Bare Knuckle Pickups

Talk about your Burstbuckers and Seymour Duncans....

Moderators: Slowy, Capt. Black

User avatar
jaxman16
Ashton
Ashton
Posts: 178
meble-kuchenne.warszawa.pl
Joined: Wed Apr 04, 2018 3:41 pm
Has liked: 33 times
Been liked: 14 times

Bare Knuckle Pickups

Post by jaxman16 »

Any thoughts on Bare Knuckle Pickups?
I'm looking at ordering some in the future, just wondering if it's worth the price tag compared to other brands. They look awesome and clips sound great, hand wound is very interesting also.
P.S. I mostly play rock music, and also metal but I haven't decided exactly what I'm looking for yet.

Cheers!

User avatar
StratMatt
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 5242
Joined: Sat Jan 25, 2014 7:41 pm
Has liked: 557 times
Been liked: 621 times

Re: Bare Knuckle Pickups

Post by StratMatt »

Nice pickups, but not sure if they're worth the price tag for new ones. I put the Rebel Yells in my PRS, and they made it sound great. But didn't make/keep me as happy as I am with the Dimarzio 36th Annis that went into my LP. Those are the ones you want imo, excellent at rock but they will also do metal. Probably not good enough for metal purists but it will do it.
Loving it so far

User avatar
godgrinder
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 1709
Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2011 4:49 pm
Location: 09
Has liked: 28 times
Been liked: 594 times

Re: Bare Knuckle Pickups

Post by godgrinder »

They are worth the price tag to me but I only swap out the bridge pickup usually. They way I see it is that if you get them straight from BKP it's actually not much more expensive than getting a brand new Duncan/Dimarzio (especially newer models) from local shops.
Amps:
Soldano SLO100 x2 | Wizard MC1 & MC2 | Diezel Herbert
Fryette Pittbull CL | Marshall 2203KK | Krank Rev 50 | Mesa Mark 2A

Rack stuff:
VHT/Fryette GP3, GP/DI & 2/90/2 | Peters FSM/Chimera
Verellen Meatsmoke | Synergy SYN1 | Mesa Studio

User avatar
Molly
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 24937
Joined: Sat Dec 21, 2013 12:17 pm
Has liked: 2482 times
Been liked: 2794 times

Re: Bare Knuckle Pickups

Post by Molly »

My go-to pickup brand. Never been disappointed with any of them.

Also worth noting that their customer service is superb. Email enquiries are often replied to by Tim Mills himself. I happened to mention needing some extra screws for a set of their pickups (someone had fitted ugly, black hex bolt things - to make them look 'mean' I suppose) and they sent me a replacement set gratis.

User avatar
Kris
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 4087
Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2010 1:52 pm
Location: Under a bridge,somewhere in chch.
Has liked: 124 times
Been liked: 386 times

Re: Bare Knuckle Pickups

Post by Kris »

"SD in a fancy suit",totally.

however as molly said support is amazing,and lifetime warrantee means that.

User avatar
jaxman16
Ashton
Ashton
Posts: 178
Joined: Wed Apr 04, 2018 3:41 pm
Has liked: 33 times
Been liked: 14 times

Re: Bare Knuckle Pickups

Post by jaxman16 »

Thanks for that everyone! They do seem quite pricey, but I'm interested to try them so I may order just a bridge pickup at first.

User avatar
godgrinder
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 1709
Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2011 4:49 pm
Location: 09
Has liked: 28 times
Been liked: 594 times

Re: Bare Knuckle Pickups

Post by godgrinder »

It's quite important to pick the right model for your guitar and the amp you're playing through. Try avoid pickups that accentuate the same frequency range as your guitar/amp or it can get a bit overbearing. If in doubt start with a "neutral" sounding one like Impulse, or email them about your setup and get them to recommend something.
Amps:
Soldano SLO100 x2 | Wizard MC1 & MC2 | Diezel Herbert
Fryette Pittbull CL | Marshall 2203KK | Krank Rev 50 | Mesa Mark 2A

Rack stuff:
VHT/Fryette GP3, GP/DI & 2/90/2 | Peters FSM/Chimera
Verellen Meatsmoke | Synergy SYN1 | Mesa Studio

