as we know, all of the bkp range is excellently built, and tim roadtests them with a fine ear. nevertheless i do think some of his creations are particularly exceptional. heres my bkp 'classics':
humbuckers
mule
t-top
rebel yell
miracle man
strat
the sinner
tele
blackguard flat 50
its all very much down to taste of course, but these are the ones i've been particularly amazed by. what does everyone else think!
edit: (waits for response and hopes every bkp in the range won't be named ;) )
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The Mule is exceptional. It will give a Les Paul the sound it should have.
Most Tele pickups I've heard are either too dark or too bright. Sometimes a cartoon version of the Tele's sound. This happens so much many people forgot how a Tele really sounds. Enter the Blackguard 50.
Another exceptional pickup is the Warpig. Massive output, no mud, jazzy when clean and with an AV magnet instead of cermaic. Combine that with the outrageous distressed cover and a double row of allen bolts. A very different recipe than all other distortion pickups that came before it.
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Another exceptional pickup is the Warpig. Massive output, no mud, jazzy when clean and with an AV magnet instead of cermaic. Combine that with the outrageous distressed cover and a double row of allen bolts. A very different recipe than all other distortion pickups that came before it.
Yes, I was thinking to mention the warpig too - I agree with all the above :)
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In the sense of their "go-to" status in "recommend me a pickup" threads, I'd definitely say Mules and BG50s. Warpig too, because it's absolutely unique.
(Should say, I own none of the above!)
I think you're being a bit premature with T-Tops, since hardly anyone has them yet and they're not even in the shop or catalogue. They may be great, but they can't be "classics", not yet! :P
I'd personally add the Cold Sweat neck.
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T-Tops?
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T-Tops?
Tim's doing t-top replicas now, and I was blown away when I tried them. I want a set in a V - they will be my next BKP buy!
You mark my words Philly - classics!
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Holydivers and Riff Raffs have been the only sets I've truly enjoyed.
The others didn't thrill me at all....
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Another shout for the rather special Mule / Les Paul combination here. :)
I don't know what they sound like in anything else, as ( unusually for me ) once I heard that combination, they were staying there !
The 'other' B.K.P that I just had to mention ( without gratuitously adding to the original list ) is the 'Manhattan'.
For the whole Chord melody, smooth Jazz game ; they are brilliant. I recently got the chance to play them through a 'proper' ( i.e. wholly Genre specific ) Jazz rig, and it enabled me to hear the Manhattans fully ' revealed'.
I would however, mention - that they also deserve smarty points for sounding great / bringing the best out of amps ranging from my much beloved £75 'Micro-Cube' - through to the top ££££ Jazz rig. Not many pickups can 'lift the rig' into a different league , but these seem to do. Lovely. 8)
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The others didn't thrill me at all....
I get no kick from champagne...
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Warpig and Sinner for me!
The Miracle Man NECK is VERY special!
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Okies, I'll play.
Here's my "fave puppies" out of the ones I own.
BG Flat 50 bridge
Yardbird neck
IT Bridge
IT Neck
Sultan middle
Bear in mind these are all in full sets - I don't dislike their associates/partners, it's just that the above ones are the "oooo, missus...." pickups in my collection at the moment.
Also bear in mind that this list can change if you move the pickup sets to another geetar (the Sultan choice would have been much different a week or two ago before I swapped pups from one geetar to another).
I have decided not to classify my humbuckers (Mules and Riff Raffs) because I'm not experienced enough, or discerning enough, mebbe, to pass judgement... I can say I love both, and my fave/classic depends which amp I'm playing through and what I'm trying to achieve at the time... but I'm strat-man at the moment, deaf and blind to all else :D
I have also not classified my MQs - they're just damned cute, but the geetar they're in has been "resting" for some months, and I can't remember what they sound and feel like :lol:
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+10 on the blackguard flat 50. I don't know if it's "how a Tele really sounds", but it's definitly how a Tele should sound :lol: Every other Tele (including very expensive Custom Shop models) I played since I put these little gems on mine sounded cheap in comparison.
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The others didn't thrill me at all....
I get no kick from champagne...
