NGD with a pickup question. Edit just ordered a new bridge pickup!

[MetalThrasher]

Just got a 7 string Mayones yesterday! I'm still in the honeymoon phase but so far I like it. The guitar almost plays itself. Sounds good through my Mark 7. It has a set of Holy Diver pickups in it. I'm not sure if I'm sold on the holy diver bridge pickup though. This is my first experience with bare knuckle pickups so I'm not sure what to compare this to with their other pickups. I feel like I want a ceramic pickup. I'm tuned to B flat and I play thrash metal. What pickups from bare knuckle should I look into? Cheers

 

[CEG85]

If you are at B flat I'd imagine you want something with clarity and and fast response.
Id look into Ceramic Nailbomb, Aftermath or Painkillers.
Aftermath and PK are pretty similar, PK is a little more aggressive then the AM.
AM has more clarity and more even mids then the PK imo. The PK is kind of hairy sounding.
Honestly you cant go wrong with either one.

Ive only used alnico NB and those sound awesome but don't really much up with the tightness of the ceramics.

 

[MetalThrasher]

If you are at B flat I'd imagine you want something with clarity and and fast response.
Id look into Ceramic Nailbomb, Aftermath or Painkillers.
Aftermath and PK are pretty similar, PK is a little more aggressive then the AM.
AM has more clarity and more even mids then the PK imo. The PK is kind of hairy sounding.
Honestly you cant go wrong with either one.

Ive only used alnico NB and those sound awesome but don't really much up with the tightness of the ceramics.

I'm learning towards the ceramic nailbomb looking at the eq. Do I really need to spend that much money on a bare knuckle though? What about a Duncan recommendation?

 

[ClintN667]

I have warpig in my Aviator. It's really cool but not sure about that low of a tuning. Honestly I like the TKO that come on Mayones by default. I have my duvell tuned to B standard with the TKO pickups. They aren't as hot as the warpig. Kinda remind me of like the black winter set.

 

[JohnnyGtar]

If you decide to investigate other brands, the DiMarzio Occult Classics are definitely worth checking out.

 

[CEG85]

I'm learning towards the ceramic nailbomb looking at the eq. Do I really need to spend that much money on a bare knuckle though? What about a Duncan recommendation?

Definitely not, there are other pups out there that sound just as good.
The eq curves are pretty accurate but BK’s are pretty sensitive about wood selection and PU height.
I had do go through a few sets until I settled on Miracle Man, which fits the bill for me.

One thing I was after was string clarity which is kind of a trademark of BK.
I’d look into the SD sh-6 if you want a high output ceramic.

One important question I would ask myself is what is the guitar (pickup wise) lacking? Which pickup will help me get closer to the sound I want?
I have 498ts in a Gibson SG that I would never change out for a BK for example.

 

[nightlight]

I've tried four pups from Barekuckles: Juggernauts (in a six), Ragnaroks (in a seven-string), Aftermaths (in a six) and Blackhawks (in a baritone styled sig). Here are some vids that might help:

Baritone tuned to B



Aftermaths tunes to Drop D



Juggernauts tuned to drop C#/D (not sure)




Unfortunately, the only vids I have of the Ragnaroks are on my Instagram, so can't share that.

 

[MetalThrasher]

I've tried four pups from Barekuckles: Juggernauts (in a six), Ragnaroks (in a seven-string), Aftermaths (in a six) and Blackhawks (in a baritone styled sig). Here are some vids that might help:

Baritone tuned to B



Aftermaths tunes to Drop D



Juggernauts tuned to drop C#/D (not sure)




Unfortunately, the only vids I have of the Ragnaroks are on my Instagram, so can't share that.

Thanks for sharing this! To my ears I like the blackhawk followed by the aftermath. What version of the bridge do you have in the blackhawk, ceramic or alnico? My Mark VII like my other Mark amps seem to be very pickup picky if I can put it that way. I have a set of black winters in a seven string that I don't like playing through the Mark, but through my 5150 stealth they sound fine. The things I don't like about the holydiver bridge in this guitar are the following... It's not tight enough to me, it has too much output, sounds a little too hairy to me, and it has this weird high end sound in the mids which is annoying (almost like a JB). What I'm looking for would be better tightness, lower output, less high end in the mids. My go to pickups that work in the Mark amps are SH-5, EMG 81, Crunch Lab. I tend to favor ceramic pickups. Open to opinions and suggestions.

 

[MetalThrasher]

I really didn't want to spend the money, but sometimes you just have to say fuck it! I ordered a ceramic nailbomb! I think this will help! I hope LOL. Guess I'll be trying to trade the holydiver for another pickup soon.

 

[nightlight]

Thanks for sharing this! To my ears I like the blackhawk followed by the aftermath. What version of the bridge do you have in the blackhawk, ceramic or alnico? My Mark VII like my other Mark amps seem to be very pickup picky if I can put it that way. I have a set of black winters in a seven string that I don't like playing through the Mark, but through my 5150 stealth they sound fine. The things I don't like about the holydiver bridge in this guitar are the following... It's not tight enough to me, it has too much output, sounds a little too hairy to me, and it has this weird high end sound in the mids which is annoying (almost like a JB). What I'm looking for would be better tightness, lower output, less high end in the mids. My go to pickups that work in the Mark amps are SH-5, EMG 81, Crunch Lab. I tend to favor ceramic pickups. Open to opinions and suggestions.

I think the Blackhawks are Alnico, but that's just what the seller told me. Good pups. I think you made a good choice with the ceramic Nailbomb, let us know how it turned out.

 

[Rex Rocker]

Those Black Cocks seem like interesting pickups!

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