Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: TheyCallMeVolume on April 18, 2012, 12:30:11 PM
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Hey guys, haven't seen any recent posts about the Blackhawks, anyone have any new info on them? Applications, tones, clips, anything will do!
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Nothing new I have heard of, still the same as in the last months.
We just are at Tims mercy on this one.
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Well if you don't mind, as a little refresher, what is it that we know so far? Thanks!
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Well they're the first BKP to use blades. So the pickup will have 2 Blades on each coil, adding up to 4 - hense the name "Black Hawk"
Nolly has a set (or at least did do), in one for his guitars. If you do a forum search, there should be links to clips :)
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mbchepburn: Hold on, I'm confused. Two blades per coil? Is this actually correct? If that is, then are they like the Kent Armstrong Motherbuckers, with two single-coil-sized humbuckers wired together in one dual-humbucker pickup? Or is this being misled, and are there only two blades, one per coil like a normal blade humbucker?
This would be interesting to see.
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mbchepburn: Hold on, I'm confused. Two blades per coil? Is this actually correct? If that is, then are they like the Kent Armstrong Motherbuckers, with two single-coil-sized humbuckers wired together in one dual-humbucker pickup? Or is this being misled, and are there only two blades, one per coil like a normal blade humbucker?
This would be interesting to see.
As far as I know mbchepburn must have misspoken there.
To my knowledge it will be 2 blades per PU, meaning one per coil (those things like on the Dimarzio Crunchlab for example). The set as a total then will have 4 blades, therefore the name then.
That is if I recall it right, cause I think Tim is still rather opposed to the idea of single coil sized humbuckers and hum canceling single coils.
Soundwise I think it was not that much modern metal as you expect but rather 80s metal.
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It was just something I heard someone say in another thread I think. I thought it was only one blade per coil at first, kind of like Dimarzio X2N/Dimebucker. But I'm sure I heard someone one say 4 blades per pickup, hense the name "Blackhawk". I could be wrong though. I think only Nolly & MDV actually know. I know Nolly described it as awesome though.
Was this thread I read - https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=26719.15
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I think I was originally right, it is 2 blades per coil. Just found a picture of Periphery's guitarist with his guitar loaded with what I believe are Blackhawks.
(http://www.mayones.com/bindata/images/IMGf9f159afbd1f195cc2be343f3c36dd31.jpg)
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They are indeed 4 blades per pickup, meaning two blades on each coil.. i don't know how this is designed, but i don't think they are double humbuckers.. the reason i'm sure of the design is because i've seen them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqb8J6iEHlo
2:33 and 5:39
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Yeah when I said 2 blades per coil, I didn't mean like 2 separate coils. I just meant 2 blades on each coil within the humbucker itself.
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Yeah, I just watched that old video again. Had it in mind wrong. Sorry^^
So it is like 2 SC-sized humbuckers taped together after all.
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And yet surprisingly, when I asked Tim if he was thinking of using the Black Hawk to create a single coil sized humbucker, he assured me that he had absolutely no plans at all to introduce such a pickup to the range. I've asked him about single coil sized humbuckers a few times but he has never wavered in his response. He just really doesn't seem to like them.
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It was just something I heard someone say in another thread I think. I thought it was only one blade per coil at first, kind of like Dimarzio X2N/Dimebucker. But I'm sure I heard someone one say 4 blades per pickup, hense the name "Blackhawk". I could be wrong though. I think only Nolly & MDV actually know. I know Nolly described it as awesome though.
Was this thread I read - https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=26719.15
Last I heard it was 4 blades, two per coil, and not a quad-bucker like the motherbucker.
I know a bit more than that, but the infos likely out of date and I'm not telling anyway :P
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Very cool stuff. Anyone know what kind of tones, and examples of tones, these could be used for?
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Very cool stuff. Anyone know what kind of tones, and examples of tones, these could be used for?
Check out the linkI mentioned. There should be a link to Nolly's clip. Or use the search function, you'll find some there
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Look here :)
http://www.guitarworld.com/bare-knuckle-pickups-introduces-black-hawk-humbucker
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Aha! properly revealed then, sounds interesting!
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So I'm guessing it's BKPs answer to Active pickups? That would be cool. It'd look cooler if the coils were rounded though :/
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I have heard them already. I am interested in the specs.
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What???? Guitar World gets info before the forum gets some update??? :-(
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Well Guitar World seem to say it's for the people that like EMGs, so I'm really curious as to how it sounds compared to the default Active to Passive switch: the Miracle Man
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What???? Guitar World gets info before the forum gets some update??? :-(
i sort of feel the same, after all the talk here.. but anyway, they still look cool, and its still good news!
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Nolly said elsewhere that Guitar World jumped the gun.
I'm not 100% sure but I think the tracks from Nolly and Misha's side project, "Snuggles", was recorded with Black Hawk loaded guitars. Popular belief. Clips and info on the main BKP website are forthcoming.
http://soundcloud.com/nolly/sets/snuggles/ (http://soundcloud.com/nolly/sets/snuggles/)
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Last I heard they were tripple magnet, surprisingly low DCR (about 10iirc but capable of high output due to the strength of the magnets and efficiency of blades), and the general theme of the tone was open, clear, sensitive and very versatile. Tim wanted them to be capable of blues and rock as well as metal. This info is easy a year out of date, though, so it may be wrong. Best to ask.
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wow i never thought that i would see a pickup uglier than a dimebucker or invader.
Hopefully it will deliver the goods tonally.
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I have an old pickup, not sure of its heritage, but from the 70s which looks almost exactly like a blackhawk...
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wow i never thought that i would see a pickup uglier than a dimebucker or invader.
Hopefully it will deliver the goods tonally.
Are you serious? I think it looks way better than the Bill Lawrence or Dimebucker.
The ugliest pickup ever must be the DiMarzio D-Sonic though... very mismatched.
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wow i never thought that i would see a pickup uglier than a dimebucker or invader.
Hopefully it will deliver the goods tonally.
Are you serious? I think it looks way better than the Bill Lawrence or Dimebucker.
The ugliest pickup ever must be the DiMarzio D-Sonic though... very mismatched.
Id say its worse. it looks cheaper & nastier.
it actually reminds me of the stock pickups that came in my RGD
overly square and plasticy
(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9807181/Guitars/RGD.jpg)
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some fresh news from FB
direct from Nolly
"Adam Nolly Getgood shared a link.
25 minutes ago
Here's a short clip of the new Bare Knuckle Black Hawk pickup doing some blues-fusion. This will be one of the clips featured on the Black Hawk's product page on the BKP website.
http://soundcloud.com/nolly/black-hawk-fusion
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some fresh news from FB
direct from Nolly
"Adam Nolly Getgood shared a link.
25 minutes ago
Here's a short clip of the new Bare Knuckle Black Hawk pickup doing some blues-fusion. This will be one of the clips featured on the Black Hawk's product page on the BKP website.
http://soundcloud.com/nolly/black-hawk-fusion
Wow! That actually sounds great! Really fat and smooth. It does seem very modern sounding though (unsurprisingly) and maybe maybe slightly dark in a les Paul custom. As far as I know the les Paul custom is BKPs standard demo guitar.
I do feel that BKP should begin to do distorted rythm clips though to display articulation and how the frequencies are "balanced" in a chord.
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wow i never thought that i would see a pickup uglier than a dimebucker or invader.
Hopefully it will deliver the goods tonally.
Are you serious? I think it looks way better than the Bill Lawrence or Dimebucker.
The ugliest pickup ever must be the DiMarzio D-Sonic though... very mismatched.
Id say its worse. it looks cheaper & nastier.
it actually reminds me of the stock pickups that came in my RGD
overly square and plasticy
I think they look like Joe Barden Two/Tone humbuckers - although oddly enough the BKP has 4 blades and 2 coils, the Barden has 2 blades and 4 coils!
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some fresh news from FB
direct from Nolly
"Adam Nolly Getgood shared a link.
25 minutes ago
Here's a short clip of the new Bare Knuckle Black Hawk pickup doing some blues-fusion. This will be one of the clips featured on the Black Hawk's product page on the BKP website.
http://soundcloud.com/nolly/black-hawk-fusion
Sounds very nice... could this be the pickup that makes me finally remove the EMGs from my ESP?
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some fresh news from FB
direct from Nolly
"Adam Nolly Getgood shared a link.
25 minutes ago
Here's a short clip of the new Bare Knuckle Black Hawk pickup doing some blues-fusion. This will be one of the clips featured on the Black Hawk's product page on the BKP website.
http://soundcloud.com/nolly/black-hawk-fusion
Wow! That actually sounds great! Really fat and smooth. It does seem very modern sounding though (unsurprisingly) and maybe maybe slightly dark in a les Paul custom. As far as I know the les Paul custom is BKPs standard demo guitar.
I do feel that BKP should begin to do distorted rythm clips though to display articulation and how the frequencies are "balanced" in a chord.
I feel they should start doing clips with amps again like they used to back in the old days :(
It showed the pickups in a much better light.
i think if the clips that are up now were up when i originally bought my miracle man in 2005 rather than the one that was up then i would have passed
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some fresh news from FB
direct from Nolly
"Adam Nolly Getgood shared a link.
