How about better names of BKP's single coils?

[il˙ti]

If I liked single coils, I would get Trilogy Suites just for the Yngwie reference. I'm that biased. As with humbuckers... I just want them all.

[Roobubba]

The names confuse me greatly, because I don't get about 90% of the references.

That means I just come on here and read about them instead, so it's not like a big handicap (although I'd be terrible in a music section of a pub quiz!).

With that said, the naming is a bit annoying for me, and is the only part of the current BKP empire I'd suggest needs any form of change - but at the same time, I realise I'm just dimwitted, and that's my problem, not anyone else's.

Roo

[_tom_]

Why would anyone buy a pickup based on the name alone anyway? I wouldnt buy an SD Custom Custom then think "hmm this doesnt sound very custom to my ears!", I'd think "this pickup is rubbish in every guitar I've tried it in due to far too many weird mids"

It's only there to give a general idea, and if you read the descriptions or email Tim you'll get a better idea of what sort of sound you'll be getting from the pickups rather than just reading the name.

[PhilKing]

I've stayed away from this up to now, because for me when I first started most of the names were meaningless to me anyway, so I usually call Tim and sort out what I want.  This is how I have ended up with all the pickups I have (including some AV Apaches and some pre-production pickups!). 

When I first saw the Geoff Whitehorn add for BK's, I checked on line and saw reviews on HC, and then emailed BK.  Tim was very fast answering me, and after trading a couple of emails I decided a phone call would work better. An hour or so on the phone later and I had ordered my first 5 BK's  :roll:  Once I heard them I was ready for more, so another couple of phone calls, and I had my next few sets.  I was lucky enough to be asked to help out at LGS in 2005 (I used to work in music retail many years ago, and was living in London at the time).  That year Feline and Keely were sharing the stand, so I got to try lots of Felines with BK's, as well as some of Tim's guitars.  I must have been OK on the stand because I have been invited back to the other shows!! All of this has allowed me to hear lots of BK's and also to talk to lots of people about the pickups.  There really is no substitute for research.  I can understand if you are in a dealer's and see them in a box, but the dealer should be able to advise you about the sound to expect.

This weekend I will be taking a couple of guitars to my local music shop in Hoboken (Guitar Bar).  They are a small shop but have quite a good range of effects and parts, and are nice guys in general.  They also have good prices on strings!  Anyway I will take my 57 strat with Apaches, and probably an LP with PG Blues (I bought it from one of the guys there about 8 years ago when he was working at Hoboken Vintage Guitars).  I doubt that Apache will mean anything much to them other than native American Indians, PG Blues may have more meaning.  Howver I am sure that when they hear them they will know what Tim was getting at.

My point is that the names are just for rough guidance and you can't beat research.  The names haven't made me buy or not buy pickups. I don't have Yardbirds (I like the band - but I have a 62 tele, and these are that sound [they nail it]), Boss (not a big Springsteen fan, but the Black Guards came out when I was about to get a Boss set, and I pefered them), Country Boy's (Albert Lee is good, but I prefer the rockier tele sounds), Sinners (I like Judas Priest, but just haven't come up with a reason for Sinners), BKP-92 (but I do have a Pig-90 - I may get 92's at some point - I am a big P-90 fan). 

[Chris Rowberry]

As many others have said the pickup names are simply a guidance to help you get as near to the sound you are after. If we named them specifically after a player as such im willing to bet we would get alot of people asking BKP to make pickups based on every other guitarist out there :)

We give anyone the option of Email or phoning us where they will get the best advice we can give should they still have difficulty choosing pickups.

[tomjackson]

As everybody has said the names are just a rough guide but I'm seriously put of Apache's because I think of geeks with big glasses.

Which is a shame......Still want them though

But the names are better than some manufacturers with Blues, vintage Blues, overwound rock blues and all that cr@p, at least the BK naming system gets you to the right decade.

Other than that I wish I could actually afford some more, based on the 1 set I own I know I'd be happy with Apache's Mother's milk or IT's just because they would all be better than some of the cr@p fender have turned out over the last 20 years.....

[Philly Q]

As everybody has said the names are just a rough guide but I'm seriously put of Apache's because I think of geeks with big glasses.

Presumably that would also apply if the name was changed to a Buddy Holly song title.


(Disclaimer: I'm not saying either HM or BH is/was a geek really.... )

[badgermark]

Meh. The way i approach the BKP line is by decade. Apaches- 50s, MM- 60s, ITs-70s, TS- 80s/90s, sinner- mental.

Same can be kinda applied to the humbuckers, but i think Tim had different guitars in mind. Like the Holydiver is a 80s based rock machine- in an alder body. Compare to the black dogs vs VHII, roughly same decade in rock but different guitars in mind- LP vs superstrats.

Ooft that's a lot of abbreviations.

[Dreichlift]

Breed, Evolution, Tone Zone, X2N, Air Norton, FRED, Pearly Gates, Stag Mag, Blackouts....etc

How do these names give any indication as to the sound of the pickups?

At least Bareknuckles refer to a musical reference that even if you don't know it you can look up, it's a lot more help than even charts and random measurements of resistance are able to offer to someone who doesn't understand them.

[Philly Q]

Breed, Evolution, Tone Zone, X2N, Air Norton, FRED, Pearly Gates, Stag Mag, Blackouts....etc

How do these names give any indication as to the sound of the pickups?

At least Bareknuckles refer to a musical reference that even if you don't know it you can look up, it's a lot more help than even charts and random measurements of resistance are able to offer to someone who doesn't understand them.

Well again, some of those names mean something if you "get" the reference - Pearly Gates being Billy Gibbons' Les Paul, for example.  And although Breed, Evolution and FRED mean nothing in themselves, if you're aware of the Vai and Satriani connections you have some idea what to expect.  But some of the other names tell you nothing at all - especially Norton, which is totally meaningless.

But I agree, none of them are any more helpful than the BKP names.

[Ted]

I'm not sure what kind of response you were after with your post. 

The current naming system is (quite) helpful and I understand it now having participated in forum discussion for some time. I still however don't understand how some of the buckers differ from the others, but thats another matter.

Its all well and good thinking about how things could be improved and typing a long old post justifying your thoughts. Fair enough.

But what you have to do is put yourself in Tim's shoes. Why would he want to do this? How would it improve the BKP offer. It would no doubt be costly...marketing, new packaging, re-educating the dealers. Seems like a lot of work / expense for what purpose? Surely in the current economic climate you'd want to stay on top of your costs. 

Also what's with the Stones bashing... :(

[Philly Q]

Also what's with the Stones bashing... :(

Was that me?  Not bashing really, I'm sure they're a great band to achieve such success over such a long time.  But they don't do anything for me, never have I'm afraid.