Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: Jofipe on May 30, 2011, 09:05:52 AM
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OK guys.. my first post here :)
So I have just gotten an R0 VOS, and I really wanna put in som BKP's.
I need something a bit hotter than the BB's.
What do you recommend?
I play mostly slower heavy stuff.. rock, metal.. but also blues when i'm in that mood.
I find the Warpigs TOO hot and
I dont wanna sacrifice tone for output.
Would a Les paul benefit from a pickup with a mid boost?
I would like a sweet tight tone that goes well with my Mesa Mark series.
(http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd143/jonasfp/IMG_0929.jpg)
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(http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd143/jonasfp/IMG_0931.jpg)
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Holy diver maybe?
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Yeah Iv been thinking that aswell... you dont think they will sound harsh in a mix?
My question is a bit... what will give the sweeter tone in a Les Paul... high, or mid boost? We all know it has enough bass :)
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Crawlers sound good in LPs! so do BDs.
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I'v actually had a Burny LP with Mules front/back and it sound AMAZING. Very open and surrounding. However they might be slightly too vintage for my sound.
Abraxas?
Arrgh, there is so many options hehe...
BTW are the Mules hotter than the stock BB's?
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There are many BKP that work very well with LesPauls:
Mules, Blackdogs, VHII, Rebel Yells, Crawlers.
Maybe compare the clips and the descriptions and try to narrow down your choice a bit more.
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I guess my needs are:
*Great for a Les Paul
*Versitile: from blues to metal... rythm to lead.
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black dog :)
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I guess my needs are:
*Great for a Les Paul
*Versitile: from blues to metal... rythm to lead.
Abraxas - check out the videos in my sig.
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I have a VHII Set in my 93 Classic Plus- it has the same slim 60's neck
These covers a huge number of musical bases.
they are really versitile and open and, like and good hot PAF pick, reacts well to power amp drive.
I use mine with a Marshall Guv'nor mk1 to bring the mids forward for lead playing.
from Bonamassa to Rhodes' these do it!
If you want more mids- i would consider Rebel Yell, these are more of a suped up PAF a bit more of everything that he VHII has
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Mules will cover that ground. If you want that PAF-character, but a little hotter look at Abraxas. For really rockin' stuff and even metal, with an edge, listen to some clips of the Rebel Yells, a different animal then Mule/Abraxas, but great for cutting rock tones and they do well in Les Pauls.
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Thanks for all the replys :)
OK So i'v seriously spend allot of time listening to the samples on the homepage.
I must admit I find the Mules to have most clarity and to be more present than the rest when played with distortion. I usually push my amps with an OD9 or a Box Of Rock...
Am I right when I find the mules better for defined harmonic rich overdrive/dist?
heres a vid of a little koncert in greece we did... i'm on the left with the black Les Paul loaded with a Warpig. It's too hot for my liking.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yNIXw_Rqdo&feature=player_embedded#at=71 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yNIXw_Rqdo&feature=player_embedded#at=71)
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right now I have a Black Dog in my main les paul custom '73, paired with a Mule
it's very low output compared to the other bridge BKPs (NB, CS, AM, HD) I had in this guitar, so I use it very close to the strings to capture maximum picking response
you might find it a bit weak for heavier stuff, but it becomes a monster with the booster on (I use a 1980 maxon equalizer set up for a slight upper mid boost right after my crybaby)
it's quite smooth and not a tight sounding pickup without the boost, though, but some amps will correct that
the first thing that came to mind when I first plugged it into my modded JMP was early Soundgarden
search Joe Kataldo's videos on youtube
his Black Dog/Mule set videos are very consistent to what the pickups sound, although he doesn't have them in a les paul
but I think he uses a Mesa Mark, like you
if you're confident that you want low output, it won't disappoint you
but if you want mostly openness and you have a darker sounding les paul, the riff raff is the man for the job
easily the clearest humbucker pickup I ever had
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Hmmmmm yeah. The thing is I am using a boost pedal, so output is maybe not too important. However I'm about to get some nailbombs... My les Paul is not very bark sounding, it's kinda woody with a good sparkle.
Will the nailbombs be a good clean/light overdrive pickup aswell?