25 minutes ago
Here's a short clip of the new Bare Knuckle Black Hawk pickup doing some blues-fusion. This will be one of the clips featured on the Black Hawk's product page on the BKP website.
http://soundcloud.com/nolly/black-hawk-fusion
Wow! That actually sounds great! Really fat and smooth. It does seem very modern sounding though (unsurprisingly) and maybe maybe slightly dark in a les Paul custom. As far as I know the les Paul custom is BKPs standard demo guitar.
I do feel that BKP should begin to do distorted rythm clips though to display articulation and how the frequencies are "balanced" in a chord.
I feel they should start doing clips with amps again like they used to back in the old days :(
It showed the pickups in a much better light.
i think if the clips that are up now were up when i originally bought my miracle man in 2005 rather than the one that was up then i would have passed
What do they record with?
I've actually not really liked the BKP demos as much as I like the random demos that you find on youtube because the BKP demos sound "processed" to me. I think I know why now.
So, what are they using? I assume that it's probably something like an Axe FX.
I'd also like them to start recording a demo of a pickups playing in every genre that they list. For example: If you play hard rock but you want a smooth fat bright and saturated tone in your les paul and you get recommended cold sweats that just leads to problems because there are only heavy metal and progressive metal clips on the website or whatever. It just makes it so much harder to know that you're getting what you want.
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You are correct they are done with an axe fx.
have you checked the Official BKP clips section on the forum? That has all of the old clips on that are far more representative in my opinion.
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I've tried many times before but the links don't seem to work for me. :/
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I've tried many times before but the links don't seem to work for me. :/
these ones?
https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?board=17.0
All but the aftermath ones are with amps.
Roccaforte, marshall etc.
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I've tried many times before but the links don't seem to work for me. :/
these ones?
https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?board=17.0
All but the aftermath ones are with amps.
Roccaforte, marshall etc.
Oops, my mistake! I was thinking of the wrong clips.
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Wow that's pretty cool! I never realized they had some "real" demos lying around. I'm certainly not a huge fan of the very processed tone of their demos now, just doesn't really accurately show the characteristics of the pickups. I think that's why everyone says the Steve Stevens's RY demo on the page is so powerful and kickass, because he uses a real amp there.
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Wow that's pretty cool! I never realized they had some "real" demos lying around. I'm certainly not a huge fan of the very processed tone of their demos now, just doesn't really accurately show the characteristics of the pickups. I think that's why everyone says the Steve Stevens's RY demo on the page is so powerful and kickass, because he uses a real amp there.
Agreed. The Steve Stevens demo does, in fact, kick ass. The standard BKP demos always seemed to computerized (is that even a word?) and controlled, EQ'd even (although I don't think that BKP would go that far).
I honestly didn't believe that I'd hear such a difference between between the Axe FX and a real tube amp but these clips really show it off. Something sounds missing and I'm guessing it's cause I couldn't "feel" the pickups. But since in the rebel yell demo you can it just kick ass compared to the others.
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I completely aggree with the points made here... for me the real amp demos show the differences better.
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some fresh news from FB
direct from Nolly
"Adam Nolly Getgood shared a link.
25 minutes ago
Here's a short clip of the new Bare Knuckle Black Hawk pickup doing some blues-fusion. This will be one of the clips featured on the Black Hawk's product page on the BKP website.
http://soundcloud.com/nolly/black-hawk-fusion
Wow! That actually sounds great! Really fat and smooth. It does seem very modern sounding though (unsurprisingly) and maybe maybe slightly dark in a les Paul custom. As far as I know the les Paul custom is BKPs standard demo guitar.
I do feel that BKP should begin to do distorted rythm clips though to display articulation and how the frequencies are "balanced" in a chord.
I feel they should start doing clips with amps again like they used to back in the old days :(
It showed the pickups in a much better light.
i think if the clips that are up now were up when i originally bought my miracle man in 2005 rather than the one that was up then i would have passed
Agreed. Dont like that tone at all, and all the newer clips are much more homogeneous than my experience of the pickups, in person and in recording. Ho hum, nothing to be done about it now. (And most people seem to like them, so job done I suppose, though I have seen lots of people (mainly on other forums, oddly enough) that the clips all sound too similar to make a decision easily)
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I would suggest something along the lines of keeping the demos they already have for picking out tiny details, then a few clips of the pickups in popular guitars and amps and styles for the said pickup. I think that would help a lot of people out. Though I do know TIm doesn't like pigeonholing pickups into one genre, as Riff Raffs can handle heavy metal and Nailbombs can clean up to a vintage sound. Perhaps this has something to do with it?
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some fresh news from FB
direct from Nolly
"Adam Nolly Getgood shared a link.
25 minutes ago
Here's a short clip of the new Bare Knuckle Black Hawk pickup doing some blues-fusion. This will be one of the clips featured on the Black Hawk's product page on the BKP website.
http://soundcloud.com/nolly/black-hawk-fusion
Wow! That actually sounds great! Really fat and smooth. It does seem very modern sounding though (unsurprisingly) and maybe maybe slightly dark in a les Paul custom. As far as I know the les Paul custom is BKPs standard demo guitar.
I do feel that BKP should begin to do distorted rythm clips though to display articulation and how the frequencies are "balanced" in a chord.
I feel they should start doing clips with amps again like they used to back in the old days :(
It showed the pickups in a much better light.
i think if the clips that are up now were up when i originally bought my miracle man in 2005 rather than the one that was up then i would have passed
Agreed. Dont like that tone at all, and all the newer clips are much more homogeneous than my experience of the pickups, in person and in recording. Ho hum, nothing to be done about it now. (And most people seem to like them, so job done I suppose, though I have seen lots of people (mainly on other forums, oddly enough) that the clips all sound too similar to make a decision easily)
Isn't that why we have this here lovely forum though? :D
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some fresh news from FB
direct from Nolly
"Adam Nolly Getgood shared a link.
25 minutes ago
Here's a short clip of the new Bare Knuckle Black Hawk pickup doing some blues-fusion. This will be one of the clips featured on the Black Hawk's product page on the BKP website.
http://soundcloud.com/nolly/black-hawk-fusion
Wow! That actually sounds great! Really fat and smooth. It does seem very modern sounding though (unsurprisingly) and maybe maybe slightly dark in a les Paul custom. As far as I know the les Paul custom is BKPs standard demo guitar.
I do feel that BKP should begin to do distorted rythm clips though to display articulation and how the frequencies are "balanced" in a chord.
I feel they should start doing clips with amps again like they used to back in the old days :(
It showed the pickups in a much better light.
i think if the clips that are up now were up when i originally bought my miracle man in 2005 rather than the one that was up then i would have passed
Agreed. Dont like that tone at all, and all the newer clips are much more homogeneous than my experience of the pickups, in person and in recording. Ho hum, nothing to be done about it now. (And most people seem to like them, so job done I suppose, though I have seen lots of people (mainly on other forums, oddly enough) that the clips all sound too similar to make a decision easily)
Isn't that why we have this here lovely forum though? :D
Indeed. You may be a bit new here to have read any of my essay-posts on the differences between the pickups in the contemporary range ;). I dont hear much of those differences in the clips on the site though.
The best representation I've heard of the nailbomb and miracle man are indeed in Tims 2005 recordings. I think that the newer clips more representative of the tones you can expect if you buy an AxeFX than any BKs, but obviously Tim disagrees or he wouldnt have used them.
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But really, does he hear something in these clips that makes him think they are what should represent the beautfiful pickups? They just sound almost fake...
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I know that I would not have bought my MQ neck for clean sounds judging from the clips on the site. I went for it anyway (lack of choice xD) and it is the most beautiful clean sound I ever heard from a PU. God am I happy I did not go with the clips.
Same with the Aftermath. Not the biggest fan of the clips, would not have gotten them judging by those. But I went after the description (and forum) and the clip by Misha posted in the forums as that one shows off the AM much more for what it does (since it is Misha it was probably recorded with an Axe Fx too though).
I also have to attest that the RY clip is good, actually represent the PU.
Mule and IT clips are ok, but not showing the fullest extend I believe.
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some fresh news from FB
direct from Nolly
"Adam Nolly Getgood shared a link.
25 minutes ago
Here's a short clip of the new Bare Knuckle Black Hawk pickup doing some blues-fusion. This will be one of the clips featured on the Black Hawk's product page on the BKP website.
http://soundcloud.com/nolly/black-hawk-fusion
Wow! That actually sounds great! Really fat and smooth. It does seem very modern sounding though (unsurprisingly) and maybe maybe slightly dark in a les Paul custom. As far as I know the les Paul custom is BKPs standard demo guitar.
I do feel that BKP should begin to do distorted rythm clips though to display articulation and how the frequencies are "balanced" in a chord.
I feel they should start doing clips with amps again like they used to back in the old days :(
It showed the pickups in a much better light.
i think if the clips that are up now were up when i originally bought my miracle man in 2005 rather than the one that was up then i would have passed
Agreed. Dont like that tone at all, and all the newer clips are much more homogeneous than my experience of the pickups, in person and in recording. Ho hum, nothing to be done about it now. (And most people seem to like them, so job done I suppose, though I have seen lots of people (mainly on other forums, oddly enough) that the clips all sound too similar to make a decision easily)
Isn't that why we have this here lovely forum though? :D
Indeed. You may be a bit new here to have read any of my essay-posts on the differences between the pickups in the contemporary range ;). I dont hear much of those differences in the clips on the site though.
