Pickup talk.......

[luxxtone]

I currently installed an Aldrich in my guitar too! I went through a few pickups including EMG 85/81's that didn't measure up to the Duncan SH-6 that I took out. Im happy with the Suhr Aldrich right now!
Still...I lust after the BG PUPS HELLARAIL!!!! I've not heard one impressive clip from a Bareknuckle Pickup!!!

You can't really judge pickups by clips. I would never own the pickups I do if I based it on clips. There's way too many variables, like the persons amp, their amp setting, the guitar itself....etc. Pickups are much more of a feel thing, as much as tone itself, and you can't get that from clips. I'm not protecting BKP pickups at all....I'm just saying this is the case for all pickups. I can't stand most BKP clips I've heard either, but the pickups are killer. I actually dislike most pickup clips since guys mix in delays, too much gain and all kinds of other stuff that hides all your tone.

Let's just say any Duncan played into a Diezel with tons of gain will sound very different than that same Duncan played into an old Marshall plexi with medium gain. How can you tell what the pickup is doing?

The only way clips work in my opinion is when they're done like James Lugo's pickup shootout. Same amp, same settings, same guitar, same riffs. then you can tell the difference between them, but you still can't feel how they respond. But it's the best comparison I've ever heard of pickups.

 

[Mailman1971]

You can't really judge pickups by clips. I would never own the pickups I do if I based it on clips. There's way too many variables, like the persons amp, their amp setting, the guitar itself....etc. Pickups are much more of a feel thing, as much as tone itself, and you can't get that from clips. I'm not protecting BKP pickups at all....I'm just saying this is the case for all pickups. I can't stand most BKP clips I've heard either, but the pickups are killer. I actually dislike most pickup clips since guys mix in delays, too much gain and all kinds of other stuff that hides all your tone.

Let's just say any Duncan played into a Diezel with tons of gain will sound very different than that same Duncan played into an old Marshall plexi with medium gain. How can you tell what the pickup is doing?

The only way clips work in my opinion is when they're done like James Lugo's pickup shootout. Same amp, same settings, same guitar, same riffs. then you can tell the difference between them, but you still can't feel how they respond. But it's the best comparison I've ever heard of pickups.

What made me a 'believer' was when a buddy of mine brang over his guitar with the Aldrich in it.
I had my Jackson plugged in with the EMGs when he got there. Fired off some riffs...
he plugged his guitar in (same settings) and it was SOOOO MUCH clearer and defined and just overall sounded WAY BETTER! I always thought that the EMG's were the ultimate for that 'metal' sound....was I wrong.
My guitar sounded like a heavy Slayer....his sounded like Lynch with a hint of Slayer. Such a awesome tone.
I should be writing my review about the Afwayu in the next couple of days. Weekdays are really hectic for me time wise.

 

[zygoat]

I just got a Suhr Modern and my whole plan was to put a BKP Nailbomb set in it and tune it to open C, that's the tuning I use to get heavy. But damn the Aldrich pickups sound really good. I think I'm still going to go through with that plan since I love the Nailbombs but I will probably replace the humbuckers in my Suhr Classic T with the Aldriches. Currently it has a DSH and DSV (?) and they are OK but don't have enough bite for the stuff I want to do.

 

[Mailman1971]

I think it was a Suhr modern that I played that had the Aldrich in it.
Sounded really good! Best sounding guitar yet!

 

[moltenmetalburn]

...Was just reading up on the Afwayu (thanks for the tip, guys) and it's 16k w/an A5? So would it be kinda similar to Duncan Custom 5? JB? Anybody tried either/both/all? If Cantrell is using the Afwayu now, betting perhaps it's closer to a JB...
Interested, because while I'm curious about MCPs now, not digging what I hear about C5s...
I mentioned I want to get into magnet swaps, and I actually have a couple of A5s floating around (won them in a raffle...lol), and a Custom and CC in my two main Strats w/humbuckers I could convert, but that's how disinterested I am in trying C5s!

But if the Afwayu is like a JB with a better mid-structure?

All of my MCP's are Alnico, 4 or 5.

I will never play ceramic or try a ceramic pickup again. I can see where you are coming from.

Remember anything is possible from Wade, it is a custom shop after all.

 

[droptrd]

I currently installed an Aldrich in my guitar too! I went through a few pickups including EMG 85/81's that didn't measure up to the Duncan SH-6 that I took out. Im happy with the Suhr Aldrich right now!
Still...I lust after the BG PUPS HELLARAIL!!!! I've not heard one impressive clip from a Bareknuckle Pickup!!!

