Ben Waylin
Banned
Well-known member
This one was used, and teh guy had removed the cover.
That's how I prefer them anyways, so I was OK with that.
That's how I prefer them anyways, so I was OK with that.
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braintheory
Well-known member
For higher output pickups made today they are better than many others, but there are so many great vintage high output pickups made today that I find much better, more inspiring to play, some of which are about the same price as the Wagner’s, some cheaper
Same story I’d say with their lower output pickups. My favorite was the Darkburst model. For non-vintage pickups Tone Specific’s have a more 3D/nuanced tone, but not voiced as tight as the Wagner’s
Bare knuckles, like others have said, to me are the epitome of a sterile/2D pickup, but it’s all relative. As much as I used to like Wagner’s (including the Iron Man) I found them kinda bland/sterile when compared in the same guitars to my vintage Mighty Mite’s, Schaller’s and Bill Lawrence’s
Same story I’d say with their lower output pickups. My favorite was the Darkburst model. For non-vintage pickups Tone Specific’s have a more 3D/nuanced tone, but not voiced as tight as the Wagner’s
Bare knuckles, like others have said, to me are the epitome of a sterile/2D pickup, but it’s all relative. As much as I used to like Wagner’s (including the Iron Man) I found them kinda bland/sterile when compared in the same guitars to my vintage Mighty Mite’s, Schaller’s and Bill Lawrence’s
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VonBonfire
Well-known member
DanTravis62
Well-known member
57 classics are great pickupsMy favorite set of throbaks is the Gibson '57 classic set.
Theyre easily as expensive as wagner though, so youre a cork sniffer now
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VonBonfire
Well-known member
That may be so but I could buy a used single wide for less than they want for a set of throbaks.
Smash
Hack
Yes Sam. But do they sound like cardboard?
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braintheory
Well-known member
They would if played through a UU, Omega, or KSR, but even real PAF’s and ‘60’s Alnico Blues couldn’t remedy that. Thankfully there aren’t too many BKP fans on here anyway
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braintheory
Well-known member
All you need is the coolest looking BKP’s with burnt camo covers in the most neon Aristides or shiniest, poly doused PRS or Mayones plugged into a Herbert, JVM or Engl and you’re golden. If that rig sounds totally lifeless or synthetic clearly it’s just the player’s fault
If he thinks Throbak or Tone Specific are pricy, the internet will break on his end if he sees what guy’s ask for Virgil Arlo, Ron Ellis or real PAF’s, but of course those are just for pretentious douchey corksniffers. Bare Knuckle’s sound just as good or better and more nuanced obviously
On a serious note, I wouldn’t mind trying those Wilkinson’s for that price. That’s also around where the ‘80’s Schaller single coils go for and they sound great, but I shouldn’t be allowed to like vintage Schallers for the prices they go for. Oops
DanTravis62
Well-known member
The alnico telecaster set is crazy good for how cheap it goes for - I believe I got both pickups in a wiring harness with the electrolytics for 45$ or something stupid cheap like that
Those vintage Schallers are great pickups
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Skolphy
Active member
Count me as a BKP guy..was hooked from the first one I tried.
It's probably more for me about the feel and response of their pickups...don't know if it's the scatter winding thing but BKPs have so much more definition and pick/volume knob response nuances than the usual suspects.
I can't say I've sniffed too many of the Tonenerd/WCR/Booteek cork makers though..but no doubt there are a lot of great winders out there. As noted...it all comes down to what you want for your sound and style...to me the money is irrelevant to a certain point...IF it sounds good and fits what I want..I buy it.
It's probably more for me about the feel and response of their pickups...don't know if it's the scatter winding thing but BKPs have so much more definition and pick/volume knob response nuances than the usual suspects.
I can't say I've sniffed too many of the Tonenerd/WCR/Booteek cork makers though..but no doubt there are a lot of great winders out there. As noted...it all comes down to what you want for your sound and style...to me the money is irrelevant to a certain point...IF it sounds good and fits what I want..I buy it.