The best representation I've heard of the nailbomb and miracle man are indeed in Tims 2005 recordings. I think that the newer clips more representative of the tones you can expect if you buy an AxeFX than any BKs, but obviously Tim disagrees or he wouldnt have used them.
This is also true. However from a marketing perspective it kinda makes a little bit of sense as the axefx is the current trend.
However there is also the point that you could get those tones from pretty much any pickup with a modeller.
Some of the official clips could NOT be done with just a straigh amp/guitar combination a boost would be needed and most likely an EQ also which again takes it back to not being truly representative of the actual pickups themselves.
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Well I also think even though that's true, it's better to hear the clips in that regard since most people will use that amp->pedals -> guitar, so it gives most people a great idea of how it sounds. And I'm also all for full, like, 10 minute video demos visually showing gear, guitars, pickups, pup height, different setups, etc.
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Well I also think even though that's true, it's better to hear the clips in that regard since most people will use that amp->pedals -> guitar, so it gives most people a great idea of how it sounds. And I'm also all for full, like, 10 minute video demos visually showing gear, guitars, pickups, pup height, different setups, etc.
I dont know. I just go straight into my guitar. The only pedals i use generally are modulation.
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Same with me. I only use a wah pedal, reverb and delay and sometimes chorus. None of that should ver be used in a demo though.
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Same with me. I only use a wah pedal, reverb and delay and sometimes chorus. None of that should ver be used in a demo though.
Well in this case they arent.
My point was to get a similar sound with an actual amp you would have to do that this mainly applies to the lower output pickups though.
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I know this applies to amps and other pedals, but not sure about pickups. Do some take to pedals better than others? If so, definitely a smart idea is obviously to show them taking on different kinds of pedals.
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I know this applies to amps and other pedals, but not sure about pickups. Do some take to pedals better than others? If so, definitely a smart idea is obviously to show them taking on different kinds of pedals.
some need them to get the tightness demonstrated on the site clips. Others it will just add sheer compression.
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I think the obvious benefit of the AXE FX is the easy way to record great sounding samples, consistent samples and the ability to store patches for later use.
However, I always felt that the samples for the metal on the BKP website sound 99% the same, and me too always thought that the original Miracle Man and Nailbomb demos worked a lot better at demonstrating the pickups' potential and character.
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BTW, back to the original topic of the thread, BK just posted a new visual video of Nolly playing the Blackhawks. Can't pull up the clip though, sorry. Check it out!
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And those blades look absolutely KILLER in the gold top! I bet they would look mighty good on a Black Beauty too! I notice pretty much all the demos have been with LP's....this a LP kinda pickup I guess?
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And those blades look absolutely KILLER in the gold top! I bet they would look mighty good on a Black Beauty too! I notice pretty much all the demos have been with LP's....this a LP kinda pickup I guess?
The LP is the BKP test clip guitar i believe.
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The LP is the BKP test clip guitar i believe.
That one actually isn't the test clip guitar
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The video can be seen here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKw1F1Bd1-w
I've designed the Black Hawk to sit in all guitar types not just LPs - we decided to shoot Adam playing the Goldtop as it's not a guitar he would usually be associated with and we also wanted to show how quite a modern looking pickup sits in a very old guitar(the LP is very early '70s).
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Do you have any further info? Such as specs and a release date?
And i doubt it. But any chance of covers?
EDIT; scratch that i just noticed the update
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some fresh news from FB
direct from Nolly
"Adam Nolly Getgood shared a link.
25 minutes ago
Here's a short clip of the new Bare Knuckle Black Hawk pickup doing some blues-fusion. This will be one of the clips featured on the Black Hawk's product page on the BKP website.
http://soundcloud.com/nolly/black-hawk-fusion
Wow! That actually sounds great! Really fat and smooth. It does seem very modern sounding though (unsurprisingly) and maybe maybe slightly dark in a les Paul custom. As far as I know the les Paul custom is BKPs standard demo guitar.
I do feel that BKP should begin to do distorted rythm clips though to display articulation and how the frequencies are "balanced" in a chord.
I feel they should start doing clips with amps again like they used to back in the old days :(
It showed the pickups in a much better light.
i think if the clips that are up now were up when i originally bought my miracle man in 2005 rather than the one that was up then i would have passed
Agreed. Dont like that tone at all, and all the newer clips are much more homogeneous than my experience of the pickups, in person and in recording. Ho hum, nothing to be done about it now. (And most people seem to like them, so job done I suppose, though I have seen lots of people (mainly on other forums, oddly enough) that the clips all sound too similar to make a decision easily)
Isn't that why we have this here lovely forum though? :D
Indeed. You may be a bit new here to have read any of my essay-posts on the differences between the pickups in the contemporary range ;). I dont hear much of those differences in the clips on the site though.
The best representation I've heard of the nailbomb and miracle man are indeed in Tims 2005 recordings. I think that the newer clips more representative of the tones you can expect if you buy an AxeFX than any BKs, but obviously Tim disagrees or he wouldnt have used them.
This is also true. However from a marketing perspective it kinda makes a little bit of sense as the axefx is the current trend.
However there is also the point that you could get those tones from pretty much any pickup with a modeller.
Some of the official clips could NOT be done with just a straigh amp/guitar combination a boost would be needed and most likely an EQ also which again takes it back to not being truly representative of the actual pickups themselves.
Its a practical decision as well (edit: or at least it could be, and looks that way; as I said before, cant speak for tim or nolly, and they both seem to be here anyway :lol: Hi chaps!). With a modeller you can dial in a patch through your monitors, in a mix backing track you made earlier, go anywhere with a set of headphones and/or monitors and track quickly and with next to no expense. Amps are far more logistically and financially challenging.
But then I doubt that Tim would let the clips out if he didnt think they served their purpose or sounded good: hes not the type to cut corners like that or settle or 'make do'. And these things are subjective (ish...if we're talking about apparent difference, then thats much less subjective, but it is still subjective; we all hear differently, however slightly).
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I'm by no means a man with the most trained ears, but the clips seem to serve the purpose of direct comparisons with each other very well.
Saw the update on the site, and think i will replace the NB's in my RG7321 with blackhawks as part of the pimping project i'm raising funds for*
* Afghan Dave: It's a guitar pimping project, nothing else :lol:
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I too can hear the difference between the clips on the site. Though I do prefer amps to amp modelers, I believe that the tracks are satisfactory for distinguishing differences, as well as displaying the characteristics of the different pickups. I have now owned, and played enough of BKP's to agree with this statement. But to each there own. The Black Hawks are now on the site by the way.
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I'm by no means a man with the most trained ears, but the clips seem to serve the purpose of direct comparisons with each other very well.
Saw the update on the site, and think i will replace the NB's in my RG7321 with blackhawks as part of the pimping project i'm raising funds for*
* Afghan Dave: It's a guitar pimping project, nothing else :lol:
We've got some sets ordered for stock - look forward to getting them in
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Wow this is all some pretty cool stuff! I notice on the site it goes from Jazz, fusion, and funk to hard rock and metal subgenres. Does this mean it won't be very well suited to a more classic-y sort of rock tone?
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Wow this is all some pretty cool stuff! I notice on the site it goes from Jazz, fusion, and funk to hard rock and metal subgenres. Does this mean it won't be very well suited to a more classic-y sort of rock tone?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=VKw1F1Bd1-w (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=VKw1F1Bd1-w)
Yes
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The Black Hawk is very good for a range of applications and the idea behind doing a fusion clip as well as progressive and metal was to try and get players to think a little outside the box with this one. On paper the DC resistance puts the Black Hawk in with vintage output humbuckers however the design of the coils, blades and magnets allow the pickups to produce a lot of output, easily up there with the contemporary humbuckers, whilst retaining the open top end response and mids of the vintage range. The driven tone is absolutely excellent but these humbuckers are capable of a lot more besides and will be equally at home in a semi as they will a modern metal guitar. You'll notice in the homepage slide show the Black Hawks are loaded into a Black Machine, essentially a very modern style guitar however in the youtube video Adam is using a very old '70s LP loaded with Black Hawks - they look great and more importantly sound great in both!
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Hell yeah Tim. Cheers!
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I very much want those pickups...wonder if they would sit well in the Steinberger Guitars Synapse TranScale ST-2FPA I have been eying for a while...look wise no problem, but sound...dunno...
Anyways, gotta get me some money first^^
Oh, and as usual thanks for the posts Tim, itŽs much appreciated!
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Indeed, very nice to hear from Tim and Nolly!
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They look wicked, but obviously nothing looks great in all guitars, so are covers an option? It would also be cool if it were possible to do the blades in black as well. But regardless of looks, these pickups have made me seriously consider a ceramic bridge. And is it just me, or does the Black Hawk also produce a wonderful clean tone? That makes for one hell of a versatile set. Of course now I'm wanting a seven string guitar again...
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They look wicked, but obviously nothing looks great in all guitars, so are covers an option?
