Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: Duck2587 on October 31, 2014, 04:11:11 PM
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What is your favorite BKP and why? What kind of guitar is it in? :evil: :evil:
Keep it evil
-Eric
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Alnico nailbomb for me as I find it mega versatile. Had it in 2 super strats.
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Alnico nailbomb for me as I find it mega versatile. Had it in 2 super strats.
What does it do best? :evil:
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i've tried a lot of their pickups and so far i always seem to go back to their Stockholm p90. its so fat and powerful. its great for a full, smooth overdriven rock tone. the juggernaut is probably a close second because its just so unique and versatile but its not as full as the stockholm.
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Yeah I definitely love my Stockholm P-90 in my SG Junior.
Ultimate hardcore punk tone. Like early Discharge on steroids
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Abraxas..................because it's vintage, middy and smooth on top. :cool:
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Mules! Brilliant cleans, complex tones, almost 3D, superb genuine 59 PAF-neckpickup, very musical in between sound, articulate, dynamic, just georgeous. They can handle loads of gain with authority (no mud). They kill in a mahogany guitar.
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Right now it's my Crawler bridge, yesterday it was probably my Rebel Yell set and the day before that It was probably my alnico Nailbomb set! Not that I'm fickle - it's just that they are all good.
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Juggerset. I love the rich, beautiful cleans, tight rhythm, and phat leads. The biggest thing is the feel, it's just so on. It's chewy and thick, with bite, and great sustain. It's positively addicting!
The Rebel Yell B / VHII neck is pretty much almost equal if not equal. I really like the A-Bomb / Rebel Yell N combo too but there's just something about those Juggernauts. I doubt there is a bad BKP at all and I bet they are all awesome in one way or another.
Juggerset in a Super Strat. Hard Maple neck, Rosewood board, 25.5 scale, soft maple body with poplar wings. LFR system. Bolt on neck. 5 way super switch, B Series, inner coils, BN series, outer coils, N series. 500k volume straight to jack, no tone.
Rebel Yell B / VHII n in 24.75 scale bolt on mahogany neck, rosewood board, solid mahogany body / direct mount pups. 3 way switch with 500k push pull tone pot and 500k RS GUitarworks superpot (volume). Coil tap.
A-Bomb / RY n in Les Paul Standard. (swiss cheese body) 500k pots 50s style wiring PIO caps.
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Mules! Brilliant cleans, complex tones, almost 3D, superb genuine 59 PAF-neckpickup, very musical in between sound, articulate, dynamic, just georgeous. They can handle loads of gain with authority (no mud). They kill in a mahogany guitar.
This. Exactly.
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Haven't tried them all to fully know but at the moment its the Nailbomb, have an alnico in one Les Paul, and a Ceramic in another, both bridge position. F**k me its got some balls! Did first show with a newly installed C-bomb in my main band guitar (switched out Aftermath) and it has made it sound a lot better. Not that the AM was bad or anything just too middy and clunky. Next time I play I have to give a warning to the audience, extreme beefiness present, proceed with cautiion!
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I think the Nantucket bridge just edges out the Blackguard 52 bridge and Apache neck for me. It snarls, it barks, it cleans up and twangs, it's a great vintage single coil but with a bit extra pick up.
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Right now it's my Crawler bridge, yesterday it was probably my Rebel Yell set and the day before that It was probably my alnico Nailbomb set! Not that I'm fickle - it's just that they are all good.
Yeah, they all are fine in their own way. I'playing my Crawler loaded HSS-strat much, I like the VHII in my ash strat for some songs, but if I could only take one guitar for a gig, it would be my Mules loaded St. Blues Mississippi Bluesmaster. Bec you can play clean stuff, jazz, funk, pop, blues, bluesrock, rock and even metal with Mules.
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Alnico nailbomb for me as I find it mega versatile. Had it in 2 super strats.
What does it do best? :evil:
Any thing rock/metal related as far as im concerned havent tried the nailbomb neck yet though so but im thinking about rectifying that very soon.
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Alnico Nailbomb, because it just does so many things very good.
Haven't tried all pickups though!
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Of mine the vhii neck is the best.
Really versatile and in my maple neck really bites if I want but stays woody at the same time.
Best cleans I heard on any guitar, the better again through my blackstar.
Hopefully soon I will get to compare the cold sweat neck to it ( if I find a trader for my crawler neck in the classifieds)
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Agreed on the VHII neck. It's really quite a fantastic pickup with a hairy, dynamic blues tone, and a great shred tone buried in there too.
