Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: Markó on November 13, 2010, 08:01:10 PM
-
Been forwarded here from the guys at Ultimate Guitar - So, here goes...
To ask mankind's greatest, most perplexing, and longest-standing question once again, my fellow 7-stringers, I ask you:
Which Bare Knuckles are the ones for me?
I'm looking to replace the stock bridge pickup of my RG7321 - Pretty much any of BKP's humbuckers are going to do the job tightening up the lows, but I'm also after (Aren't we all...):
- Responsive harmonics
- Impressive crunch tones
- Decent amount of attack and clarity
The only other point, though this is less of a make or break point, is that I'd quite like to keep the second position's tone on the RG - From stock, it's a pretty glassy tone from using a single coil from each humbucker, that works pretty well for cleans, which I kinda like if I'm honest.
Thanks for bearing with the question again,
Mark :D
-
I have a wiring diagram to keep the ibanez 5 way switching with bare knuckles.
However you need to order the neck pickup with the magnets reversed but thats easy enough to do.
hit me up if you want it.
Also is the 7321 basswood or mahogany?
and what amp are you using?
With this information i can help you further
-
Hey,
Thanks for the advice on the 5-way switch, that'll be great if I can keep the whole switching range - I may well be wanting that wiring diagram, but in terms of the actual installation, I'll most likely be having a tech or luthier install them to be certain the job's done well...
The 7321 is a basswood body with flame maple top, and I'm practising through a Peavey Vypyr 30W, though I'm also likely to be using a range of higher-end gear in coming months.
(Before anyone jumps on it, I have looked into upgrading amp-wise, but I'm in a situation where it's simply not practical or affordable to make a jump I'd be happy with, so I figured a long-term investment such as high-end pickups would not only make a difference now, but set me up well for when I eventually do upgrade my amp)
Cheers, Mark :)
-
Are there any reference points artist wise you can make?
I am going to presume you play metal with you owning a 7 string.
I have recently found absolutely great results using the new Aftermath in my Ibanez RGD which is an extended scale instrument.
Its very tight, not overly hot, well balanced and the cleans work incredibly well in position 2 as i have my guitar wired the same as yours is.
-
Well, assuming you mean who I'd like to sound like, I'm pretty much into a whole range between John Petrucci, Chris Broderick, and all your 'djent'-style tones from Periphery and the like. Having said that though, clean tones are a big part of it too, and on that front, I'd have to point towards guys like Tosin Abasi, John Petrucci again, and others..
So yeah, I'm playing metal :D
So tonally, tight distorted tones, but with warmth to a degree. Having tried pretty hot pickups in the past in similar RGs, and then the more moderate output of the ones in the 7321, I'd probably say that medium-hot is where I'm looking...
Cleans-wise, I've been pretty much in love with the 2nd position humbucker tone from the RG7321; it's got punch, but it's glassy enough to have a bit of sparkle to it.
Sorry for the lack of technical terms, but I'll do my best to decribe what I mean tonally - If you need clarification on anything, shout up :P
-
have you checked the official aftermath clip by bulb from periphery? that should show you how good it is for the Djent type stuff.
I have also done a DT clip that is in the players section using the above mentioned guitar.
It splits onto the two outside coils in position 2 really well.
The cold sweat could also work quite well but i personally found it too bright in my basswood RGD.
The only other pickups ive played from the contemporary range are the nailbomb and the Miracle man
The NB i didnt get along with at all but others have had excellent results with them.
The miracle man may have a bit too much low end for your needs and it definitely doesnt split well or do cleans particularly glassily theyre a bit spikey and harsh.
Some other people will probably have better recommendations.
But i think the AM would work really well for what you are needing.
It isnt overly hot bit is tight, precise, clear, articulate and does clean up pretty well
-
I agree with Toe-Knee; the Aftermath is what you want. Maybe Aftermath bridge/Cold Sweat neck, but I'm sure you'd be fine with the calibrated set.
-
Yeah, the Aftermath sounds really good actually, liking what I've heard quite a lot...
If I were to expand into getting a neck pickup aswell, what would be your reccomendation? I'm a big fan of the really 'liquid', punchy, fairly smooth lead tone, with good harmonics, and use the neck position for little other than soloing and leads.
And on another note, what's everyone's thoughts on the pickup finish? The RG7321FM has a red flamed maple top, so anything like the camouflage covers is out of the question, sadly. Having said that, I'd still like something more distinguished than the standard black open coil pickups - Something that adds to the look of the guitar...
Thanks again, Mark
-
hmm its a bit of an awkward one with it being red.
usually i either go for burnt chrome
or black with no visible pole pieces.
Hmm you could get the black battleworn but not so worn just to add a bit of edge to the design.
I have very little experience with BKP neck pups.
just the MQ in fact which i love for any kind of leads and cleans
however you would lose the wiring options you wish to keep as its only single coil.
The CS neck is meant to be very fluid and smooth.
Your best bet would be to ask Tim.
