Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: Adog2202 on November 12, 2013, 02:59:59 AM
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Hey..new forumite here...
I got bit by the BKP bug a while back when I picked up a nice LP std in trade..it had a set of stormy mondays installed. Love em. I put a set of Mules in my other LP (with a set of Seymour Duncan triple shot switching rings) and I also put an Emerald set in my 2001 PRS CE22(with a coil tap).
Both the Mules and the Emeralds sound great when split.
I just picked up a 2007 Gibby Explorer Pro yesterday and would like to drop some knuckles in it. Not sure what set to use for an Explorer. I like the tight crunch of the stock pickups but would like something with some more complex sounds. Any suggestions?
I play mostly Blues/Classic/Southern rock type stuff...
thanks
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I'd say either an Emerald set or a Rebel Yell set, depending on how vintage/contemporary you want to go. Explorers respond well to that kind of pickup.
I have Warpigs in my Explorer but it really is a grindcore and crust punk guitar. I couldn't get the kinds of sounds you want out of it. It would be too dark.
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Alnico Nailbomb could be good. It's not an obvious Blues pickup I'll grant you but then I can't imagine a lot of Blues being played on an Explorer anyway. It will, however, give you that Rock tone with a real sizzle to it and cut through a dark Explorer very well. The Rebel Yell could also be a good option if you'd like it a little brighter, smoother and more polite.
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rebel yells or riff raffs
maybe black dogs for a different feel
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I support the idea of Rebel Yells and Riffraffs.
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Since I don't have first hand experience with Riff Raff or Emerald I support the idea of a Rebel Yell set.
Cheers Stephan
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I have a really interesting set in my Explorer. I have a warpig bridge and a Mississippi Queen neck (both in raw nickel) . I have a push-pull tone pot which gives me Series/Parallel switching on the Warpig. By having regular screws, rather than allen bolts in the Pig, I don't have quite as much bottom end as the stock Warpig. However if you are into early Sabbath, this is the go to guitar. The MQ was wound to match the Warpig (I ordered them as a set), and the middle sound is a great third sound for rhythm work.
(http://i1018.photobucket.com/albums/af302/philking/Guitars004.jpg)
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Given how the Abomb set works in my dark SG I'm +1 with Slartibartfarst - not the obvious blues/classic/southern pickups but they do deliver if you want some push and meat. This being said other suggestions (RR, RY, HB-sized P90s) are just as good...
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Hey guys...thanks for the response. So what I'm noticing is a lot of votes for Rebel Yells...or possibly the Emeralds. I think I may pull the Emeralds outta my PRS and try them out in the Explorer and see if it's a match.
There's a set of used RYs over on the gearpage right now for $265 shipped...I may end up snagging those. BKPs and all pickups really tend to pop up over there frequently.
I think it's funny that a couple years ago I would pretty much scoff at anyone who would spend $300+ on a set of pickups...then I got that Les Paul with the Stormy Monday set installed. I figured I'd pull them out...sell them for a quick buck and move on. I installed some Dimarzios I had from another project and then went to practice that night. My bass player...who'd heard the guitar with the Stormies in it waited till we got done with a song and asked...."what the hell happened to that guitar? It sounded killer yesterday...today...dogshite" I went back home..reinstalled the Stormies. Now I tend to put BKPs in pretty much anything. I haven't figured out how to install them in my truck yet..but I'd bet they'd make that sound cool too!
By the way..that MQ/ WP config sounds interesting. I bet it screams!
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I have a really interesting set in my Explorer. I have a warpig bridge and a Mississippi Queen neck (both in raw nickel) . I have a push-pull tone pot which gives me Series/Parallel switching on the Warpig. By having regular screws, rather than allen bolts in the Pig, I don't have quite as much bottom end as the stock Warpig. However if you are into early Sabbath, this is the go to guitar. The MQ was wound to match the Warpig (I ordered them as a set), and the middle sound is a great third sound for rhythm work.
(http://i1018.photobucket.com/albums/af302/philking/Guitars004.jpg)
that is wonderful
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So that is basically a humbucker-sized Pig '90 in the neck? I have been thinking that might be better than the Warpig neck humbucker for cleans. How does it fare in that respect? I find P-90s have more of everything across the spectrum (including more hum, of course!). My Stockholm-wound Nantucket (that was how it was ordered!) has made me a P-90 convert!
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So that is basically a humbucker-sized Pig '90 in the neck? I have been thinking that might be better than the Warpig neck humbucker for cleans. How does it fare in that respect? I find P-90s have more of everything across the spectrum (including more hum, of course!). My Stockholm-wound Nantucket (that was how it was ordered!) has made me a P-90 convert!
From what I hear the WP neck is somewhat good on cleans in its own way. It certainly does Jazz cleans. There is a clip somewhere of FourthFeline playing it and it sound great even though it was just played through an IRig.
