Bare Knuckle Pickups Thoughts?

[Lu_B]

Who's tried them and what did you think?

I'm looking at a set of used Riff Raffs and am a little curious.

Cheers

Lu_B

[jakehadlee]

Re: Bare Knuckle Pickups Thoughts?

I haven't tried them but the guy who does my guitar tech stuff was fitting a set for a customer last time I saw him and I asked him about them, as I'd heard good things.

He really knows his stuff, and hand-winds a mean pickup himself, and he said they were pretty good but no better better the SD's he fitted, and he wouldn't pay the extra. He did say they were well marketed tho!

[bluefrog]

Re: Bare Knuckle Pickups Thoughts?

difficult - a good friend of mine bought Riff Raff and Mule bridge PUs.
It ended up to keep the old SD59B in !!! Reason : the 59ers had more character
a matter of taste not of quality. The Bareknuckles are top notch, but went back.
maybe the AlnicoIV did not fit for him: I wd prefer A-V.
But I hear still good things, too - I am thinking more often getting a BlackDog bridge...one day...

[uOpt]

Re: Bare Knuckle Pickups Thoughts?

They used to be way expensive. Now that the dollar is down and a couple of those are in used-gear rotation it gets close to what curiosity can finance.

I got a little careful, though. Only about half of the boutique pickups I tried (aka payed for) came out well for me. The other half didn't have the sparkle. Maybe the wrong kind of potting for me or whatever. But I'm more likely to ambush good offers on SD CS, WCR and Lollar pickups at this time.

[BloodRose]

Re: Bare Knuckle Pickups Thoughts?

Im curious too.. the soundclips of the rebel yell set are killer, but then again, almost any recording of steve is gonna be killer.. Id like to hear sound bites with no effects like what duncan has..

[Luke Duke]

Re: Bare Knuckle Pickups Thoughts?

Ben was/is an endorser and can give you the skinny on just about every pickup I bet.

Luke

[Simon_F]

Re: Bare Knuckle Pickups Thoughts?

I have a set of BK Mules and they are great pickups. I haven't tried any of the other BKPs.

There are many fine makers of guitar pickups (Seymour Duncan and Bare Knuckle included!) and ultimately it all comes down to a matter of taste. Who has the sound you want?

I bought the Mules partly because I was curious about BK and partly because I wanted to buy pickups with A4 magnets (rather than swapping A4 into something else). As I said, they are great pickups, and I found Tim Mills to be very prompt and very helpful in responding to emails I sent him regarding my pickups.

Like bluefrog said (as long as the makers have a good reputation) it's all a matter of taste not quality.

[Uk Ant]

Re: Bare Knuckle Pickups Thoughts?

Not actually tried the pups but bought some magnets off them a while back and they're good people to deal with.
I've not heard a bad word against them bar the price.
Buying new hotrox in nottingham sell em cheaper than BKP.
It's one of those 'if you've got the money, then go for it' personally I'd investigate cheaper avenues, SD, as a start, or if you really after hand wound then catswhiskers or swinesheads. I've got some swinesheads and they pretty good pups.

[Archer_of_Fish]

Re: Bare Knuckle Pickups Thoughts?

I have a set of Rebel Yells in a PRS Custom 24. Fantastic pickups.

[BloodRose]

Re: Bare Knuckle Pickups Thoughts?

I have a set of Rebel Yells in a PRS Custom 24. Fantastic pickups.

what are they like? hot? Ive heard they are similar to JBs...??

[Archer_of_Fish]

Re: Bare Knuckle Pickups Thoughts?

They dont sound like JB's to me. The bridge is 14K, neck is just over 8 so they are both pretty hot.

Modern sounding but they have a fuller midrange than a JB. More aggressive than a Custom without being raunchy.

[Pierre]

Re: Bare Knuckle Pickups Thoughts?

I use a Riff Raff in my LP, a Crawler in my Strat and a Piledriver in my Tele.

All are very, very good. It's been said before, quality is not an issue when compared to SDs and vice versa. It's about the sound. There are plenty of soundclips on their forums.

Personally I called them up three times to get advice. The first time I got advised the Mule, or for a tiny bit more push, the RR. I went with the RR and I couldn't be happier.
Second time, I got advised the Crawler: perfect match.
Third time, the Piledriver: just the one for me.
Tim is fantastic. He even granted me a quick interview on the phone for my dissertation. Him and Evan have got to be some of the top marketing guys on the planet.

[Brow]

Re: Bare Knuckle Pickups Thoughts?

I have about 14 guitars with BKPs in and (as you'd imagine) really like them

I have:

Gibson LP Standard - A4 Mules
Tokai Love Rock Custom - Rebel Yells
Gordon Smith Graduate 60 (LP style) - Black Dog (bridge / Riff Raff (neck)

Fender Strat - Crawler/Irish Tour/Irish Tour
Jap Strat - 2 VHIIs
homebuilt strat 1 - Cold Sweat (single bridge humbucker gtr)
homebuilt strat 2 - Mothers Milks
Jap Squier Strat - Apaches

Bitsa Tele - 2 Blackguard Flat 50s
cheapie Tele / Esquire - Piledriver (single bridge pickup)

PRS Custom 22 - 2 Abraxas
Ibanez S470 - 2 Nailbombs and a centre Trilogy Suite
Patrick Eggle Berlin Prototype - 2 Holy Divers
Gibson Faded Flying V - Riff Raff (bridge) / Mississippi Queen (P90, neck)

[Lu_B]

Re: Bare Knuckle Pickups Thoughts?

I have about 14 guitars with BKPs in and (as you'd imagine) really like them

I have:

Gibson LP Standard - A4 Mules
Tokai Love Rock Custom - Rebel Yells
Gordon Smith Graduate 60 (LP style) - Black Dog (bridge / Riff Raff (neck)

Fender Strat - Crawler/Irish Tour/Irish Tour
Jap Strat - 2 VHIIs
homebuilt strat 1 - Cold Sweat (single bridge humbucker gtr)
homebuilt strat 2 - Mothers Milks
Jap Squier Strat - Apaches

Bitsa Tele - 2 Blackguard Flat 50s
cheapie Tele / Esquire - Piledriver (single bridge pickup)

PRS Custom 22 - 2 Abraxas
Ibanez S470 - 2 Nailbombs and a centre Trilogy Suite
Patrick Eggle Berlin Prototype - 2 Holy Divers
Gibson Faded Flying V - Riff Raff (bridge) / Mississippi Queen (P90, neck)

wow Brow.....I think you're a BKP addict!

What would you recommend for a Tokai Love Rock that I want to have smooth tone (vintageish) but have the ability to be a bit more dirty. Nothing to OTT. I have been considering Pearly Gates from SD.

I know there's loads of clips on their forum site but most have backing tracks, I wish they did clips like SD.

cheers

Lu_b

[Brow]

Re: Bare Knuckle Pickups Thoughts?

wow Brow.....I think you're a BKP addict!

What would you recommend for a Tokai Love Rock that I want to have smooth tone (vintageish) but have the ability to be a bit more dirty. Nothing to OTT. I have been considering Pearly Gates from SD.

I know there's loads of clips on their forum site but most have backing tracks, I wish they did clips like SD.

cheers

Lu_b

Hi Lu.

I'll send you a PM as I feel a bit bad recommending other companies pickups while being on this site, I feel it's a tad unfair so to speak