:lol:
(http://janeheller.mlblogs.com/frank-sinatra-4701.jpeg)
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My favourites
Mule
VH2
Cold Sweat
Miracle Man
Mississippi Queen
Yardbird
Boss
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At the risk of upsetting Philly again, these are my particular favourites:
HB
PG Blues
AV Mule
T-Tops
Rebel Yells
AII Stormy Mondays
Tele
BG flatpole new wind
BG flatpole
Yardbirds
Strat
Sultans
69 Set
Apaches
Bass
62 Precision
61 Jazz Bass
I also want to give a plug for the MQ. I have a couple and they both sound great. I have to say though, that I often get the silly grin look when first plugging in a new set of BK's.
Philly Q disclaimer:
I am lucky in trying some of the new pickups before they come to market, so you will see some unfamiliar names in my list.
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Philly Q disclaimer:
I am lucky in trying some of the new pickups before they come to market, so you will see some unfamiliar names in my list.
S'alright Phil, I know you always have access to a few pre-production goodies.
..... y'Bastid! :wink:
(I know I always go on about names, but there really has to be a name to distinguish the BG "new wind" from the "old wind"!!!)
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S'alright Phil, I know you always have access to a few pre-production goodies.
..... y'Bastid! :wink:
(I know I always go on about names, but there really has to be a name to distinguish the BG "new wind" from the "old wind"!!!)
Well, I asked Tim about that when I ordered what we call the 'old wind' Flat 50 - from his response he said only two blackguards existed - the flat and the stagger. i suppose he plans another name for 'new wind', if it gets generally released.
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The others didn't thrill me at all....
I get no kick from champagne...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H2W1lK7P-I
Nailbomb and Mississippi Queen for me!!
Not really thrilled with some others....
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^ Hah! I LOVE that film!!! One of the few Mel Brooks films I can watch to the end!!!
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Okies, I'll play.
Here's my "fave puppies" out of the ones I own.
BG Flat 50 bridge
Yardbird neck
IT Bridge
IT Neck
Sultan middle
Gotta agree about the mid Sultan Andy! I am also very partial to a bridge Mule and a Mothers Milk in the neck.
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both the Abraxas and Cold Sweat light my fire, great pickups.
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A quick message of support for the Mississippi Queens and AII Stormy Mondays. They are the 'other' two pairs I own, and thankfully liked / got good results from. The M.Qs are currently 'resting' - but the Stormy Mondays are a great, clear / open sounding contrast to the Manhattans in my second fully hollow Archtop 'Jazzer' .
Whilst I heartily agree with Twinfan, that ideally you buy a better guitar / fall lucky with the stock pickups and don't put yourself in a situation of having to 'Mod' ; at least the availablility of a good aftermarket pickup helps chaps like myself, convert an otherwise great playing / sounding £250- 300 guitar into something that delivers what sonic goodies I need at the price I can afford. That is not to say there are not much better guitars than mine - rather that the listener(s) can't tell you what it is they think is missing, or what they would add.
I also sense that our resident ' Buyer' ( :wink:) has heard some other brands of aftermarket pickup that sound nicer to his ears, with his rig(s) and for his needs. However, that is where the nature of this forum ( and Tim's exchange / refund policies ) score highly ; I might be very interested in 'Brand x' pickups , but I haven't got £200 to gamble on something I can't discuss beforehand - or return later. I have not compared B.K.P. to their 'rivals' in the aftermarket pickup field, but know I'll get close enough for what I need from the range.
So ; for me, Buying B.K.P. is buying into a comprehensive advisory / discussional / sales / aftersales - retail experience , that reduces the risk. The products have pleased me ( so far ) but It's not just the hardware I'm paying for. :)
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very well put ff . i love my IT's all of 'em, all combinations, period.
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What's the Manhattan?
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Haven't tried loads but my most consistent favourite is the Mule, closely followed by the awesome bridge Pig 90 he made for me :) I want a neck one to match it.
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Yardbirds, Mules, Stormy Mondays, Irish tours (only tried the neck but overdriven I like it) are the Bare knuckles that are my real favourites.
Im sure there are some other real gems that I have not tried. Im keen to try a set of sultans out and the blackguard 50 bridge out.
I'm sure by the end of this post we will have covered all the BK pickups in the range between us. All the ones I have tried have been good, though some just suit my guitars and style better than others.
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Mules, Stormy Mondays, Nailbombs, Crawlers and for pure clean tone my favourite is Abraxas AII which Tim made for me they have tone to die for.
