Black Dog Bridge Review

[darkbluemurder]

In this thread I reviewed the Black Dog neck: https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=29163.0.

Since I liked it so much I simply had to get the matching bridge pickup for it and the guitar (the Single Cut).

The BD bridge matches the neck perfectly in volume and tone. Tonally it was a bit of a surprise because it was a lot brighter and clearer than I expected from what I read here in the forum. Of course that can be due to the guitar it is in. That is a good thing, though! Compared to the non-BKP PAF types I had previously in this guitar the BD is both fuller in the low end but brighter and clearer in the top end as well. Compared to both the Holydiver and A-Bomb bridge pickups it (of course) has less output and a lot more highs. I would not call the highs subdued by any stretch. There is a mid focus is in a way that is very articulate yet warm but I would not call it a mid-hump. Finally, both pickups together produce a very distinct sound from the individual positions which is very bright and twangy.

In a nutshell, the Black Dog set is highly recommended. While I liked the A-Bomb/VHII combination I had in there before, too, I feel that the Black Dogs have brought out the true character of the guitar and gave it a unique and distinct voice different from my other guitars.

Cheers Stephan

[TheyCallMeVolume]

Great review(s)!

[ericsabbath]

love all your reviews, brother

funny how impressions can be different, though
mine sounded quite close to the diver in voicing, but definitely darker on the top (but I have to mention my black dog is covered and the holy diver wasn't)
the nailbomb wasn't brighter in general voicing, but had a much stronger top (the bomb was covered as well)

diver and dog were set pretty close to strings, and the nailbomb was set at a medium height or it would sound too bassy and distorted
the black dog was indeed brighter, twangier and not mid humpy in slightly lower height, and maybe that might explain our different impressions

by the way, how would you compare the neck dog with the neck sweat?
I have the sweat paired with the bridge dog, but I find it a little bright in my greco
is the neck dog even brighter?

[darkbluemurder]

by the way, how would you compare the neck dog with the neck sweat?
I have the sweat paired with the bridge dog, but I find it a little bright in my greco
is the neck dog even brighter?

I have not had them in the same guitar but the neck dog is very bright and clear. My guess is it sits between the neck diver and the neck sweat. The neck rebel is probably also in that ballpark.

Cheers Stephan

[dingleberry]

If I read this before ordering my emerald...  Id probably be stoked either way lol What amps have you played it through?

Also regarding neck pickups, it terms of brightness lately we've had a few models discussed so I'll try to organize them from brightest to darkest.  My experience is limited to the VHII neck so anyone with more experience please feel free to weigh in on my musings...

Brightest would be HD neck, then RY, BD, CS and followed by VHII.  To my understanding the riff raff neck is also quite bright, I'm wondering where the emerald and mule necks fit into the scheme of things as well.

[darkbluemurder]

Brightest would be HD neck, then RY, BD, CS and followed by VHII. 

I would be very hard pressed to tell whether RY or BD is brighter. As for the rest I agree.

To my understanding the riff raff neck is also quite bright, I'm wondering where the emerald and mule necks fit into the scheme of things as well.

I have no idea unfortunately since I have not played any of them.

Cheers Stephan

[Telerocker]

Great review. I understand the BD can sound quite different in different guitars, especially the trebleside.

[darkbluemurder]

What amps have you played it through?

100 W Marshalls (one JMP 1959 and one 1959 SLP Reissue), both modified for more gain than stock.

Cheers Stephan

[Zaned]

I concur with your findings about the BD. It let's the guitar character through, and imparts it's own big but clear voice on it. Gotta say, I love it :)

-Zaned

[darkbluemurder]

Meanwhile I acquired a second BD bridge and have tested it briefly in my Les Paul. It confirmed the sonic impressions I had. Since I preferred the original pickup I had in that Les Paul I will put it into my "dark" alder strat to see if it will brighten up the guitar (that PRS SC is also a guitar with a dark tonal character). That strat has a Miracle Man in it.

Cheers Stephan

[darrenw5094]

So you are going to try the BD in an alder Strat guitar? That right?

[Telerocker]

Certainly interesting, cause somehow the BD is not a often selected for a strat.
I'm wondering how PAF-ish the BD is, compared to say a Mule. Forummember several times stated it's not the most PAF-like pickup in the vintage(hot)-range.

[darkbluemurder]

So you are going to try the BD in an alder Strat guitar? That right?

That's right indeed. But alder strat does not equal alder strat - that particular one is very dark (not only by appearance but also by tonal color).

Cheers Stephan

[darkbluemurder]

I'm wondering how PAF-ish the BD is, compared to say a Mule. Forummember several times stated it's not the most PAF-like pickup in the vintage(hot)-range.

I second that. Of the vintage hot BKPs I tried (all but Emerald) I felt it is the most modern sounding, and I had the VHII and the BD in the same Les Paul. The BD bridge has a bit more of that vintage vibe to it than the BD neck where I did not hear much of a vintage flavor. But the BD neck is great in its own right - it's forte is the clarity it has even under loads of gain. So far if I had to rank the vintage hot bridge models for their degree of vintage DNA, going from most to least would be:

1. Abraxas
2. VHII (neck only close behind AB, bridge a little farther)
3. Black Dog

Cheers Stephan

[Telerocker]

I'm wondering how PAF-ish the BD is, compared to say a Mule. Forummember several times stated it's not the most PAF-like pickup in the vintage(hot)-range.

I second that. Of the vintage hot BKPs I tried (all but Emerald) I felt it is the most modern sounding, and I had the VHII and the BD in the same Les Paul. The BD bridge has a bit more of that vintage vibe to it than the BD neck where I did not hear much of a vintage flavor. But the BD neck is great in its own right - it's forte is the clarity it has even under loads of gain. So far if I had to rank the vintage hot bridge models for their degree of vintage DNA, going from most to least would be:

1. Abraxas
2. VHII (neck only close behind AB, bridge a little farther)
3. Black Dog

Cheers Stephan

That's what I suspected. I have Mules and a VHII and they are really different birds.