Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

At The Back => Time Out => Topic started by: hunter on September 05, 2006, 04:33:09 PM

Title: why are BKP called "Bare Knuckle Pickups"?
Post by: hunter on September 05, 2006, 04:33:09 PM
I mean is it because they are strong, raw and earthy like a 1920s boxer, or is it because Tim is winding so many pickups, there is no more skin on the top of his hands or something else that I am missing as I'm a stupid German and not familiar with all the different meanings of subtle british namings?

Please enlighten me!
Title: why are BKP called "Bare Knuckle Pickups"?
Post by: WezV on September 05, 2006, 04:48:05 PM
because its a cool name i suppose.
Title: why are BKP called "Bare Knuckle Pickups"?
Post by: FELINEGUITARS on September 05, 2006, 04:57:45 PM
Tim is into martial arts so maybe the pugilistic name appealed to him

Also it has a vintage vibe , which Tim has instilled in his pickups - made the way they used to be sort of thing perhaps
Title: why are BKP called "Bare Knuckle Pickups"?
Post by: Sifu Ben on September 05, 2006, 05:42:25 PM
I did wonder. Do you know what martial arts he's into?
Title: why are BKP called "Bare Knuckle Pickups"?
Post by: Davey on September 05, 2006, 05:47:43 PM
Quote from: Sifu Ben
I did wonder. Do you know what martial arts he's into?

kickin' yer arse?
Title: why are BKP called "Bare Knuckle Pickups"?
Post by: Skybone on September 05, 2006, 05:52:19 PM
Maybe it's because they're the dog's bollocks?
Title: why are BKP called "Bare Knuckle Pickups"?
Post by: gwEm on September 05, 2006, 06:28:47 PM
bare knuckles would imply fighting with the gloves off... so hitting hard with no compromises?
Title: why are BKP called "Bare Knuckle Pickups"?
Post by: chrisola on September 05, 2006, 06:49:50 PM
OR it could mean that Tims designs are so entertaining they are illegal in the eyes of the law and people who like them should be feared down the pub ;)
Title: why are BKP called "Bare Knuckle Pickups"?
Post by: _tom_ on September 05, 2006, 07:00:03 PM
^haha, would probably only apply for Warpigs :twisted:
Title: why are BKP called "Bare Knuckle Pickups"?
Post by: tommyfobia on September 05, 2006, 08:53:57 PM
'Cos it sounds meaner than 'Bare Nipple Pickups'.  :wink:
Title: why are BKP called "Bare Knuckle Pickups"?
Post by: hunter on September 05, 2006, 08:56:20 PM
Quote from: tommyfobia
'Cos it sounds meaner than 'Bare Nipple Pickups'.  :wink:



LOOOOOOOOOOOL !!!!

 :o  :D  :o  :D  :o  :D  :o  :D  :o  :D  :o  :D  :o  :D  :o  :D
Title: why are BKP called "Bare Knuckle Pickups"?
Post by: Tim on September 05, 2006, 09:10:13 PM
You're all pretty much on the money.I teach a martial art called Hap Ki Do and it involves alot of bare hand fighting as well as weapons too but my interest has always been in empty hand stuff.When it came to a company name I always thought covered pickups looked like knuckledusters and in a passing comment my father in law mentioned bare knuckle fighters-the idea was born.It harks back to the good old days of bare knuckle fighting and evokes a fearless and uncompromising approach also it's very much an era when Made in Britain used to mean something.I've also built the pickups around vintage design values too-in other words making sure that the humbuckers follow the original design of the Gibson humbucker, likewise single coils to Fender spec(I'm talking materials and construction here not necessarily wind/voicing)-they were the first so it seemed natural and right to acknowledge their roll and importance in pickup design and work up from there.
Title: why are BKP called "Bare Knuckle Pickups"?
Post by: FELINEGUITARS on September 05, 2006, 09:49:59 PM
Excellent !!

Choosing a band name or a band name is tricky if you are not just naming after yourself, which is almost the easy way out.
Once chosen you sort of have to live with it and all the connotations that it conjures up, both positive or negative depending upon who is reading the name.

Tim has also been very clever/playful with the model names.
I never fail to be amazed or amused by them.
The one that usually takes explaining is the Mule as Warren Haynes isn't so well known over here and many folks don't know his role in the Allman Brother's band

I went through the whole choosing a name thing way back - it was 1988 to be fair.
I kind of decided on a whim  that it was what I wanted and then got to think about it for 9 years before going full time with the company.

I remember telling someone once when quizzed about the name(and they were taking the piss out of it to be fair) :

"I was always told that the guitar was in fact a penis extension, and thought that if I had to chose to have anything on the end of my knob I'd want it to be a little pussy."

