Which Bareknuckle?

[Groove]

I've got my guitar completely designed at this point, only thing missing is the pups. Originally i was going to have a blackout in the bridge, but that's out the window Keep in mind i suppose my PLANNED woods are walnut body, mahogany/wenge neck with ebony fretboard. Also it's a fanned 8.

So for bridge i'm stuck between the warpig and painkiller i think. Want to be able to play meshuggah, opethy type stuff on it.

The neck is a bit more difficult. Can't see any of the contemporary ones that seem to suit my needs. Want a really nice warm clean tone, but the leads can still get through on dist.

Any advice from people with experience of any of the BKP's would be a great help

 

[-Nolly-]

For the bridge, I highly recommend the Rebel Yell. It's not in the contemporary range, but it is around the same output as the Cold Sweat and Holy Diver, which are. It's got a smooth high end and punchy midrange with very tight low end which, coupled with the slightly lower output than most metal choices, does wonders for the low-string response and clarity. It also cleans up fantastically well, and has an awesomely vocal lead tone, both of which will stand you in good stead for the Opeth-y side of things.

For the neck slot, the matching Rebel Yell neck is a great pairing, but my particular favourite from the range is the VHII neck. It's around the same output as the RY neck, but features a very large coil-offset wind, giving you exceptionally fluid playability that rivals much hotter neck pickups. At the same time, at around 7.5kΩ, it's squarely in the vintage-hot category, offering a defined and dynamic sound that dominates equally well for both classic and high-gain stuff tones.

 

[Groove]

That's exactly the type of reply i was hoping for Nolly, thanks very much I didn't even take a look at the sig series ones there and i haven't heard much about them. I've absolutely no experience with Bareknuckles but still want to sell my liver just to have them (i'm ruining it anyway, why not? haha) but when i read 'true classic rock tone' i cringe and my mind shouts WHAT ABOUT THE WARPIGS!? Suppose i'll have to just get over that eh?

I was considering the VHII for the neck, it's just hard to know how well a pickup is going to adapt to certain applications without actually having it yourself. My main concern with both pickup's is just the 7 + 8 strings, because from clips n vids i'm pretty sure any of their pup's can handle the first 6!

Another question, do the BKP's come with all the necessary electronics like pots for vol and tone? I'm actually ashamed to be a pickup buying virgin haha

Thanks for the help Nolly!

 

[-Nolly-]

No worries dude, glad I could help out, it's difficult navigating the range when the pickup descriptions can seem so confusingly similar.
Don't be put off by the "true classic rock tone" stuff, they are extremely versatile beasts (as are the vast majority of the BKP range). In my experience going for extreme output in an extended range guitar isn't necessarily the best idea. While it might sound huge and be great fun to play, the trade-off is normally a great loss in low end clarity and definition. The Warpig is a great pickup, but in my opinion is fat to the point of being overkill in low-tuning scenarios (there are people who would disagree I'm sure).

The RY/VHII combination would be great in a 7/8 string, they are both very clear pickups that would really help you reproduce the full range of your instrument. A huge string (as you will doubtless have on the 8th string) will generate a much bigger output from a pickup than a small one, so I don't expect you would encounter any problems in terms of "heat".

BKPs don't come with the electronics, though they do sell pots and caps through their online shop; they are more pricey than your average components, but are extremely high quality. It's up to you whether you want to shell out for them or get standard components from elsewhere.

Feel free to PM me or email at nolly@redseasfire.co.uk if you want details on any of the range - I'm a BKP endorser and have tried the majority of the range

 

[Groove]

Yeah i suppose you're right, i mean if the pickup's are noted for their bass qualities which the likes of the warpigs are then it is probably something which may be slightly over emphasised in their tone which i'm really not looking; it's one of the aspects of the emg 808's i don't like, the 8th string seems to jump out almost. And i really do want definition in my sound. I swear, your a convincing man Nolly

I'll have a multi-scale on this build so my 8th won't be overly large on the 28.5" side of the neck. I'll wait it out a little while longer to see if anyone says anything different about any of the other pup's and then make my choice, i don't want to clog up your pm box too soon before having a more defined choice in mind You seem like the man to consult regarding BK's, thanks a lot for the help again! Sometimes hard to get replies when you need them

 

[-Nolly-]

Sure thing dude.
You could go even lower in output and still get all the brutality you could possibly want. I know Tim (BKP owner) often recommends the Black Dog and Emerald models for baritones and 8-strings. Even with the 28.5" scale I imagine you'll still be easily above a .070 for the lowest string, which is a considerably larger mass swinging around in the magnetic field than a .046 or whatever.
Anyway, have a good think about it, I'm sure others will chime in with their experiences

 

[mrhankey87]

My opinion is different from Nolly's and, while he surely has way more experience in BKP than me, I can definitely recommend the Painkiller in the bridge if you're into meshuggah, also it can handle low tunings very good. Cold Sweat is also an excellent choice in the bridge. For the neck, if you want warm cleans and good leads, I'd recommend the warpig neck model, it has excellent warm clean tones and can handle very full and liquid leads, but maybe it's not the best match with Painkiller/Cold Sweat in the bridge.

