BKP's For Explorers!

[James_B_K_P]

Hey Guys!

I'm shortly going to purchase a Gibson Explorer 1968 in Cherry. After playing the guitar for a while in the store through a Blackstar amp I have decided it was lacking that Bare Knuckle punch. The Guitar it's self was lovely to play. Extremely comfortable and fast neck, great bridge, easy access to the highest frets. To be honest, the current pickups are lovely but just didn't seem up to the quality of the guitar.

The Amp I'm playing through is a Marshall JCM 2000 DSL with a Marshall 1960's Cab. I use a homemade overdrive pedal on the high gain channel and get a really nice heavy tone playing through my guitar with a seymour duncan JB in the bridge. Sort of a Metallica type sound but with more gain. I also use the clean channel with a seymour duncan vintage pickup in the neck position. I can get a pretty nice glassy sound but also a nice warm clean with the bridge pickup.

I'm after these same sorts of sounds with the Explorer and am hoping I can get an even better tone with some Bare Knuckles. So now I've hopefully given you enough information (I always get sick of people asking questions and not giving any information) any responses would be gratefully appreciated.

Just to confirm, I'm after a bridge and neck pickup (Preferably a matched set but it's not too much of a problem) for a mahogany explorer, that will give me both a brutal metal tone and also a a really nice clean.

Thanks in advance for any replies,

James.

[FELINEGUITARS]

Miracle Man bridge with Cold sweat neck....or just cold sweat set

68 explorer?? or was it an 86

they were made in 58 (those are worth more than a house) and were reintroduced in 76 in a slightly different style

[James_B_K_P]

Haha yeah sorry man. It's an 86 reissue! I was looking at a Miracle Man with either a burnt chrome or black battle worn cover (not sure the burnt chrome would look to good against the cherry). Can I ask what the difference would be between a CS or MM bridge? :)

[FELINEGUITARS]

Popular question
The MM has more low mid and more of a saturated sound whilst the CS is more open
Both have good highs- some feel that the CS is a touch brighter than the MM because of the MM seeming a bit fuller
Neither is thin or overly bright IMO

Do choose to change your capacitor on the tone to an oil and paper one - will really help smooth out the top end so it isn't shrill. The BKP /Jensen ones are ace

In 80s terms the Cold Sweat does Michael Schenker and John Sykes

The Miracle Man does more George Lynch or Zakk Wylde

[James_B_K_P]

Sounds like I'm going to go for a Miracle Man bridge and Cold Sweat neck pickup. Thanks for all the info! I'll have to look into that about the capacitor, I'm 16 and not too clued up on all the electrical/techy stuff! I've heard that the Miracle Man can give a Machine Head type tone which is really what I'm after (Distortion wise anyway). Cheers for the help :)

[Roobubba]

Sounds like I'm going to go for a Miracle Man bridge and Cold Sweat neck pickup. Thanks for all the info! I'll have to look into that about the capacitor, I'm 16 and not too clued up on all the electrical/techy stuff! I've heard that the Miracle Man can give a Machine Head type tone which is really what I'm after (Distortion wise anyway). Cheers for the help :)

Yes, it can definitely do that tone, and I would think in an Explorer that wouldn't be a problem.

Look forward to hearing back from you once they're installed! Pics and clips or it didn't happen ;)

[BigB]

I'll have to look into that about the capacitor, I'm 16 and not too clued up on all the electrical/techy stuff!

Capacitors are the parts that (together with the pot) filter out the high frequencies - IOW that's what make your tone pot a "tone" pot. There are quite a few kind of caps - different technologies that have different costs and different performances when it comes to audio applications. Ceramic caps are by far the cheaper so you'll find them stock on most guitars, but they are about the worst choice when it comes to tone - makes your tone at once thin, harsh and dull. PIO ("paper in oil") caps - like the Jensens - are one of the best kind of caps for audio applications, specially in tone stacks, and they are used in hi-end audiophile stuff. They also were used on the old gibbies FWIW.

If you're going to spend the big bucks for a good guitar and good pups, do them justice and spend a few extra on good caps and pots.

[Alex]

This is not gonna earn me any fans on the forum, but the stock neck pickup (I'm guessing it's a 490R ceramic pickup) in that guitar is amazing once you change the pots for some quality ones rated at 500Kohm. Bright, glassy, very defined, lots of character and cleans up well. I have one myself and couldn't believe the difference that made. It should work well with both the Miracle Man or the Cold Sweat in the bridge as well.

[Philly Q]

This is not gonna earn me any fans on the forum, but the stock neck pickup (I'm guessing it's a 490R ceramic pickup) in that guitar is amazing

496R, I believe, with a 500T bridge.  

The 490R is Alnico II and comes in various LP and SG models.

Sorry for being pedantic!  :oops:

[Sancho]

I think the 496R/500T pickup set in the Explorer is one of the best stock combinations Gibson offers.
They sound huge and ballsy. I've been thinking about swapping a set in an Explorer for chrome covered Cold Sweats, but it would be more of an aesthetic upgrade than a tonal one.

[FELINEGUITARS]

This is not gonna earn me any fans on the forum, but the stock neck pickup (I'm guessing it's a 490R ceramic pickup) in that guitar is amazing once you change the pots for some quality ones rated at 500Kohm. Bright, glassy, very defined, lots of character and cleans up well. I have one myself and couldn't believe the difference that made. It should work well with both the Miracle Man or the Cold Sweat in the bridge as well.

I have enjoyed the ceramic Gibbo sets myself in V's, Explorers and LP Classics, especially once I changed the pots and most importantly swapped out that nasty little caramic disc capacitor that Gibson seem to insist on using

But then I end up putting BKPs in and I never look back

If you want the pots and cap changing I will happily wire up a full harness for you (at no labour cost if we supply you the pickups too) so it is all ready to drop in place and start rocking once you connect the pickups and switch.

[Philly Q]

I didn't really like the 500T in my SG-X, but it was much better than the DiMarzio Tone Zone I tried subsequently.  It now has a Riff Raff.

I should get round to replacing the pots and cap sometime....

[Sancho]

For me the 500T only works in an Explorer. I've put them in a Les Paul, and had them in a Flying V, and I didn't care for the tone of them at all. But in an Explorer, they nail it.

[Alex]

It is indeed the 496R! That is the one I mean.

Sorry, but I loathe the bridge model that normally goes with, the 500T. Horrible pickup IMO. The Miracle Man was such an improvement. But the neck Gibson I like a lot.

[James_B_K_P]

As I said in my original post, the stock pickups are pretty good! If I'm being honest I would just quite like some black battle worn covers to "metal up" the guitar a bit. The tonal upgrade is of course a bonus! I figured if I'm gonna splash out for pickups I may as well get the best ones instead of going for some EMG's and getting sick of the sterile tone as soon as I drop 'em in! One thing I did notice is that there wasn't a huge difference between the neck and bridge positions on the guitar. If I couldn't see the toggle switch then It would be very difficult to tell the difference. Also, the cleans didn't really seem up to standard. I think that overall they are very good pickups, just not quite as good as BKP's. Pics may only happen in about a month due to some guy not paying up on an Ibanez I sold him!