Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: Jinskee on April 07, 2007, 10:02:23 AM

Title: Do people here like Mules?
Post by: Jinskee on April 07, 2007, 10:02:23 AM

I have a pair in my guitar and I love it to bits...although it is quite dirty as itself (I've tried wiping it off with water, but apparently, it just leaves more smudges. :? ).

All I've been seeing on this forum are people drooling over miracle man's, rebel yells, nailbombs, etc. I hear they're sick pups in their own regards (I plan to put a nailbomb in my next gutiar), but still, do any of you own mules aswell?


Anywho, who out there loves mules!?

Title: Do people here like Mules?
Post by: steve on April 07, 2007, 10:40:43 AM

The Mule must be one of the most popular BK models. Just look in the players room there as many Mule clips as any other model. I have two in two different guitars. They are great.

Title: Do people here like Mules?
Post by: _tom_ on April 07, 2007, 10:53:30 AM

I love my LP with Mules. I just got a Rebel Yell for my Charvel but the Mule'd LP is still my favourite.. it just sounds perfect :)

Title: Do people here like Mules?
Post by: 808 on April 07, 2007, 11:16:49 AM

I haven't played my  LP Standard since I put the Mules in my Classic.

I have SDs in my Standard....something I hope to remedy soon!

Title: Do people here like Mules?
Post by: Fourth Feline on April 07, 2007, 12:39:57 PM

I love my own Les Paul equiped with Mules ! They really breathed new and expressive life into the guitar. I also fitted a DPDT switch on one of the tone controls ( as Snowy White did on his famous '57 Goldtop) for nice nasal sounding tones when needed.

I think they get mentioned slightly less, only because the forum seems s little  biased towards the 'Metal' end of the spectrum.

Stormy Mondays, Mules,  Riff Raffs and the 'Peter Green' custom builds tend to appeal more to the retro and "retro with balls" crowd.

(old geezers like me )  :lol:

Title: Do people here like Mules?
Post by: dave_mc on April 07, 2007, 04:23:20 PM

i'm definitely going to get a set when I get round to getting a LP or similar style of guitar.

Title: Do people here like Mules?
Post by: horsehead on April 07, 2007, 06:48:18 PM

I'm getting a set for my Tokai when I sell one of my other guitars...what them to sound all pretty like

Title: Do people here like Mules?
Post by: everton_fc on April 07, 2007, 10:20:59 PM

Put a set in my old '76 yamaha SG and it sounds the mutts gonads.

Title: Do people here like Mules?
Post by: Peter Antal on April 08, 2007, 12:02:18 AM

I have a set in the guitar you see in my avatar. They're great pickups.

Title: Do people here like Mules?
Post by: rockguitarstar on April 08, 2007, 04:44:00 AM

yeah dude I love my mule set of Alnico II's, I have them in my PRS singlecut standard and they are like all Bareknuckle's, super clear and responsive...  The mules have a nice throaty growl and the neck is super clear but not overly bright, it balances out very well and they hold up super well under high gain situations...

Title: Do people here like Mules?
Post by: CJ on April 08, 2007, 05:40:43 AM

i figure they'd sound great in my 1982 Gibson LP XR-1. if only money was easier to get... really, who wants to work?

Title: Do people here like Mules?
Post by: Twinfan on April 08, 2007, 11:10:14 AM

I have a set on order for my LP after having one in my old Gordon Smith.  I thought it was fantastic - my favourite sound of all my guitars.  I'm REALLY looking forward to hearing my LP once it's been BKP'd  :D

Quote from: Fourth Feline

Stormy Mondays, Mules,  Riff Raffs and the 'Peter Green' custom builds tend to appeal more to the retro and "retro with balls" crowd.

The man's right.  There is a large Metal 'bias' on the forum, but the 'old school' pickups are where it's at for me.  Just need to get another SG so I can put a set of Stomy Mondays in it...

Title: Do people here like Mules?
Post by: Jinskee on April 08, 2007, 11:44:08 AM

Yeah, i've been seeing some metal bias aswell.

But it's great to see a lot of BKP owners enjoy Mules! :)

Title: Do people here like Mules?
Post by: 808 on April 09, 2007, 02:17:55 AM

I love my Mules and I'm only 32-years-old!

I've been going back in time with my playing, because nothing new inspires me!

Title: Do people here like Mules?
Post by: Jinskee on April 09, 2007, 05:38:16 AM

Quote from: 808

I love my Mules and I'm only 32-years-old!

I've been going back in time with my playing, because nothing new inspires me!

Yeah!

I was actually quite impressed with the mules. Why? Because I threw everything (that was apart of my style) at it and from then on, I fell in love with the pups! It's more like something htat grows on you, but I actually like these lower output pick ups...they're quite versatile!