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VHii neck is fantastic as is the cold sweat much prefer both to the emerald neck i've heard so much about.
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I've tried quite a few and my 2 favourites are at fairly opposite ends of the spectrum:
Nailbomb and 10th Anniversaries.
The NB is something I didn't think I could ever beat, but the 10th Annis are so sweet that it completely changed my view on lower output/vintage pups.
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I very difficult choice as I have two that I love but I would say that in sheer overall pleasure it has to be my Country Boys. Apart from the guitar being a Tele which is, in my view, probably the most adaptable guitar around, if you love classic Tele then these are the epitome and so rewarding.
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It changes with time. Depends on what I'm currently trying to achieve (and therefore which guitars I'm playing most, and what I'm playing them through).
This last week it has been Irish Tours in a 60s Roadworn Strat. I'm not sure I've ever felt better about this guitar or the sounds it was making - truly fabulous and enjoyable experience this last couple of days. This was initially headphones off a POD XTlive (haven't used this for guitar for years - I got it out to play bass while watching the TV) and then over the weekend quite loud through a Laney CUB12.
The other pickups/guitars beaten to "favourite" by the ITs in this time were:
2nd - Yardbirds in a Custom Tele
3rd - Mississippi Queens in a Faded SG
4th - Mules in an ES-335
I'm really not in a humbucker mood at the moment! The MQs were just TOO aggressive, but I was getting into them. The Yardbirds were a little too polite, and the guitar needs its nut sorting out - G string has a slight sitar effect that was more noticable than usual - been meaning to sort it out for years... (I have the spare TUSQ nuts for 7.25" Fenders knocking around somewhere).
(Note: Apaches, Sultans, BG Flat 50s (old), and Riff Raffs were not called upon - if the Apache strat had new strings, I think it might have won, same with the BG 50s Tele... but the IT strat just did the job - there was no need to get new strings out!)
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Really hard to choose.....
But the black dog bridge has always been the one I've come back to. When I was doing lots of recording, if I was struggling a bit with guitar tone then I picked up the BD loaded guitar and it always delivered. Just the right amount of fat grinding warm mids, that's what really does it for me. More recently I've also been liking the Holy Diver, which I feel is very similar in voicing to the BD, just a bit hotter. I do like the Emerald bridge too though.......tough choice!
And the Stormy Monday neck is my favourite - warm, creamy, lots of character :)
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Many good ones there:
- The bridge pickups that stood out to me are (in no particular order) Rebel Yell (in a set neck mahogany), Holydiver (set neck and bolt on necks), Abraxas (bolt-on neck), Crawler (set necks) and Cold Sweat (very fat set neck guitar). They all share enough but not over the top output, articulation, clarity without harshness, and enough mids without ever being bloaty.
- My favorite BKP neck humbucker is the Holydiver (set necks or bolt-ons), again for its clarity. Riff Raff, Black Dog, VHII and Rebel Yell close behind.
Cheers Stephan
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Ok, it is time. Let me put this into three categories:
-bridge: Rebel Yell hands down. Got it in a Ibanez S Series and damn, anything rock is delivered so tight, alive, and punchy, with a screaming midrange and a highend which is present and cutting but extremly overtone rich so never sharp, even in such a light guitar. The most fun PU to riff on and my favorite bridge pickup to play leads on since it does the screaming agressive all out alternative to the neck soooo well and makes Skid Row style pinched harmonics around the 12th during your solo just fly off. A classic sound faithfully brought to modern times. Brilliant.
-neck: Has to be the unpottet 10th Anniversary neck. Got that set in a Epiphone Lucille. The most lush and amazing clean and low gain sounds, absolutly pure and alive. Jazz or bluesy play is an expressive joy I have never had before. Also reacts better to tone and volume than anything else I have tried. Pile on the gain and you may not get a great shred tone, but it breathes that warm Slash mojo. This PU, some gain, Sweet Child O Mine...no words.
-set: Sorry to stirr the unobtainable GAS, but the 10th Set takes it. I was never one for the middle position, but any set that makes me like that has a huge upset. The two just work in such harmony it astounds me still. Thought from the same wood they are very different, but put them together and they just match. Beautiful.
Honorable mention when it comes to sets to the RY with a IT middle. Outer coil split RY with that gives an amazing tele like vibe.
Mule in the neck also deserves a name, before the 10th I think it was still my favorite, forming a set with the RY bridge and IT middle.
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my 335 should be refretted and fitted with my 10 anniversarys at the end of the week! i can't wait to finally try these guys out.
