Need your recommendations: HSS Bare Knuckle pickup set

[Ian B.]

Hi everyone, I'm new here. I just need your recommendations on which Bare Knuckle HSS pickup set I should go for. My guitar is a Suhr Standard (basswood/QMT body, maple/Indian rosewood neck) and the pickups on it are currently the stock pickups (V60LP neck/middle, DSH bridge). I'm actually quite happy with the sound of the stock pickups but the DSH sounds a bit too bright and has a huge jump in volume when compared to the two V60LPs. I've tried tinkering with the pickup height, among other things, but it didn't work because the DSH is just too hot (its DC resistance is around 13k+, I believe).

I want a set that is more balanced, tonewise and volume-wise. I play blues, hard rock, classic rock and a bit of shred. What can you recommend to me? Thanks a lot in advance!

[Telerocker]

I don't know how bright the natural voice of the guitar is, but I would consider something like the Black Dog, which can cover the styles you mention.

[Ian B.]

Thanks. I'll look into the Black Dog. I actually haven't experimented on different pickups yet since I just got my guitar, but I would think that its natural voicing shouldn't be too bright because of the basswood body.

What about the single coils? Which model will complement the Black Dog?

[Philly Q]

BKP's standard HSS set with the Black Dog bridge has Slow Hands for neck and middle.

I don't know how those would compare with your Suhr single-coils, but I think they'd maybe lack a bit of bite in a basswood guitar?

[Telerocker]

Another option is an Abraxas with two Irish Tours. The latter have enough sparkle, yet being gritty enough for blues and rock, the Abraxas will provide the round, but chimey topend and fatness in the midrange. I was thinking Crawler too, but that one might be too warm in basswood. It excels in my swampashstrat though.