Question About Motor City Vs Bare Knuckle

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braintheory

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So I currently have a set of Motor City Detroiter's in my 1993 Gibson SG Standard (Ebony Fingerboard) and as I've said before they're phenomenal. Before I had the Detroiter's I didn't know that low output pickups could be just as great for metal (even extreme metal) as any high output pickup.

My question is how do the Bare Knuckle VHII and Riff Raff compare to the Detroiter's? Based on the descriptions it seems like the VHII would be the closest BK to the Detroiter. Can either the VHII or Riff Raff sound as raw, aggressive, organic, or as detailed as the Detroiter? What I especially like about the Detroiter is that most of the aggression lies in the mids. From my experience most Bare Knuckle are way more polite in the mids (even if they have tons of mids such as: Painkiller, Aftermath, or Holy Diver), which I don't like. So if anyone has tried the Detroiter and one the following BKP's please speak up.
 
I've got the Detroiter in my 07 LP Std and the Riff Raff in my 08 LP Custom. Sound very similar to me :thumbsup:

I actually like the tone of stock Burstbuckers in my Les Pauls, but they get a little muddy when the gain gets turned up. In describing my requirements to both Wade (MCP) and Tim (BKP), the Detroiter and Riff Raff were the recommendations. I'm pretty satisfied.
 
Just a question, if you're happy with the Detroiter, stick with the Detroiter.

Outside of this, the BKPs are interesting animals. I'm not sure why you'd want a pickup to sound like a pickup you already have, but made by a different company...(?) BKPs have got such an incredible voice - maybe you want to get into something similar but different you know?? Riff Raffs are stellar pups - got 'em. But for bark and bite, I'd go with Black Dogs or VHIIs.

Peace,
Mo
 
Ventura":2eieseds said:
Just a question, if you're happy with the Detroiter, stick with the Detroiter.

Outside of this, the BKPs are interesting animals. I'm not sure why you'd want a pickup to sound like a pickup you already have, but made by a different company...(?) BKPs have got such an incredible voice - maybe you want to get into something similar but different you know?? Riff Raffs are stellar pups - got 'em. But for bark and bite, I'd go with Black Dogs or VHIIs.

Peace,
Mo
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I don't plan to get rid of my Detroiter. I'm curious about the bare knuckle riff raffs and vhii's for other guitars of mine. I'm just wondering if for what I want the Detroiter is just better than the vhii and riff raff. The only reason I'm inclined to think that right now is because I find BKP's to generally have less aggressive mids and rawness than motor city pickups. If the same is true with the riff raffs and vhii's than I'd cross them off my list of pickups to consider.
 
If you want an aggressive mids pickup, look no further than the BlackDogs. They're phenomenal.

Peace :salute:
Mo
 
Everyone will have different opinions, but if you like the Detroiter, stick with it.


It is a great pickup, and you will probably have a hard time finding another pickup that has every single thing that you like about the Detroiter, in another package.
 
I think you guys are misunderstanding me. The Detroiter is great and I'm not getting rid of it anytime soon, but I'm interested in other low output pickups for other guitars of mine (and wanna try something other than Detroiter's for more variety) and wanted to know how the riff raff and vhii compare to the Detroiter. I don't want them to be like the Detroiter but not as good for my tastes, and I highly doubt they'd be like a better Detroiter.

Like I said before what I love about the Detroiter is it's rawness, aggression, growl, and airiness/openness and I wonder if the riff raff or vhii can match the Detroiter in those areas.
 
I've got a VHII in the bridge of my PRSCU24. Adjectives I'd use to describe it are raw, open, bright, organic, and touch sensitive. It's also has the most string to string definition of any humbucker I've tried. I could stand a bit more grunt in the mids and maybe a tad hotter, but that's nit picking.
 
braintheory":6b2ncq7k said:
I think you guys are misunderstanding me...

...I wonder if the riff raff or vhii can match the Detroiter in those areas.
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Not misunderstanding you. Hear you loud and clear. But can I ask why only the VHII and the RR ??

