Bare Knuckle impressions

[Seashore]

The problem is there are so many variables that "knowing what you want" pretty much requires a trial and error process. And you may think you have that until you hear something you couldn't imagine before.

I was happy with EMGs from 1996 to about 2010. Then I considered them acceptable. It wasn't until I tried them in 24 volts that I realized how great they COULD sound for certain applications in certain genres.

Same with when I first heard Blackouts. "How can they improve EMGs?" Well, they did, at least for lower tunings, IMO.

So basically I won't know what I'm looking for until I hear it, which will require expensive and time consuming trial and error.

I understand. There's a chance none of them would be worth the premium to you. And if you're already happy with what you have, why spend more money? If you want to try them, consider the ones that are designed for people who like actives - Blackhawk, Impulse, Juggernaut, Ragnarok, maybe Polymath or Silo. Axe Palace is a BKP dealer here in New England and they'll custom order stuff they don't have in stock (not wound to your spec, just the model and finish you want), and they're good to talk to about different models for different needs if you have time for a phone call.