Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: nikosteph on February 20, 2018, 05:09:05 PM
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Has anyone tried these new True Grit humbuckers from the Bare Knuckle Boot Camp? Nolly recommended them to me in a different thread, when I basically wanted something more powerful than a VHII but not quite as modern as a Rebel Yell.
He said these fall in-between, while retaining the more PAF flavor. However, they seem so new that there's not much info on them, just the one video by Rabea on Youtube (where they do indeed sound awesome, but it's hard to tell the tonal details because it's in a mix). In theory, this sounds like exactly what I'm looking for, but I'd be curious to hear more.
If you've tried them, what are your thoughts? Any other clips or videos out there? Thanks for the help!
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Only Nolly has tried them so far (on this forum at least).
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So I actually pulled the trigger and ordered them last week, and I'll happily post my impressions, but the guitar they're going into won't be finished for a few weeks to maybe 2 months (it's a custom build from scratch by my local luthier). Hopefully by then someone else will have tried them, or else I guess I get to be the second ever review on the forums (yikes, no pressure...).
I guess I could always put them into a cheap test guitar in the meantime, I'm definitely not above buying a used axe off eBay just for that :smiley:
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They could at least give us a basic EQ chart on each pup.
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They could at least give us a basic EQ chart on each pup.
Info is very limited. The result will be a lot of mails thrown at the BKP-headquarter.
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They won't give us anything in those e-mails ;).
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If you want to sell products you can't keep them a mystery. And we're talking just a bunch of pickups.
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It's not like it's gonna be kept a secret for long since anyone can msasure that stuff.
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I just got the pickup the other day, but don't have the tools to measure the DC resistance, but I'll have my luthier do it when he installed the pickup in the new guitar and let you guys know!
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So we have to measure to know the dc-resistance? C'mon...
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Yeah, I'm not sure why BK is being cagey with the specs, when they post them for the other pickups right there on the website (wire gauge and everything). Maybe to avoid seeming too "guitar nerdy" for the average Joe?
All I know is Nolly's comment that they're between the VHII and Rebel Yell in output (which is exactly what I wanted), and PAF-flavored. Having had both the VHII and RY, I'll definitely be able to verify that claim when my new guitar is built :).
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If you're an avarage Joe looking at that line of pickups, I doubt you'll even gonna search those forums.
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I just installed a set in my Gibson Explorer Pro. Other than the 57 Classic in my ES-339 I'm mostly used to high output pickups, so I'm probably not the best suited to comment on these. I have a set of Dimarzio Titans in a Schecter and a set of BKP Rebel Yells in my US Rhoads. Other than these I've had several models fra Dimarzio and Seymour Duncan over the years.
My first impressions are not that great I'm afraid. However, I did just install them, so I'll need to fiddle with them some more, but I'm finding it a lot harder to find the sweet spot with these compared to my other pickups.
The output feels a lot lower than my RYs and the voicing is very different. This is fine since I wanted something more suited for heavy blues and classic/hard rock for this guitar. The bridge pickup is kinda grainy with distortion and the neck pickup is a lot darker sounding than other neck pickups I have tried.
Will report back when I've had some more time with them. They are extremely sensitive to height and polepiece adjustments, so I'm guessing I just need to tweak them some more.
(http://ricconielsen.dk/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/BKP-TG.jpg)
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Right. I think it's hard to make a choice when there are no specs.
Btw, I love that Explorer.
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Btw, I love that Explorer.
Thanks! It's a awesome guitar. Light and resonant and sustains really well. It took me 5 years to find a good one, since they only made 400 of them back in 2007 and at that time I was studying, so it was way out of my price range.
Ok - after spending a little more time with the True Grits, I have changed my mind. They sound great! But it took a lot of adjustments to get them where I like them, and I'm not completely done yet. So don't give up if you don't like them at first.
The bridge is grainy/growly but in a good way and the neck is definitely a lot fatter than what I'm used to. They do feel a little mismatched though, so it's a bit hard to adjust my amp where they both sound great, but this is not nearly as bad as with my Gibson 57 classics where the bridge and neck are just way too far apart in terms of treble/bass. I don't think I will be using the TG's for metal, but they sound amazing for blues and hard rock.
I measured the True Grits with my cheap multimeter, and this is what I got:
Bridge: 13.0 kΩ
Neck: 9.2 kΩ
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They went quite far with DCR of the pickups. How is their output compared to 57 classics?