 

[Semi-pro]

^^^ I've no clue what to suggest for the bridge, but I agree on the Warpig in the neck I love it how rolling down the tone makes it super creamy, but still able to cut very well.

 

[Groove]

See now it gets confusing again! haha

It's the sort of thing i just wish i could try out to make up my own mind. I'm trying to stay open minded here and you guys are just getting my warpig urge going again I think what Nolly was trying to say though was that the painkiller and warpig are excellent pickups and from the sound of things all of them are, but that the one he recommended is because of the lower output which will give more clarity and balance to all the strings etc etc well at least thats what i took from it.

Keep the opinions coming guys, it is a great help and it's greatly apreciated.

 

[-Nolly-]

Well, my recommendation of the RY/VHII was also because you're aiming for a breadth of tones, from the open and smooth Opeth sounds to the super-focussed Meshuggah chainsaw tone. The Painkiller is the best djent pickup out there IMO, but it is a bit too raucous to be versatile, certainly when compared with the RY.
The Cold Sweat is great, but the RY has all of the wonderful clarity and openness of the CS, with added warmth in the midrange and less harsh high end.

The Warpig neck would overpower almost any of the range except the matching bridge unit.
In my experience it's darkness means it doesn't match well with brighter bridge pickups - if you dial in a suitable tone for the bridge pickup the warpig neck will often be overly dark. In the opposite situation, when you dial in a great neck pickup sound, the bridge position is likely to be on the bright and thin side.

 

[Groove]

Well when you put it that way Nolly, it just makes even more sense! If i could give you a medal i would! I think i'm going to go with your suggestion, it's going to happen sooner or later so why bother fighting it?

Cheers for all the help! Keep posting i suppose though, as i'll have to wait until my money comes through in a bit anyway to actually make the purchase plus it might serve as a good thread of knowledge on the different sounds some of BKP's have, especially seeing as nearly everyone here plays with 7's or 8's!

 

[-Nolly-]

Wonderful choice sir

 

[migreeni]

*Borrowing thread*
My new SC608B is here tomorrow and I'm gonna put a set of BKPs in it. The EMG thing is just not me.. I've been liking the nailbomb on my ESP Horizon, but I have absolutely no idea how it works with an 8-string. Could you with experience let me know some characteristics about how different BKPs work on 8-strings? I'm mainly considering the Nailbomb, Painkiller or Cold Sweat, but I only have experience of the Nailbomb..

E: Or should I be considering Lundgrens?

 

[Zugster]

I'm sure Nolly's advice is spot on.

I have limited BK experience - A painkiller set in my LP custom and a miracle man set in my RG7621.

The one thing I read that I don't quite agree with is the statement that the painkillers aren't versatile. In my heavy mahogany LP I find them quite versatile and just plain fantastic sounding.

I am wondering if a RY / VHII combo (or just a RY pair) would be a good fit for my Gibson '61 reissue SG. It has the stock gibby 57s in there now.

 

[signalgrey]

well what Nolly was saying is that the lower output will be offset by the fact that your low F# and B's are gonna be pumping. So youll get a wide range of possible tones that are both usable and applicable to a variety of niche needs i.e. Djent. BUT if its Djent you want...get the painkiller.

thats the paraphrase.

ive always been curious about the Abraxas pickup personally.

 

[Groove]

Bareknuckle need better descriptions on their pickups i think! Looking at the site and going through their pickups you would think they're nearly all the same by the way they describe them haha

I like all the meshuggah-y djent stuff but it isn't my sole aim in my guitar. If it were it would have made this whole choice easier. Thats why i'm really looking for something that can give me that punch etc that meshuggah and like bands have but retain the ability for a really nice warm clean tone. So far i'm still set on the RY/VHII selection unless others have drastically different opinions on the likes of the warpig 8 etc As the warpig is the only other one i'm really interested in i think, but due to the lower output of the VHII and all, it doesn't seem like a good match so i'd need a different neck option also then!

BKP users report in with opinions!