Hi guys long time no post!
Just bought some new BKPs to fit a mate's SG and a Jbass (A set of Riff Raff and PBass/JBass BKP combo) the other day, I'm not gonna talk about them just now as I didn't test drive them enough. It just made be come back, hang out here and remember how cool a community it was. I owed you guys a review.
I play in a two guitars heavy progressive rock band. We're not particularly sound perfectionnists, gearheads, boutique amps lovers, pedals users or whatever... Guitars, tuners, single channel amps... Sometimes a few cool effects. Quite straightforward. We just want to develop our own sonic identity, complementing each others guitars, sounding raw and rock & roll.
BKPs have been very important in devising our tonal architecure.
We're Gibson guys, I mainly use an all mahogany Crawlered Smartwood LP (I love my Apached Strat too) and my mate plays a RYed Gibson V. We've been playing those quite extensively for more than two years now. And they still amaze us every time. Especially when another stock Gibson is laying around....
Overall impression I have on both those pups:
- they really clean up great (especially on the neck pup) retaining dynamic, trebles and detail. It's plain and simple: we never use clean channels anymore.
- They're really transparent and clear, translating faithfully what's being played. Never mushes up or hide your playing. You have to play better and be more precise, but it really brings out the tones you can get out of your right hand playing type. And the pinched harmonics too!
- In a serious mix, their personalities really shine.
- Since they are very transparent and have their own sound personality, I think that BKPs are quite sensitive to the amp they're plugged in.... And since they're so transparent they give the biggest sonic role back in your hands: indeed at the end of the day your playing has a bigger impact on your sound that most pieces of gear...
On the Crawler, the one I know best.
Well I'd also like to try out the HD in there and see how it compares to the Crawler in a 'fatty fat pup ballpark' but the Crawlers aren't going anywhere: thick, awesome fat mids, no sacrificed trebles or precision, not an ounce of harshness, never muddy (in an all mahogany LP!!), controlled basses, growly, dynamic, smooth and warm neck pup Slash would love...
The Crawlers are also extremely versatile especially with a split. Jazz? you got it: Neck pup in hb mode, volume and tone down a bit. Thick lead tone ala Slash/Santana? turn the volume full up. Funk? mid position, split coils, tones up and volumes half way et voilą! Country? just put on the bridge pup from there... The neck pup splitted is very Stratish too!! it's so ridiculously good it makes me laugh...
I recently discovered I was a Vox guy all along as the Crawlers work wonder with a cranked AC-15/30 producing this growly roar I was looking for...
On the Rebell Yell:
Another masterpiece. It is quite bright without ever being brittle. Clean they do sound single coilesque especially the neck.
Distorted they just beg for Marshall, their most natural match for rock. The combined upper mids emphasis produce a throaty scream, aggressive but not harsh, cutting without being thin, super tight, detailed and glorious... A joy in a mix where they really stand out. They clean up great and the single coil vibe makes the split unnecessary. Pinched harmonics are dead easy and can be super hi pitched... Really sensitive to the right hand playing. Complement the Crawlers awesomely in the lo/hi-mids game and create a compact wall of sound in a band situation...
Only downside we had with them was that they didn't like Fender or Vox amps nearly as much as Marshalls, sounding too bright at times, when the Crawlers maybe were a bit more flexible ampwise... but nothing major really...
Anyways, we got a recording session booked in early November in the best pro studios in Paris, be sure I'll post some stuffs here.
Am sure you will like to hear this tag team in action :)
Glad to see this place is still friendly and cool.
Cheers,
Machek