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They went quite far with DCR of the pickups. How is their output compared to 57 classics?
The TGs definitely have a PAF vibe similar to the Gibson pickups, but clearer, louder and with much tighter lows.
I've been playing them all night, and they are really growing on me. They are just stupidly versatile pickups. I also have to backtrack on not using them for metal. I spent some time with my OwnHammer 'Heavy Hitters Collection' IR library tonight, and they sound great and insanely tight when paired up with the right amp and cab.
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The b and e strings were too far away from the pole pieces on the bridge pickup, so I replaced it with the 53mm version. I also measured this one before installing it and was surprised to see, that it was 14.0 kΩ instead of 13.0 kΩ. Does 50mm and 53mm normally differ in DC Resistance?
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Do they resemble to a SD 59? are the true grit much hotter?
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They went quite far with DCR of the pickups. How is their output compared to 57 classics?
The TGs definitely have a PAF vibe similar to the Gibson pickups, but clearer, louder and with much tighter lows.
Would you describe them as an improved 498T/490R type of set?
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Yeah, I'm not sure why BK is being cagey with the specs, when they post them for the other pickups right there on the website (wire gauge and everything). Maybe to avoid seeming too "guitar nerdy" for the average Joe?
All I know is Nolly's comment that they're between the VHII and Rebel Yell in output (which is exactly what I wanted), and PAF-flavored. Having had both the VHII and RY, I'll definitely be able to verify that claim when my new guitar is built :).
Hey @nikosteph just wondering if you ever got to play the True Grit's in your new guitar, and if so what do you think?
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I only have the 53mm bridge, open coil, in a Schecter C-1 Blackjack SLS FR-S (it has a Sustainiac in the neck position). It replaced a ceramic Black Hawk, which replaced a Seymour Duncan Full Shred.
It's definitely not as hot as the Black Hawk. It's not quite as hot as the Full Shred, but close.
I have the guitar tuned to Eb for '80s action.
I haven't tried a Holy Diver but based on clips I would say that it is somewhere between the Emerald (which I have tried) and the Holy Diver in tone. Like a fatter Emerald.
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I only have the bridge pickup. I would describe it as a pickup with a hot PAF voicing but the output of a medium output pickup.
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I only have the bridge pickup. I would describe it as a pickup with a hot PAF voicing but the output of a medium output pickup.
Do you have it in a short scale or long scale guitar, and in what woods? How would you describe the low end and the top end of the pickup?
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The guitar it is in is a Telecaster Deluxe partscaster. It has a Warmoth ash body, a Fender MIM roasted maple neck with pau ferro board, 25 1/2 scale, a Callaham hardtail bridge with 3 compensated brass telecaster saddles. 500k audio volume and tone pots. Tone pot is a push-pull that allows me to use the coils in parallel instead of in series.
The low end is punchy but not huge (which I like), and the top end is smooth but since I did not try it in any other guitar I don't know how much exactly the guitar is contributing to the tone. Since I had various pickups in that guitar I know that it has quite a bit of low mids and soft highs. The only pickup that made the guitar sound more aggressive was the DiMarzio Norton - to the point of being too aggressive.
Cheers Stephan
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I only have the bridge pickup. I would describe it as a pickup with a hot PAF voicing but the output of a medium output pickup.
Have you tried an Abraxas? Your description sounds similar.
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from both sound and spec, I'd say it's kinda somewhere between the holy diver and the black dog, but more balanced than both, and yes, could be compared to a 498t or custom 5, but actually pretty good sounding (not a fan of the 498t, and duncan customs are too compressed for me)
it has a chunkier but tighter low end response than the holy diver, but less compression and a bit less pronounced mids
I wouldn't compare it to any kind of PAF
it's a hot rod medium-high output humbucker, but not a hot PAF
I mean... it sounds more like Jerry Cantrell than like Page or something
it delivers a big crunchy tone with lots of sustain, but not as smooth and compressed as a holy diver, not as open, middy, bright and tight as the rebel yell
it's more balanced through frequencies than the mentioned models, although I prefer the extreme mids of the others
the neck pup is quite different, though... more of a dimarzio type voicing than gibson, maybe(?), but also pretty balanced and not really PAFey nor ultra modern
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The guitar it is in is a Telecaster Deluxe partscaster. It has a Warmoth ash body, a Fender MIM roasted maple neck with pau ferro board, 25 1/2 scale, a Callaham hardtail bridge with 3 compensated brass telecaster saddles. 500k audio volume and tone pots. Tone pot is a push-pull that allows me to use the coils in parallel instead of in series.
