INTRODUCTION
When BKP came out with the Boot Camp line, they presented a vintage-voiced and budget friendly pickup with a “warm, bright, and more dynamic tone.”
What they didn’t say was that they geared up to make the PERFECT vintage humbucker.
I purchased an Old Guard neck and Black Dog bridge after seven great years with DiMarzio 36th Anniversaries in my 2009 Les Paul Traditional Pro. The 36th Annivs. hit the spot back in 2013 when the stock ‘57 Classic and Burstbucker 3 didn’t cut it for me.
Just last year, I put a Mule set into my 2011 SG Special and, just like every new initiate into the Bareknuckle Order, was blown away by the clarity and power. This put my 36th Annivs., as wonderful as they were, into perspective.
After some soul searching, I finally got the pickup upgrade that my Les Paul deserved after all these years.
First impressions? While the Black Dog is taking some getting used to, the Old Guard was love at first strum. It was loud yet sweet, warm yet clear.
COMPARISONS
I’m pretty sure that the Old Guard’s counterpart in the main line is the Mule, and that’s what we’ll first compare it to. The Mule in the SG has a woodier sound and lets the guitar’s wood out more. As mentioned in another review, the Mule is more translucent and has a more acoustic quality.
While the Mule neck has its own unique personality, the Old Guard is simply where all the best qualities of a sweet PAF meet.
Compared to the 36th Anniv that it replaced, the Old Guard is sweeter, rounder, and clearer. I’d hate to say that it renders my formerly beloved as woofy and muddy, but the improvement is apparent.
Compared to the Black Dog in the bridge, the Old Guard is straightforward in its appeal. This reinforces Bare Knuckle’s commitment to deliver a no-frills pickup.
While the Black Dog got me into a nitpicky state of mind, the Old Guard had me looking for something bad in this mind-boggingly fantastic pickup. I went into the Old Guard with no expectations other than a vintage-voiced neck pickup that simply gets the job done the Bare Knuckle way. This is perhaps why I was pleasantly surprised.
CLEAN, OVERDRIVEN, DIRTY?
For cleans, the newly-fitted pickup is heavenly and can easily whip out funk on its own. It’s incredibly sweet and gentle, more girl-next-door than sexy.
With a light overdrive, I’m driven to play the opening of “The Wind Cries Mary” by Jimi Hendrix—on a Les Paul. The pickup becomes butter, with a nice warm top-end sizzle that is not at all unpleasant but bursting with character. Chords are juicy—thick but still groovy.
Through a Marshall JCM 800 emulation, the Old Guard remains fluid and clear through lead lines. It may not be ideal for high gain stuff, but it can certainly carry its weight.
CONCLUSION
I think I’ve found my perfect neck pickup, an item that blew me away just like the 36th Annivs did back in 2013. These are here to stay.
Hoping this helps given that there’s very little feedback on this killer pickup online. Let me know your thoughts!