Good point. I have to say the looks aren't doing it for me, I can't imagine them suiting any of my guitars (visually speaking).
Maybe totally closed metal covers, Tony Iommi style? That said, the bobbins look too big to fit under a normal cover.
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The Black Hawks can't sit under covers I'm afraid as it would negate the effect of the blades(also the bobbins are taller than normal so a cover won't draw down over them) but you'll be surprised at how good they look in a guitar. I've had them in everything from modern Strat style, Vees, Sharkfins etc and also vintage LPs and Strats and they suit them all. The blades are nickel plated, I can't do them in black as I've not found a durable finish that will sit on such a fine blade, it really needs to be a plating and nickel works this best in this case.
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I personally really like the look of them!
I'm really tempted to buy some when I raise the money but first I'm gonna have to install the Holy Diver/Emerald set that I ordered from you to weeks ago!
Royal Mail Tracking services said that it arrived in Israel only two days after you shipped it (6 days after it was ordered) but the customs here somehow only managed to send me the slip so that I could pick it up 7 days after its arrival. Anyway, I'll go to pick them up today and hopefully write a review today. I have to thank you for the amazing service though!!!!
Anyway, back on topic, I think that the Black Hawks look and sound amazing. I've always like the look of blades.
How does it suit classic rock stuff. I assume that these pickups sort of "skipped out" on the lower gain rock genres this time round. The fusion clip sounds great though.
Also, couldn't you custom make a cover with cutouts specifically designed to not cover the blades, just like a normal cover doesn't block the polepiece screws?
A gold cover with black blades would look stunning!
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The Black Hawks can't sit under covers I'm afraid as it would negate the effect of the blades(also the bobbins are taller than normal so a cover won't draw down over them) but you'll be surprised at how good they look in a guitar. I've had them in everything from modern Strat style, Vees, Sharkfins etc and also vintage LPs and Strats and they suit them all. The blades are nickel plated, I can't do them in black as I've not found a durable finish that will sit on such a fine blade, it really needs to be a plating and nickel works this best in this case.
Any possibility of making a single-coil using one of the twin-bladed Black Hawk bobbins, Tim?
I could imagine that looking good in an HSS or HS Strat.
:idea: And I've just had a thought.... I do think a Black Hawk could look pretty nifty in a Gotoh humbucker Tele bridge.... :D
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the clean sample sounds amazing. Such a punchy tone!
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I'm going to reserve judgement on the sound until I can hear them through an amp. Modellers seem to have an overly 'dry' sound to my ears for some reason.
I think they'd look quite cool in something like a V or an Explorer though 8)
I'm thinking of taking the RYs out of myTokai LoveRock Custom for something else, these have peaked my interest :lol:
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There's no chance of getting a cover over the coils I'm afraid, they're too tall and too wide.
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Hey Brow, if ya wanna get rid of your RY's, let me know! But anyway, putting a cover on the pickup defeats the purpose of of the Blackhawks, wouldn't it? I think part of what makes it so intriguing is its radical design.
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Hey Brow, if ya wanna get rid of your RY's, let me know! But anyway, putting a cover on the pickup defeats the purpose of of the Blackhawks, wouldn't it? I think part of what makes it so intriguing is its radical design.
Very true!
This is a very intriguing set that I'd love to own.
I'm generally not a big fan of super high gain pickups as i'm not really into modern metal but this seems too balance out extremely nicely and I adore the cleans while it is still very capable of super high gain metal and smooth lead tones.
How would this work in an HSS setup? Maybe alsongside the Trilogy Suites.
I imagine as a very nice match but I love to know what Tim thinks!
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How would this work in an HSS setup? Maybe alsongside the Trilogy Suites.
I imagine as a very nice match but I love to know what Tim thinks!
Sorry to keep going on about the looks, but I think it would look weird paired with normal single coils.
That's why I was curious about the possibility of a Black Hawk single coil a few posts up.
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That seems like a valid point....and if these clean tones turn out to be as good as advertised, many people could be buying BH necks and a different covered bridge. That'd be a cool look.
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The Black Hawks can't sit under covers I'm afraid as it would negate the effect of the blades(also the bobbins are taller than normal so a cover won't draw down over them) but you'll be surprised at how good they look in a guitar. I've had them in everything from modern Strat style, Vees, Sharkfins etc and also vintage LPs and Strats and they suit them all. The blades are nickel plated, I can't do them in black as I've not found a durable finish that will sit on such a fine blade, it really needs to be a plating and nickel works this best in this case.
have you thought of anodizing them?
i imagine it will be expensive though.
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Thanks Tim, that all makes sense now that I actually think about it. The clean tone still has me really intrigued, what amp was the website's clean clip recorded through? And am I right in assuming the guitar used was a Les Paul?
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They said it was a LP, and I'm guessing like every other clip, it was played through an AxeFX
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It's not possible to anodize the blades I'm afraid.
Clips were all recorded using the same LP we've used for every other clips, a mid '80s LP Custom that's the most balanced one I own. The Axe FX was used too.
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It's not possible to anodize the blades I'm afraid.
Clips were all recorded using the same LP we've used for every other clips, a mid '80s LP Custom that's the most balanced one I own. The Axe FX was used too.
Nonetheless, they seem like kick-ass pickups! I'd love to try them out when I get the chance.
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I am really interrested in how this one compares to other PUs of the range.
Is it tighter than the AM?
Does it have higher output than the Pig?
Also which is the best wood for this one?
CanŽt wait for the first judgements come in.
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I am really interrested in how this one compares to other PUs of the range.
Is it tighter than the AM?
Does it have higher output than the Pig?
Also which is the best wood for this one?
CanŽt wait for the first judgements come in.
Yep. From my point of view, I'm interested to hear how it performs in lower gain, classic rock etc situations.
Also very curious about coil-split and series/parallel modes.
Probably just because of the blades, but I'm wondering if it's going to be very "hi fi" like a Joe Barden pickup (which would put me off a bit, to be honest)
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I'm not particularly struck on the looks but I am intrigued by the versatility they seem to have. Other pickups from BKP that we associate with such extreme Metal styles aren't often seen as being as versatile as other pups in the range but these seem to do everything. I'd be very interested to hear how they'd sit in a maple neck-thru doing 80's Metal and how they compare to the Holydiver in that regard.
The other thing that stikes me about the official release of this pickup is something that was discussed on the forum a week or so ago - output levels. I think most people, right or wrong, use the DC resistance as a broad measure of power but this pickup especially destroys that approach. I maintain that output figures based on the same setup used for the sound clips would be very useful indeed.
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Yeah, I've really not seen a pickup with such low output that can be so heavy, very cool stuff.
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I think most people, right or wrong, use the DC resistance as a broad measure of power but this pickup especially destroys that approach.
Does it mean that the Blackhawks are high output pickups ?
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Yeah, I've really not seen a pickup with such low output that can be so heavy, very cool stuff.
maybe because that's not low output? :lol:
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I think most people, right or wrong, use the DC resistance as a broad measure of power but this pickup especially destroys that approach.
Does it mean that the Blackhawks are high output pickups ?
No. On paper on a meter, it looks like it is low output. But because of the type of magnets, and their design, they pack a greater punch to the nuts.
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Let's say it again: "DC resistance" does not equal "output". :roll: :P
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Let's say it again: "DC resistance" does not equal "output". :roll: :P
And that's exactly my point; DC resistance does not equate to output but most people seem to make that mistake, which only highlights the importance of BKP starting to provide output figures for comparison.
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Let's say it again: "DC resistance" does not equal "output". :roll: :P
And that's exactly my point; DC resistance does not equate to output but most people seem to make that mistake, which only highlights the importance of BKP starting to provide output figures for comparison.
I can see your point, but I think it is more of people educating themselves further.
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I'll bite.....what's the difference?
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Let's say it again: "DC resistance" does not equal "output". :roll: :P
Yep
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Correct me if I am wrong, because surely I am not expert;
DC measures the resistance of Direct Current the winds can take. The more winds, the Higher the DC rating. Output is how loud it sounds. Generally it is thought that the Higher DC rating a pickup has, the more output it has. However this is flawed due to other factors, such as magnet types, pole piece type, ect.
With that being said, just buy the damn things, and see for yourself. No matter how much you read about something, you will never know anything about it unless you experience it first hand.
Cheers
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Correct me if I am wrong, because surely I am not expert;
DC measures the resistance of Direct Current the winds can take. The more winds, the Higher the DC rating. Output is how loud it sounds. Generally it is thought that the Higher DC rating a pickup has, the more output it has. However this is flawed due to other factors, such as magnet types, pole piece type, ect.
With that being said, just buy the damn things, and see for yourself. No matter how much you read about something, you will never know anything about it unless you experience it first hand.
Cheers
Ok then ;)
Pickup output is affected by two main factors: magnetic field strength and the number of turns on each coil. (or the coil for SCs).
DC resistance is a rough estimation of the total length of the wire, and therefore a very hamfisted effort at estimating the number of turns. The DC resistance is also affected by the wire gauge; per unit length thicker wire has lower DC resistance. A pickup can have low DCR with thick wire and powerful magnets and still be a very hot pickup. Likewise, a pickup can have very high DCR with thin wire and weak magnets and be low output.
