Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: Muso on August 24, 2006, 04:09:19 PM

Title: Rebel Yell review and comparison - no technical terms!
Post by: Muso on August 24, 2006, 04:09:19 PM
I've never reviewed anything in my life so bare with me as I try to explain.

Basically I have this very cool vintage 1980s Fender Hm strat which has been customised by Feline guitars (an excellent job) Originally it was fitted with Holy Divers (mark 1's) I never really got on well with these pickups I found them a little bit harsh. Anyway I basically got a seymour duncan JB which I liked the tone of but again it wasn't quite there. again I replaced this with a Nailbomb which I must say is the 2nd best pickup I've tried. I was intruged with the Rebel Yell as I'm a huge fan of Steve Stevens tone so I thought I would get one.
What can I say, this is the best pickup I've ever used. Distorted it packs a mean punch and is quite bright so you can still hear that string tone which sometimes is lacking with distorsion on. With a clean channel it sounds almost like a single coil its crisp and not too twangy.
Compared to the the nailbomb I would less the output is only slightly less, its brighter and tighter. There is less gain on the rebel yell as well but it seems to have more sustain which makes bends sound that bit better.
I personally think that with this pickup you are working from a great building block all you need to worry about is the amp and your playing.
I am mostly a hard rock/metal player stuck in the 80s and I'm playing tones like Gary Moore, Thin Lizzy, Dokken, Billy Idol, Def Leppard etc. I'm working on a White Lion recording at the moment which I should have up fairly soon which will be done completely with the Rebel Yell.

Review ends.......
Title: Rebel Yell review and comparison - no technical terms!
Post by: Eric on August 24, 2006, 04:56:06 PM
Great review Muso!

What amp are you using?
Title: Rebel Yell review and comparison - no technical terms!
Post by: Philly Q on August 24, 2006, 05:19:40 PM
Thanks Muso, I have a RY ready to go into my guitar and from your review it sounds just what I was hoping for!
Title: Rebel Yell review and comparison - no technical terms!
Post by: Trendkiller on September 02, 2006, 10:34:02 AM
Nice review!
I use R.Y.'s in my Jackson V's. I'm VERY happy with the tone.
The R.Y's made those guitars sound huge, fat and clear. With a Vintage vibe on top. Great pick-ups. :)
Title: Rebel Yell review and comparison - no technical terms!
Post by: 38thBeatle on September 02, 2006, 05:36:10 PM
Interesting stuff Muso.
Title: Rebel Yell review and comparison - no technical terms!
Post by: robyogi on September 02, 2006, 07:01:22 PM
Thanks for the comparisons - very helpful to hear some feedback about RYs in a Fender.
Title: Rebel Yell review and comparison - no technical terms!
Post by: lulusg on September 02, 2006, 09:14:11 PM
Big thing these RYs, I find their sonic qualit(ies) complex :)
Title: Rebel Yell review and comparison - no technical terms!
Post by: fps_dean on September 05, 2006, 10:55:32 AM
Review is pretty much right on.

The Rebel yells iny my Les Paul do the 80s hard rock/metal tones (not the really cheesy stuff thou, the stuff with GOOD tone, like say Gary Moore's hard rock era for example) real well but they're also excellent for some 70s hard rock as well like Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, etc as well...  nice and bright and clear and dynamic too and with my Vox the cleans are so perfect I could play jazz on them.... one of the best clean tones I have ever heard!

They'll do anything but the real heavy stuff very well.
Title: Rebel Yell review and comparison - no technical terms!
Post by: Trendkiller on September 05, 2006, 04:48:13 PM
Hmmm?
Not the heavy stuff?
Well, I've NEVER had a pick up in my Jackson V's that do "better" metal than the R.Y.'s.  They are great for "Sabbath-Pantera" style, and for real down-tuned stuff as well.
So, IMO the R.Y. are KILLER for metal as well.
Amazing pickups! 8)