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my 335 should be refretted and fitted with my 10 anniversarys at the end of the week! i can't wait to finally try these guys out.
IŽd say start as clean and vintage as you can. Then slowly pile on the gain and all. The way they change and adapt, yet stay true to themselfs is something you rarely ever find outside vintage pickups imho. The life and responsivness in the ones is something else.
I envy you for getting that fresh experience, cause that is now something I have to chase and not know if I ever catch it. But once that is gone they transform from that fresh, exiting dimension to something you have always knows. Something warm, familiar, reliable, yet never dull, and always showing you new things about yourself as well. Getting the 10th Anniversary set is like meeting an best friend for the first time.
Disclaimer: I have been spending too much time on writing English papers in the last weeks and this might affect my writing style...so take this with a grain of salt. I do mean what I say, but some expression might be interpreted as stronger as I meant them. Or not. GOD THIS LINGUISTIC AND SEMANTIC STUFF IS DRIVING ME INSANE.
WHY CAN`T I JUST SEE WORDS AS WORDS ANYMORE....HELP!
I am drawing lines in the sand in a tsunami...or something.
Sorry about that.
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^ :grin:
Actually making me regret not going for a 10th Anniversary set myself...
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^ :grin:
Actually making me regret not going for a 10th Anniversary set myself...
Ah sorry about that. But the Stormy Monday is not far away from the 10th from what I gather, less hot though. Little closer to the strings and you should not be miles away I recon. It certainly also sounds stellar for classic rock sounds and is often overlooked just like the PG, cause everyone loves the Mule so much (not that there is no reason for that).
I am just waiting for the day when I get hired by BKP to write ads and descriptions for them. Finance my guitar habit while studying. Ahhh dreams. xD
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I'd heard that too (SMs close to 10th). And I must admit that the Stormies are calling to me - just took delivery yesterday of the box set of The Allman Brothers complete Fillmore East 1971 recordings (where the "Stormy Monday" reference is hiding) ... I am officially back in Les Paul and SG land after talking about strats earlier in this thread!
My Mules moved from my Tokai Love Rock into my Gibson 335 a couple of years ago, and the Love Rock has been thinking "am I a Black Dogs, or an Abraxas, or a Duane Allman (Stormy Monday) kinda geetar" ever since... It already has AIIs in it (the 335's Classic 50s or whatever they're called), and that makes it quite pleasant but not so "airy" as it was with the Mules... I think we may have an answer forming here :cool:
So far, for humbuckers, Mules have been my favourite BKP (I have Riff Raffs as well), but with my increasing yearning for "vintage" vibes from all my guitars, I suspect that Stormies might actually suit me even more...
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if anyones looking to buy a 10 anniversary set someone posted one on ebay yesterday
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bare-Knuckle-10th-Anniversary-Vintage-PAF-Humbucker-/121480009006?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item1c48c5d52e
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if anyones looking to buy a 10 anniversary set someone posted one on ebay yesterday
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bare-Knuckle-10th-Anniversary-Vintage-PAF-Humbucker-/121480009006?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item1c48c5d52e
BOO.........US buyers ONLY :angry:
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if anyones looking to buy a 10 anniversary set someone posted one on ebay yesterday
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bare-Knuckle-10th-Anniversary-Vintage-PAF-Humbucker-/121480009006?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item1c48c5d52e
BOO.........US buyers ONLY :angry:
:angry:
(what are they thinking!?)
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The ceramic Warpig for me. Blistering saturated tones that have all the clarity, picking dynamics, articulation of vintage output pickup. Voicing is perfect punchy lows never muddy, the upper mid register is my wet dream
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Further to me saying the alnico nailbomb is my favourite bridge ill say the mule neck is my favorite neck pickup. It does every thing perfectly.
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Alnico nailbomb for me as I find it mega versatile. Had it in 2 super strats.
What does it do best? :evil:
Any thing rock/metal related as far as im concerned havent tried the nailbomb neck yet though so but im thinking about rectifying that very soon.
Nice. Does it have a dark voicing or more bright for you? :evil:
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Mules! Brilliant cleans, complex tones, almost 3D, superb genuine 59 PAF-neckpickup, very musical in between sound, articulate, dynamic, just georgeous. They can handle loads of gain with authority (no mud). They kill in a mahogany guitar.
Can't agree enough! I rave about the mules all the time. They're killer and sneaky little devils :evil:
So musical
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Juggerset. I love the rich, beautiful cleans, tight rhythm, and phat leads. The biggest thing is the feel, it's just so on. It's chewy and thick, with bite, and great sustain. It's positively addicting!