Other factors like pole piece type are influences, but they are to do with the efficiency of transmission of the magnetic field to the strings, and come under the blanket heading 'magnetic field strength' since its the flux density that the strings experience that matters.
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In which case, don't bother giving out DC ratings, wire type or magnet type either - just buy it and see for yourself.
In all seriousness, I do see what you mean but a BKP is a lot of money and as a result I don't think it's unreasonable to expect people to investigate their purchase as much as possible before parting with cash. Why should a BKP customer be content with less information than a DiMarzio customer when the DiMarzio or Seymour Duncan can be had for Ł60 while a BKP is upwards of Ł100. On this forum we are continually asked about how 'hot' a pickup is and we talk about that ourselves too but we're not talking about DC resistance; we're talking about output. The DC resistance figures are approximate but give an indication at least and I see no reason why output figures can't do exactly the same. The reality is that people think of pickups in terms of power and while we may realise that DC resistance doesn't equate to power, I think most people out there don't. Generally speaking that's fine as for the most part, the pickups in the range that have the highest DC resistance are the most powerful but here we have a pickup with a vintage DC resistance and there's going to be a lot of people out there who simply won't believe that the Black Hawks have anything like enough power to live with active pickups from EMG, Seymour Duncan or DiMarzio. Like it or not, people want to know about power in a pickup and like it or not, a lot of people simply aren't going to believe a Black Hawk has a lot of power and certainly aren't going to part with all that money just to try it.
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Correct me if I am wrong, because surely I am not expert;
DC measures the resistance of Direct Current the winds can take. The more winds, the Higher the DC rating. Output is how loud it sounds. Generally it is thought that the Higher DC rating a pickup has, the more output it has. However this is flawed due to other factors, such as magnet types, pole piece type, ect.
With that being said, just buy the damn things, and see for yourself. No matter how much you read about something, you will never know anything about it unless you experience it first hand.
Cheers
Ok then ;)
Pickup output is affected by two main factors: magnetic field strength and the number of turns on each coil. (or the coil for SCs).
DC resistance is a rough estimation of the total length of the wire, and therefore a very hamfisted effort at estimating the number of turns. The DC resistance is also affected by the wire gauge; per unit length thicker wire has lower DC resistance. A pickup can have low DCR with thick wire and powerful magnets and still be a very hot pickup. Likewise, a pickup can have very high DCR with thin wire and weak magnets and be low output.
Other factors like pole piece type are influences, but they are to do with the efficiency of transmission of the magnetic field to the strings, and come under the blanket heading 'magnetic field strength' since its the flux density that the strings experience that matters.
I was waiting for that MDV. Thanks for the bitch-slap, PDT_002 as well as the illumination on the topic. It is something that I certainly wish to improve my understanding in.
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True, slarti.
Its not even as simple as magnitude of output either. Once sound hits the human ear, all bets are off. Overtone/harmonic content, transients/dynamics and EQ balance all affect how 'hot' we perceive a pickup to be, in hearing it, and in playing with it (not the same thing/experience).
I have no clue at all how hot a blackhawk is, and since from the clips on the site a c-pig doesnt seem that much hotter than a cold sweat (something contradictory with my experience) I'm not placing any bets on its output based on what we have heard so far, save that if Tim says its Hot, its Hot. Hes not led me astray before. (Though I most likely wont be getting one, not terribly interested, but we shall see).
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Anyone here seriously considering getting one?
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Nah, i was really into the idea all that time ago. But with the long time until the release the excitement has died.
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Anyone here seriously considering getting one?
Yeah I will get one.
Also gonna get a set of supermassives, holidivers, pig90s and a CS neck Nailbomb bridge combo.
That is my current list now which is now expended by a blackhawk set.
Which I get first is depending on which guitars I get. The feel of those decide the PUs.
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Anyone here seriously considering getting one?
I would've considered it if I'm able to sell on my RYs but I've just seen the price and not sure if I can afford them nowadays.
16/18 of my guitars have BKPs but that was when I still lived at home so had alot more free cash and before the price increase.
Ah well, I'll have to keep my eyes open and see what happens 8)
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I think Blackhawks are not for me, but can imagine they will satisfy a lot of players, especially those who are looking into alternatives for EMG's etc.
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I'm certainly interested to learn more about them - and would consider getting one (or a set) if I could figure out which guitar they'd suit. I don't think I have anything "modern" enough.
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I'm thinking of getting them as they seem to cover all of the bases for the music i play, and i'm going to trim my collection down to just my 7 string so need it to be versatile
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Strangely enough, "Mr Vintage" here is tempted :lol:
However, like Brow (didn't realise you had so many!), at the moment I'm not in the "I have spare money to buy without serious budgeting" mode that I was a while back. It's not just pickups, it's all music-related stuff.
The majority of my BKPs are singles. For HB guitars I have Mules, Riff Raffs, and MQs - and the most recent of those I must have bought at least 2-3 years ago.
I have however had my sights on owning one or two other BKP HBs for some time. An imminent pick up swap is going to leave my Tokai Love Rock "Mule-less", which in some ways is a bit of a shame because they are perfect in there... at some point it's getting some more BKPs. The "no brainer" choice is a another set of Mules, but I feel a bit more adventurous than that. Not much, though - in current order of preference it's 1) Abraxas, 2) Black Dogs, 3) Stormy Mondays. Sometimes that gets reversed, it all depends on what I think I want the guitar to do for me... (Emeralds keep getting thrown into the pot as well, depending on what people write about them - sometimes it sounds like "that's it!", other times it's "oh no, that's not what I want at all...")
And then, along come these Blackhawk things.
The first I heard of them was when this thread started. I saw the various musings and who was getting involved in the discussions, and I thought "oh, another pickup for the metal boys, fair enough, not my cup of tea..."
But then more info snuck out, and they were released. And I found that they actually appeal to me. I like what Tim seems to be doing here - it almost feels like he's factored guys like me into the design. I don't want a dedicated modern/metal/emg-like/etc pickup or guitar, I don't think I'd use it enough. I'd love to have a set of Painkillers or what ever, just for the hell of it, but I'd still be reaching for the guitar that does Paul Kossoff most easily :lol:
These Blackhawks sound like they could be the tool I'm looking for - I'm imagining an almost "blank canvas" type of pickup that is capable of tones I can't get at the moment and also capable of reasonably covering the ground I do already. All with the BKP juicy goodness that I've come to rely on.
For me, what's not to like? Oh dear, like some others in this thread... the look! It's not that they're blades, nor that they're square, I even think they look very pleasing in a "blocky" kind of way... No, it's just that I'm a "covers on my humbucker size pickups" man - I can't get over it, I like them silvery things in the guitar :lol:
So, kind of like Philly, I wonder what guitar I have (or might have in future) that I'd want to put them in. These guys have definitely been added to my list (above) of BKPs I'd like to have. In fact, if they looked like traditional humbuckers they'd probably have jumped straight to the top of that list for the Tokai Love Rock.
From Tim's answers in this thread, it sounds to me like he's very aware of this and has put quite a bit of time and effort into "hmmm... the blokes who could most love what this does are going to be traditionalists on the looks front, can I fit covers, etc? ... oh bugger..." :lol:
I really don't think he's worried about "can I shift enough of these?" I think it's more a case of he's stumbled on a thing that he just KNOWS is what a bunch of fellow guitarists want/need, if only they could get over what it has to look like to achieve it.
So, with that in mind (now I'm on a PC that can stream videos), I'm off to see what this gold top looks like! :D
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Anyone here seriously considering getting one?
Yes, as a replacement for EMGs.
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For me, what's not to like? Oh dear, like some others in this thread... the look! It's not that they're blades, nor that they're square, I even think they look very pleasing in a "blocky" kind of way... No, it's just that I'm a "covers on my humbucker size pickups" man - I can't get over it, I like them silvery things in the guitar :lol:
So, kind of like Philly, I wonder what guitar I have (or might have in future) that I'd want to put them in. These guys have definitely been added to my list (above) of BKPs I'd like to have. In fact, if they looked like traditional humbuckers they'd probably have jumped straight to the top of that list for the Tokai Love Rock.
To be fair, I must say what I do like about the look - in the advertising pic of Black Hawks fitted in a Blackmachine, it seems the bobbins are fibre-board like a Tele bridge pickup, rather than some kind of plastic. If that's right, I certainly approve, it gives a hint of vintage to the otherwise modern appearance.
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However, like Brow (didn't realise you had so many!), at the moment I'm not in the "I have spare money to buy without serious budgeting" mode that I was a while back. It's not just pickups, it's all music-related stuff.
Thankfully, my girlfriend doesn't know either :lol:
I'm semi in negotiations about my RYs so I'll have to see how it goes 8)
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I was thinking one in my San Dimas Charvel. I love the tone Gary Moore got in his Charvel with EMGs back in the late 80s.
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from soundclips, they don't sound that hot to be compared to EMGs output wise
sounds like they are cleaner than the painkiller, aftermath, c-bomb and miracle man, which are common replacements for emgs
I'd expect something like the cold sweat, but "hi fi" as someone said, with a cleaner midrange and more detailed top (if that's even possible, compared to a cold sweat)
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from soundclips, they don't sound that hot to be compared to EMGs output wise
sounds like they are cleaner than the painkiller, aftermath, c-bomb and miracle man, which are common replacements for emgs
I'd expect something like the cold sweat, but "hi fi" as someone said, with a cleaner midrange and more detailed top (if that's even possible, compared to a cold sweat)
You might be right. I find it very hard to base an opinion on these soundclips. I know it was a lot of work to make them, but especially in the metalclips a lot of pickups sound more or less the same to my ears. Perhaps it's due to my ears.
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How would these sound in a Walnut-Maple neckthrough? With mahogany wings.
Schecter C-1 Classic to be exact. I'm kinda worried they would be overly bright.
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... in the advertising pic of Black Hawks fitted in a Blackmachine, it seems the bobbins are fibre-board like a Tele bridge pickup, rather than some kind of plastic. If that's right, I certainly approve, it gives a hint of vintage to the otherwise modern appearance.
I hadn't spotted that. But yes, that has the same effect on me :D
EDIT: Btw... I've checked out all the clips/vids now - yep, the pickups seem to be like I was expecting. I do especially like the cleans. The dirty stuff is fine, not what I usually reach for, but I can see how I'd find it very useful in getting a part that fits into a mix/arrangement without drawing attention to itself too much. I don't really play leads like the stuff I've heard, but mebbe that's because I don't have a guitar that encourages it.
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Call me mad, but I think they could look cool in something like a Gibson Marauder:
(http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ljjoiwSUUZ1qbuhvjo1_500.jpg)(http://www.halkans.com/images/126gibson.jpg)
OK, I know it's an ugly guitar! :lol:
But you don't have preconceptions about what type of pickups "should" go in a guitar like this. I think it has the right visual mix of retro, modern.... and just plain weird!
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I'm glad you put this in:
OK, I know it's an ugly guitar! :lol:
:lol:
Before I got to it, I was thinking "yeah, but who's gonna have one of those??!"
Funnily enough, I've been thinking down the same road - a guitar that I have no preconceptions on looks. I have been wondering whether a bit of surgery on a Dano might be worth investigating... (apologies to the Dano purists :lol:) ... but then it's the only lipstick guitar I have... and it turns out I do have preconceptions on that one.
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Before I got to it, I was thinking "yeah, but who's gonna have one of those??!"
I've got a Warmoth LP body and neck lying around (which will surprise no-one... :lol: )
It was originally meant to be like a Tele in an LP shape (influenced by Fano guitars, I confess), but I wasn't happy with the location of the control cavity so I was thinking of routing it out and making it into something more like a Tele Deluxe, with a big scratchplate. But I didn't know what pickups to use.... now I'm getting ideas. :)
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Go for it Philly! It'll lesson the mountain of parts under your bed, and you can let us all know if they're worth it or not. You can be our test subject :lol:
Joking aside, I'd love to hear first hand accounts of these pickups, preferably from someone like Philly, Andy, Tele, Eric, or any of the other regulars with lots of experience with other Bare Knuckles for comparison.
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Same here, I couldn't get excited at all about the Aftermaths (still read it all, though :roll: :lol:). But these guys have raised my interest. I'm looking forward to when/if Jonathan (Feline Guitars) has anything to say. If he's got some on order for stock, I'm convinced he'll be putting a set into something to see what they do...
Unfortunately, I'm not personally planning on buying anything music-related in the near future (this means 0-6 months, guys, don't tell the missus, though - she probably thinks it means 0-6 years!). Obviously this doesn't include consumables/peripheries like strings, plectrums, more guitar hangers, etc, the odd impulse-buy guitar, etc, etc... :lol:
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Go for it Philly! It'll lesson the mountain of parts under your bed, and you can let us all know if they're worth it or not. You can be our test subject :lol:
Will do.....
...........if you're patient enough to wait 2 or 3 years for the results! :P
I'm looking forward to when/if Jonathan (Feline Guitars) has anything to say. If he's got some on order for stock, I'm convinced he'll be putting a set into something to see what they do...
A very good point! :D
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Lol someone has to be the first, can't all rely on others opinions.
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Lol someone has to be the first, can't all rely on others opinions.
Very True Indeed...
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Lol someone has to be the first, can't all rely on others opinions.
Very True Indeed...
IŽll gladly go first if you pay^^
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Ha well, if I suddenly come across $400, I'll be sure to pick you up a pair! I really wish I could justify getting these for myself, just not really in my wheelhouse tone-wise in regard to what I was looking for in my next set.
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What singles can be put to the black hawk, which would not be much difference in volume? Will make a zebra and colorful?
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I'm just about to go for a new bridge pickup for a new project, I was gonna have a Holy Diver but I'm really tempted to try a Blackhawk now :S
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I'm looking forward to when/if Jonathan (Feline Guitars) has anything to say. If he's got some on order for stock, I'm convinced he'll be putting a set into something to see what they do...
I'll have a few sets in shortly and will maybe get them into a simple guitar so you can hear what the pickups sound like.
I'll get a set in something like our Pantera model or maybe get Doug to put a set in one of the Blackmachine B6s coming through.
Then I will be able to evaluate what they sound like with my style of playing, rather than in the hands of an accomplished shredder like Nolly.
I would like to hear then with out the mix as in the Red Seas Fire clip the keyboard line playing in unison with the guitar distracted me somewhat as to what the guitar actually sounds like ( I used to have the same problem with Deep Purple - what I used to think was cool guitar riffage was often John Lord's Hammond organ overdriving often mirroring Blackmores strat.
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I have made that mistake SO many times....starting to doubt Blackmore was even in the band. lol
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I'm looking forward to when/if Jonathan (Feline Guitars) has anything to say. If he's got some on order for stock, I'm convinced he'll be putting a set into something to see what they do...
I'll have a few sets in shortly and will maybe get them into a simple guitar so you can hear what the pickups sound like.
I'll get a set in something like our Pantera model or maybe get Doug to put a set in one of the Blackmachine B6s coming through.
That's cool, it'll be interesting to see what you make of them in a swamp ash(?) guitar with a bolt-on neck.
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I'm looking forward to when/if Jonathan (Feline Guitars) has anything to say. If he's got some on order for stock, I'm convinced he'll be putting a set into something to see what they do...
I'll have a few sets in shortly and will maybe get them into a simple guitar so you can hear what the pickups sound like.
I'll get a set in something like our Pantera model or maybe get Doug to put a set in one of the Blackmachine B6s coming through.
That's cool, it'll be interesting to see what you make of them in a swamp ash(?) guitar with a bolt-on neck.
I'll be putting more stuff up in seconds out this week, as soon as it's sold i'll be dropping Jon a line as blackhawks will be perfect (hopefully) for the project i have in mind
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Then I will be able to evaluate what they sound like with my style of playing, rather than in the hands of an accomplished shredder like Nolly.
That's exactly how I was feeling :lol:. Although, I got a very pleasant surprise about his playing that morning. In the same session, seeing as I was on a PC that could handle streaming ok, I checked out the BKP tutorials... Nolly, you're a blues-monster as well!! :D (what are you playing all this widdly stuff for if you can do that?! :lol: :wink:)
I would like to hear then with out the mix as in the Red Seas Fire clip the keyboard line playing in unison with the guitar distracted me somewhat as to what the guitar actually sounds like ( I used to have the same problem with Deep Purple - what I used to think was cool guitar riffage was often John Lord's Hammond organ overdriving often mirroring Blackmores strat.
I also thought this... and funnily enough, I've just been posting something similar about Deep Purple on another site. For years I was making the same mistake as most guitarists do/did with "that" riff. Most of what we think is distorted guitar is actually Jon Lord on "The Beast", and the guitar part of the riff sounds LOADS better (and more aggressive) if you play the minimal that Blackmore did...
I have made that mistake SO many times....starting to doubt Blackmore was even in the band. lol
:lol: I went through a period of that and then I saw a program about them. I think it was the Classic Albums episode on Machine Head, and Roger Glover was showing us what was in the mix and highlighting these stunningly simple things that Blackmore added that just made the track. When he was playing "rhythm", he truly was a rhythm guitarist. Most of us add harmony when we're rhythm guitarists, he didn't need to when Jon Lord was there, so he concentrated on being part of the rhythm section and adding excitement in that area.
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OUR BLACKHAWKS HAVE ARRIVED
WHOO HOO!
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Pics or they don't exist!
(And I know you're good at pics, Jon! :D )
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Pics or they don't exist!
(And I know you're good at pics, Jon! :D )
You'll be pleased to know that one set are already in a guitar - just wiring it up now! :P
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Pics or they don't exist!
(And I know you're good at pics, Jon! :D )
You'll be pleased to know that one set are already in a guitar - just wiring it up now! :P
Sweet! I'm patiently waiting for the review!
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Oh, also, is there any chance that you could wire this for coil split so that youre using one single coil sized humbucker instead of a "double-bucker" and telling us how it sounds.
Also, I'm not sure that this is possible with only 4 conductors... but would a "double coil-split" be possible so that we could use only one single coil/blade rather than 2 or the standard 4?
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Oh, also, is there any chance that you could wire this for coil split so that youre using one single coil sized humbucker instead of a "double-bucker" and telling us how it sounds.
Also, I'm not sure that this is possible with only 4 conductors... but would a "double coil-split" be possible so that we could use only one single coil/blade rather than 2 or the standard 4?
Didn't I read somewhere that it's made of two coils, like a standard humbucker, each coil having two blades? So wiring splits would be just like usual...
Or have I got that wrong?
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Any chance of any clips at all Jon?
I'm very interested in how these sound through an amp instead of direct through a modeller.
Plus I know we have very similar tastes in music, so I know I can trust your opinion 8)
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Oh, also, is there any chance that you could wire this for coil split so that youre using one single coil sized humbucker instead of a "double-bucker" and telling us how it sounds.
Also, I'm not sure that this is possible with only 4 conductors... but would a "double coil-split" be possible so that we could use only one single coil/blade rather than 2 or the standard 4?
Didn't I read somewhere that it's made of two coils, like a standard humbucker, each coil having two blades? So wiring splits would be just like usual...
Or have I got that wrong?
I think you're right, Andy.
Even though there are two blades in each "half" of the pickup, they're NOT side-by-side SC sized humbuckers like Bardens or DiMarzio Fast Tracks. Just single coils with a pair of blades instead of polepieces.
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Pics or they don't exist!
(And I know you're good at pics, Jon! :D )
Here ya go!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v662/felineguitars/CUSTOM%20BUILT/Pantera/panterablackhawks2.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v662/felineguitars/CUSTOM%20BUILT/Pantera/panterablackhawks1.jpg)
First impressions are VERY GOOD
I much prefer it to the aftermath, which was the last release.
It sounds very open and clear with almost an extended, but usable frequency range.
It sounds a bit like a Mule with a slightly improved and more even top and bottom end range.
It's like you recorded a guitar with a mule and then double-tracked with a good tele bridge pickup (yardbird or Boss perhaps) into the mix.
The bass is nice and tight and defined, but in no way lacking to my ears.
The output is kind of hot vintage without being overdone - maybe comparable with an Emerald or Abraxas.
They can do classic rock, 80s metal as well as the modern stuff (as demonstrated by Nolly)
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As usual, I'll have to wait until I get home to see the pics.
But sounds very promising!
Can the neck do nice warm singing tones? And is there a decent amount of contrast between neck and bridge?
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The bridge has a single ceramic magnet whilst the neck has the trio of alnico 5s
Neck pickup with a loud plexi or marshall/soldano sound does sing - has a smooth kind of tone - not unlike the Cold Sweat neck - maybe a touch bigger sounding.
As already noted will be good for fusion stuff.
I think I might even experiment to see what would work in an H/S/S combo........maybe a trilogy or slowhand?
In time I'm sure some players will try combining a bridge Blackhawk with a traditional neck pickup too.
Would like to try it with a painkiller neck 8)
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I think I might even experiment to see what would work in an H/S/S combo........maybe a trilogy or slowhand?
As I've already mentioned, I hope Tim will consider making a Black Hawk single coil to match the humbucker.
Visually, it would be very cool! :D
I am definitely liking the sound of these. And formulating plans (.....never to be realised, of course! :lol: )
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Well the whole idea of putting a pair in one of my guitars is so that you'd all be welcome to pop in and try them out for yourselves.
We are keeping both calibrated sets in stock as well as bridge singles and 7 string singles (so far)!
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The project I'm thinking of using one for is gonna have a sinner middle pickup and a trilogy neck, so I'd be very interested to hear how the Blackhawk bridge works in a HSS arrangement :)
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Same as Philly... can't see the pics at work :(, and liking the initial report :D...
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I'd love to hear this pickup doing classic rock and 80s metal.
Jonathan, is there any chance that you could selflessly give up some spare time to post a short clip of them doing those genres and maybe even some blues?
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Wow, if they're similar to Mules, I might need to pay these a bit more attention...
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I'd love to hear this pickup doing classic rock and 80s metal.
Jonathan, is there any chance that you could selflessly give up some spare time to post a short clip of them doing those genres and maybe even some blues?
I can probably throw down the same 6 riffs I usually butcher - but it will serve as a way of comparison
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I'd love to hear this pickup doing classic rock and 80s metal.
Jonathan, is there any chance that you could selflessly give up some spare time to post a short clip of them doing those genres and maybe even some blues?
I can probably throw down the same 6 riffs I usually butcher - but it will serve as a way of comparison
Haha. Anything is good enough!
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Actually (seen the pics now), they look pretty cool in that...
I hadn't realised what sticking them on a wood finish might do aesthetically... And, of course, they carry on the lines of the frets rather nicely... I wasn't sure of the effect in an LP shape... but...
I can now imagine them in an Explorer I've seen upstairs here somewhere! :lol:
On the blues/rock front - I was rather surprised when I got it that the 500t/etc combination that was in the Explorer originally made it a total blues engine. In fact I found out what they were on here after buying it - and I was very surprised to discover that they were Gibsons most "metal" pickup. So I suspect that these guys will do the blues/rock thing nicely, especially if they're very responsive to guitar volume controls...
Not GASing yet, but we're now in "pre-GAS contemplation" mode :lol:
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they actually look good in that guitar Jonathan!
Up until now ive dismissed them purely based on the looks.
And your description really has me intrigued. If they ever do a single ill consider them.
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Actually (seen the pics now), they look pretty cool in that...
I hadn't realised what sticking them on a wood finish might do aesthetically... And, of course, they carry on the lines of the frets rather nicely... I wasn't sure of the effect in an LP shape... but...
Oh yeah, I'm liking the look!
Definitely visualising them in my retro-modern, swamp ash, flat top LP with a bolt-on neck, 5-way switch for some coil-split options..... :D
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Anyone else thinking that those would look awesome in an 80s BC Rich? With all the fiddly switches and whatnot?
Or a Warmoth counterpart, Mahogany Body, Maple top, Mahogany neck, Ebony board. Clear Lacquer. Those in. Pure class.
Dang, seriously considering them for my Strat.
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Here you go guys - CLIPS
Nothing too clever, but maybe enough to get an idea of what they are like
http://youtu.be/iEidQwCbB9k (http://youtu.be/iEidQwCbB9k)
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Sounds good - it hasn't got that very in-your-face, aggressively percussive quality of the Aftermath. And there is quite a wide-range, "hi-fi" quality as I thought there might be, but not in a bad way.
Just based on those clips, I think I like the bridge pickup tone more than the neck. There seems to be quite a bassy "thump" on the neck pickup which I'm not entirely sure about.
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Sounds good - it hasn't got that very in-your-face, aggressively percussive quality of the Aftermath. And there is quite a wide-range, "hi-fi" quality as I thought there might be, but not in a bad way.
Just based on those clips, I think I like the bridge pickup tone more than the neck. There seems to be quite a bassy "thump" on the neck pickup which I'm not entirely sure about.
I know what you mean
This ash bodied guitar seemed to kick out a lot of low end (and high end ) response .
I think I will try these out in a mahogany bodied guitar - and put the Painkillers back in the Pantera, where the fat mids of the pickup evened out the sound a touch. More clips may ensue!
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I know what you mean
This ash bodied guitar seemed to kick out a lot of low end (and high end ) response .
I think I will try these out in a mahogany bodied guitar - and put the Painkillers back in the Pantera, where the fat mids of the pickup evened out the sound a touch. More clips may ensue!
Would you say that's a characteristic of ash generally? I've noticed that my ash Washburn (although a set-neck) has some good snap in the treble strings but is a bit "woofy" in the bass.
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Thanks for the clips-and cool to hear the sounds of some of those modules :-)
By the way-how did you find the output? what other bkp would you compare it to output-wise? was it up there in 'active' territory in that regard? cheers again
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I know what you mean
This ash bodied guitar seemed to kick out a lot of low end (and high end ) response .
I think I will try these out in a mahogany bodied guitar - and put the Painkillers back in the Pantera, where the fat mids of the pickup evened out the sound a touch. More clips may ensue!
Would you say that's a characteristic of ash generally? I've noticed that my ash Washburn (although a set-neck) has some good snap in the treble strings but is a bit "woofy" in the bass.
Yes - typically that is something I generally feel about ash bodied guitars.
IMO pickups work like a filter, and you have to take the characteristics of the timbers and the nature of the pickups filtering into account when thinking what the result will be
Team up ash with a warmer pickup and you get a nice balanced result.
Just fitted a Nailbomb (warm & beefy IMO) into an ash bodied/maple necked strat and the result was really good
I prefer that to fitting one in mahogany for example, where it ends up a touch bloated by comparison to my ears.
But that is only my own personal preference - what I think of as bloated , someone else may call fat/awesome/toneful.
Maybe what I might think is shrill , someone else might feel is cutting, percussive, funky and articulate
I'd love to have 3 identical test guitars - but one has an ash body, the next alder and the third mahogany and do a faithful back to back test in these cases, and see what each sounds like with the same pickup.
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Excellent post there Jonathan - I think we often forget that everything we say about this stuff is subjective personal opinion :D
I think what I'm going to want to know (thinking Explorer here) is what these Blackhawks do (in the areas I dabble) in a lump of mahogany.
I'm also wondering now that in fact Blackhawks might not be what this particular lump wants for this particular player? If anything, the guitar veers towards a "hollow" sort of tone - top and bottom, but slightly less in the middle. Not unpleasant, but sometimes lacking the body I want... I find that trying to put the body back in on the amp or whatever can lead you towards "boxy" if you're not careful. Anyway, that "hollow" characteristic might well be why the Riff Raffs seemed kind of swamped in there, that's the only way I could describe it at the time.
The thing that Blackhawks have to counter this is the higher output - my limited experience of higher output pickups seems to suggest that the "filtering" you mention seems less pronounced than what I'm used to on lower output pickups - basically you're driving the amp more so the effect is masked by a bunch of other things going on.
I'm not unhappy with the MQs in there, it's just I'm begining to feel I want the humbucker "thing" back for this guitar.
Anyway, I'll have a listen to these clips this evening :D
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Thanks for those thoughts, Jonathan. :)
IMO pickups work like a filter, and you have to take the characteristics of the timbers and the nature of the pickups filtering into account when thinking what the result will be
I agree with that, absolutely. And of course it works in several ways - you'll primarily want to choose pickups that work with the characteristics of the timbers to produce a nice balanced tone; but you might also want to choose pickups to emphasise "good" characteristics, or try to minimise the effects of "negative" characteristics. Ultimately, though, if you don't like the tone of a certain timber I don't think you can "defeat" it with pickups - better to buy another guitar!
I see what you mean about putting something warm and middy in ash - I guess the same might also apply to a semi, as they also tend to emphasise lows and highs acoustically.
In a way, on that basis, it almost seems counter-intuitive to put single-coils in ash guitars, since they're not really warmer sounding pickups. But I guess because they're much thinner and brighter sounding, they're never going to get flabby or boomy in the bass. And in a way, with single-coils generally I think the tone is "more wood, less pickups" as compared with humbuckers.
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You've not lived till you've played a mahogany bodied strat with single coils - it can be a wonderful thing.
I think some players really like the mahogany body thinline tele that Fender did for the same reason
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You've not lived till you've played a mahogany bodied strat with single coils - it can be a wonderful thing.
I think some players really like the mahogany body thinline tele that Fender did for the same reason
Interesting! Despite my many hours spent on the Warmoth site :lol: , I've never really considered mahogany-bodied Strats or Teles.
I suppose I associate mahogany with set-necks. Plus the fact that most of the Warmoth mahogany bodies have exotic flame or quilt maple tops, which (though lovely to look at) are too blingy for my taste.
(Edit: Tell a lie, I just remembered I almost bought a chambered mahogany Tele body, sans maple top, once... but somebody beat me to it)
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Thanks for the clips-and cool to hear the sounds of some of those modules :-)
By the way-how did you find the output? what other bkp would you compare it to output-wise? was it up there in 'active' territory in that regard? cheers again
It was louder and a bit more pushy than a mule - possibly nearly Rebel Yell territory in how you'd perceive it
I note that that is where BKP have put it in their product range output wise
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Just remembered something relating to playing through different types of amp.
I find that often my favoured Les Paul guitars which sound awesome to my ears through a Marshall flavoured amp , sometimes sound a bit wooly through a rectifier .
If this ash guitar is sounding a bit bright - maybe I should try it through a Dual rectifier type sound.
So I made a video whilst trying it out : http://youtu.be/uzLjU-g5h9U (http://youtu.be/uzLjU-g5h9U)
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Ah ok interesting - so it doesn't sound like it is in 'active' territory as some people where expecting; most bkps i have found to be medium output when compared to other manufacturers high output pups.
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But all that high output from other brands takes away the clarity and definition we love from BKP. If they had really high output stuff, how different would they be from SD or someone else?
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I not exactly sure what people would say high output sounds like but I can get a more aggressive and biting tone and better pinch harmonics yet also better cleans with a 15.6k Holy Diver in a mahogany Les Paul than I got in a maple cort double-cut with a 16.5k SD JB going through the same amp with the same settings.
The Holy Diver is also cleaner and more articulate and responsive so I fully understand where that's coming from but the Holy Diver actually sounds and feels higher output to me than a JB in the way that it works and it's characteristics. I wouldn't define high output and gainer/louder and therefore muddier because that can mostly be changed by messing with pickup height. I'd define higher output by how a certain pickup reacts to you playing, how much it expresses overtones and harmonics and it's overall feel.
What about you guys? Could you give me a better explanation?
Because BKP don't sound or feel lower output to me just because they aren't muddy. Muddines shouldn't be a set characteristic for high output pickups. They just feel "different".
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Here you go guys - CLIPS
Nothing too clever, but maybe enough to get an idea of what they are like
http://youtu.be/iEidQwCbB9k (http://youtu.be/iEidQwCbB9k)
Nice one, thanks for that. Yep, I'll be very interested in hearing them in a mahogany guitar as well.
(Although, I have to admit, I preferred the Marshall tones to the Recto ones in this guitar :lol: - I think that probably says more about personal taste in amps sounds though)
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Here you go guys - CLIPS
Nothing too clever, but maybe enough to get an idea of what they are like
http://youtu.be/iEidQwCbB9k (http://youtu.be/iEidQwCbB9k)
cheers Jonathan
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Here you go guys - CLIPS
Nothing too clever, but maybe enough to get an idea of what they are like
http://youtu.be/iEidQwCbB9k (http://youtu.be/iEidQwCbB9k)
That Mash-oldano module sounds frickin' bad. I want one!
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By high output I understand it to be how powerful and loud a pickup is as standard- clarity, dynamics,etc is a completely different thing. I would say the warpig/painkiller are high output, as i would say EMGs, Invaders, Blackouts, Crunchlab,etc are high output. But that's just how I view things.
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If this ash guitar is sounding a bit bright - maybe I should try it through a Dual rectifier type sound.
So I made a video whilst trying it out : http://youtu.be/uzLjU-g5h9U (http://youtu.be/uzLjU-g5h9U)
Yes, I'm definitely liking the bridge pickup....
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Ha what happened to everyone praising the neck?
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Ha what happened to everyone praising the neck?
I think it was only me expressing reservations about the neck pickup?
And it might just be that particular guitar. As Jonathan said earlier (page 9?), you never really get a proper idea of how something sounds until you try it yourself, in your own playing style (or lack thereof, in my case)
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Ha what happened to everyone praising the neck?
I think it was only me expressing reservations about the neck pickup?
And it might just be that particular guitar. As Jonathan said earlier (page 9?), you never really get a proper idea of how something sounds until you try it yourself, in your own playing style (or lack thereof, in my case)
+1. It's like Fernando Torres in the wrong/right team.
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Oh, I was just saying in general, how everyone was praising the neck pickup.
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Pretty happy with these, being my first set of BKP's
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Cool, good to know. How are you using them?
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Loaded into an LP custom, good upgrade and pretty much improved the area of tone I wanted. Nice balanced EQ and not overly gainy (though they are definitely powerful over standard) but they do seem to react well to height adjustment.
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Nice balanced EQ and not overly gainy (though they are definitely powerful over standard) but they do seem to react well to height adjustment.
+1 on this. Plus the clean tone in the middle position coil split sounds about as close as you can get to a SC without actually being one. Just really modern. Really hard to coax any vintage cleans, at least in my guitar. And another thing! The CERAMIC bridge cleans coil split sound pretty good for chordy bits. Better than the neck does. (to me) If I get a chance I'll do a whole review/tone demo. But it'll be hard to get everyone out of the house to mic it up.
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(http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll169/cnotold/_DSF4237.jpg)
recieved it yesterday. it's my official 5th bkp (MM, CS, RR, RY and BB).
I was suprised that pup's serial no. was already on 600th, didn;t realised this pup was so popular!
anyways it looks awesome!
can't wait until it replaces coldsweat on my guitar.
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just installed a set, review thread: https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=28035.0 (https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=28035.0)
Overall extremely happy with them!
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"It grinds like a death and sings like an angel."
what can i say? i just lost my words.
just installed on mahogany guitar. All i can say is that my pup quest is over.
Best sounding bkp ever!
Each note jumps out with nice compression and definition at the same time chords sound open and clear as noob_pwb mentioned.
I might have to disagree with bkps deacription though. Blackhawk deserve better description than comparing to active pups. It truely is a master piece.
eq is pretty balanced. Low end is there without overwhelming push, mid is just about perfect. High does not pierce your face but nocely rounded yet has girth and attitude.
it might be a personal taste but they look awesome as well.
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Wow. I'm liking these more and more!
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I doubt anyone will agree with me but i don't like the sound of hitting the low E open no palm mute. Maybe i just need to not keep my mids so high. It really is a pickup that loves complete balance in settings i find.
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I was suprised that pup's serial no. was already on 600th, didn;t realised this pup was so popular!
I think the number might have something to do with the date made, 6=June. At least that's how they used to work
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I was suprised that pup's serial no. was already on 600th, didn;t realised this pup was so popular!
I think the number might have something to do with the date made, 6=June. At least that's how they used to work
ah... thanks for info! didn't realise that. :)
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Look familiar? lol. Anyone ever seen these Dimarzios before?
(http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/guitargary335/bridge.jpg)
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That's cool, they definitely do bear a resemblance but I lke the look of two coils on the BKP better than that Dimarzio. Bet they don't sound as good as the BH too :D