Author Topic: Leaving BareKnuckles Behind... (Read 16893 times)

sambo · « **Reply #30 on:** February 03, 2007, 04:02:40 PM »

guys- he never said the VHii sounded BAD... just said he preferred the SDs...

(i think.... lol)

nice one for being 'brave' enough to post it as well :lol:

dave_mc · « **Reply #31 on:** February 03, 2007, 04:45:54 PM »

Quote from: PhilKing

Quote from: dave_mc
maybe the splawn/duncan combo just works.

Having heard the Splawn/Bare Knuckles combo with more pickups than most people, I can tell you that it really works well. It is a bit bright and Irish Tours are a bright pickup too, but the Splawn does have working tone controls - it isn't a Marshall!

I guess if your ears are telling you that SD's are better that is what you should use, but having done comparisions of BK to just about every other pickup maker, the current SD production range doesn't do it for me!

I have lots of other makes in guitars (including the dreaded EMG!), but I really can hear the difference with the BK's. I did buy SD basslines for TO's bass player, but the new bass has a Music Man pickup and BK doesn't make one of those. My Jazz bass will have BK's and my Precision never sounded as good as when I swaped out the pickup for a BK.

I am really surprised that you couldn't get a good sound from a VHII/Splawn combo, as I have never heard TO get a bad sound from his.

Yeah, I mean I haven't tried the splawn, but I know I didn't like the SD distortion much at all when I tried it.

Still, I guess personal preference and all.

:drink:

Philly Q · « **Reply #32 on:** February 03, 2007, 04:47:01 PM »

Quote from: BLOODMOUNTAIN

what really annoys me is when you have an awesome pickup that is in a 70s guitar that was put it 70 years ago and handles high gain and clean well... BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE A BRAND ON IT!!!

Do you have lots of these 70s (or 30s?

) guitars, then, or is there one particular pickup you can't identify?

Show us some pics, maybe someone can help.

BloodMountain · « **Reply #33 on:** February 03, 2007, 06:40:15 PM »

oops i meant 20-30 years ago

ill get some pics soon

it's a les paul, made by columbus in the early 70s

the humbucker is open coil

JamesHealey · « **Reply #34 on:** February 03, 2007, 07:55:33 PM »

im not knocking the build quality, or the tone of bare knuckles I think they're fantastic and they're the best sounding pickups i've used with lots of combinations of amps i mean in the ENGL Screamer 50 and Carlton Camel the VHII was unbelievably good but i think the splawn just didnt agree with the VHII for my ears and something a bit deeper slightly muddier was needed..

i'll post a clip of the duncans on soundclick since it's not policy to post them here.. i'll link it up in a few mins.

genocidal tendencies · « **Reply #35 on:** February 03, 2007, 08:17:13 PM »

To whoever it was that quoted me, I just don't like the splawn clips I hear. None of them have any sort of edge to them. The right amount of gain, the right amount of mids and the right amount of treble, but so boring. There's just nothing that makes them stand out at all. Could be different standing next to one for real, but I've never heard a clip that would make me want to bother trying one. Maybe that's why shoddy pickups give it some slightly interesting quality? I don't know.

JamesHealey · « **Reply #36 on:** February 03, 2007, 08:21:04 PM »

www.soundclick.com/jameshealey/

check out the clips..

please bare in minds for the VHII clip was recorded on an Eminence Private Jack and the Duncan was on a Celestion Vintage 30..

not really a fair comparison as they're quite different speakers but I prefer the difference.

_tom_ · « **Reply #37 on:** February 03, 2007, 08:22:41 PM »

On those clips I do prefer the Duncan one.. could just be the speaker though maybe?

genocidal tendencies · « **Reply #38 on:** February 03, 2007, 08:27:10 PM »

The duncan does sound a lot better, doesn't it? You might be better with just a higher output BK, judging by the comparison, but then with different speakers it's hard to say. Miracle men or something might give the right bit of aggression? I don't know.

steve · « **Reply #39 on:** February 03, 2007, 08:27:26 PM »

Tom i must politly disagree.The VHII track had so much more life and soul to it than the Duncan one. I know its a diff speaker but the SD sounded flat and had no real character. Please dont think me rude saying this its merely a opinion.

sambo · « **Reply #40 on:** February 03, 2007, 08:37:57 PM »

i think im gonna go with steve on this one.. (kinda)...

it sounds to me (and im NO pickup/amp/speaker/tone expert AT ALL)...

but it sounds to me like the VHII had the nicer tone, but that it was a bit shrouded/quiet/indistinct/bassy or SOMETHING.... like the tone was there but wasnt quite audible.... whereas with the Duncans, it seemed almost louder/more in your face/clearer.... which was why it sounded 'better'....

maybe thats due to the different speakers.... ?

alternatively that could just mean that the Duncans were 'better' in this case... lol... dunno what im talking about...

genocidal tendencies · « **Reply #41 on:** February 03, 2007, 08:43:59 PM »

To clarify, I'd agree that it was the in-your-faceness of the duncans that made them sound better, although I wouldn't use the inverted commas.

Twinfan · « **Reply #42 on:** February 03, 2007, 08:51:01 PM »

I prefered the VHII, but like TOm says it needs more "oomph". I'd put the pickup closer to the strings, and use the V30 more ;)

sambo · « **Reply #43 on:** February 03, 2007, 08:51:49 PM »

Quote from: genocidal tendencies

To clarify, I'd agree that it was the in-your-faceness of the duncans that made them sound better, although I wouldn't use the inverted commas.

:lol:

in hindsight, me neither.

noodleplugerine · « **Reply #44 on:** February 03, 2007, 09:02:32 PM »

The Duncan has a more cut-through sound, but doesn't have the mellow lushnses that the VhII has.

It's your choice in the end, but I'm sure you can get something better than that Duncan if you looked.