On a more serious note it was the fact that I wanted to use cats eyes as a 12th fret inlay and also felt that cats have certain unique qualities like being graceful and stealth-like . Cats have the ability to be cosy and affectionate one minute and become an agile and fearless hunters the next, and I liked that concept.

I felt that the name evokes certain images and attributes that would be easily conjured up, and provided a lot of opportunity for play on words for marketing and advertising.
Title: why are BKP called "Bare Knuckle Pickups"?
Post by: chrisola on September 05, 2006, 10:10:02 PM
^ Your logo needs to have a real woman in that outfit in that position, to have hanging around at music shows and the workshop, for 'promotional purposes'


;)

On a serious note, both names make alot of sense, i dont think i could settle on a name if i ever tried to create my own brand.
Title: why are BKP called "Bare Knuckle Pickups"?
Post by: jt on September 06, 2006, 12:10:24 AM
:D The names "Feline" &  "Bare Knuckle" look so cool on my guitars !  :D

 :D  8)
Title: why are BKP called "Bare Knuckle Pickups"?
Post by: Philly Q on September 06, 2006, 12:15:36 AM
Quote from: Tim
I teach a martial art called Hap Ki Do.

Like the author Joe R. Lansdale, I believe.
Title: why are BKP called "Bare Knuckle Pickups"?
Post by: sambo on September 06, 2006, 01:14:01 AM
ahh reminds of a Chinese family i knew, they had a baby with learning difficulties and called it Sum Ting Wong...
Title: why are BKP called "Bare Knuckle Pickups"?
Post by: sambo on September 06, 2006, 01:15:58 AM
on a serious note... i think as Chris said... both names suit the product well... cause they evoke very strong imagery... exactly as Johnathon said about the cats and their gracefulness/stealth...
Title: why are BKP called "Bare Knuckle Pickups"?
Post by: Johnny Mac on September 06, 2006, 05:52:05 AM
Holy cow this is cool shitee!

OK ok Tim, this is true. I know this sounds like bollocks but my great great grandad used to fight in the 'Old Mother Red Cap' in Camden town. The pub is now called 'The Worlds End' and is so big it lacks any atmosphere but its got its good points. My great grandad was still with us untill 1988. I was 23 then. So you could say I tapped his brains a lot! Oh man the stories were fantstic. It also gave me a lot of answers as to why my familiy are so silly!!


Jonathon ok ok, I think I'll have the bird on the headstock. Light tops skinny bottoms! I'll phone you to clarify this.


Thanks for the Ideas fellas.

I love this place and now after a shite night I'm smiling again!!
Title: why are BKP called "Bare Knuckle Pickups"?
Post by: hunter on September 06, 2006, 08:03:39 AM
Cool stuff. I remember my initial associations when I saw a BKP ad for the first time.

I think I thought:
-outstanding
-powerful
-raw
-quality
-dedication
-special/non-mainstream

Guess this is a good brand that works then ...

Another side note on Tim's sports ambitions:
Quote from: Tim
I teach a martial art called Hap Ki Do and it involves alot of bare hand fighting

==> I'd say this is good as a well trained body just looks much better behind a guitar. I am working hard to hopefully fill that Stratocaster belly shape of my Tokai a little less in the future.

Re Feline. To be honest (and being German) I didn't get the whole cat thing unless you explained it. I thought Feline was the name of a woman or sth. I guess the thoughts behind the brand image are really good but maybe the execution is too subtle - that cat brand is not being penetrated enough. Maybe it's because I'm more of a dog guy :)
Title: why are BKP called "Bare Knuckle Pickups"?
Post by: JamesHealey on September 06, 2006, 08:36:03 AM
because they beat the absolute living shitee out of anything else? and if ya argue with em they're going to punch ya in the face!?
Title: why are BKP called "Bare Knuckle Pickups"?
Post by: JamesHealey on September 06, 2006, 08:37:29 AM
Quote
'Cos it sounds meaner than 'Bare Nipple Pickups'. Wink


When I sold a set of Miracle Mans to TommyFobia his dad text me saying "have you got the nipples" haha..
Title: why are BKP called "Bare Knuckle Pickups"?
Post by: rahnooo on September 06, 2006, 09:51:28 AM
Quote from: Tim
You're all pretty much on the money.I teach a martial art called Hap Ki Do


Interesting. I do a style of Jiu Jitsu that I'm told has borrowed a fair bit from Hap Ki Do, especially in terms of joint locking...
Title: why are BKP called "Bare Knuckle Pickups"?
Post by: Fubar on September 07, 2006, 10:26:52 AM
My ex-father in law did a lot of hapkido a while back, I've still got a training video of his by a guy called Master Hedges, that guy can do some seriously acrobatic kicks!

On a different note, i've been thinking about de-coupageing a picture of John L. Sullivan onto my telecaster...Would that count as advertising and qualify me for a discount?  :wink:  :lol: