Bareknuckle Pick ups

[Ronnie Robinson]

Anyone using these ?

Ive just recently bought a Bareknuckle Mule for the bridge in my McCarthy and it sounds mint, a big improvement over the PRS McCarthy pickup, which is a shame as its an expensive guitar, but any way, I'm well pleased with how it sounds now.

These pickups though are not cheap and its always a bit of a gamble as u dont really know what they are going to sound like until its in your guitar using your Amp. Last year I bought the bareknuckle Riff Raff for my SG and did nt like it, way too 'strident' for me and found the Gibson 57s a much better choice.

[Eddie Famine]

I have a pair of Bareknuckle Mules in my 95 PRS custom 22. I agree, a big improvement . The stock bridge pickup was brittle and the neck muddy.
It is a shame you have to spend the extra money, but read the PRS forums, people RAVE about the sound. I think they are hearing with their eyes and pocket books. It is beautiful, and it costs a lot, so it must sound good, right? There is no PRS sound like there is a Les Paul or Tele or Rick sound. Thats not a bad thing, just a fact. It is a quality versatile instrument. But needs different pup's. And that 5 way switch is crap too.

[bclaire]

There's an inherent sound to a PRS that pickup changes won't affect. Once you notice that sound, you'll be on a futile quest to find a pickup to solve it.

[Eddie Famine]

There's an inherent sound to a PRS that pickup changes won't affect. Once you notice that sound, you'll be on a futile quest to find a pickup to solve it.

No, the Bareknuckles pup changed the brittle sound in the bridge position and cleaned up the muddy sound in the neck. That was the quest, and it solved it.

Seemed to do Ronnie some good too.

[Ronnie Robinson]

Yep I agree that a PRS does nt quite sound like a LP - it sounds like a PRS I suppose, but thats not to say that a change of pickups can't improve the overall sound.

[blackcloud45]

I did the same thing w/ the Riff Raff and hated it. A friend of mine (right here on this very forum) gave me some BKP's to try. The Riff Raff and Stormy Monday (Alnico IV or II, can't remember) had to go. I did put a Mule and Stormy Monday (the other Alnico, as opposed to the first SM mentioned here) and it transformed my white SG. That guitar just did not sound good period. Put in the BKPs and it rocks! Been meaning to change my PRS pups (Dragon II's) and selector switch (I hate the rotary switch) but just can't make myself spend the money. I have a feeling that Billy may be right though (which may be why I haven't don it yet)...

[bgarrett_uk]

Can recommend Mules in a Les Paul (Standard). Probably sound a tad better than the 59's I've used for a while.
A mate of mine also put (apologies) Emeralds in his LP (through Marshall) and I liked the sound he got as well....
... and they're local.
Cheers
Brian

[slate]

ive had a LOT of BKP's , including some custom wound models .
i have to say that although theyre good and a definite improvement over most "stock" pups , overall i prefer seymour duncans - in particular the Custom 5 (B) and the Jazz (N).
i had a hard time finding a BKP that was the right output/magnet combo for me and at £100 + a pop it was getting very expensive to keep trying .
tims a nice guy though and very accomodating if you want something specific that he doesnt produce as standard .
he also makes the best P90's ive ever tried .

[voodoorider]

I've got a slowhand set which are a great improvement over stock Fender Vintage Noiseless, much more responsive and the 2/4 positions are sweeter. Bridge pup is really harsh though, i should probably wire it inot the tone control for the middle..

I also have a pair of Buckers which were custom made for a guitar i have which are sublime to be honest, neck is plump and throaty, bridge is tight as a button but not brittle.

[brianr0131]

ive had a LOT of BKP's , including some custom wound models .
i have to say that although theyre good and a definite improvement over most "stock" pups , overall i prefer seymour duncans - in particular the Custom 5 (B) and the Jazz (N).
i had a hard time finding a BKP that was the right output/magnet combo for me and at £100 + a pop it was getting very expensive to keep trying .
tims a nice guy though and very accomodating if you want something specific that he doesnt produce as standard .
he also makes the best P90's ive ever tried .

This is the exact set I installed in my Hagstrom LP style. I wish I could get them for my Parker Fly. best sound combo going IMO.

[Le Chat Noir]

I've owned 4 Warpigs and they were really nice pickups but in the end I found cheaper pickups that sounded just as good to me

[irish_admiral]

I was the same as Teddy... I've tried a Cold Sweat and a Mule, and some Irish Tours. All good pickups, but priced higher than I was willing to pay, retrospectively.

I got some Toneriders on the off chance and found that - at a fraction of the price - they sounded great. I've got a set of their Pure Vintage pups in my Strat now, and they're great. Won't go back to Bareknuckles now... not because they're not good, but because other cheaper things sound just as good.

[Le Chat Noir]

The Warpigs were unseated from my SG by Toneriders too - in my case Alnico IV. Much lower output, completely different kind of pickup, but I prefer it. The Warpigs impressed me initially as I'd never run such hot pickups before, but in the end I realised in a way it's good to start with a nice fat open-sounding pickup that isn't overwound and kick it up with pedals if necessary.

[stalinshake]

I've got a warpig in a epi les paul, really like it for when I want things to be a tad heavier, find its a lot more harmonically rich than other high output pickups

I reccomend em

[OU818]

I used a calibrated set of Painkillers in my Epi Les Paul for a while in a Prog/Post Metal band until I realised that, despite enjoying listening to that genre, I didn't really get much out of playing it.

The Painkillers were perfect for really tight attack and handled low tunings without becoming muddy however, once they were used for a more standard rock sound and in standard tuning, they became more or less useless. I find that BKP make pickups to suit a specific sound or style, unfortunately creating, at times, a One Trick Pony of a pup.

As far as custom winds go, I once asked Tim if he would consider a WRHB sized vintage HB for my Tele and he replied within an hour stating he won't consider making them, so I have no experience with how easy it is to have a custom pup made.