Bare Knuckles Rebel Yells

[richard parker]

I have a Gibson Firebird Studio that came with the 490/498 set. This is a great guitar and the stock p/us are pretty good but I want to get this guitar as close to perfection as I can. After extensive reading, mainly on this forum, and an exchange of e-mails with Tim Mills at Bare Knuckles I've dedided to order the Bare Knuckles Rebel Yell set. There has been a lot of debate about whether they're BKs answer to the JB. Tim says they're nothing like JBs and fellow forumite Brow echoes this opinion. Any thoughts ?

 

[Brow]

Re: Bare Knuckles Rebel Yells

Hi again Richard.

We've gone back and forward a few times on PM so you know my opinion of the RYs, but what I will say is that Tim at BKP really knows his stuff and if you've spoken to him and have told him what guitar and amp you use and what you're looking for tonally and he recommended the RYs then I'm 100% sure they'll be exactly what you want

 

[d1dsj]

Re: Bare Knuckles Rebel Yells

+1 for another great pick up manufacturer, helpful and knowledgeable guy. I can't comment on the R.Y's but I love the "Crawler" bridge in my LP. The Crawler by the way is probably closer to a C5.... good luck with your choice.

 

[Gplayerzzz]

Re: Bare Knuckles Rebel Yells

I think the Holy diver is based on the JB.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Bare Knuckles Rebel Yells

I have a RY set in my burny LP.. Tasty.. I wouldnt say they are terribly dif than a Jb. a slightly more organic feel if that makes sense.. Jb is more full on rock, RY is more musical when the vol is rolled back..

 

[JOLLY]

Re: Bare Knuckles Rebel Yells

I remember reading an article a couple of years ago with Steve Stevens. He stated that the pickups were based off of older JB models.

 

[JOLLY]

Re: Bare Knuckles Rebel Yells

http://www.premierguitar.com/issue/features/200606_artist_stevens1.asp


MH: Speaking of big crunchy rhythm tones, let’s talk about Bare Knuckle Pickups, and the release the Rebel Yell Steve Stevens signature humbucker set. I’d heard you were using a Nailbomb Bomb for some time as well.What was your take on that?

Steve: I’ve always been in search of way to better my tone and make my guitar sound bigger. Then I stumbled upon Bare Knuckles. I’d seen an ad in a British guitar magazine, and something about it grabbed me. I’d never heard of them, so I went online and read about Tim Mills, the president of the company. It seemed right. He was using materials that were the same as what were available back then, in what is now considered the holy grail of humbucker pickups: the Gibson PAF, which is the original “Patent Applied For.” If those materials were not available, Tim would commission manufacturers to make them. That is dedication, right there. Plus, he’s a player -- a really good player. At first I wondered, “How I can communicate what I’m looking for to someone who doesn’t use this stuff?” So I e-mailed him, and then I ordered a set. I got the original set— from the Mule Series—which is basically a Patent Applied For with a bit more gain to it. I loved the pickups as soon as I got them, and I could tell by looking at them that they were going to be good. The biggest compliment I could pay to Bare Knuckles is the fact that suddenly your guitar sounds in tune. From a guy who plays primarily Les Paulstyle guitars, that has always been an issue because of the scale length. These pickups are just harmonically correct, so the notes ring and live in the same world as each other.With a lot of pickups I use the notes kind of sound separate. There’s always that problem with the G-string being very difficult to intonate correctly once you play a bar chord. So, the role it plays in the chord can kind of waiver. As soon as I used Bare Knuckle pickups, that wasn’t a problem. So, I stayed in touch with Tim. I said, “Look, I’m going out on the road for eight months. How would you like to develop a signature pickup?” Each week he’d send me a different winding, a different composite, a different magnet structure or a different type of wire. After about seven incarnations we settled on a pickup that ended up being what the original Seymour Duncan JB was, but without my knowing it beforehand – I remember when I first bought the Duncan JB. I thought it was a fantastic pickup.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Bare Knuckles Rebel Yells

Cool info Jolly!! Yeah, makes me wonder why Tim always down plays the connection.

Duh, to keep people from buying a JB.. hit me after posting..


lastly, I would like to try some nail bombs.. (some great clips of those Ive heard by sam coulson) I like the RYs (got used set) but I honestly dont think Id buy a set for full price.