I have a feeling he will say the Calibrated AM set.
If he does that saves you a bit too as you get a discount when buying the calibrated set.
Ill hunt through my PMs and get tims description of the AM neck
-
this is what Tim said to me..
Hi Tony,
the AM neck is DC11.5K Alnico V - it has got a modern voice with a lot of output for a fat, fluid driven tone and full clean tones.
kindest regards
Tim
Also remember to keep your switching options you need the magnet in your neck pickup flipping
-
The AM sounds great, though sadly I'll have to admit that a calibrated set could be pushing my budget a little, with the Aftermath being a tad more expensive than other contemporary pickups. Then again, any other neck pickup works out the same, with losing the discount on the calibrated set. Decisions, decisions :roll:
Looks wise, a black of chrome pickup might look quite cool, since the 7321 has what I'd describe as dark silver hardware. Maybe some kind of engraving or aged finish would liven things up a little extra, too?
Thanks for all the help so far, it's made the decisions a lot easier, and I'm really psyched to hear these things in action real soon hopefully :D
-
Ahh is it the hardware that ibanez call cosmic black?
i have that on my RGA and it works well with dark chrome covers.
something like the duncan mustaine pickup look would work well
black chrome with bare knuckle pickups engraved across it.
Is the aftermath more expensive?
i thought it was the same price
-
Yep, the Aftermaths are £124.00 with covers; A similar humbucker, say the Nailbomb, is £114.00 with covers. A calibrated set is £240.00 with covers.
Just seen the 'Black battle worn' covers on these here forums - How do you think they'd look, with relatively sparing battle damage, and the engraved logo?
Cheers, Mark.
-
I personally think they could be ok but they could also be a bit too much of a clash with the red unless its a dark red finish.
I would go with a dark chrome with battle damage
-
It's a fairly dark finish in person, and the standard pickups are black to begin with, so it may not look too bad - Are there any pictures of the dark chrome with battle damage online? I'm having trouble finding any just yet, but it does sound a good match...
Thanks again for the advice,
Mark.
-
I havent seen any online but i have a friend that has some but his arent dark chrome its aged chrome.
-
Burnt chrome can actually look good in dark-red guitars. I saw an example in the "pics of BKPs in some of YOUR guitars" thread. My Blackjack has similar hardware, and I'm getting burnt chrome Aftermaths for it. If not, maybe get a black cover with silver bolts.
The Aftermath neck, Cold Sweat neck and Painkiller neck are all worth considering. Like Tony says, the Aftermath is described as "fat, powerful and punchy." IIRC, the Cold Sweat is a bit lower in output, and more "liquid." The Painkiller is quite a distinct sounding pickup. It has the highest DCR of the pickups I mentioned at 14k, and the only neck BK stock with a ceramic magnet. It's very pick-attack heavy and single-coil like in character. I got a ceramic mag in my neck-Aftermath so it would be more articulate and responsive to pick attack like the Painkiller. Although, if warm alnico cleans are a priority you might prefer something else.
-
Oh yeah i completely forgot that i used to have my burnt chrome miracle man in a red quilt maple super strat and it looked really good. Ill see if i can dig out some pictures.
-
That'd be great if you could get pictures; I love the look of the Burnt Chrome finish, but thought they'd be too elaborate and colourful to fit nicely into a FM red guitar...
So, my options, realistically, seem to be:
- Aftermath bridge, I'm dead set on that now, you've all convinced me.
- Cold sweat or Aftermath neck (Ruling out the painkiller just based on preference of tone)
In any of these finishes...
- Black / Battle worn / Engraved
- Burnt Chrome / Engraved, maybe?
- Dark chrome / Battle worn / engraved
- Any other suggestions you guys might offer up
Cheers, Mark
-
I've had a good look through all my files on my pc and everything ive posted on here and no longer have any pics of that guitar. Not surprising though as i haven't owned it for about 2 years now.
I personally like the black no pole piece look i think it looks very sleek and not as EMG like as you would think as it isnt a horrible plasticy grey
(http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h188/Perfect_Symmetry/-1.jpg)
-
This is the one that I saw. The lighting in this picture doesn't really show off how good burnt chrome can look, but at least you can see that it looks good with a red finish.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b366/DanielGravesNL/Campics044.jpg
My vote is for Aftermath bridge/Cold Sweat neck.
-
Heh, that's a pretty nice looking guitar / pickup combo actually, I have to say...
I do like the plain black covers, but just feel like it'd be a waste to pass up on all the really unique pickup covers BKP do, and it's likely I won't get the chance to buy another set in a long time, sadly. Some dark pickup with battle damage and an engraved logo might look great, thinking about it, but it remains to be seen whether that'd boil down to plain black or dark chrome...
In terms of ordering, is there any space to specify engravings / magnet flips / any specific requests for the level of damage?
And how much are the T-shirts? :D
-
Heh, that's a pretty nice looking guitar / pickup combo actually, I have to say...
