BKP Clp and review

[SFW]

Ok... so after watching a few Steve Stevens clips and being interested in the Rebel Yell pickup for a few years, I decided to take the plunge. The first thing I noticed about the pickup was that it is seriously bright. I found myself reaching for the presence knob and then the bass knob. It is also painfully open sounding and feeling. Not that I am a lead guitar protege or anything like that, but I actually found it difficult to play leads on. They simply didn't sing like the Duncans that I'm used to playing. The RY feels very stiff and dry. It kinda has a high end fizz to it that I can't seem to dial out. My amp tells me that it is much hotter than the Slash set that I had in the guitar previously, but it doesn't feel that way when playing it. I'm used to a bit of compression in a bridge pickup when you really dig in. The RY doesn't seem to have this. I suppose that this would be awesome with a tubby amp like a Recto... with an amp as tight as the 5150 III can be, it doesn't feel like its doing you any favors. I can also see where this pickup would be great for serious down tuning. The openness and articulation would be really helpful for drop b tunings. For my mere 1/2 step down, it felt very uncomfortable. Listening to the clip below, it sounds fine, but it sure didn't feel very nice to play on. I'll be putting my Slash set back in this weekend. They are a much better fit for my playing style and tastes.

 

[EyesOfTheSouth]

The clip sounds great......but I'm gonna have to agree here. I tried the bridge in both my Les Paul and V and it came out fast both times. Extremely unforgiving and bright. I still don't get the BKP hype. I've tried the Mule, Rebel Yell, Cold Sweat, Nailbomb and Holy Diver. None of them stuck around. The Nailbomb is the one that I really don't get. It gets rave reviews and sounded horrible to me. I use BG pickups.......but everyone has different ears I guess.

 

[grooveHT]

But, but...BKP are the best! Just ask anyone, they'll tell you!

BTW, I'm just playing devil's advocate here, I'm sure they're fine, just that all you hear most often on this forum is the hype train.

 

[skilletbone]

I hope I like the holy diver

 

[SFW]

Stiff is an understatement. Licks that I can normally pull off with ease were like fighting the guitar. It's hot, but there's no sustain.

 

[FourT6and2]

I've tried a bunch of their pickups and the ones I like the most are the Black Dogs and Holy Divers. Nailbomb sounds generic. Riff Raff were super bright. But the Black Dog is awesome.

 

[timeroo]

The hype on BKPs is over the top. They sound good but not good enough for that dime when there's pickups that sound just as good or better for a lot less.

 

[spirit7]

I have to respectfully disagree with the above. BKPs have unmatched clarity and really bring out the guitar's natural tone, which is why they're great and worth the money. Also, to the OP, without wishing to be patronising I hope you played around with the pickup height? BKPs often prefer lower heights and are far more sensitive to it than other pickups.

-C

 

[Mizati20]

Have to agree with the OP... I have tried the Warpig and the Nailbomb... and I just don't get the hype... however I WILL say that they are by far the most open and dynamic sounding pickups that I have used... but I just don't get the compression when digging in like I'm used to... call me spoiled, call it taking a "crutch" away that perhaps I'm used to, but they just don't "feel" right to me...

With that being said, I will also agree with what was just said above, BKP are by FAR more sensitive to pickup heights than any other pickup I have tried, I'm not saying it will be a big WOW for you or anything, but definitely play with the height before you ditch them... at least rule everything out ya know?

...and oh yea... that clip sounded absolutely fantastic... just sayin'

/endslightlyconflictedpost

 

[Classic]

There's no right or wrong in the pickup world as it's all about personal taste. The amp it's going into also plays a big part of the puzzle. A bright amp, bright guitar and bright pickups is a recipe for super bright tone.

I've tried a number of pickups: Duncan's, Wolfetones (x2), Throbak, WCR (x3) and the Bareknuckle Mules are doing it for me.

Discovering the level of output you like from a pickup and the magnet type will help narrow your search.

