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Author Topic: Quality of pickup  (Read 6401 times)

mesfigas

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Quality of pickup
« on: January 17, 2007, 01:50:39 PM »
Hi i am a new member here but i am reading your posts and listening to your sound samples for about three weeks.

I am an owner of a TOKAI love rock (Les paul style) LS-180 guitar and i am interesting to change the pickups.TOKAI specs are one piece mahogany back and one piece maple top fretboard is ebony.

I want to tell me if there is anyone here that changed the gibson burstbuckers to his guitar and put a pair of bareknuckle one.

Is there a big quality difference than gibson pickups or seymoyr duncan or dimmarzio pickups.

I am interesting to buy the black dog set or the emeralds but i want to be sure that the bareknuckle pickupus gives better quality sound.

Any good commet is help for me.

Thanks.
Warmoth strat

Ratrod

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Quality of pickup
« Reply #1 on: January 17, 2007, 04:44:59 PM »
I don't think you'll get any aswers like "Gibson, SD and DiMarzio are better" on this site.
BKP user since 2004: early 7K Blackguard 50

msplines

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« Reply #2 on: January 17, 2007, 04:49:25 PM »
Go to the Harmony Central website and look through the reviews for the relevant Seymour Duncan, Dimarzio and Bareknuckle pickups, it's  along job, but I don't think it will be long before you realise tha BKP is ahead on points for customer service and sound!

Skybone

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« Reply #3 on: January 17, 2007, 05:05:18 PM »
I have an older Tokai LS70F Love Rock that's had a set of the original Gotoh Mk II PAFs, Seymour Duncan 59 & JB, and is currently wearing a set of Black Dog's (which have been in for about 2 years).

The original Gotoh's were great sounding pickups, but because they were unpotted, they were prone to feedback. Not good. I replaced them with SD '59 & JB combo, which if you go to other generic music forums they're highly recommended. However, I found them to be a bit "cold & clinical" and lacking in mids, after the warmth of the PAF's, they just didn't "feel" right for the guitar. Luckily enough, the local music shop had started to stock BKP's and had a Love Rock in that was fitted with a set of Black Dog's. I tried them out and was sold. They simply had more "life" about them than the SD's.

Plus the fact that the Gibson's cost more, the SD's/DiMarzio's (and other similar US machine made pickups) cost about the same (in the UK) as a pickup that is handmade in the UK.

FWIW...
Bibble.
BKP's: Black Dog set, Emerald set, & Crawler set.
http://www.myspace.com/misericordedoom

TonyGibson

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Quality of pickup
« Reply #4 on: January 17, 2007, 05:41:47 PM »
Quote from: Ratrod
I don't think you'll get any aswers like "Gibson, SD and DiMarzio are better" on this site.


Probably because they're not. :D

In all seriousness, the best comparisons I can make are to all of those, but primarily Gibsons. I'm specifically speaking of the 498T and 490R set that come with Gibson Les Paul Studios and Specials.

After the shock and awe of owning my first Gibson (Les Paul Special with humbuckers) faded away I noticed that the guitar sounded like...how can I put this...MUD. The stock Gibsons had zero presence and no top end, especially in a guitar with no maple cap and a rosewood fingerboard. I first tried Duncans (JB and 59) which were a bit better but nothing mind blowing. I really liked the feel and playability of this guitar so I then tried EMGs...big mistake. Fast forward to Mississippi Queen set, and that Les Paul is my most played guitar.

Ditto on the Les Paul Studio..the stock Gibsons did NOTHING for the guitar consider that it has a mahogany body, maple cap and ebony fingerboard. Everytime I would play out at a blues jam, I would get lost in the mix. In that guitar I chose a Miracle Man bridge and Cold Sweat neck. I can now play ANY style with that beast. The original Gibson pickups were bland, flat and had no balls. Bare Knuckle are in a completely different league.

In short, "Yes" there is a huge sonic difference, at least to my ears.
BKPs: Miracle Man, Cold Sweat neck, Ceramic Warpig, Mississippi Queens, Holy Divers

mesfigas

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Quality of pickup
« Reply #5 on: January 17, 2007, 08:12:25 PM »
The sound iwant to have is : warm ,fat ,nice harminics.

The burstbucker set gives that sound i just played a gibson standard last nigth at the music store that i am working on a f-50 mesa boogie.

The guitar i own is better les paul guitar than the gibson standard i also have a mesa boogie dual caliber 50 watt but i dont like the mk 2 vintage picups of my guitar.

