Bare Knuckle pickups. Who’s used them. What’s what.

  • Thread starter Thread starter Tone Junkie
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Tone Junkie
Tone Junkie
Well-known member
Looking at the various models. YouTube sucks. I think I am tone tired from listening.

Do they make a bridge pickup covered like a standard Gibson humbucker that has more output and good string clarity. Tight not flubby.

Just looking for your experience with these.
 
If you want something like that, get a nickel ToneNerd roxy.

A couple of the BKP pups are decent, and their aesthetic options list is good. But they are pretty bland, especially compared to other stuff in their price range.

for the price, there is way way way better stuff out there - the aforementioned Roxy, Wagner godwood/murkat, etc
 
I’m les Paul guy and I really dig the BareKnuckle Rebel Yell. So much clarity for a 14k pick up and retains a tightness that I’ve rarely heard in other pick ups. Plus great string separation is another great feature of this pup.
 
Try a Black Dog or Rebel Yell. Both amazing overall and work great in LP’s. You mentioned Gibson so I’m just assuming LP here.
 
Hope your amp is Uber gain or digital…..otherwise the BKP’s aren’t going to make you smile. I’ve tried several of them and most are sterile, weak, and thin. Ironically, the one I liked most was the Riff Raff which is advertised as bright.
 
EyesOfTheSouth! said:
Hope your amp is Uber gain or digital…..otherwise the BKP’s aren’t going to make you smile. I’ve tried several of them and most are sterile, weak, and thin. Ironically, the one I liked most was the Riff Raff which is advertised as bright.
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Just goes to show how subjective things are because I've owned numerous BK bridge pups, PK, WP, RY, MM, and all were great to me. Played them though countless amps and always thought they sound great.
 
I’ve had the RYs, Mules, Riff Raffs, Holy Driver and the Nailbombs. They are nice pickups. Very articulate. Unnervingly so at first. Still have the RYs in one of my Les Pauls.
 
I have the bridge Mule in three of my guitars -- an LP, an ash Strat and a mahogany Charvel. The Mule sounds great in all of them. The only bridge pickup that has worked as well for me (or better in some guitars) is the Tom Holmes H455. I've also had great experiences with the BN VHII and the Rebel Yells.
 
I had some BK pickups throu out the years...
They are quality pickups...but I think that they are way overpriced...

I have used:
Miracle man
VHII
Holy diver
Mule
Ceramic Nailbomb
Painkiller

For the vintage Paf thing I could get the Mule...for all the others I would try something else...
Tone nerd pickups sound too amazing to skip...if I lived in USA, I wouldnt use anything else...
 
I personally love BKP's but each model does a rather specific thing and it's quite easy to get the wrong one.

By "standard" Gibson humbucker which model did you mean though? Burstbucker 1/2? 490? 498?
 
I have a Rebel Yell which I got in a used guitar. I know I'm in the minority but there's no way I'd spent $140+ on a single humbucker. Yeah it sounds good, but is it better than a more common Duncan or Dimarzio? Different maybe, sure, but not really "better."

Of course, I also feel like even the more common brand pickups are like that. Looking at tone tests between say, a "duncan designed" Distortion vs a real SH-6 Distortion and you can't really tell the difference. The "Designed" one is less than half the price. I know there's other stuff that factors in, like wax potting, quality of materials, and where it is made/who you are supporting with your money - I'm speaking strictly to tone here.
 
If clarity and tightness are your main things yeah BKP could be a good option for you. Like others have said, for some the BKP sound could even be too clear and tight. I think they do make some good pickups although I’ve never ended up keeping them and they are definitely expensive. I am in the camp where the ones I’ve tried were just a little too clean and clear sounding for what I like.
 
I've been looking at the Mule's as well as Brandonwounds, and Monty's lately.. they all look like they make a quality paf at varying prices. The Mules sounded pretty good in some youtube demos. However most videos were guys putzing around on the clean channel so its hard to tell how it will work for my playing style and tone.
 
TotallyRadGuitars said:
I have a Rebel Yell which I got in a used guitar. I know I'm in the minority but there's no way I'd spent $140+ on a single humbucker. Yeah it sounds good, but is it better than a more common Duncan or Dimarzio? Different maybe, sure, but not really "better."

Of course, I also feel like even the more common brand pickups are like that. Looking at tone tests between say, a "duncan designed" Distortion vs a real SH-6 Distortion and you can't really tell the difference. The "Designed" one is less than half the price. I know there's other stuff that factors in, like wax potting, quality of materials, and where it is made/who you are supporting with your money - I'm speaking strictly to tone here.
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Have you ever actually played a Duncan Designed pickup? They're less than half as good as a regular Duncan. Awful pickups.

One of the biggest upgrades you can make on any guitar is changing out the pickups. I agree that you don't need to spend $150 or more, but a lot (not all) of those cheaper pickups are really terrible.
 
Don't know shit about them but that SS sig set looks cool as fuck on a white les paul custom....I assume they're BK's...
 
I hated every Bare Knuckle pickup I owned or tried. I believe it was around 4-5 different one. lol
 
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