 

[lespaul6]

Put the Seymour Duncans back in.. Duncan makes the best pickups imo

 

[the4thlast1]

I like BK pickups a lot...The Rebel Yell is not one of my favorites but I bet it would work great in a fat sounding warm guitar..It can be a bit harsh in the high mids depending what guitar it's in.

BKs in general do not have as much compression that duncans and dimarzios have. They are more open and have better clarity.With that being said there are a lot of different models they offer and when you find the right match for the guitar it's pretty awesome...You might enjoy the holydiver more .... it's closer to the familiar Duncan vibe of say a jb. It's not as stiff and bright as the rebel yell.

 

[SFW]

I have to respectfully disagree with the above. BKPs have unmatched clarity and really bring out the guitar's natural tone, which is why they're great and worth the money. Also, to the OP, without wishing to be patronising I hope you played around with the pickup height? BKPs often prefer lower heights and are far more sensitive to it than other pickups.

-C

I didn't say it sucked. I said that for my personal playing style and preference, it wasn't the right pickup for me. Yes, I did play with the pickup height. I followed the directions that came with the pup. I started with the pickups very close to the strings and then slowly began moving them down. For the clip, I had them set where my ears told me they sounded best. As I said in my opening post, I can see where there are applications where this pickup would shine. I just don't play I'm those applications. Maybe I'll try it in my other Les Paul. Maybe it will work for that guitar... Maybe not.

 

[Erock]

Man, that clip sounded great, lol, too bad you're not diggin them. One thing I've noticed about Tim's pups in general, is it seems like there is so much clarity, they sometimes feel lower output when you first try them. I like the extra grit I get out of other pickups sometimes too, but the clarity out of Tim's pups can be addictive. Glad I'm not stuck with any one choice. I would keep em in for a week and see if you get used to the feel. You might be surprised.

 

[fuzzyguitars]

Gotta say.

They might feel like shit.

But that clip sounds great.

 

[Steinmetzify]

It took me awhile to really gel with the BKPs I have; that being said I just swapped out the Holydivers in my LP for a lower output 'boutique' set. The Painkiller in my strat goes nowhere though; that thing sounds incredible in drop C. Under heavy gain it really comes alive, but in standard tuning it can be painfully bright as well.

I think it's a combination of getting used to it and EQing your amp for them; settings that sound amazing with the BKPs sounds pretty dull and lifeless with SDs, for instance. It's weird.

 

[firejack]

That does sound great.
I love my BKP bridge pickups for rhythm tones, but I agree that they need a bit of a push for lead playing.
Have you tried using a boost or compressor between your guitar and amp to help saturation?
I use a Tech 21 Boost DLA, or a CMATMODS Deluxe Signa Comp to help my BKPs shine on leads.
Other pedals that give a nice push without coloring your signal are the Suhr Koko Boost (green side), Majik Box Venom Boost, and the Creative Labs Mark 4.23 Boost.

 

[War Admiral]

Well my .2 cents is I got caught up in the boutique pickup hype like a lot of people but you know what?? Your Custom vid really does sound better than this....it even sounds stiff...its not bad sounding at all but they are not worth the money when you can get a SD that sounds just as good or better...see the thing is the best sounds were created using Duncan, Dimarzio, Gibson, etc. Not these fancy shmancy boutique pickups. Duncans and the rest may not be perfect and have their flaws but thats what the sound of rock is to me...what my ears equate as good tone

 

[SFW]

Well, on a whim I decided to try the RY in my Les Paul Classic. It sounds absolutely huge in that guitar. I mean night and day difference in tone and feel. So the RY will be staying in that guitar.

 

[FourT6and2]

Well, on a whim I decided to try the RY in my Les Paul Classic. It sounds absolutely huge in that guitar. I mean night and day difference in tone and feel. So the RY will be staying in that guitar.

No, bro. Haven't you heard, BKP are all hype. You're gonna have to go ahead and pull that pickup back out now.