Looking at BKPs, a few questions on all the options...

[andres]

I've been digging all I hear about BKPs and I think its finally time I get some. I was going to put an EMG in the bridge of one of my beater guitars (Agile AL-3100, les paul clone)

I think I'm going to scratch the EMG and plunge for a Bareknuckle. Anyways, I'm looking at all the options, and I have no clue on what to get. I have googled a few of them, but have had pretty poor luck finding solid information.

Here's a few things I could use clarification on:

Bridge Spacing: 50mm/53mm
Conductor: 4/Braided 2
Leg: Long(1/2")/Short(1/4")


The bridge spacing is the distance of the poles, correct? Will a 50/53 still fit in most guitars?

Sorry for the noobish questions, I don't know much about pickups.

Thanks

 

[glpg80]

A: yes - basically its the floyd/fender string spacing 53mm at the bridge vs standard string spacing 50mm

B: always get 4 conductor - that way you can coil tap the pickup, run the coils parallel, or run it as a 'bucker. or if you sell it the seller has more options than just two coils in series all the time.

C: are you getting a neck or bridge pickup? how do you prefer the distance away from the strings? if close - get long legs, if long distance away, get short. or if you plan to body-mount the pickups ala van halen theory - get long legs.

 

[Beardyman]

A: yes - basically its the floyd/fender string spacing 53mm at the bridge vs standard string spacing 50mm

B: always get 4 conductor - that way you can coil tap the pickup, run the coils parallel, or run it as a 'bucker. or if you sell it the seller has more options than just two coils in series all the time.

C: are you getting a neck or bridge pickup? how do you prefer the distance away from the strings? if close - get long legs, if long distance away, get short. or if you plan to body-mount the pickups ala van halen theory - get long legs.

I'm going to elaborate on this a little bit.
53 mm, is trem spacing, any tremolo. 50mm is standard spacing ala Gibsons, and other hardtails.
Not a big deal on the 4 vs 2 conductor. If you want to have more options, like coil splitting, you'll need 4 conductor but obviously don't need too. It'll help resale value.
Short leg is for guitars with shallow bodies, think superstrats, and the such. But, you'll want long legs for Lp's, Sg's, etc. However, you could make shortlegs work for any guitar really.

If you want some help choosing a pickup specifically, give us some detailed info about what kind of tone you're looking for, and the wood combo of the guitar your going to put them in, also your rig, i'd be happy to help as best I can. You can also pm Zimbloth, hes a BKP dealer and really knows his shit about all the models, or directly email Tim at BKP.

 

[andres]

Awesome information, thanks guys! That couldn't have been more helpful.

I have mostly been looking at the used market. The most common two I see are warpigs or painkillers.

I play mostly heavier stuff, through an ENGL Savage and a Mesa 4x12. The guitar is a LP body with Mahogany body and neck. Its sort of hard to describe the sound I want. As much as people hate EMG's, I have always liked what they can deliver. I like mids and smooth/thick tone.

 

[Nico]

Awesome information, thanks guys! That couldn't have been more helpful.

I have mostly been looking at the used market. The most common two I see are warpigs or painkillers.

I play mostly heavier stuff, through an ENGL Savage and a Mesa 4x12. The guitar is a LP body with Mahogany body and neck. Its sort of hard to describe the sound I want. As much as people hate EMG's, I have always liked what they can deliver. I like mids and smooth/thick tone.

Then you could get Miracle Man, based on EMG 81, high output pickups but sound well clean as well, unlike EMG'S (Although I have a guitar with the 18V mod, 2 9v batteries, and it sounds much much better...you could try that first if you got the EMG's)

 

[TeleBlaster]

Bare Knuckle website and forum have lots of information and great sound clips.
I know this isn't your case, but the "F" in F spacing doesn't mean Floyd, it means Fender. Many of the vintage Fenders have a very wide string spacing at the bridge, and Fender has used several different spacings on different models through the years, mostly wider than Gibson
2-3/16" = 55mm roughly, 2-7/32" = 56mm!
Although the wider spacing is indeed the correct pickup to use with a Floyd Rose style trem bridge.