The Rebel Yell B / VHII neck is pretty much almost equal if not equal. I really like the A-Bomb / Rebel Yell N combo too but there's just something about those Juggernauts. I doubt there is a bad BKP at all and I bet they are all awesome in one way or another.
Juggerset in a Super Strat. Hard Maple neck, Rosewood board, 25.5 scale, soft maple body with poplar wings. LFR system. Bolt on neck. 5 way super switch, B Series, inner coils, BN series, outer coils, N series. 500k volume straight to jack, no tone.
Rebel Yell B / VHII n in 24.75 scale bolt on mahogany neck, rosewood board, solid mahogany body / direct mount pups. 3 way switch with 500k push pull tone pot and 500k RS GUitarworks superpot (volume). Coil tap.
A-Bomb / RY n in Les Paul Standard. (swiss cheese body) 500k pots 50s style wiring PIO caps.
When you say the "feel" of the juggernauts, what do you mean exactly? The dynamic response or the power it generates under your fingers? :evil:
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Really hard to choose.....
But the black dog bridge has always been the one I've come back to. When I was doing lots of recording, if I was struggling a bit with guitar tone then I picked up the BD loaded guitar and it always delivered. Just the right amount of fat grinding warm mids, that's what really does it for me. More recently I've also been liking the Holy Diver, which I feel is very similar in voicing to the BD, just a bit hotter. I do like the Emerald bridge too though.......tough choice!
And the Stormy Monday neck is my favourite - warm, creamy, lots of character :)
Yeah I love the clarity and the open quality to the BD. The mids are really good. :evil:
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The ceramic Warpig for me. Blistering saturated tones that have all the clarity, picking dynamics, articulation of vintage output pickup. Voicing is perfect punchy lows never muddy, the upper mid register is my wet dream
YES! Someone who appreciates the warpigs as much as I do. They're still my favorite BKP. So versatile yet SO mean when you need them to be. Never any sacrifice in tone when the gain is thrown on. Clarity is still legit. :evil:
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Alnico nailbomb for me as I find it mega versatile. Had it in 2 super strats.
What does it do best? :evil:
Any thing rock/metal related as far as im concerned havent tried the nailbomb neck yet though so but im thinking about rectifying that very soon.
Nice. Does it have a dark voicing or more bright for you? :evil:
Its on the fuller/darker side but is the opposite of smooth. For me it sits perfectly in between a rebel yell and a painkiller with a lot more 'prime beef' :wink: .
Rebel yell and painkiller would benefit from a darker/mahogony guitar but I reckon the alnico nailbomb could go in a lot of different guitars and work really well. Jack of all trades and a master of many
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@JimmyMoorby How much you're pleased with the NB, I wouldn't define the A-bomb as a jack of all trades. It's a hardrock/metal pickup. The voicing and power oozes ninetiesmetal and the aggressive uppermids and topsizzle you have to like. It's imo not really a pickup for HSS-strats as well.
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@JimmyMoorby How much you're pleased with the NB, I wouldn't define the A-bomb as a jack of all trades. It's a hardrock/metal pickup. The voicing and power oozes ninetiesmetal and the aggressive uppermids and topsizzle you have to like. It's imo not really a pickup for HSS-strats as well.
I agree. It also has a bit too much mids for really mid-focused guitars, especially brighter SGs. I can see though how in a less mid-focused mahogany guitar it could be more versatile. The same pickup is certainly less abrasive in my Explorer, but I think it might be even better in a slightly brighter guitar like a Les Paul.
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Juggerset. I love the rich, beautiful cleans, tight rhythm, and phat leads. The biggest thing is the feel, it's just so on. It's chewy and thick, with bite, and great sustain. It's positively addicting!
The Rebel Yell B / VHII neck is pretty much almost equal if not equal. I really like the A-Bomb / Rebel Yell N combo too but there's just something about those Juggernauts. I doubt there is a bad BKP at all and I bet they are all awesome in one way or another.
Juggerset in a Super Strat. Hard Maple neck, Rosewood board, 25.5 scale, soft maple body with poplar wings. LFR system. Bolt on neck. 5 way super switch, B Series, inner coils, BN series, outer coils, N series. 500k volume straight to jack, no tone.
Rebel Yell B / VHII n in 24.75 scale bolt on mahogany neck, rosewood board, solid mahogany body / direct mount pups. 3 way switch with 500k push pull tone pot and 500k RS GUitarworks superpot (volume). Coil tap.
A-Bomb / RY n in Les Paul Standard. (swiss cheese body) 500k pots 50s style wiring PIO caps.
When you say the "feel" of the juggernauts, what do you mean exactly? The dynamic response or the power it generates under your fingers? :evil:
This is hard to describe. It's kind of how when a guitar neck just 'feels' right, the pickup just 'feels' right to play. It's like it plays itself.
In response to your comment, it definitely is powerful but is surprisingly responsive at the same time. There is a delicious array of tones available in the pickup set and it really showcases each player's unique 'sound' while playing. Although, this is something that is true of most BKP.
@JimmyMoorby How much you're pleased with the NB, I wouldn't define the A-bomb as a jack of all trades. It's a hardrock/metal pickup. The voicing and power oozes ninetiesmetal and the aggressive uppermids and topsizzle you have to like. It's imo not really a pickup for HSS-strats as well.
I agree. It also has a bit too much mids for really mid-focused guitars, especially brighter SGs. I can see though how in a less mid-focused mahogany guitar it could be more versatile. The same pickup is certainly less abrasive in my Explorer, but I think it might be even better in a slightly brighter guitar like a Les Paul.
A-Bomb is definitely ideal for a more abrasive and pissed off Les Paul type tone!
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Its just my opinion and taste. I mentioned my favorite pickups (Nailbomb/mule) and said that TO ME the nailbomb a jack of all trades and I say this with the caveat that if is matched with a really good neck pickup that could cover some other tones. No pickups can do every thing 100 percect surely?
Ill go one further to 'hard rock' and say I can get an aggressive blues type tone with it too and good cleans with it too.
Also I didnt say it would work well in any guitar I said I think it would work well in a lot of guitars.
Is the BKP forum becoming a place where only certain points of view are acceptable? You speak as if what you say is fact so please quantify why you think your opinion is more valid than mine.
I suggest you take it up with BKP when they say the pickup can cover
Blues Rock, Garage, Grunge, Punk, Hardcore, Stoner, Hard Rock, Progressive Metal, Thrash and Death Metal and go in any solid body guitar for a really organic tone.
I'm sure this will get turned around on me any way. I'm not a sensitive soul or easily offended but im confused as to why my views and tastes arent 'right on'.
I've just bought a set of emeralds and its the first pickup set from BKP ive been disappointed by. Cant see any use for them for my tstes and styles but doesnt mean others cant have a different experience.
Last time I checked music was an art form not people stating facts on an online forum
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Its just my opinion and taste. I mentioned my favorite pickups (Nailbomb/mule) and said that TO ME the nailbomb a jack of all trades and I say this with the caveat that if is matched with a really good neck pickup that could cover some other tones. No pickups can do every thing 100 percect surely?
Ill go one further to 'hard rock' and say I can get an aggressive blues type tone with it too and good cleans with it too.
Also I didnt say it would work well in any guitar I said I think it would work well in a lot of guitars.
Is the BKP forum becoming a place where only certain points of view are acceptable? You speak as if what you say is fact so please quantify why you think your opinion is more valid than mine.
I suggest you take it up with BKP when they say the pickup can cover
Blues Rock, Garage, Grunge, Punk, Hardcore, Stoner, Hard Rock, Progressive Metal, Thrash and Death Metal and go in any solid body guitar for a really organic tone.
I'm sure this will get turned around on me any way. I'm not a sensitive soul or easily offended but im confused as to why my views and tastes arent 'right on'.
I've just bought a set of emeralds and its the first pickup set from BKP ive been disappointed by. Cant see any use for them for my tstes and styles but doesnt mean others cant have a different experience.
Last time I checked music was an art form not people stating facts on an online forum
Don't take it personal. I did not respond to your favourite BKP-choice, only to the line 'jack of all trades', which the NB is not imo. We're all entitled to have an opinion, this is mine, and if you disagree or have another opinion, hey, that's why we have a forum.
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O FORUMS U!
I prefer the Nailbomb for dirt rhythm tones more than for lead / solo playing.
It will do tones besides metal or hard rock, provided the amplifier can support those tones.
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The Black Guard 52 telecaster bridge is my favourite right now
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Alnico warpig in a Les Paul... Biggest,fattest,most beastlike sound ever!
And I didn't expect it to sound so beautiful while playing leads!!!
I use it for quite some years now and I'm still baffled by this masterpiece.