I guess Tim wasn't lieing.  :lol:

Title: Do people here like Mules?
Post by: Simon D on April 10, 2007, 09:18:32 PM

Quote from: 808

I love my Mules and I'm only 32-years-old!

I'm only 25, and I cannot put down my Epi LP since I installed my Mules. Even though I experiment with quite a bit of heavy stuff, I always keep coming back to classic rock and blues, and for those styles you really will struggle to find a better pickup.

Title: Do people here like Mules?
Post by: Jinskee on April 12, 2007, 08:52:48 AM

:D

Well, seems like everyone's enjoying their pups!


I just have a quick questions though...


How would you tell if your pick ups were soldered wrong or are too high or low? Why you ask? Well, I was just wondering just to make sure that the dudes at the shop did my pups well in, which I'm sure they did, these things sound awesome!

Title: Do people here like Mules?
Post by: Fourth Feline on April 12, 2007, 02:48:29 PM

Hi Jinskee,

You should have no problems, Tim clearly labels each pair of pick up wires - and even if the chaps at the shop are drunk at the time, you will be able to notice if the toggle switch on your guitar gives you the opposite effect when selected ( i.e. more mellow in the treble position ). As to pickup heights, Tim recommends between 2-3mm gap from the underside of the string to pole piece, with the strings held down at the last fret. Then adjust to taste. I tend to like nearer 3mm + for sweetness, some like 2mm for real 'bite'.

Bear in mind that on a Les Paul, the bridge pickup will look a lot higher up than the neck even with the above gaps are set about equal.

Enjoy !  :D

Title: Do people here like Mules?
Post by: Brow on April 12, 2007, 03:09:01 PM

I have a set of Alnico IV Mules in my Gibson LP and love em' :)

Title: Do people here like Mules?
Post by: JonnyScaramanga on April 12, 2007, 05:27:34 PM

Yeah, I'm very pleased with my Mules so far. I don't think of them as classic rock pickups, really. They're just good pickups; I decide what sound they make.

I haven't had them long, but so far everything suggests that I can make any humbucker-tone with them. *Controversial bit alert* I now think that high output pickups are for girls... Just play harder, you wuss!  :lol:

Title: Do people here like Mules?
Post by: Twinfan on April 12, 2007, 07:43:31 PM

Hurrah!  My Mules have arrived!!!!!  I'm fitting them at the moment and can't wait to fire them up!

(Just on the PC to check out proper 50s spec wiring for it in case you're wondering  ;) )

Title: Do people here like Mules?
Post by: 808 on April 13, 2007, 01:26:50 AM

Great!!!!

Can't wait to hear some clips! 8)

Title: Do people here like Mules?
Post by: Jinskee on April 13, 2007, 02:43:09 AM

Cheers fourth!


And grats on getting the mules. :)

Title: Do people here like Mules?
Post by: CJ on April 13, 2007, 02:53:00 AM

Quote from: Fourth Feline

Hi Jinskee,

You should have no problems, Tim clearly labels each pair of pick up wires - and even if the chaps at the shop are drunk at the time, you will be able to notice if the toggle switch on your guitar gives you the opposite effect when selected ( i.e. more mellow in the treble position ). As to pickup heights, Tim recommends between 2-3mm gap from the underside of the string to pole piece, with the strings held down at the last fret. Then adjust to taste. I tend to like nearer 3mm + for sweetness, some like 2mm for real 'bite'.

Bear in mind that on a Les Paul, the bridge pickup will look a lot higher up than the neck even with the above gaps are set about equal.

Enjoy !  :D

hehe my strings touch my neck pickup when i hit the 20th fret. i should fix that. its a real good way to turn a 22 fret guitar into a 24 though!

Title: Do people here like Mules?
Post by: JJretroTONEGOD on April 16, 2007, 02:29:16 AM

I love my Mule! It really does kick ass! It's a very well balanced p/up tone wise. I got mine fitted in my JJ Retro in the Bridge position, and man does it sound good!!! NO (words cannot defy tone this beautifull) The Mule is the alnico IV magnet type, which complimets the P90 BKP90 p/up Alnico II in the bridge.

I like to have the mule 2-3mm away from the strings, so I can get the grit/bite with higher volumes or a warm sweetness when I turn the volume down. I've not got one bad sound yet out of it! You should hear mules with a Vox AC30! I was close to dribbling and electrecuting myself, when a friend let me try out his limited edition AC30 with Greenbacks :lol:

Title: Do people here like Mules?
Post by: shaulin on April 16, 2007, 07:52:07 AM

Got one in the bridge position of my Washburn X50, with a mini switch
to split, love playing it.

Title: Do people here like Mules?
Post by: Jonesy on April 18, 2007, 04:39:45 PM

Iv ealways wondered how mules cope with guitar types other than LP's...

Apart from peter, I dont think ive heard of anyone using them in, say, a strat type guitar