The MQ neck is, yes a HB sized P90, the equivalent of the Nantucket. Suprising amount of power and yet so clear. Probably a bit of the goldstandard p90 just as the Mule is for the HBs. It was the PU that sparked my P90 love.
I must add that mine is currently guitar less as I have not found the fitting guitar or propper bridge PU for it (only tried RY and Aftermath to be fair as I originally wanted it for a single neck PU guitar which now has a manhattan). What I have found though is that I am 100% that it belongs into thicker guitars, like LPs and Explorers or SGs, for my taste. It certainly will cut through wood and breathe life into instruments. You get all the P90 goodness, that roar, the power, the attack, incredible clarity and such. Also the nicest bottom string definition I have heard on any PU. Really got that feel that it is just amplifying the strings, which was amazing. Neck P90s are so clear I feel comfortable doing (non overly palm muty) riffing with a good chunk of gain (Orange TT gain on 3 + OD) on my Manhattan neck in a semihollow. In fact I love the sound and that is a jazz PU.
Compared to the Supermassive neck I have it is much more classic in sound, less bass, less hot and compressed. The agression is more open. Clarity and definition are big on this one. Would actually love to get them side by side some time. Cleans are amazing on the MQ but only good on the SM for those reasons. While having that P90 character in the midrange very strongly still compared to the SM it does less roar more scream. Heck this is the neck PU that can do the best screaming sound I have ever heard out of one. Roll back tone and volume though and it can sing like wow.
The MQ gives you the ability to relive classic sounds and push boundaries. It can scream or sing at your command.
I cannot claim to know too much about your style of music, but from what I gather about your preferences in PUs I am very confident you would love a MQ neck. Definition, clarity, dirt,...it is all there.
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The MQ neck is, yes a HB sized P90, the equivalent of the Nantucket. Suprising amount of power and yet so clear. Probably a bit of the goldstandard p90 just as the Mule is for the HBs. It was the PU that sparked my P90 love.
What I meant is the following: is it basically a PIG 90 in a HSP-90 casing, ordered as a 'custom MQ'? I was a little surprised when Ben asked me to place my order as a 'Nantucket' rather than as a 'Supermassive', which would be the closest relative to a Stockholm in the P-90 range. So I am wondering if all custom orders for these hotter P-90s and HSP-90s are placed as 'Nantuckets' and 'Mississippi Queens' respectively, perhaps because of whose desk they end up on. To call it an 'MQ wound to match a WP' rather than an HS Pig 90 would fit with that practice, although I was always clear that what I ordered was in fact a Stockholm in a regular P-90 format, rather than an 'overwound Nantucket', as although the magnet might be the same the wire and winding is very different
On the regular MQ, there is a video on youtube where it matches up very nicely with a Riff Riff, which as someone has already mentioned is a good fit in an Explorer. An Explorer generally likes a brighter pickup, that is why I suggested an Emerald. I should have said: Riff Raff, Emerald, Rebel Yell (in ascending order of output). MQs and Stockholms would also work well
I also tend to think the A-Bomb could work well in an Explorer. I might experiment with that combo at some point, seeing as I have an example of each
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I have a really interesting set in my Explorer. I have a warpig bridge and a Mississippi Queen neck (both in raw nickel) . I have a push-pull tone pot which gives me Series/Parallel switching on the Warpig. By having regular screws, rather than allen bolts in the Pig, I don't have quite as much bottom end as the stock Warpig. However if you are into early Sabbath, this is the go to guitar. The MQ was wound to match the Warpig (I ordered them as a set), and the middle sound is a great third sound for rhythm work.
This is way cool. Bridge HB and neck P90 is a very good combination. Personally I would probably have split the Warpig instead of wiring it in parallel which would provide the option of a humcancelling middle position if the magnet orientation is right.
Have fun with that axe,
Stephan
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The MQ neck is, yes a HB sized P90, the equivalent of the Nantucket. Suprising amount of power and yet so clear. Probably a bit of the goldstandard p90 just as the Mule is for the HBs. It was the PU that sparked my P90 love.
What I meant is the following: is it basically a PIG 90 in a HSP-90 casing, ordered as a 'custom MQ'? I was a little surprised when Ben asked me to place my order as a 'Nantucket' rather than as a 'Supermassive', which would be the closest relative to a Stockholm in the P-90 range. So I am wondering if all custom orders for these hotter P-90s and HSP-90s are placed as 'Nantuckets' and 'Mississippi Queens' respectively, perhaps because of whose desk they end up on. To call it an 'MQ wound to match a WP' rather than an HS Pig 90 would fit with that practice, although I was always clear that what I ordered was in fact a Stockholm in a regular P-90 format, rather than an 'overwound Nantucket', as although the magnet might be the same the wire and winding is very different
On the regular MQ, there is a video on youtube where it matches up very nicely with a Riff Riff, which as someone has already mentioned is a good fit in an Explorer. An Explorer generally likes a brighter pickup, that is why I suggested an Emerald. I should have said: Riff Raff, Emerald, Rebel Yell (in ascending order of output). MQs and Stockholms would also work well
I also tend to think the A-Bomb could work well in an Explorer. I might experiment with that combo at some point, seeing as I have an example of each
Ah get you now. Yes I believe in this case it is actually a regular MQ. But you are correct that when ordering one of those customs you refer to it as either MQ or NT to make clear that you want it in the other format. So a Pig90 MQ is a HB sized Pig P90 and a Stockholm Nantucket is a P90s sized Stockholm (don´t know exactly how BKP wants it but this is the jist of it). However that lingu is really only used for ordering and not around the forum, so it is safe to assume that everyone here calling a PU something actually means that. Just like I never call my Supermassive a MQ even though it is HB format.