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Of the BKPs I have tried so far the MQs take the number one spot. The neck has a great clean tone and sounds equally good with gain and the bridge can really rock out. The middle position is loveable as well. All in all a really versatile set that can deliver the goods in almost evry tonal department.
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Alnico warpig in a Les Paul... Biggest,fattest,most beastlike sound ever!
And I didn't expect it to sound so beautiful while playing leads!!!
I use it for quite some years now and I'm still baffled by this masterpiece.
Alnico warpigs are my favorite. I have them in my super strat and they're perfect for big nasty rhythm but are perfect for leads. Still retain unbelievable clarity. Better than any other fat pickups on the market.
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For me it has to be the calibrated set of Painkillers on my mahogany bodied, hardtail Ibanez RG , modded with dual pots and a 3 way output selector , so essentialy wired as per a LP with a rotary capacitor selector and a phase switch. They do everything I want , from gnarly, chewy rhythm to the legendry Painkiller "icepick" , and (FX and amp settings allowing) , pretty much everything inbetween, apart from convincing Tele tones, IMO. Relentless when you want them to be and subtle and breathy when you want . Combined with a set of Ernie Ball colalt 12's tuned to drop C , magic !
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Alnico warpig in a Les Paul... Biggest,fattest,most beastlike sound ever!
And I didn't expect it to sound so beautiful while playing leads!!!
I use it for quite some years now and I'm still baffled by this masterpiece.
Alnico warpigs are my favorite. I have them in my super strat and they're perfect for big nasty rhythm but are perfect for leads. Still retain unbelievable clarity. Better than any other fat pickups on the market.
this is one pickup that i've still been yearning to try. just havent had the right set up. i had a guitar in mind that i was going to eventually try one in if it didnt sell, but it looks like its going to. currently has a dirty fingers in it and its nice but the apig sounds wonderful.
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Alnico warpig in a Les Paul... Biggest,fattest,most beastlike sound ever!
And I didn't expect it to sound so beautiful while playing leads!!!
I use it for quite some years now and I'm still baffled by this masterpiece.
Alnico warpigs are my favorite. I have them in my super strat and they're perfect for big nasty rhythm but are perfect for leads. Still retain unbelievable clarity. Better than any other fat pickups on the market.
this is one pickup that i've still been yearning to try. just havent had the right set up. i had a guitar in mind that i was going to eventually try one in if it didnt sell, but it looks like its going to. currently has a dirty fingers in it and its nice but the apig sounds wonderful.
You will not sell it after you try it.
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I'm very much into the black dog and slow hand HSS set right now. Killer combo! :afro:
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Holy Diver Calibrated set!
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Holy Diver Calibrated set!
Really? What about them do you like? I played them in a Charvel before and they were too weak.
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Hello Duck2587, "Holy Divers are Weak" That's your opinion and totally subjective. I've tried other pickups from many companies over the years, and what might not work for you will work for others.
I've had almost everything from "Stock to Full Custom", and my criteria is based from my Home Studio, Live & Recorded experience. I've recorded professionally for over 30yrs etc. and yet I'm still humble about "My Opinion". Tim makes great products and until now I wasn't experienced with "Scatter Wound" technique. My style is more classical jazz rock, progressive fusion pop.
My recent Charvel (I've own at least a dozen) was something that I wanted to sound great so I tried a few variations. The stock pup's were Duncan Distortion (Mayhem set) I use them back in the '80s (bridge only was available back then) in most of my rock instruments Les Pauls to Charvels. They were good at that time but today there many choices, like amps & pedals. The SD Distortion were good and powerful but I've kind of grew out of them from my days of Marshall Stacks & Floyd Strats. My next pup's were SD: JB/59/78/EVH/Pearly Gates and the Fender EVH Frankie. YES there all different but I wanted to know the differences for myself and not (generally) from other opinions. I know the difference of A5>A2>Ceramics from years of use, but you can't beat "side-by-side" comparison. Then my son recommended (his exp with owning Miracle Man, HD both Ceramic & Alnico, War Pig, Sinner, Slow Hand, Trilogy Suite) I tried the HD along with SD in all three settings and was blown away by the HD! I did resist at first thinking it might have been A fluke, so I went back and fourth. The 78 was ok, 59 wasn't as good as I remember, PG sounded good for blues/bridge soft A2 tone nice but can't get aggressive (it has an intended use), JB sounds best "Wide-Open" adjusting the gtr volume makes it Weak sounding and lastly the Fender EVH, "that sounded weak" to me? I know it has an A2 and what to expect but if it only had more versatility.