User avatar
jaxman16
Ashton
Ashton
Posts: 178
Joined: Wed Apr 04, 2018 3:41 pm
Has liked: 33 times
Been liked: 14 times

Re: Bare Knuckle Pickups

Post by jaxman16 »

godgrinder wrote:It's quite important to pick the right model for your guitar and the amp you're playing through. Try avoid pickups that accentuate the same frequency range as your guitar/amp or it can get a bit overbearing. If in doubt start with a "neutral" sounding one like Impulse, or email them about your setup and get them to recommend something.
Yeah thanks, that's very true actually. I've heard their customer service is excellent so I'll have a chat to them about my setup etc.

chrisbower
Squier
Posts: 381
Joined: Mon Jun 09, 2014 9:11 am
Has liked: 23 times
Been liked: 29 times

Re: Bare Knuckle Pickups

Post by chrisbower »

Have a set of alnico nailbombs and some juggernaut 7's. Love em.

User avatar
willow13
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 14558
Joined: Sun Dec 19, 2004 2:36 pm
Location: If less is more then just think how much more more is
Has liked: 372 times
Been liked: 634 times

Re: Bare Knuckle Pickups

Post by willow13 »

Kris wrote:"SD in a fancy suit",totally.
that is the greatest quote :mrgreen:
If Less is More Then Just Think How Much More More would be

User avatar
Danger Mouse
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 11459
Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2006 3:32 pm
Location: Jafa Land
Has liked: 351 times
Been liked: 661 times

Re: Bare Knuckle Pickups

Post by Danger Mouse »

willow13 wrote:
Kris wrote:"SD in a fancy suit",totally.
that is the greatest quote :mrgreen:
About a million years ago I a/b'd my guitar with one of Mr Glynns at a gearfest, he had I think a VHII in the bridge (the Van Halen pick up anyway) and I was running a SD Distortion in mine. Sounded so close I don't think I could pass a blindfold test.
The older I get, the more disappointed in myself I become.

User avatar
godgrinder
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 1709
Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2011 4:49 pm
Location: 09
Has liked: 28 times
Been liked: 594 times

Re: Bare Knuckle Pickups

Post by godgrinder »

They have a bit more clarity than the usual suspects, but that might or might not matter depending on what amps/pedals you're playing through.

They are also basically the only player in the high output true single coil/P90 niche, which I prefer to rail/stack pickups.
Amps:
Soldano SLO100 x2 | Wizard MC1 & MC2 | Diezel Herbert
Fryette Pittbull CL | Marshall 2203KK | Krank Rev 50 | Mesa Mark 2A

Rack stuff:
VHT/Fryette GP3, GP/DI & 2/90/2 | Peters FSM/Chimera
Verellen Meatsmoke | Synergy SYN1 | Mesa Studio

User avatar
Molly
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 24937
Joined: Sat Dec 21, 2013 12:17 pm
Has liked: 2482 times
Been liked: 2794 times

Re: Bare Knuckle Pickups

Post by Molly »

godgrinder wrote:They have a bit more clarity than the usual suspects, but that might or might not matter depending on what amps/pedals you're playing through.

They are also basically the only player in the high output true single coil/P90 niche, which I prefer to rail/stack pickups.
I'd been contemplating a partscaster / custom Tele thing with the set of BK P90s I've got sitting doing nothing. Love a P90 in the neck and prefer a P90 bridge to a regular Strat bridge. Hmmm. I'll have to think on this a bit more.

Ninguisdomesticus
Stagg
Stagg
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Nov 09, 2019 4:46 pm
Been liked: 1 time

Re: Bare Knuckle Pickups

Post by Ninguisdomesticus »

The best modern Pickup is the Gibson Custom Bucker (can only buy them one removed from a Historic Instrument,

User avatar
NippleWrestler
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 2890
Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2016 5:05 pm
Has liked: 78 times
Been liked: 1064 times

Re: Bare Knuckle Pickups

Post by NippleWrestler »

Overpriced and overrated. For less I'll get a custom set handmade to my exact specs and talk 1 on 1 with the winder. Which I've done 5 times now.

If I'm going off the rack I think seymours or maybe Kent Armstrongs win the bang for the buck category and personally don't think bare knuckles sound better than anything else.

Have you checked out Q Pickups on eBay btw? He might do something for you if you have a recipe in mind.

Post Reply