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well, in my experience, the nailbomb is about as high output as the warpig, just less compressed and grainy
it's one loud and aggressive motherbucker
neck pickup has some duncan '59 like scooped midrange voicing, but it's quite high output as well, and VERY bright
you'll definitely perceive a radical tone change, but not really a big output drop
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Nailbombs are quite agressive and the voicing is not everybody's cup of tea. Just ask Tim at BKP for advice and listen some clips. I don't think they are the first choiche for bluesy stuff.
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OK guys.. my first post here :)
So I have just gotten an R0 VOS, and I really wanna put in som BKP's.
I need something a bit hotter than the BB's.
What do you recommend?
I play mostly slower heavy stuff.. rock, metal.. but also blues when i'm in that mood.
I find the Warpigs TOO hot and
I dont wanna sacrifice tone for output.
Would a Les paul benefit from a pickup with a mid boost?
I would like a sweet tight tone that goes well with my Mesa Mark series.
(http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd143/jonasfp/IMG_0929.jpg)
First and foremost, that's a beautiful Lester in the picture!! Nicely done. FWIW, I just purchased a calibrated set of BD's for my '68 Les Paul 'Firemist' as I wanted something with more grunt and ooomph yet maintaining all the overtone and liquid characteristics of a purebred Les Paul tone. They're not too hot, which means they'll allow a lot of the natural character of the Les to come out, and they've definitely got more bite than stock. Like I said, just my 2 cents, but the BDs are going into one of my finest Les Pauls I own.
Clips to follow once they arrive.
V.
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Ventura cheers.
Thanks for the reply.
Yeah, even tho I play pretty gained up music, I get the idea that choosing a pickup with too much output will destroy the tone from the guitar a bit. I want that deep growl, with a nice open sound a liquid top end.
I noticed when i put Warpigs "a bit extreme maybe" in a LP std I had, that the growl changed into muddyness and the sound got pretty undynamic and chaotic.
So I guess i need the perfect balance between hot and vintage.
I have owned a Burny LP with Mules in it, and that seriously sounded GREAT.. however, they were maybe a but too dark and vintage for me.
Maybe the key to the tone I look for is "low lower output pup, and then crank the booster a bit more going into the amp instead"
definition and melody in the distorted sound.
By all means, my Mark V couldnt sing more... so defined with a sea of harmonics.
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I havent got it yet, but i just ordered a riff raff for my flying v. This may be the right choice for you :)
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I love my RRs, and they're a bit more vintagey than the rest. Brilliant pups. As for what I'm doing with my Lester and the Black Dogs, I wanted GROWL whilst maintaining the natural wood characteristics and sustain and tone of the guitar itself. Knowing amps WAY better than pups, I do know that quality amps often sound so much better when they're not force-fed the guitars' signal. Making an amp WORK for the tone is key. Compression to me, isn't a great characteristic. But again, all of this is personal preference.
Keep us informed as to what you decide on doing. I'll let you know how the BDs sound once they arrive.
V.
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Thanks man :)
Actually Tim write me to get the Nailbombs.. seriously, im still not convincet. To me they sound rather compressed with overdrive/distortion compared to some og the others.
hmmmmmm maybe I should just do what the man says and try the nailbombs. Im afraid they with be too focused.
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My experience with nailbombs are not too good either. For me it sounded like there was a blanket over the amp. or the cab was moved into the other room :/
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Thanks man :)
Actually Tim write me to get the Nailbombs.. seriously, im still not convincet. To me they sound rather compressed with overdrive/distortion compared to some og the others.
????
From direct experience, the ABomb bridge is much more dynamic and open sounding than you would expect from a pup that hot, and retains an surprising clarity and definition under hi gain. The way it cleans up when rolling off the volume pot is also something interesting.
hmmmmmm maybe I should just do what the man says and try the nailbombs. Im afraid they with be too focused.
Now that's another question. It's indeed very tight and focused, so if you're looking for a looser, sweeter vintage tone it's possibly not be your best bet.
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I think Tim suggests Nailbombs to a lot of people but it's very 90s Metal in my experience and I think there are other options better suited to what you want.
Holydiver - my personal favourite and could work really well unless your guitar is very dark sounding.
Cold Sweat - Great pickup and a calibrated set would suit your guitar well.
Black Dogs - No personal experience of these but their reputation is rock solid.
Abraxas - A friend of mine on the JVM forum tried some in a Les Paul. He liked them a lot in a PRS but found them too dark in a Les Paul.
Emerald - Nobody ever seems to suggest these yet the clips always sound incredible to me. I'd love it if someone with experience of these could tell us more about them.