Playing in a live & loud band setting, the Holy Divers really impressed me with tone and articulation "Open & Focus Air" I'm sure is one of the traits of Scatter-Wound, but trying the BKP Miracle Man, I didn't like it, didn't like the overtones. The HD "Ceramic" that was a custom build that Tim did for my son sounded good through his Mesa Roadster but through his Soldano SLO it was a little "Sterile" but the HD-A5 sounds godly (obvious result) so what works in one might not work in another and that means one Les Paul to another etc. The Versatility of the HD's just by adjusting the Guitar's Volume is amazing! Lowering the volume can sound like the '70 Zep/Purple/Sabbath raising the volume like VH, a good OD Lynch/Sykes (as a reference). I look for "Tone" as opposed to High-Output, and the powerfulness comes from the playing (hand & pick articulation). "I respect your opinion" it's funny how the Holy Diver sounds very different in my son's guitars, but awesome in the same.
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c217/MantraSky/DSC_0004-1_zps39fc8166.jpg) (http://s28.photobucket.com/user/MantraSky/media/DSC_0004-1_zps39fc8166.jpg.html)
TK Instruments 7-String Holy Diver (A5)
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c217/MantraSky/MattsGuitars.jpg) (http://s28.photobucket.com/user/MantraSky/media/MattsGuitars.jpg.html)
Custom build: Natural guitar with BKP War Pig & Sinner. Blue guitar with Holy Diver "Ceramic" & Trilogy Suite
And my Humble home studio rig:
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c217/MantraSky/Equip-1_zpsf16e9b3b.jpg) (http://s28.photobucket.com/user/MantraSky/media/Equip-1_zpsf16e9b3b.jpg.html)
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BKP's are very clean and dynamic. They don't mush up with loads of gain and therefore seem to eat some gain. Some players might qualify that as weak. As a BKP-addict I see it as a strong point. I don't want a mess when I turn up my gain.
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Telerocker your very right!
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Thank you for the detailed input. It helps a lot. :evil:
I will stick with my Warpigs, Black Hawks and mules.
Warpigs are deep, growly, mean and clear with intense harmonics. I love it for leads.
Black hawks can go from sweet jazz to down right nasty with insane clarity
The Mules are as sweet as ever with a very full quality to them and some of the best clarity out of the 3 pick ups.
Keep it evil! :evil: :evil:
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My favourite BKP is now a regular production item:
STOCKHOLM 90 (https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/main/pickups.php?cat=p90s&sub=p90s&pickup=stockholm_90)
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The War Pigs & Black Hawks are good pups. A little too specific focus for me, but the Mules are very good. I would love to hear some examples, Wav.File or Sound Cloud?
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I had a set of Black Hawks in my LTD MH-1000. They sounded killer but the output was too much. Swapped them for a set of Nailbombs, which I also really like - great tones with a more sensible output. Nice almost PAF-like neck tones with a great full bridge pickup sound as well. They sound very Strat-like when split.
Just when I had the Nailbombs installed, I bought a Tele and swapped the stock pickups for a Piledriver set. MAN, those pickups kick ass! The twang is there, the neck has that classic Tele sound and the bridge has all the saturation of a humbucker but still with a ton of twang.
My favorite BKP is definitely the Piledriver set!
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I had a set of Black Hawks in my LTD MH-1000. They sounded killer but the output was too much. Swapped them for a set of Nailbombs, which I also really like - great tones with a more sensible output. Nice almost PAF-like neck tones with a great full bridge pickup sound as well. They sound very Strat-like when split.
Just when I had the Nailbombs installed, I bought a Tele and swapped the stock pickups for a Piledriver set. MAN, those pickups kick ass! The twang is there, the neck has that classic Tele sound and the bridge has all the saturation of a humbucker but still with a ton of twang.
My favorite BKP is definitely the Piledriver set!
Yeah, the black hawks can be a bit out of control, but all you have to do is lower the pick up height. Takes some time but when you find the spot, man they are perfect. Have you tried to adjust the height?
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My favourite BKP is now a regular production item:
STOCKHOLM 90 (https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/main/pickups.php?cat=p90s&sub=p90s&pickup=stockholm_90)
The stockholms are awesome! :evil:
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The War Pigs & Black Hawks are good pups. A little too specific focus for me, but the Mules are very good. I would love to hear some examples, Wav.File or Sound Cloud?
