Do all the Bareknuckle pickups suck or just mine?

[crankyrayhanky]

Warpig has extreme lows & needs a thin guitar for it to shine
Probably not great for most baritones
OP definitely has a wiring issue

Nazgul has a djent quack to it that I do not like
I do have fanboi love for all my BKs: aftermath jugg mman Blackhawk

 

[cecilbag]

I had tried two sets and was meh (painkiller and aftermath) but got a guitar with a holy diver in it. It works amazingly well in an old Charvel. Very picky about height as others pointed out but when I hit that sweet spot it just killed. Love it so much that I would like to try one in another guitar.

 

[mincy]

Have a set of BKP Blackhawks in a my 7 string and love them. Tight, clear, great range. I've got no problems with lows, mids or highs. Really well balanced pickups.

 

[RJF]

Couple of things. The guitar is wired correctly. It does in fact have plenty of low end for the most part, it's just not dynamic to my ears and lacks punch. I'm a rhythm player, Palm mutes need to have individual note definition and punch, rather than a bunch of low end "mushed" together.

I normally run a Maxon clean boost in front of almost everything. Turning off the boost helps, but I prefer a lower output pickup with a boost, rather than a super hot 21K pickup with no boost. For one my rigs are set up with my gain patches to have a boost pedal on. It's easier to change pickups than have one guitar that is an odd man out from the rest.

I'm actually glad to hear that guys that really like the BKP's appear to not like the Nazgul. Since, I am not liking these warpigs and I do like a Nazgul I have in a 6 string. Makes me think I will probably be pretty happy with it in this 7.

My Reverb order got screwed up, I bought a Nazgul/Sentient combo with black covers and they had actually already sold the last Sentient. Long story short I'm getting 2 Nazguls. I got a discount going with that combo, and went with it because it's not so easy finding that set with black covers. I'll report back with what I think when I get the Nazguls in.

 

[crankyrayhanky]

Nazgul x2? Interesting...
I never liked the Nazgul while I played it- too much djent quack- but in a recorded mix and live at band practice it did sound stellar. Sounded weird to me on it's own though, but I guess in context is all that matters. Aftermath is similar in that way- seems abrasive by itself but slices nicely in a mix.

I'm thinking Warpig is a good choice for thin guitars but maybe 7 string drop A thickness is not the best choice IDK. Nazgul won't have any issues in that area as it is tight tight tight.

 

[RJF]

I don't like the idea of a Nazgul in the neck either. I figure if I like it in the bridge and it's a keeper, I'll buy a Sentient for the neck later. An extra bridge humbucker laying around is never a bad thing.

My tuning is standard with 9-52 gauge. It's a weird wood combo too, I believe it's mahogany neck through with maple wings and a maple top. Ebony board.

 

[Steinmetzify]

I'm actually glad to hear that guys that really like the BKP's appear to not like the Nazgul. Since, I am not liking these warpigs and I do like a Nazgul I have in a 6 string. Makes me think I will probably be pretty happy with it in this 7.

This is interesting to me as well, and I wish you'd report back. I dig the Warpig and I dig the 6 string Nazgul as it sounds saturated and beefy as fuck, but I HATED the 7 string version.....really dry and quacky to me, so I might fit your BKP/Nazgul demographic.

Hope it works for you, though!

 

[jc986]

I'm actually glad to hear that guys that really like the BKP's appear to not like the Nazgul. Since, I am not liking these warpigs and I do like a Nazgul I have in a 6 string. Makes me think I will probably be pretty happy with it in this 7.

This is interesting to me as well, and I wish you'd report back. I dig the Warpig and I dig the 6 string Nazgul as it sounds saturated and beefy as fuck, but I HATED the 7 string version.....really dry and quacky to me, so I might fit your BKP/Nazgul demographic.

Hope it works for you, though!

Completely agree regarding the 6 string Nazgul vs. 7 string. I hated the 7 string version, but I really like the 6 string version in my SL2H.

 

[RJF]

I'm actually glad to hear that guys that really like the BKP's appear to not like the Nazgul. Since, I am not liking these warpigs and I do like a Nazgul I have in a 6 string. Makes me think I will probably be pretty happy with it in this 7.

This is interesting to me as well, and I wish you'd report back. I dig the Warpig and I dig the 6 string Nazgul as it sounds saturated and beefy as fuck, but I HATED the 7 string version.....really dry and quacky to me, so I might fit your BKP/Nazgul demographic.

Hope it works for you, though!