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Yeah, you seriously seem to be on to something the the Emeralds. They have nice amount of output, seems really open and defined!
Hmmmmm, I would have loved to hear a "hair metal" clip with it hehe.
The neck is alnico IV Like the mules.
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I have an Emerald bridge with a Mule AV neck (not AIV)great pickups
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Yeah, you seriously seem to be on to something the the Emeralds. They have nice amount of output, seems really open and defined!
Hmmmmm, I would have loved to hear a "hair metal" clip with it hehe.
The neck is alnico IV Like the mules.
I was contemplating the Emeralds, as well as the Abraxas, but something steered me toward the BDs. I think the fact the magnets are sweet, and it's simply a different composite wire (polysol) winding makes me think it's a "mule" on steroids. Back to my thoughts above, many a high-gain amp still benefit from a pup with lower to moderate outputs. The amps character comes out when it gets pushed. Second to this, the characteristics of a good Les Paul need to shine - that's why you have one :D Going for an uber-phat high output pup almost negates the tonal characteristics of a fine guitar, IMHO. AND AGAIN, this is all personal opinion, which holds next to no water compared to someone else's opine.
I have the PKs and they're very high output pups compared to the rest of my guitars' pups. The guitar they're in only sounds "great" with certain amps, with certain preamp stages. The midrange growl they afford me is what keeps them happening in my sonic arsenal. I don't want my '68 to be pigeonholed like this. I simply wish for pups that have a throatier bite and presence to them, more cut in the mix, and a unique tone without too much horsepower. Yada yada, I hope my selection was accurate.
Eargerly waiting,
V.
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Yes, I'm seriously thinking the same.
I want the pup to breathe out the sound, with all its details and dynamics. Not shite it out in a bursting string. I noticed that the Warpigs kinda transforms the high-end shimmer into.... hmmm distortion/mud ofcourse. Thats not what i want.
I'm really thinking the emeralds could be it. They have a good amount of output aswell. All the samples are played with a LP, so I guess it's all about using the ears now.
Too bad that not all of the samples has the same song selections.
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A quick look through the players section brought up these possibilities:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUZ5g92CXlQ
http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=20188.0
http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=19610.0
My next guitar purchase will be a mahogany guitar to fill that gap and I originally envisaged using it as a home for a set of Mules but the more I think about it and listen to clips, the more I think I'd like Emeralds. If you do get them, I'd love to see you post a review.
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SO!
I made my decision... :D
I wrote BKP and wanted to order
Neck: The Mule double cream
Bridge: Emerald: aged Nickel.. or whatever its called.
In case of me not liking the bridge, I can always just end up swapping that only.
The Mule on the neck, is a safe bed i guess :)
I rarely play it.. and when I do, I want really warm organic tones.
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Congratulation, I'm sure you won't be disappointed and I really look forward to hearing what they're like.
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Ill let you all know :)
Thanks for all of your inputs guys!!!
Now i'm off to sweden to play at "Muskelrock" this weekend haha.
Unfortunatly I wont be taking my new R0 out... cause I play bass untill our original basist gets back over here to EU.
Im gonna be slamming on a big-ass rickenbacker 4003 ;) ... like on my avatar
Cheers
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I guess my needs are:
*Great for a Les Paul
*Versitile: from blues to metal... rythm to lead.
Abraxas - check out the videos in my sig.
I love the tone in this demo in particular: http://www.youtube.com/user/TeleCustom72#p/u/0/yDQ2twawdIk
Trying to decide what pickups to put in my Godin LG and this is definitely an option. The Abraxas pups sound fantastic!
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Congrats. That will be a nice set.
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I'm loving the black dog, but it's not as open as my riff raff or the mule
I have a very dense sounding les paul, though
anyway, as I said earlier, Joe Kataldo's and some hunter / jaeger28's clips are consistent references
you should check them
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RncSysgRjPg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrAc8HbKSNA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYAgbIgjnVw&t=458
http://www.netmusicians.org/?search=bare+knuckle+black+dog
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Yo Jofipe, congrats on the choice... Stoked to hear what you think - and hear!!
As per the above, the BDs aren't as open as the RRs in yer axe?? Interesting... I'll have to eagerly await to know how mine plays out. It's a bright guitar, this Lester Custom of mine - it should bode well with the BDs.
Anyway, Jofipe, when the Rik gets put down, let us know!!
V.