I do like the plain black covers, but just feel like it'd be a waste to pass up on all the really unique pickup covers BKP do, and it's likely I won't get the chance to buy another set in a long time, sadly. Some dark pickup with battle damage and an engraved logo might look great, thinking about it, but it remains to be seen whether that'd boil down to plain black or dark chrome...
In terms of ordering, is there any space to specify engravings / magnet flips / any specific requests for the level of damage?
And how much are the T-shirts? :D
yeah theres a additional info box where you put your guitar & woods in and any additional info that is required.
Also if you get a certain cover and dont like it you can get them changed by Tim for £10 i think.
The t shirts are £10
im thinking of getting a hoody when i order my neck AM with it being winter and all :)
-
Right then. So if I can scr@pe the funds together, I'm looking at getting an Aftermath bridge pickup and Cold Sweat neck pickup, most likely.
Both covered, probably in battle worn with and with an engraved logo, though I'm still debating on that part of it - I can safely say, though, that I've ruled out camo, burnt chrome and similar.
Thanks for all the advice, it's been a real help - I'll be sure to post clips and pics once they're installed :D
-
I look forward to hearing the clips and seeing the pics
-
Sorry to keep reviving an otherwise dead thread, but I've one or two final questions left over that've popped up in the last few hours, mostly just checking things over...
Firstly, does anyone know of a reliable luthier in the Merseyside area? At reasonable prices, too, please :P
Second, this additional info box - does it come after the checkout stage, and after the login stage? I tried to go through as a test run before but couldn't find it, and don't want to end up missing it :?
Third, there's no discounts or the like going other than the calibrated sets, by any chance? I'm just weighing up whether or not to go for a neck pickup, and as much as I'd love to, I'm not sure if I actually have quite enough funds... If not, though, it's still a serious option, just given the fantastic sounds I'd be investing in :D
Thanks once again, and hopefully for the last time;
Mark
-
I live in Canada so unfortunately I can't help you with your first question. As far as the info-box goes, it should be after you login, but before you enter your payment information. It will say to specify which model of guitar you'll be putting the pickups into, but it will appear again on the next page for any additional comments. Any text you type the first time will carry over, so go ahead and specify what you want the first time. You might want to contact Tim beforehand with some example pics of how you want him to wear-down your covers. My own personal preference is to have allen-bolts in both pickups. If you want, you can also specify a single row of allen-bolts for the cold-sweat (assuming you get it).
-
Thanks - In terms of how worn they get, I'm loving the look of these pickups, whoever they belong to :)
http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1574.0
Hopefully, since the stock pickups are black, these will fit right in - Though presumably, the Aftermath will have two rows of allen-bolts...
I'll probably specify for engraving, and as close a finish to those as possible - Y'all think they'll look decent in the RG-FM?
-
Should look great. :D
-
I presume they would look great.
And its ok to get the pickups at different times and acually better if you are getting two different types as you only get the calibrated discount if both are the same type i believe.
Also the main reason i got solid covers was because i hate the double allen bolt look that comes on the AM & WP so if you arent wanting those you could get plain black with the worn look and the engraving.
I believe if you did that you could possibly be the first person to get a pickup with that look therefore they would be 100% unique to you for now.
At least i havent seen any like that so far
-
First up, wow, I'm liking this idea of being the first owner of an AM / Worn and engraved set :D
Also, I'm thinking just now, what the hell, I may as well get the cold sweat aswell. Gotta speculate to accumulate, even with pickups 8) Not like this is exactly much of a risk either; these are Bare Knuckles we're talking about here...
I actually quite like the double allen bolt look, even having not seen it 'in the flesh' - with an engraving between the two rows, it won't look too cramped or anything, will it?
Cheers, Mark.
-
Tony meant getting them without any allen bolts at all in the covers, and getting those completely plain black covers battleworn and engraved. The dual-row covers look fine to me, and really they look the same IRL as they do in pictures. It shouldn't be too cramped with the engraving; you could even just get the bridge engraved if you wanted to take it down a notch or two. Otherwise if the engraving is something you won't move on, Tony's idea would be pretty cool too.
-
Yeah, I'm probably going for the Black / War Torn / Engraved / Dual allen bolts in the Aftermath in the end - Though thanks for all the sugggestions - From what I've posted, it looks as if I've just stuck with the initial idea the whole way through, but trust me, there was a LOT of deliberation :P
Also I might do like you said Lemur, and only engrave one pickup - perhaps the Cold Sweat, assuming I get it, since that only has the one row of screws if I remember rightly.
Well, I'm checking a few final parts as regarding installations and that, but I'll probably order as soon as I can, provided I can scr@pe the funds together :)
Thanks for all the help, and sorry to have kept the thread alive like a zombie for so long,
Mark
-
a few more notes as im not sure its been mentioned yet.
You need short leg & 4 conductor
and heres the 5 way ibanez wiring chart for BKP
http://www.infocus.ho8.com/media/Ibanez%205%20way%20wiring%20BKP.jpg