The low end is punchy but not huge (which I like), and the top end is smooth but since I did not try it in any other guitar I don't know how much exactly the guitar is contributing to the tone. Since I had various pickups in that guitar I know that it has quite a bit of low mids and soft highs. The only pickup that made the guitar sound more aggressive was the DiMarzio Norton - to the point of being too aggressive.
Cheers Stephan
Thanks for that info and description Stephan. That helps me.
from both sound and spec, I'd say it's kinda somewhere between the holy diver and the black dog, but more balanced than both, and yes, could be compared to a 498t or custom 5, but actually pretty good sounding (not a fan of the 498t, and duncan customs are too compressed for me)
it has a chunkier but tighter low end response than the holy diver, but less compression and a bit less pronounced mids
I wouldn't compare it to any kind of PAF
it's a hot rod medium-high output humbucker, but not a hot PAF
I mean... it sounds more like Jerry Cantrell than like Page or something
it delivers a big crunchy tone with lots of sustain, but not as smooth and compressed as a holy diver, not as open, middy, bright and tight as the rebel yell
it's more balanced through frequencies than the mentioned models, although I prefer the extreme mids of the others
the neck pup is quite different, though... more of a dimarzio type voicing than gibson, maybe(?), but also pretty balanced and not really PAFey nor ultra modern
Thanks for that description. It’s really helpful.
I’m between this set and the Polymaths. Not many video reviews of either set and not any playing through guitars or amps that I am familiar with to get a solid idea of where each set sits tonally compared to other pickups.
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I only have the bridge pickup. I would describe it as a pickup with a hot PAF voicing but the output of a medium output pickup.
Have you tried an Abraxas? Your description sounds similar.
Very different pickups. The Abraxas (bridge) has a lot more mids. The True Grit bridge is sharper and more articulate.
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Before I bought a True Grit Bridge humbucker, I was also looking descriptions of its tonal properties.
I would describe the True Grit bridge humbucker, as neutral sounding, with slightly "nasal" mids that (for some reason) I relate to more vintage style PUs. Notes are "gritty" and have a "glassy" quality to them. Chords have some crunch to them. The bottom end picking response is more on the squishy side.
There is a video on Youtube from someone with the True Grits installed in a black SG. If find the video audio quite representative of the TG's character.
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I just installed the bridge in a HSH strat, the True Grit humbucker sounds similar to a black dog but with beefier mids and higher output. It's similar voicing as the BD, but pushes the gain easier and more compressed.
I had the Silo set prior, but the bridge humbucker was too trebly for my tastes. The output is surprisingly about the same (13.7 k ohms on true grit and 15.7k ohms on the silo). And the silo pick up is not a bad pick up at all, it's definitely got a voice and does it's thing well.
Between the two I prefer the TG, although it's still a hot pick up, it's easier to tame for versatility if that makes sense.
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The Silo being too trebly? Seems to me Silos are the second most Lows heavy pickup after the Warpig...
Anyway. I just received a set and I'll post an update soon to compare it to the Abraxas set I have in my PRS S2 24. Been chasing the ultimate Opeth pickups and my Abraxases are almoooost there, just a tad too polite. But Rebel Yells, Cold Sweats etc have all been way too hot for that demanding style.
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Sorry, after playing with these a couple hours.
Not really hotter than the Abraxas, a bit more aggressive in the highs, and where the Abraxas is breathing and purring really openly, the True Grits are fattier and juicier. One could say they are more modern indeed. They have this chunkiness in the low-mids but the lowest of the lows are actually quite tight. I don't love them more than the Abraxas (which truly are a gem of a pickup), but they are going to stay in for a while until I find a guitar that will be their final home. Probably going to stay on a full mahogany guitar, been eyeing getting a Gibson V for a while.
Anyway, due to their more compressed character, though slightly weaker output, I would definitively say they sound more modern than the Rebel Yell. They have more tighter lows, more low-mids and more aggressive trebles when the RY has this small but round low end, big open hairy push in the mids and high-mids, and more vintage trebles.
Hopefully this small review will come fatten Google results and help with the lack of True Grit and Bootcamp reviews around here.