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I tend to find thatthe A Bomb sounds better in a bright guitar.
I would vote for Mules or PG blues for blues rock - or if you want more power then Rebel Yell would be good
The other set that I would say to try is the Abraxas - very nice set in a guitar like that
I tend to prefer vintage alnico or higher power ceramic in a mahogany guitar like an Explorer
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The Abraxas might be a good idea....I'd like to have some extra guts to the sound but be able to roll off the volume and clean it up nice.
Thanks.
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One thing about MQ's is that they have less hum than regular P-90's. I think it might be something to do with the cover and baseplate acting as a Faraday Cage to some extent.
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yeah i absolutely love my stockholm p90. but i'd love it more if i didnt have to worry about the hum.
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Yeah, I'm pretty sure though that my Stockholm in the regular P-90 format has more hum and more tendency to feedback than the HSP-90 version.
I can't stand within a metre of my amp without it feeding back.
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So...for shites and grins I pulled the Emerald set out of my PRS and slapped them in the Explorer....and so far...the sound is just what I'm looking for! It handles hi gain nicely and cleans up nicely as well. The biggest thing I like about them in this guitar vs the stock ceramics is that they have a real "vocal" quality to them. Now the stock Gibsons weren't bad. They were a 500T and a 496R I believe and they had a distinct sound...but it really made this guitar a "one trick pony" in my opinion. It just had a really aggressive sound all the time. That would be fine if I were still playing nothing but metal...but I'm not.
The Emerald set seems to really fit in this guitar....at least for my needs. Now I'm going to have to find another set for my PRS!!!
She looks kinda empty now! :D
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When I tried an Emerald bridge in my PRS CU24 it was way too bright but I can imagine it working really well in an Explorer. In my PRS, the Crawler is just awesome. The Holydiver is also incredible but much more of a Metal/Rock pickup whereas the Crawler just does everything.
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Cool! I'm glad my hunch about an Emerald set in a mahogany Explorer turned out okay. Always good when you have some pickups there that you can use for no cost!! What will you get in the PRS?
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Not sure what I'll put back in there. I've been thinking about putting it back the way I got and maybe doing some trading. I would really like to have a firebird again! Maybe another SG.
But...the PRS was really versatile with the Emerald set...I had them wired up to split the coils...and even with just two pickups I was getting really "strat-like" sounds.
I might try that Crawler as suggested above. Who knows?
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I would go for another bright pickup if the Emeralds worked well in there - maybe Rebel Yells or Riff Raffs?
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hopefully this doesn't get me banned from the forum...but I had some dimarzios sitting around that I wasn't using...Air Norton Neck and Super Distortion bridge. They actually sound really good in the PRS!!!..and they even split pretty well. Not sure I'm going to keep the PRS so...I'm gonna hold off on replacing the Emeralds..
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hopefully this doesn't get me banned from the forum...but I had some dimarzios sitting around that I wasn't using...Air Norton Neck and Super Distortion bridge. They actually sound really good in the PRS!!!..and they even split pretty well. Not sure I'm going to keep the PRS so...I'm gonna hold off on replacing the Emeralds..
Kill the traitor! SLAY HIM!!!
Ah, a lot of us also like PUs from other brands. Nothing wrong with that. This is Tims brewpub and we should respect that, but it does not mean we have to pretend that no other pub has tasty beers too.
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I really like the Super Distortion so I wish there was a BKP equivalent but other than that, I can't think of anything else that appeals more than Bare Knuckle.
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Now I tend to put BKPs in pretty much anything. I haven't figured out how to install them in my truck yet..but I'd bet they'd make that sound cool too!
By the way..that MQ/ WP config sounds interesting. I bet it screams!
I am very sorry for bringing back such an old thread, but I havę to say this is THE BEST BKP related quote EVER!
On a more serious note, I am thinking about pairing an Aftermath bridge with a Mississipi Queen bridge on the neck position of a mahogany neckthrough spanish cedar wings 28" rosewood scale guitar. I aim to play jazz fusion and death metal on it. Any thoughts? :-)