Completely agree regarding the 6 string Nazgul vs. 7 string. I hated the 7 string version, but I really like the 6 string version in my SL2H.

Well, then it should be interesting. I really like my 6 string Nazgul.

 

[crankyrayhanky]

That's whack. It should essentially be the same pickup going from 6 to 7. It's not the first time I've heard something like that about pickups....maybe the manufacturer are outthinking themselves tweaking it?

 

[Reflux]

My friend had a pair of Juggernauts in one of his Ibby's. Absolutely despise them. Thought they sounded dull and lifeless. When I was looking to replace the cheap pickups I put in my B2 Copy, he offered to let me use them until I found something else.
I bought the Juggs from him (and I am not a Periphery fan, in the slightest way, shape, or form).

I think these pickups are incredibly temperamental on the guitar you have them in. And like others said, the pickup height to string ratio is incredibly important with them...
I only have experience with the Warpig and the Juggs. Wasn't really a fan of the Warpig...

Have the Nazgul/Sentient set up in two guitars and the Pegasus/Sentient set up in another, and couldn't be happier with them. Stick with the affordable, tried and true.

 

[thegame]

I've only used a Painkiller but....

They were SO tight, dry and "clear" that they do wonders to "fix" an over compressed, fizzy and messy Rectifier kind of amp. In an amp that doesn't need "corrective EQ" they were hideous. They can make a Marshall's high gain channel sound like a crunch channel, the crunch channel like a semi clean channel, etc, due to how under saturated they can be compared to Duncans & Dimarzios. Again I've only had experience with the Painkiller but most other accounts echo this trait.

I'm back to Duncans and happy.

 

[voodooamps]

Not trying to stir the pot with BK fans, but man.....

I picked up a custom shop 7 string BCR a while back with a Warpig set in it and I just can't gel with them. They are so "clear" and lack compression that they sound like they lack gain, definition, and bottom end punch. Pretty sure there isn't anything wrong with them because as soon as I stop playing I get a TON of feedback, so I'm pretty sure they are damn hot.

If they are clear then they are defined however if they lack gain, compression & low end punch then it sounds like you may need a hotter model or see the rest of the post listed below.

I've had just one, a Holy Diver 7, and it was meh. Like your description. "Clear" but just lacked oomph and body. I haven't been particularly interested in trying others.

I have some Holydivers & other Bareknuckle pickups that I really like however to be fair I think part of the equation that is often overlooked when swapping pickups is as follows;

A.) Volume Pot(s) - As most know as its been covered a great deal of the years on the net, a 500K value works for humbuckers & 250K works for single coils. Having said that, some humbuckers need to see a lower value pot. In example; The Duncan JB was designed to be dropped into a Strat, which came stock with a 250K volume pot. When you use a 500K pot there really isn’t any low end to speak of, the mids do not sound correct, it's strident & harsh. When you use a 250K it sounds a great different & more like what we hear on recordings from the 80’s. IE: chunky on the lows, great low end resonance, the mids are focused, the highs are open & clear, great sustain & harmonic content.

B.) Tone Pot(s) - Some pickups need a tone pot & cap in order to sound correct, meaning if there is no tone pot connected then it can be strident & lack low end. This is a love or hate thing with players, some players love a humbucker with no tone pot connected (I happen to be among them) as it tends to sound & feel more correct to my ears for Hard Rock or Metal Tones. Many are of the mind set that if the tone control is on 10 or full up that its out of the circuit but this is incorrect. It's still much an R/C network to ground that effects the sound & feel.

I've spent some time metering volume pots when I'm out on the road with artists as its part of the equation that fits into the tonal-puzzle & I need that info when Modding an amp, reworking the live rig or designing a Custom Build. A lot of the 80's guitars used on records back in the day that used a JB had 250K pots. A lot of Gibson Les Pauls from the mid/late 70's & the 80's came in around 300K - 350K. Naturally there are other variables when it comes to pickups (magnet type / kind, charging the magnet, degaussing, wire gauge, slugs, etc) but I think as it pertains to this post that you may want to experiment a bit with the volume pot to see if it will give you what you are looking for.

IE: You can take the guitar to a local tech who has (or purchase) a resistor substitution box, place the leads across the outside lugs on the volume pot. Start with a value around 2.2M and slowly decrease it until you find what you like, its different for every guitar / pickups combination. From there you have (2) choices, A.) solder a resistor of the same value across the pot, note this will effect the taper to some degree, which only matters if you roll the pot up & down when playing) or B.) purchase a lot of pots & weed through them. IE: meter the pots until you fine one that has the value you want & install it.