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Sorry, after playing with these a couple hours.
Not really hotter than the Abraxas, a bit more aggressive in the highs, and where the Abraxas is breathing and purring really openly, the True Grits are fattier and juicier. One could say they are more modern indeed. They have this chunkiness in the low-mids but the lowest of the lows are actually quite tight. I don't love them more than the Abraxas (which truly are a gem of a pickup), but they are going to stay in for a while until I find a guitar that will be their final home. Probably going to stay on a full mahogany guitar, been eyeing getting a Gibson V for a while.
Anyway, do to their more compressed character, though slightly weaker output, I would definitively say they sound more modern than the Rebel Yell. They have more tighter lows, more low-mids and more aggressive trebles when the RY has this small but round low end, big open hairy push in the mids and high-mids, and more vintage trebles.
Hopefully this small review will come fatten Google results and help with the lack of True Grit and Bootcamp reviews around here.
I agree 99% with this review. My only difference is I find the TG slightly hotter than the Abraxas, but it could be related to slight mismatches in pickup height.
The TG humbuckers are fantastic for the price point (Abraxas and Polymath are still my faves). I did decide to keep the TG in my 86 Charvel #4 and it fits that guitar wonderfully.
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You're right, it is slightly higher output but it's hard to feel it because the expanded dynamic of the Abraxas gives it a more rock and roll baby feeling.
With pickups that compress a lot, you always have that feeling that it's "contained", which I'm not a fan of. But it does push your amp harder.
I see that setting the TG a bit further away from the string does help a lot making the grain hairier, opening up its sound.
I would be interested to hear your thoughts on how the TG and the Polymath compare.
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True Grit is a great pickup... I have used it in a few guitars, and liked it, but they ultimately got switched out for something different. Of the standard line pickups, I think the Abraxas comes real close to the output and growl of the true grit, but retains some of the PAF vibe. I absolutly love the Abraxas in my PRS CE24. It had a polymath in it at one time, but ended up going to the Abraxas because it matched better with the Mississippi Queen HSP90 I have in the neck (which is one of my all time favorite pickups, and will never leave that guitar).
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True Grit is a great pickup... I have used it in a few guitars, and liked it, but they ultimately got switched out for something different. Of the standard line pickups, I think the Abraxas comes real close to the output and growl of the true grit, but retains some of the PAF vibe. I absolutly love the Abraxas in my PRS CE24. It had a polymath in it at one time, but ended up going to the Abraxas because it matched better with the Mississippi Queen HSP90 I have in the neck (which is one of my all time favorite pickups, and will never leave that guitar).
I agree 100%. I find the TG has a tad more output and bite than the Abraxas, but both are great. I am also a huge Polymath fan.
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The original idea for the Bootcamp series was to be a starting ground for people getting into pickups. With our main range there are so many models and options and sometimes even shops have a hard time knowing what to recommend to their customers.
So Tim brought out the Bootcamp range to really simplify this for anyone just getting into pickups.
The Bootcamp range is made with the exact same materials and the exact same way as our other ranges. But by having them available in limited options meant we did not need to build to order and could production wind and build them thus making them more time efficient to wind/build saving on labour costs, which is reflected in their cheaper price.
They were never intended to be compared, just to stand out on their own and sound great at the area of tone they target.
The Old Guard for blues, jazz through to classic rock.
The True Grit for hot blues through to progressive rock.
The Brute Force for high gain application, thrash, and extreme metal.
I hope you all find this helpful and, of course, feel free to always contact us.
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I have True Grits in a Les Paul and I think they sound great. There's a wonderful touch sensitivity to them. They growl too! For similarities, I really like a Seymour Duncan Custom SH-5 in a bridge too. They both have similar playability and tone in that they are like PAFs on steroids.
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True Grit is a great pickup... I have used it in a few guitars, and liked it, but they ultimately got switched out for something different. Of the standard line pickups, I think the Abraxas comes real close to the output and growl of the true grit, but retains some of the PAF vibe. I absolutly love the Abraxas in my PRS CE24. It had a polymath in it at one time, but ended up going to the Abraxas because it matched better with the Mississippi Queen HSP90 I have in the neck (which is one of my all time favorite pickups, and will never leave that guitar).
The Abraxas is really an interesting pickup. I've been playing a cover of Death Certificate of Carcass for fun, and they sound exactly in place there, especially on the solo. They can really hit hard for old school metal.