Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: tattooedcarrot on February 10, 2015, 02:40:27 AM
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So I bought a used Historic SG the other day. Its an older model that had double black pickups in it, no covers. The seller was not the original owner and did not know if someone took the covers off the 57 Classics or if they had been replaced with something else. The price was right and I had intended to put some WCR's in it anyway (from another SG), so I bought it.
I got the guitar home and played it and it sounded similar to, but better than 57 Classics I expected. I pulled the pickups out and they are both engraved on the base plate as Bare knuckle Pickgups in cursive font and then printed font below that saying Handwound in the UK. The leads on both are 4-wire with black rubber with small little labels on each indicating neck and bridge. Put them on a multimeter and the neck is 7.3k, bridge is 13.3k.
So what are these? Despite the 13.3k reading, it doesn't seem like a hot or loud pickup. Maybe a little but mostly sounds like a vintage hot with nice pinch harmonics. The neck is like a 57 Classic but done right so its more clear and not muddy. My best guess is a Mule neck and Cold Sweat bridge. Is there any way to really know?
Thanks
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v367/tattooedcarrot/Gear/Current%20Gear/sale/IMG_3298_zps2ba4c1f3.jpg~original)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v367/tattooedcarrot/Gear/Current%20Gear/sale/IMG_3297_zps7e1fffab.jpg~original)
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Cold Sweats would be close on the resistance readings and the SG being natually middy, the Cold Sweat scooped nature, is a match tonewise. But probably have to send them off to BKP for examination, which will cost a few bob.
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Edited to add pics (if it makes a difference)
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Actually you are right with the CS bridge and Mule neck according to the webpage.
You looking to move them on or put back into the SG? :wink:
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Probably sell them as I already had a set of aged WCR's (Godwood/Crossroads) designated for the SG. No other guitars in need of pickups at the moment.
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Sell bkp? =-( :cry:
You should at least hang onto them in case you like them better than WCRs.
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Once again the issue of no labelling raises it's head.
I feel this is the only area where BKP could improve things and these things can cause issues for their customers further down the line
They complain there is a cost factor but to put a small label saying CS or mule on a relevant pickup base is hardly a major deal - especially with the huge number of units they produce.
There have been a few small and a couple of large shifts in model specs over the first 10 years as the range was refined.
The 13.3 could be an old spec Holy Diver , or a newer Cold sweat (the old cold sweat was about 14K in pre Rebel Yell days)
the 7.3 could be a Mule, Riff Raff, or even an Abraxas.
I would probably settle on Cold Sweat and mule or riff raff without sending them back to BKP
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Once again the issue of no labelling raises it's head.
I feel this is the only area where BKP could improve things and these things can cause issues for their customers further down the line
They complain there is a cost factor but to put a small label saying CS or mule on a relevant pickup base is hardly a major deal - especially with the huge number of units they produce.
I have said this before, as i have quite a few BKP atm and even have 2 or 3 in a box waiting for suitable guitars.
How hard could it be to stick a small label, like Seymour Duncan do, with the actual pup type on it?
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It's possible that the bridge pickup is an Emerald. There seems to be some variation between what they are stated as being on the site and what they are rated at on the warranty cards. The one I installed for a friend was around the 13K mark, close to 14K from memory