If you want mids, and bark, and clarity, and beautiful overtones, and versatility....go BlackDog.
 
Ventura":3n0zlpmj said:
braintheory":3n0zlpmj said:
I think you guys are misunderstanding me...

...I wonder if the riff raff or vhii can match the Detroiter in those areas.
Click to expand...
Not misunderstanding you. Hear you loud and clear. But can I ask why only the VHII and the RR ??

If you want mids, and bark, and clarity, and beautiful overtones, and versatility....go BlackDog.
Click to expand...

Based on what I read on the BK forum I would think the Black Dog would be too smooth and polite for my tastes.
 
I would not consider Detroiters low output. They are great, I have a set in an LP. I believe they are in the 12k range, which is more of a mid-output imo. I also have some WCRs, and they are similar to old PAFs in output, 8-9k.

If you dig the Detroiters, stick with them. I've never been disappointed with MCPs. No need to look elsewhere.
 
chunktone":24j3g9sl said:
I would not consider Detroiters low output. They are great, I have a set in an LP. I believe they are in the 12k range, which is more of a mid-output imo. I also have some WCRs, and they are similar to old PAFs in output, 8-9k.

If you dig the Detroiters, stick with them. I've never been disappointed with MCPs. No need to look elsewhere.
Click to expand...

The Detroiter's are actually about 9K. Also, like I already said the Detroiter's aren't going anywhere. I'm now looking at different low output pickups for my other guitars and it seems like the VHII and Riff Raff may be too similar to the Detroiter based on my research. I'd be interested be interested in the VHII and Riff Raff only if they are different enough from the Detroiter's or if they are like a better version of the Detroiter's (which I HIGHLY doubt). Also, like I said I'd want something at least as aggressive and raw as the detroiters.
 
braintheory":34fozjkv said:
chunktone":34fozjkv said:
I would not consider Detroiters low output. They are great, I have a set in an LP. I believe they are in the 12k range, which is more of a mid-output imo. I also have some WCRs, and they are similar to old PAFs in output, 8-9k.

If you dig the Detroiters, stick with them. I've never been disappointed with MCPs. No need to look elsewhere.
Click to expand...

The Detroiter's are actually about 9K. Also, like I already said the Detroiter's aren't going anywhere. I'm now looking at different low output pickups for my other guitars and it seems like the VHII and Riff Raff may be too similar to the Detroiter based on my research. I'd be interested be interested in the VHII and Riff Raff only if they are different enough from the Detroiter's or if they are like a better version of the Detroiter's (which I HIGHLY doubt). Also, like I said I'd want something at least as aggressive and raw as the detroiters.
Click to expand...

Huh. I stand corrected. WCRs are also great if you're looking for more low output options. I have an Icebucker set, and they are great! Very clear with tons of overtones.
 
Yeah, I've played the WCR Godwoods (which are supposed to be almost identical to the Icebucker), and they sounded great, but I would consider those to be medium output (similar to the Bare Knuckle Crawler). For now I'm still just interested in the Bare Knuckles already mentioned.
 
braintheory":29ih9wbd said:
Ventura":29ih9wbd said:
Just a question, if you're happy with the Detroiter, stick with the Detroiter.

Outside of this, the BKPs are interesting animals. I'm not sure why you'd want a pickup to sound like a pickup you already have, but made by a different company...(?) BKPs have got such an incredible voice - maybe you want to get into something similar but different you know?? Riff Raffs are stellar pups - got 'em. But for bark and bite, I'd go with Black Dogs or VHIIs.

Peace,
Mo
Click to expand...

I don't plan to get rid of my Detroiter. I'm curious about the bare knuckle riff raffs and vhii's for other guitars of mine. I'm just wondering if for what I want the Detroiter is just better than the vhii and riff raff. The only reason I'm inclined to think that right now is because I find BKP's to generally have less aggressive mids and rawness than motor city pickups. If the same is true with the riff raffs and vhii's than I'd cross them off my list of pickups to consider.
Click to expand...


Just go with what you like and if is MCP than go that route.
 
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