Smash
Hack
I think @RedB4Black uses some bare knuckles in a guitar or two. I know every guitar he has sound awesome.
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braintheory
Well-known member
Will have to look them up. Many of the ‘80’s high output Schaller humbuckers I like even more than my ‘80’s Bill Lawrence’s, but maybe not over some of the ‘70’s L90’s and L100’s. They smoke almost any non-vintage pickup I’ve tried (except 1 or 2 I can think of) and usually cost less than TN’s. There’s a bunch of cheap hidden gem vintage pickups I love and I’m sure others I don’t know about
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bubucci
Well-known member
BKP has very wide portfolio of pickups and it is not possible to generalize them. Mule, Rebel Yell, Abraxas, Miracle Man, Warpig, these are so different and fits different needs.
My only experience with Wagners is Goodwood set and they are good in good wood...obliviously
They were in '18 LP Standard and compared to my R9 with Custombuckers, it was no contest. No pickup can make Standard better than much more resonant, airy and still full sounding R9.
What are the criteria for 2D/3D sound ? Are we talking about jazz, metal, fusion style ? Marshall amps ? Fender amp ? Low gain ? High gain ? Or it is only one personal view of one person from one metal-oriented forum ?
My only experience with Wagners is Goodwood set and they are good in good wood...obliviously
They were in '18 LP Standard and compared to my R9 with Custombuckers, it was no contest. No pickup can make Standard better than much more resonant, airy and still full sounding R9. What are the criteria for 2D/3D sound ? Are we talking about jazz, metal, fusion style ? Marshall amps ? Fender amp ? Low gain ? High gain ? Or it is only one personal view of one person from one metal-oriented forum ?
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braintheory
Well-known member
I’ve tried almost the entire BKP line-up and all the ones you mentioned except for the Abraxas. They all to me have in common I felt a sterile/less lively tone and feel than other boutique (or better yet vintage) pickups compared in the same guitarBKP has very wide portfolio of pickups and it is not possible to generalize them. Mule, Rebel Yell, Abraxas, Miracle Man, Warpig, these are so different and fits different needs.
My only experience with Wagners is Goodwood set and they are good in good wood...obliviously
What are the criteria for 2D/3D sound ? Are we talking about jazz, metal, fusion style ? Marshall amps ? Fender amp ? Low gain ? High gain ? Or it is only one personal view of one person from one metal-oriented forum ?
Regardless or any genre, gain amount or style, 3D tone to me is a rich sound full of nuance, overtones, harmonics where notes connect well with each other sort of like how the human voice would sing the melody and the sound is just full of life. It’s hard to put in words, but you just know it upon the first note you play. The most 3D amp I ever tried was a ‘70’s Dumble ODS. I’d call it 5D lol. Other notably 3D amps would be a Jim Kelley, Gjika or Ronin amp. For metal amps the mark iic+ would be the most 3D I’ve tried, especially for leads. A real Klon centaur is also exceptionally 3D and why it’s so special. I’m probably being too hard on BKP’s, but in that sense I found them relatively 2D vs my preferred pickups, but even Wagner’s or all these popular boutique pickups sound 2D to me vs my preferred ‘60’s and ‘50’s pickups like the Gretsch’s, Guild’s, Gibson P90’s, PAF’s and mini-humbuckers. All incredible and very inspiring to play through. For high output pickups I like my ‘70’s Bill Lawrence’s, Mighty Mites, Dirty Fingers and Schallers. If more guys knew about them these boutique winders would be out of business
ChuggNorris
Well-known member
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Spent the evening on the BKP ceramic warpig.
Absolutely brutal.
Dialed bass back a little on the herbert.
Precense up a little on herbert.
Still one of the heaviest pickups I've played.
Thick and ballsy. Chuggchugg city.
Pleasant on the ears in the upper registers.
In no way sterile. Trying to say "they all sound sterile" is just...
CORK SNIFFERY OF THE HIGHEST ORDER.
Same exact thing anti emg people say.
Some of your favorite tones were recorded on EMGs so its always hilarious reading that ?
This is a pickup that sounds better FURTHER from the strings than my others also.
Pickup height does matter ?
Spent the evening on the BKP ceramic warpig.
Absolutely brutal.
Dialed bass back a little on the herbert.
Precense up a little on herbert.
Still one of the heaviest pickups I've played.
Thick and ballsy. Chuggchugg city.
Pleasant on the ears in the upper registers.
In no way sterile. Trying to say "they all sound sterile" is just...
CORK SNIFFERY OF THE HIGHEST ORDER.
Same exact thing anti emg people say.
Some of your favorite tones were recorded on EMGs so its always hilarious reading that ?
This is a pickup that sounds better FURTHER from the strings than my others also.
Pickup height does matter ?
RedB4Black
Well-known member
I’ve played an Alnico War Pig and I thought it was too much on the low end. Granted it was also in a LP. I would like to try the ceramic version as that probably helps on the low end a little….but probably still more than I want from what you are saying. I’m a big fan of the ceramic nail bomb. Ireally like the Silo too, which I’ve read is more like a toned down war pig
ChuggNorris
Well-known member
The Cpig has a unique compression and you will find yourself bumping the precense on the amp. It's a unique sounding pickup and why it's stayed for so long. It's not what I would call an open pickup. It's thick and meaty and does well with a heavy pick attack. If you pick soft or economically at all it will sound "rounder" than you may like. I guess a boost would add more edge in that particular situation assuming you don't dig in and pick hard, I don't boost so your mileage may vary there.
It is the darkest sounding pickup I have but it's not dull... (it can be though with the wrong setup) ...it's definitely different. Not sure you'd like it based on what you're saying though. In general I'd say it's the answer to an overly bright amp that needs taming and thickening up. I'd imagine it would sound good through amps like the hell razor for someone like you. If the amp is already thick, it might be overkill. But through an amp with a shit ton of upper mids and precense I think it would balance it out pretty well. For my taste anyway. I had heard it was a dark pickup anyway so I opted for the ceramic version when I ordered it.
Also I built Gibson tone control PCB for a little while like 13 years ago... and one thing that makes those Les Paul's even darker is the pots being like 350k or 450k. There were no 500k pots going on those pcbs and they were for Les Paul's. Probably something to consider unless they have changed that, or you have 500k pots already. I just know I never put a single 500k pot on one and they were Gibson labeled pots. Probably has alot to do with how the guitars were seen as being a bit darker and slightly smoother.
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tallcoolone
Well-known member
Have the Godwood bridge/Crossroads neck set in 2 Les Pauls and they are perfect.
Agree--I've tried Mules, Riff Raff and the Black Dog set. All seemed 'overpotted'--lacked sustain and dynamics, seemed choked. Maybe they are good for the brootz but not my cup at all
DanTravis62
Well-known member
I've tried or played: the Mule, Riff Raff, Black Dog, Nailbomb, Painkiller, Juggernaut, Ragnarok, and Polymath in various guitars i've owned or my friends have owned
And I'm not a pickup maker, maybe scott or someone could explain it - but maybe it is overpotting? They sound absolutely dead and lifeless to me when compared to something like a wagner or tonenerd, or even something like a duncan sh-6. Especially when close miced - it's like there's a freaking low pass with a shelf around 5k or something, going into the amp! Plugging into a 101b with a riff raff was actually the literal darkest, muddiest high gain sound i've ever played, ever.
I end up dialing amps with actually MORE gain than with lower output non-BKP pickups because i'm trying to get detail and grind that just isnt there out of them.
I am seriously stoked for the guys getting good tones out of them, more power to em. But at least for me, my high gain tone game leveled up considerably after removing the last BKP from one of my guitars. I was able to use less gain on amps, with what feels like more frequency response all through the spectrum.
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braintheory
Well-known member
I didn’t find them good for anything. I guess since they’re tighter than some other lower output pickups they can work more easily for metal (even if they weren’t designed to), but like you said the tone and feel was uninspiring and makes you scratch your head a bit as to why they used to get so hyped