Im lovin the shit out of my BKP Holydivers. A little microamp action and its monster tone

 

[Keebz]

I currently installed an Aldrich in my guitar too! I went through a few pickups including EMG 85/81's that didn't measure up to the Duncan SH-6 that I took out. Im happy with the Suhr Aldrich right now!
Still...I lust after the BG PUPS HELLARAIL!!!! I've not heard one impressive clip from a Bareknuckle Pickup!!!

You can't really judge pickups by clips. I would never own the pickups I do if I based it on clips. There's way too many variables, like the persons amp, their amp setting, the guitar itself....etc. Pickups are much more of a feel thing, as much as tone itself, and you can't get that from clips. I'm not protecting BKP pickups at all....I'm just saying this is the case for all pickups. I can't stand most BKP clips I've heard either, but the pickups are killer. I actually dislike most pickup clips since guys mix in delays, too much gain and all kinds of other stuff that hides all your tone.

Let's just say any Duncan played into a Diezel with tons of gain will sound very different than that same Duncan played into an old Marshall plexi with medium gain. How can you tell what the pickup is doing?

The only way clips work in my opinion is when they're done like James Lugo's pickup shootout. Same amp, same settings, same guitar, same riffs. then you can tell the difference between them, but you still can't feel how they respond. But it's the best comparison I've ever heard of pickups.

I understand what you mean but I've bought pickups after giving them the benefit of the doubt by listening to clips on the internet that weren't exactly spectacular. Only to have them turned out to be EXACTLY like the clips I've heard!
Pickups are usually cheap enough for me to go ahead and roll the dice, but not for $300 Bareknuckles!! That shit better knock me on my ass before I drop coin on it!
With that said, both the Aldrich and HellaRail sound fuckin kick ass to me based on internet clips....why can't BK's?

 

[luxxtone]

I currently installed an Aldrich in my guitar too! I went through a few pickups including EMG 85/81's that didn't measure up to the Duncan SH-6 that I took out. Im happy with the Suhr Aldrich right now!
Still...I lust after the BG PUPS HELLARAIL!!!! I've not heard one impressive clip from a Bareknuckle Pickup!!!

You can't really judge pickups by clips. I would never own the pickups I do if I based it on clips. There's way too many variables, like the persons amp, their amp setting, the guitar itself....etc. Pickups are much more of a feel thing, as much as tone itself, and you can't get that from clips. I'm not protecting BKP pickups at all....I'm just saying this is the case for all pickups. I can't stand most BKP clips I've heard either, but the pickups are killer. I actually dislike most pickup clips since guys mix in delays, too much gain and all kinds of other stuff that hides all your tone.

Let's just say any Duncan played into a Diezel with tons of gain will sound very different than that same Duncan played into an old Marshall plexi with medium gain. How can you tell what the pickup is doing?

The only way clips work in my opinion is when they're done like James Lugo's pickup shootout. Same amp, same settings, same guitar, same riffs. then you can tell the difference between them, but you still can't feel how they respond. But it's the best comparison I've ever heard of pickups.

I understand what you mean but I've bought pickups after giving them the benefit of the doubt by listening to clips on the internet that weren't exactly spectacular. Only to have them turned out to be EXACTLY like the clips I've heard!
Pickups are usually cheap enough for me to go ahead and roll the dice, but not for $300 Bareknuckles!! That shit better knock me on my ass before I drop coin on it!
With that said, both the Aldrich and HellaRail sound fuckin kick ass to me based on internet clips....why can't BK's?

Did you check out James Lugo's pickup shootout? Some great stuff on there.

 

[SpiritCrusher86]

Ordered a BKP Miracle Man from the axe palace March 9th, he still hasn't even received it from BKP. Meanwhile, i've been regretting it since reading about MC Hell baby's. Being cheaper, MIA, faster, I should have bought that. But i've bitched and badgered Nick (the axe palace owner) so much, that I feel he deserves this sale, so i'll just stick with the BKP. Hope it comes soon though, and I hope I love it.

 

[Keebz]

Did you check out James Lugo's pickup shootout? Some great stuff on there.

pickup GAS after that.

 

[moltenmetalburn]

Ordered a BKP Miracle Man from the axe palace March 9th, he still hasn't even received it from BKP. Meanwhile, i've been regretting it since reading about MC Hell baby's. Being cheaper, MIA, faster, I should have bought that. But i've bitched and badgered Nick (the axe palace owner) so much, that I feel he deserves this sale, so i'll just stick with the BKP. Hope it comes soon though, and I hope I love it.

boutique pickups sell fast in our classifieds, if you don't like it flip it and then go MCP.