Is there any bareknuckle pickup that have the same specs like burstbuckers ?

Does anyone knows the difference between alnico v and ceramic.

please help guys...........
Anyone knows the DC output of the burstbucker pro
mine pickups the dc output is 8.4 k........
I am sure that i need a bigger output with a good quality
I dont think the tokai put to their guitars so good pickups but they make really good instruments.

please help i want to buy them tonight.
Warmoth strat

Philly Q

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Quality of pickup
« Reply #6 on: January 17, 2007, 11:56:40 PM »
I think the DC resistance of a Burstbucker Pro (bridge) is about 8.3K - about the same as a Burstbucker 2, a little hotter than a 57 Classic.

If you want that classic Gibson PAF sound, you should consider the Mules.
BKPs I've Got:  RR, BKP-91, ITs, VHII, CS set, Emeralds
BKPs I Had:  RY+Abraxas, Crawlers, BD+SM

mesfigas

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Quality of pickup
« Reply #7 on: January 18, 2007, 09:29:31 PM »
Thanks for the answer  Philly Q  but  its to late right now because i have already order the ABRAXAS set for my TOKAI LP.

I choose them because they are the hotest vintage pickups
DC resistanse 14.

Iam expecting the mules tone but more powerful........if not true next time i will go for the mules .............anyway.

I think that mules is the best bareknuckle weapon just like a favorie !!!!

What do you think for the ABRAXAS guys ?
Warmoth strat

Philly Q

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Quality of pickup
« Reply #8 on: January 18, 2007, 09:43:43 PM »
Well, I have the Abraxas neck and it's fantastic - a lovely warm, singing tone, but with a bit of high-end sizzle when you need it.  Warm honey with just a twist of lemon!  The Santana comparison is obvious, but it really does give you that sound.  :D

Not many people on the forum seem to have the Abraxas bridge pickup but I'm sure it's a great choice.  I went for the Rebel Yell, just because I wanted something brighter.
BKPs I've Got:  RR, BKP-91, ITs, VHII, CS set, Emeralds
BKPs I Had:  RY+Abraxas, Crawlers, BD+SM

steve

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Quality of pickup
« Reply #9 on: January 18, 2007, 10:07:33 PM »
I took out  a set of burst buckers from my lp std and installed some BK mules. The mules had more punch, where warmer and had so much more clarity.The burst buckers sounded really flat and sterile.

This may help its a live vid from a small pub gig we did. Its a Gibson Les Paul with Mules going into a trace elliot speed twin valve. Its on Youtube and the track is Radar Love.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3Iwpg9-jWw

Sorry to hijack the thread but im really happy with the tone and it may help.
EDIT:I have just read your last thread about you getting the Abraxas so this message is coming in to late. Abraxas are great.
Mule,Trilogy,Irish Tours,Holy Diver and Apaches.

sambo

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« Reply #10 on: January 18, 2007, 10:10:49 PM »
sounds bloody fantastic... even though the general sound quality is bad... the tone is STILL gorgeous...

mesfigas

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« Reply #11 on: January 19, 2007, 02:47:40 AM »
Thanks for the response guys you really make my day.........!!!!!!!!!

I also order a matched set of TUBES for my Mesa Boogie amp.

My TONE  will be reborn.

I also have a MAYONES hand made guitar with dimarzio pro evolution pickups ......steve vai used to play with them at 1992 or 1994.

They are good pickups  B U T   i will buy a good set for that guitar from Bare Knuckle over 16 dc resistanse i am thinking for miracle man.

Does anyone knows the sounding diferense between Alnico pups and ceramic pups ?.
Warmoth strat

Ratrod

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« Reply #12 on: January 19, 2007, 12:21:47 PM »
Cool clip! I have to learn more about the speed twin.
BKP user since 2004: early 7K Blackguard 50

mesfigas

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Quality of pickup
« Reply #13 on: January 19, 2007, 08:10:22 PM »
Please help me  now

i want to buy some bare knuckle pickups right now but i have  a little problem to fill
the numbers at the online order.
 What is the number that i have to put at the field

Credit Card Issue Number :

if anyone has bought online please help now.

it fits only one number ........but i dont have one specific  number that  seems to be the
Credit Card Issue Number.......
please help me.
Warmoth strat

Kilby

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Quality of pickup
« Reply #14 on: January 19, 2007, 08:36:53 PM »
Het Steve, nice version of Radar Love, I suggest getting the Golden Earring albums To The Hilt and Moontan.
Goodbye London !