Crawler - Finally went for it, good choice?

[HoratioCaine]

Hi there, I'm pretty new here.

Right, after a lot of comparing and searching, I have purchased my first BareKnuckle pickup.  It is a Crawler for my Charvel San Dimas 1h, alder body, the Fiesta Red one to replace the JB in it as I found it too over the top lets say.  I chose it over the likes of the Holy Diver .etc. as for what I wanted they sound like they may be a bit too modern and compressed.

It should from reading a bit on here about it be fine, however I'd just like ask on here if I have made a good choice.  All I'm after really is 80's simple chord rhythm and solo type stuff that doesn't really require too much gain like Britny Fox, Judas Priest, Winger, Warrant .etc, and also more vintage stuff along the lines of that, a good all round sound.

Any input appreciated, thanks.

[Telerocker]

Welcome here! For your musicstyle I personally would have picked the Holy Diver, since it is designed for 80's metal. The Crawler (I have this pu in the bridge in my superstrat/swampash) has more a hotrodded PAF-tone, suitable for bluesy, classic rock and hardrock. Nevertheless it growls very nice on my Orange Rockerverb and with the right amp I think it will do those metaltones too. The balanced eq, the output and the tone of the Crawler is appealing to me. It has some compression, but this helps to deliver smooth solotones. I don't know if this pickup is tight enough for metal, cause I don't play that kind of music. For me tight enough though. For sure the Crawler will shine in alder and it is definitely a good allrounder for many sorts of musicstyles. Hope this one does it for you.

[HoratioCaine]

Thanks for the welcome and your input.

From what you've said I think I should like it, as I was after the PAF style tone just hot rodded like you said.  For the sort of stuff I have mentioned to my ears it sounds more like that.  Mind you, everybody's ears are different.  I'll find out soon enough anyway.

[Telerocker]

Very true. Just to know that the Diver is not very compressed, I think the Crawler is bit more, but you will like it in the San Dimas to cover all kind of styles. This pickup cleans up great and you'll dig the noteseparation and clearness of BKP's. They don't mud up, even with highgain.

[darkbluemurder]

I have both the CR and the HD but not in the same guitar. Both are rather warm sounding pickups but none of them are muddy. I think either of them is good for your musical style.

Cheers Stephan

[HoratioCaine]

Thanks again for the additional help.  Well, BareKnuckle were very quick with this one, got an email telling me it has been dispatched today!  That's quality service there!

It will probably be a bit until the guitar is all up and running again, however once the pickup arrives I do have everything I planned to upgrade it with so I can get on with resurrecting her.

[HoratioCaine]

It has been a while, but I finally got my Charvel back together and set up with the Crawler in, along with installing the Big Brass Block.



I can't test it through my Jubilee yet, however plan to do it soon once I have cleared a few things out as then I have an ideal playing space.

[BigB]

Please let us know about your first impressions.... 

[darkbluemurder]

That is a beautiful guitar! Have fun with it.

Cheers Stephan

[Telerocker]

This screams 80's metal! Btw, you will love the Crawler. It can growl like a bear. Fiddle with the height to find the sweet spot.

[HoratioCaine]

Thanks for the positives.  I gave it a little try yesterday and its pretty nice, has just about the right amount of compression and openess without sounding fizzy/chainsaw like when the gain is pushed.

I reckon it will get better as well, since my Jubilee rig at the moment is not on full speed yet.  I need to replace the V1 5751 preamp tube which is going microphonic (I purchased a new one yesterday which should be here soon).  I also need to change the speakers in the 2x12 cab to V30's, as they sound a much better match than the G12 65's I have in at the moment, plus I just like V30's for what I want in general.

As a whole though, thumbs up so far!  The Charvel with the Crawler combined with the Marshall Jubilee will be 80s tastic!

[Telerocker]

Congrats! If you have it a bit closer to the strings, the uppermids/topend gets a little more aggressive and pinched harmonics are easier.

[HoratioCaine]

After you said that I actually raised it up a bit more I seemed to have found a sweet spot that suits me, so thanks for mentioning that!  I am getting a good Def Leppard type rock tone which is what I was after as well.

Anyway, instead of starting a new thread, I may as well just use this one as it is about the Charvel.

Basically I really like everything about this guitar, bar one thing, and that was it had no pickup ring.  Yeah I know it is more cosmetic than anything, however I just feel it would look complete with one on after seeing the other Charvels that have them.

I have seen people and sellers on eBay retro fit them on the Japense Pro Mods which have the same type of pickup placement without the ring on as mine (albeit for cosmetics and not actually mounting the pickup through their holes), and was just wondering if anyone could tell me where I could get a right sized cream pickup ring to fit over and any advice on how they fit them over please (I think they just drill four holes for in the body for the screws to secure the ring on)?

Thanks.

[Telerocker]

Just ask BKP if they can provide one. Personally I would leave it this way. Now it's looks like a stripped hotrodder. Doesn't need more makeup.  :)

[Sancho]

I agree with Telerocker. The guitar looks perfect as is.