-Yes they are but with the proper adjustments they can do almost anything. The war pigs are more tuned to metal, leads, and jazz-which they do fantastically but thats about it. The black hawks are much more versatile. The mules are the BKP's that shocked me the most on how amazing they sound and how much they can do. They do metal and shred exceptionally well. :evil:
-Im in the process of gathering equipment to post high quality clips. I will make a demo videos though and post them. Which pick ups would you like to hear and see first? :evil:
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Actually I did own the Mules but they were not as nice as the Holy Diver in my particular Charvel. I would prefer to hear you with your Mules, guitar alone with No music production. I have an seriously extensive home studio and to hear it Unprocessed and No over dubs and retakes just play it straight would be the best. I have a number of guitars that I want to change there original pickup, here's an few:
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c217/MantraSky/1.jpg) (http://s28.photobucket.com/user/MantraSky/media/1.jpg.html)
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c217/MantraSky/SuhrStandard.jpg) (http://s28.photobucket.com/user/MantraSky/media/SuhrStandard.jpg.html)
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c217/MantraSky/PRSCustom22Artist.jpg) (http://s28.photobucket.com/user/MantraSky/media/PRSCustom22Artist.jpg.html)
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c217/MantraSky/Suhr.jpg) (http://s28.photobucket.com/user/MantraSky/media/Suhr.jpg.html)
Just thinking BKP or? (2=Suhrs/Anderson/PRS) thanks \../
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Actually I did own the Mules but they were not as nice as the Holy Diver in my particular Charvel. I would prefer to hear you with your Mules, guitar alone with No music production. I have an seriously extensive home studio and to hear it Unprocessed and No over dubs and retakes just play it straight would be the best. I have a number of guitars that I want to change there original pickup, here's an few:
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c217/MantraSky/1.jpg) (http://s28.photobucket.com/user/MantraSky/media/1.jpg.html)
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c217/MantraSky/SuhrStandard.jpg) (http://s28.photobucket.com/user/MantraSky/media/SuhrStandard.jpg.html)
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c217/MantraSky/PRSCustom22Artist.jpg) (http://s28.photobucket.com/user/MantraSky/media/PRSCustom22Artist.jpg.html)
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c217/MantraSky/Suhr.jpg) (http://s28.photobucket.com/user/MantraSky/media/Suhr.jpg.html)
Just thinking BKP or? (2=Suhrs/Anderson/PRS) thanks \../
Great collection you have.!
Nah, I wouldn't put Mules in bolt-on superstrats. Too bright and not enough midrange for those axes. I have my Mules-set in an all mahogany bolt-on Saint Blues and they kill in this guitar. My HSS Custom MXG (handmade by Patrick Eggle etc.) has a Crawler/Irish Tours-set, which makes it a guitar for all purposes. In those guitars I would think along the lines of the Abraxas, Crawler, Holy Diver and Stockholm.
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Hi Telerocker, YES the Mules sound great in Les Paul's! I did try them in PRS guitars and because there made with a Lot of Plastic finish for there gloss, they inhibit tone from coming out. I feel there best with there own Pickups. I'll check out those pups you mention, after owning little 500 guitars, I do know how woods translate frequencies, thank you!
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Hi Telerocker, YES the Mules sound great in Les Paul's! I did try them in PRS guitars and because there made with a Lot of Plastic finish for there gloss, they inhibit tone from coming out. I feel there best with there own Pickups. I'll check out those pups you mention, after owning little 500 guitars, I do know how woods translate frequencies, thank you!
Abraxas does well in a PRS.
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Actually I did own the Mules but they were not as nice as the Holy Diver in my particular Charvel. I would prefer to hear you with your Mules, guitar alone with No music production. I have an seriously extensive home studio and to hear it Unprocessed and No over dubs and retakes just play it straight would be the best. I have a number of guitars that I want to change there original pickup, here's an few:
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c217/MantraSky/1.jpg) (http://s28.photobucket.com/user/MantraSky/media/1.jpg.html)
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c217/MantraSky/SuhrStandard.jpg) (http://s28.photobucket.com/user/MantraSky/media/SuhrStandard.jpg.html)
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c217/MantraSky/PRSCustom22Artist.jpg) (http://s28.photobucket.com/user/MantraSky/media/PRSCustom22Artist.jpg.html)
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c217/MantraSky/Suhr.jpg) (http://s28.photobucket.com/user/MantraSky/media/Suhr.jpg.html)
Just thinking BKP or? (2=Suhrs/Anderson/PRS) thanks \../
Love anderson guitars! The sound is unreal and playability is superb. Very nice collection. I will post a video soon. It will be recorded from my phone. Guitar straight into the amp :evil: