Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: bhsouthpaw on July 19, 2012, 02:50:42 AM
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Hey everyone! I'm looking for some advice regarding a possible pickup swap in my MIM (Made in Mexico) Stratocaster. It's SSS and plays pretty damn well, but I sometimes find it lacking in the tone department. I know it's the lackluster standard pickups that's causing this issue, so I've decided I'm going to drop some cash on some Bare Knuckles! I've looked at the website and have some ideas on what I might want, but to be honest, I'm nowhere near close to making a decision anytime soon, so I guess that's why I'm here!
I'm looking for a few things. Versatility is probably the most important factor, as I play a good amount of different styles/genres that require different tones. The styles I'm looking to nail the most are post-rock, hardcore, and a bit of progressive metal thrown in as well (this is the least import of the three, as I'm planning on getting a guitar with humbuckers in the near future as well). I really need something with that really beautiful, shimmery/sparkling clean tone that's pretty standard in post-rock, but at the same time I really need something raw and aggressive to nail that hardcore/post-hardcore tone with. My guitar is routed for humbuckers in the neck and bridge, but I'd rather stay SSS, as a lot of the hardcore bands I'm influenced by (Touche Amore, La Dispute, Defeater, etc.) primarily use single coils to get that raw, aggressive tone but with that single coil touch. It's really unique and I can't get enough of that sound. It's something I'd really like to be able to have.
I was thinking of throwing a Sinner in the bridge, but I'm not sure. Just how diverse is it? I have no idea about the middle and neck pickups.
Like I said before, I'm really not sure what would work best for the versatility I need. Those styles I listed above are the most important ones to me, but I still jam a lot with friends and would like the ability to nail some other tones not listed as well. If there's any more information you think I should provide to help, please let me know and I'll answer it the best I can.
Thanks so much for your time, and sorry for the wall of text!
- Brandon
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Hi Welcome. I am sorry to say that I won't be a lot of help as I am at the more traditional vintage Strat end of the scale. I really cannot suggest anything to suit. I just thought I'd let you have the traditional warm BKP welcome plus I hope that it might prompt some of the guys here who will be able to help.
I do not know any of the bands you mention ( forgive me for I am an old git) and my BKP experience is with Apaches, Slowhands and Mothers Milks. All vintage style.
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Welcome here too!
I guess Sinners are the way to go, but I only have Mother's Milk and Irish Tours. Pretty vintage(hot).
I hope some Sinners-users chime in. They are pretty impressive from what I read.
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It depends how stratty you want to be. You'll want trilogies or sinners for that job anyway.
The sinner bridge does not really sound like a strat anymore, although the neck does. Bridge is more like a p90. Clean still sounds good though.
The trilogy bridge still has a bit of a strat to it.
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Hi Welcome. I am sorry to say that I won't be a lot of help as I am at the more traditional vintage Strat end of the scale. I really cannot suggest anything to suit. I just thought I'd let you have the traditional warm BKP welcome plus I hope that it might prompt some of the guys here who will be able to help.
I do not know any of the bands you mention ( forgive me for I am an old git) and my BKP experience is with Apaches, Slowhands and Mothers Milks. All vintage style.
Hey, thanks for the warm welcome! The bands I mentioned aren't well-known by a good amount of people, so don't sweat it, haha. I was looking at ITs and Mothers Milks as possibilities as well, but probably not for the bridge pickup. Not sure of . I'd like this to be the most versatile Strat I can get.
Welcome here too!
I guess Sinners are the way to go, but I only have Mother's Milk and Irish Tours. Pretty vintage(hot).
I hope some Sinners-users chime in. They are pretty impressive from what I read.
Thanks for the welcome! Like I said above, I'm looking at ITs and MMs as well. To be honest, I'm being as open as possible with any possible pickup sets/combinations at this point, as I know BKP puts out stellar stuff. I'm sure there are isn't just one specific set/combination that will get me the tones I want.
It depends how stratty you want to be. You'll want trilogies or sinners for that job anyway.
The sinner bridge does not really sound like a strat anymore, although the neck does. Bridge is more like a p90. Clean still sounds good though.
The trilogy bridge still has a bit of a strat to it.
I would like it to have that single coil feel to it. I feel like it's such a unique tone and therefore want to utilize it as much as possible. I'm planning on getting a guitar specifically suited for the more aggressive humbucker kind of stuff, so I'm not looking for that in my Strat.
So you're saying the Sinner is a little too extreme? I'm going for something similar to this (warning, yelling/screaming vocals):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsLUYzKGlZA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6f1Cb5fmYNE
I can provide some more examples if necessary. Yes, I realize they're using Telecasters, but I know they've recorded stuff with Strats at times. Hmm, maybe I should consider a Telecaster... Maybe?
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I don't think The Sinner is too extreme at all. It's one of my favourite BKPs. Very gainy, pokey in the mids, humbucker levels of output. The Sinner is all about giving as much output as possible, while keeping some versatility. When I plug into my JCM800 I get a hard rock type tone, similar to The Scorpions 'Love at First Sting' album, although with other amps (Engl etc) people find the gain levels more than enough for br00talz etc.
Listening to your clips I am more and more sure that it's not the right choice for you though - they don't really play with much gain, and the hard sound comes from the vocalist. It's kind of what I thought from your description. It is quite bright and modern though. From the strat pickups I have, I would think about Slowhands.
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I play a lot of touche amore type of music, and i achieve this tone with a pair of flat 52 in a tele. But my strat has slowhands in the neck and middle and even though i haven't tried the slowhand bridge I think it would be perfect if it sounds, well, like i think a slowhand bridge would sound like. I'd say most modern "vintage" screamo bands use vintage or vintage hot level outputs, at least the ones i know in person does. Wide range buckers also seem to be a popular choice, a lot of local bands use them. Oh and vintage voiced orange amps, of course!
In short, sinner nay, slowhand yay!
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I've got trilogies in my Strat, and I think that they would be a good choice for you.
On the few occasions that I've felt I needed more punch (when doing more metal stuff) I've just stuck a booster on my pedalboard. Tim recommended me slowhands or trilogies, and I don't regret the choice. I love the neck, it's beautiful.