 

[BeëlzeM]

Talking about pickups. I ordered my first set of BKP's today. I went with a Cold Sweat in the neck, and a 'special' pickup for the bridge. Something that's not on the product page. It's a custom pickup called the Aftermath. Pics/clips/review when they get here in a week or so!

 

[NinjaRaf]

I started with duncans. I never liked EMGs, but I did end up really liking the duncan mustaine set. Had those in my ibby for about 3-4 years, and I had a blackout in my 7-string for a while. When I got my ninja, I tried the mustaines, but I hated them in it, so I bought some BKP Painkillers, and that sealed my passive fate for me. I love the painkillers. Then I bought some BG pickups (check them out...norcalguitars.com...similar prices to duncans, but 100X the tone and quality) and I love those. Most recently, I bought some MCP hellbabies, and they are absolutely my favorite so far. I dont have as many under my belt as some of the dudes here, Im sure, but I have a sample from these 3 companies, and they all have their own strong and weak points, but the 2 things they have in common is clarity and tone above EMGs...

Heres a video I did comparing the BG hellarail and lizard with my painkillers...

 

[ericsabbath]

...Was just reading up on the Afwayu (thanks for the tip, guys) and it's 16k w/an A5? So would it be kinda similar to Duncan Custom 5? JB? Anybody tried either/both/all? If Cantrell is using the Afwayu now, betting perhaps it's closer to a JB...
Interested, because while I'm curious about MCPs now, not digging what I hear about C5s...
I mentioned I want to get into magnet swaps, and I actually have a couple of A5s floating around (won them in a raffle...lol), and a Custom and CC in my two main Strats w/humbuckers I could convert, but that's how disinterested I am in trying C5s!

But if the Afwayu is like a JB with a better mid-structure?

I'd say the afwayu is between a JB and a nailbomb
it's about as hot and punchy as the nailbomb, but with the JB midrange bump, more dry and clearer than the JB
the nailbomb is a bit tighter and more aggressive, but has flat PAF-like mids, like the custom 5, but much hotter than a custom 5
compared to the bk holy diver, the afwayu has a similar voicing, but it's definitely hotter and more aggressive
the holy diver is a bit warmer, more open and fluid

 

[Mailman1971]

Cool thread.
I have the Aldrich set being installed in my Ibanez PGM301 right now.
I'm hell excited to see how it sounds.

Man........dont know what kinda music you play but If you like rock/metal you will love it!
My jaw dropped when I heard it ripping thru my Diezel.
I have been a total EMG user for the past 10 years.....and this pickup sounded like a mix of Lynch with a hint of Slayer. Fucking great!
Had such a GROWL ........hard to describe. But I owned the Screamin Demon several times.....and this Aldrich CRUSHED that pickup!

Congrats on the score!

Dan

So did you get the Afwayus in yet? What do you think?

Just got my guitar back today. I had the store install it. I dont have a Soldering iron and dont want to risk fucking it up.
Needless to say I picked it up on the way to work and wont have a chance to play till tommorrow. I had the 3 way switch and tone knob taken out of the guitar.
No more neck pickup, just the Afwayu and a volume knob!
Mine has the Chrome cover on it. Looks kick ass. High expectations on this baby.
Will give a review tomorrow.

Dan

 

[JTyson]

NO tone knob

 

[Mailman1971]

NO tone knob

Nope....just a whole where that TONE SUCKER once was.

 

[turmoil]

Ordered a BKP Miracle Man from the axe palace March 9th, he still hasn't even received it from BKP. Meanwhile, i've been regretting it since reading about MC Hell baby's. Being cheaper, MIA, faster, I should have bought that. But i've bitched and badgered Nick (the axe palace owner) so much, that I feel he deserves this sale, so i'll just stick with the BKP. Hope it comes soon though, and I hope I love it.

I ordered a BKP Painkiller through Nick at the Axe Place over the summer and it probably took about a month and a half for me to get it.
Was i happy when i got it? indeed!!
Was it worth the wait? you bet
just hang in man!

 

[hank]

NO tone knob

Nope....just a whole where that TONE SUCKER once was.

 

[JTyson]

NO tone knob

Nope....just a whole where that TONE SUCKER once was.

Bless you my son