What was your first thought on playing your first BK?

[rohlfo]

"Man, it's just like 'aaaaaaaah', could go on for ever, I mean, go away have a cup of tea, come back and it'll be still going"

:lol:

Damn right, you know what I was quoting  :D best.film.ever! lol
My band actually started with me and my bassist jamming through Spinal Tap songs, and I'm a proud owner of both albums, the single, and even the single on vinyl (although terribly scratched and without the cover and sleeve....)

[Twinfan]

We're thinking about doing a Tap song in Doppleganger  :)

[rohlfo]

ooooo, have me as a guest appearance, please!

[Zaned]

My first thoughts: 'Yeah baby yeah!'



Then I noticed the bloat-free and singing CS neck pickup, besides of that aggressive-but-organic CS bridge.

Zaned

[Roobubba]

Like Twinfan, my first response was something along the lines of "Hmm, doesn't seem to sound any different... maybe a bit quieter". I was playing through stock Ibanez INF2 pickups in my RG series. Over time, and with plenty of pickup height playing, I began to work out what makes the Miracle Man pickups tick, and how to get the really brutal tones out of them, retaining a good amount of bite and crunch, and of course all of that tight ceramic goodness!
As it happens, I also play the strings very hard, I wonder if this trait leads to fewer noticeable differences between pickups/guitars?

Roo

[ericsabbath]

*plein*
"well... sounds ok... "  :|

*plein*plein*
"uh... wait"  :roll:

*pleeewwueeennn*
*plewuewunnnweeennn*
"hmmm..."   :uhu:

*jamjamjamjamjammmmm*pumpeerooloolooo*jammmm*
"damn... this is good"   :good:

*wueeeeeewwnnnnnn*
*bululululubulululubululubeewnnnnnn*
"OMG"  :crazy2:

*ploin*chugggachugga*ploin*chuggachuggachuggachugga*
*ploin*chugggachugga*ploin*chuggachuggachuggachugga*
"WRRRAAAARRRR MORE BKP'S"  :wallbash:

[Twinfan]

As it happens, I also play the strings very hard, I wonder if this trait leads to fewer noticeable differences between pickups/guitars?

I definitely think so.  As MartinW will tell you, I sound like me whether I'm playing a PRS McCarty through a Marshall-style half stack or a Tele through my Deluxe!

[Antag]

My first BKP went into my first Warmoth self-build so my initial thought was one of relief that it worked :lol:

[Philly Q]

I thought "They don't sound that much better than the old ones..."  :oops:

Over time I've come to appreciate my Riff Raffs more.

Yeah, I had a similar experience with my Riff Raff, it's not a "knock you out" type of sound. 

I was replacing a DiMarzio Fred, which I still think is a very decent pickup (the SG had previously had a Gibson 490T, DiMarzio MegaDrive and Gibson 500T).  The Riff Raff has really grown on me though - and it's still in the guitar.

[gwEm]

my first set was a riff raff set, was quite different to the high output pickups I was replacing. however I thought - ah! thats exactly the sound i want.

[MDV]

(I recently bought a LP Classic BECAUSE I wanted more BK's...."somebody get me a doctor"!!)

Been there, done that!

I now look at guitars, or play them and listen to the acoustic tone, and think what BK would go well in them!

[_tom_]

I thought "hmm this is quite similar to the stock epiphone pickups :? "

Then I turned up the amp a bit and it was much clearer, more 3d and generally better than before, but with the same kind of tone. I suppose thats to be expected as the Epis are meant to be PAFs as well I think.

Changing out the stock pickups in my Pearl was more of a difference though, the epiphone ones in that are bloody awful - no clarity and "feel" if that makes sense. Putting in the Bareknuckles (even the Rebel Yell which I dont like much) made it feel like my Epiphone with Mules. I cant explain it but the feel of Bareknuckles is so much better than those stock pickups, with stock it feels like theyre dead and dont react too well but you can really dig in and feel/hear the difference more with BKPs.

[38thBeatle]

My initial thoughts were - wow these are damn good. It just got better from thereon.

[maverickf1jockey]

I didn't notice a stark difference at first but then again I don't actually hear myself play, if you understand what I mean (I wasn't loud enough for starters to hear the amp properly; the amp being a hybrid, now replaced, and also I hear more of the mistakes, sometimes some which are imperceptible at playback, as my perception of time and rhythm is distorted by the act of playing the guitar as opposed to listening to it.).

They have grown on me as I have improved other aspects of my gear and my playing.

[ailean]

I played my first set through a Microcube, but even through that I could hear more detail and immediacy to the sound. I was a little underwelmed though after all I'd heard (so I bought a new amp :) )

However, since then I've got a better amp, and with subsequent upgrades I appriciate the differences a BKP make more and more, there is so much more going on.

I recently pulled out my Tokai 335 replica with stock pickups, plugged it in, and was deeply disappointed within seconds, the depth of sound was missing, and it just wasn't as clear.