Naturally we can a lot more in depth but that goes outside the scope of a forum pot & more into writing a book (lol) Hope it helps & have a great day!


Trace Davis, President / Founder

 

[crankyrayhanky]

^awesome info!

I like my pickups and pre chain going into the amp to be tight (less lows) and then you an put the thunder back in with an EQ in the loop if needed. I tune dropC and dropA with hi gain so it all depends on what you want. I wish I had tech skills to try out different pots as above.

 

[Oblivion DC]

Damn!...

 

[jonthomas83]

Voodooamps is spot on with his advice on this. When I replaced my pickups with Bareknuckles, I replaced all the pots an caps too, and it made a big difference.

I have Flat 50's in my Tele (best Tele pickups ever, in my opinion) and Cold Sweats in my Epiphone LP (soon to be sold on) and honestly, I've never tried pickups like them, they are incredible.

 

[RJF]

I've only used a Painkiller but....

They were SO tight, dry and "clear" that they do wonders to "fix" an over compressed, fizzy and messy Rectifier kind of amp. In an amp that doesn't need "corrective EQ" they were hideous. They can make a Marshall's high gain channel sound like a crunch channel, the crunch channel like a semi clean channel, etc, due to how under saturated they can be compared to Duncans & Dimarzios. Again I've only had experience with the Painkiller but most other accounts echo this trait.

I'm back to Duncans and happy.

This is spot on and makes sense. My BCR sounds like crap through my Diezels, but better through my Uberschall or rectos. Glad to be chucking the BKP's out...

 

[RJF]

Got the Nazguls in. Much improved over the BKP's, low end punch like I'm used to now exists in my 7 string. I do hear some high end fuzz that I don't recall with the 6 string version, but not bad enough that I would consider pulling them for something else.

 

[Shask]

I know this thread is a few months old, but I find this interesting.

I have been looking into pickups for a neckthrough maple/alder guitar, and thought maybe the Warpig would be a good solution for adding some chunk to it. It seems like it would be, but not so sure after reading this. I haven't tried any BKP, but generally I do not like anything (amps, pedals, etc...) that is described as super clear, articulate, and super dynamic.

I actually love the Nazgul I have in a different 6 string guitar (bolt on alder), so since I love the Nazgul, maybe BKP is not for me, lol.

I find many Dimarzio can be the same way... they can have tons of "bass", but not really have a good chunk to them when palm muting. I have a Tone Zone and Crunch Lab like this. I don't know what it is, but Duncans do seem to have a more thumping low end, dynamically.

Of course, now I dont know what pickup to choose.....

 

[ZL1Hawk]

I know this thread is a few months old, but I find this interesting.

I have been looking into pickups for a neckthrough maple/alder guitar, and thought maybe the Warpig would be a good solution for adding some chunk to it. It seems like it would be, but not so sure after reading this. I haven't tried any BKP, but generally I do not like anything (amps, pedals, etc...) that is described as super clear, articulate, and super dynamic.

I actually love the Nazgul I have in a different 6 string guitar (bolt on alder), so since I love the Nazgul, maybe BKP is not for me, lol.

I find many Dimarzio can be the same way... they can have tons of "bass", but not really have a good chunk to them when palm muting. I have a Tone Zone and Crunch Lab like this. I don't know what it is, but Duncans do seem to have a more thumping low end, dynamically.

Of course, now I dont know what pickup to choose.....

I've been using a lot of Painkillers and Warpigs in the (b) in my guitars. Some with 500k pots and a few with 1 meg pots. Best thing to do is send an email to Tim at BK explaining the style of music you play, the guitar you are using, amp, and what your goals are. He'll recommend for you what type of BK pup will help you out the best and lead you in the right direction. I love the customizing options you get and the high output rumble from BK's that allow for a punchier attack but I've stopped using BK's because of the cost. I've used Warpigs, Painkillers, Nailbomb, Miracle Man, Cold Sweat, and the Holydiver. Warpigs and Painkillers are my favs. I would install either of those in to any of my guitars they're just too pricey as others have mentioned. They are however a love 'em or hate 'em brand of pups. Sorry they didn't work out for you.

I have to admit I prefer X2N's and the D Activator-X from DiMarzio. Those stand pretty tall even against pups that are twice their price.

Black Winters, Nazgul, Custom 5 TB-14, to name a few from SD that I also love.