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What's the Manhattan?
It's a pickup that works particularly well for Jazz, think low-output Mississippi Queen.
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What's the Manhattan?
Hiya Lucifuge, :)
To expand on Plexi Ken's excellent and wholly accurate summary, in glorious 'Sound and vision' :
The Manhattan is an Alnico III magnet replica of a 1950's Jazz P90 type pickup. Looks very similar to the Mississipi Quenn, but tonaly - is wound / sounds very different. A lovely detailed, airy, yet 'plummy' and sweet sounding pickup. Plenty of space between the notes.
(http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u135/Fourth_Feline/manhattan_1_129.jpg)
I have a Gold pair fitted to the guitar in my Avatar, which get played just about every day. :)
I once posted some sound clips in the Players section, with roundwound :
http://www.box.net/shared/skpbqk3uhk
And ( My favourite combination ) Flatwound , strings :
http://www.box.net/shared/1lnmk3qhhc
I know a couple of people on here have fitted them to solidbody guitars for'general' use, but for me, they are the epitome of a lovely fully hollow Archtop guitar sound. The above soundclips are not really showing them at their best, but at least they are getting an 'outing'.
:)
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Are they available as a special order from Tim? They aren't on the website or shop.
I don't own an archtop guitar, and nor do I play jazz, but I can't help wondering what one would sound like in the neck of a thinline Tele (which I don't own yet either :?) though maybe a MQ would be more appropriate?
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I don't own an archtop guitar, and nor do I play jazz, but I can't help wondering what one would sound like in the neck of a thinline Tele (which I don't own yet either :?) though maybe a MQ would be more appropriate?
I don't own a Manhattan either, but I suspect they'd be great in a Thinline Tele (which I do own! :lol: ). Compared with a stock Tele bridge pickup, a P-90 (or MQ) in the neck position is pretty powerful.
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I don't own an archtop guitar, and nor do I play jazz, but I can't help wondering what one would sound like in the neck of a thinline Tele (which I don't own yet either :?) though maybe a MQ would be more appropriate?
I don't own a Manhattan either, but I suspect they'd be great in a Thinline Tele (which I do own! :lol: ). Compared with a stock Tele bridge pickup, a P-90 (or MQ) in the neck position is pretty powerful.
I would love to hear / hear about how the Manhattans sound in a nice Thinline ( or any Telecaster ). Both M.Q.s and Manhattans would get my vote for the job, the choice of which would ( as Philly mentioned ) depend on how hot or spacious you wanted the neck to sound. I have tried both in a fully hollow guitar - and the M.Qs in a semi , and I would say that M.Qs give you a lovely clear and assertive output, that can sound FAT as a fat thing and certainly powerful , grabbing the amp by the throat on the way in. the Manhattans are warmly elegant - being also clear, but with a warmth blooming up as opposed to a fatness.
M.Qs give you the detail on the leading edge of the note ; Manhattans create so much 'air' that you hear every detail in and around the note . If the M.Qs were said to ring out like a loud , clear bell - the Manhattans would be compared to a wind chime that fills the room with detail. :)
'Captain Metaphor at your service ' ... :lol:
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M.Qs give you the detail on the leading edge of the note ; Manhattans create so much 'air' that you hear every detail in and around the note . If the M.Qs were said to ring out like a loud , clear bell - the Manhattans would be compared to a wind chime that fills the room with detail. :)
'Captain Metaphor at your service ' ... :lol:
Nice description, Derek! :D
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All this huge love for the mule makes me wanna get a set for my LP clone which currently holds a nailbomb. I like the NB for modern hard rock, but I find it too aggressive for more vintage tones. As far as I understand the mule is very versatile and would likely fit my bill (I'm also very temted by the abraxas and the crawler :?)
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I think Phil and gwEm have semi-convinced me about the T-Tops. Maybe I'll get a set for my Tokai SG (eventually...).
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My only BKP experience to date is the recently aquired used Crawler bridge that was microphonic and I sent it off the BKP. Anyway, it came back with an aged cover and repotted and I'm was not disappointed. I gigged it last night and it sounded great in my LP, being a hot pick up I was expecting it to be quite a compressed sound but no such thing. Yes it has power and an authoritive tone but has excellent note definition and retains a vintage vibe.