Pickup Advice Bare Knuckle/Dimarzio

deakle

deakle

Experienced
Looking for some advice on pickup selection. I am looking for a hot bridge pickup. I’m leaning towards a Dimarzio Super Distortion as I have experience with them. But I’m really interested in trying a Bare Knuckle Nail Bomb. Does anyone have advice for me that may have tried either or both?
 
The nail bomb is sterile IMO. I like the Ragnarok. I have owned most BKP’s. I sold them all except the Juggernaut and Ragnarok. At the end of the day, I am back to SD. I play metal. I like the nazgul, BW and Invader but they all require (IMO) precise eq cuts.
 
Another vote for the BKP Rebel Yell, IIRC it's based on a Nailbomb. I've got both the C-Bomb and A-Bomb, and while I like both, the Rebel Yell is warmer and seems more responsive in most circumstances. I've got a couple of Dimarzio SDs as well. They're great for what they are, but my preference isn't for ceramics. The SD is pretty warm for a ceramic, though, and it's a great pickup, too. For me, the Rebel Yell is just juicier for lack of a better word.
 
I have one Dimarzio SD in my Adrian Smith Jackson, good pickup but not my main choice. The Rebel Yell if I'm not mistaken was based off of the JB. I tend to go for Duncans in the majority of my guitars, though i have a couple with Aldrich's. I had a few Bare Knuckles and they are great pickups as well.
 
I think it was the BKP Holy Diver that was based off the JB. Also a good pickup, but I personally like the highs of the Rebel Yell a little better (never really been a fan of the JB, either, but again, my preference).

How does the Aldrich compare to a Dimarzio SD or any of the BKPs? I've always wanted to try an Aldich, just haven't gotten there yet?
 
Churchhill said:
I think it was the BKP Holy Diver that was based off the JB. Also a good pickup, but I personally like the highs of the Rebel Yell a little better (never really been a fan of the JB, either, but again, my preference).

How does the Aldrich compare to a Dimarzio SD or any of the BKPs? I've always wanted to try an Aldich, just haven't gotten there yet?
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Its in the JB family to me but with less of the high mid of a JB I like both and use both.

As far as the Super D and Aldrich they really don't compare to each other to me at least.

this was an interview with Steve back in the day on the development of the Rebel Yell

MH: Speaking of big crunchy rhythm tones, let’s talk about Bare Knuckle Pickups, and the release the Rebel Yell Steve Stevens signature humbucker set. I’d heard you were using a Nailbomb Bomb for some time as well.What was your take on that?

Steve: I’ve always been in search of way to better my tone and make my guitar sound bigger. Then I stumbled upon Bare Knuckles. I’d seen an ad in a British guitar magazine, and something about it grabbed me. I’d never heard of them, so I went online and read about Tim Mills, the president of the company. It seemed right. He was using materials that were the same as what were available back then, in what is now considered the holy grail of humbucker pickups: the Gibson PAF, which is the original “Patent Applied For.” If those materials were not available, Tim would commission manufacturers to make them. That is dedication, right there. Plus, he’s a player -- a really good player. At first I wondered, “How I can communicate what I’m looking for to someone who doesn’t use this stuff?” So I e-mailed him, and then I ordered a set. I got the original set— from the Mule Series—which is basically a Patent Applied For with a bit more gain to it. I loved the pickups as soon as I got them, and I could tell by looking at them that they were going to be good. The biggest compliment I could pay to Bare Knuckles is the fact that suddenly your guitar sounds in tune. From a guy who plays primarily Les Paulstyle guitars, that has always been an issue because of the scale length. These pickups are just harmonically correct, so the notes ring and live in the same world as each other.With a lot of pickups I use the notes kind of sound separate. There’s always that problem with the G-string being very difficult to intonate correctly once you play a bar chord. So, the role it plays in the chord can kind of waiver. As soon as I used Bare Knuckle pickups, that wasn’t a problem. So, I stayed in touch with Tim. I said, “Look, I’m going out on the road for eight months. How would you like to develop a signature pickup?” Each week he’d send me a different winding, a different composite, a different magnet structure or a different type of wire. After about seven incarnations we settled on a pickup that ended up being what the original Seymour Duncan JB was, but without my knowing it beforehand – I remember when I first bought the Duncan JB. I thought it was a fantastic pickup.
 
Interesting... almost opposite from the descriptions on BKP's site and the advertisement at the time the Rebel Yells came out. But, makes sense, though, as they're both A5 and use 43AWG. RY seems to be wound lighter at 14.4k, similar to a Duncan Custom while the JB is 16.6. But of course, specs don't dictate sound. I think that the RY is in (or close to) the JB family but with less of the high-mid spike of the JB, smoother than a JB and more "vintage" sounding. The initial question to Steve states he was using a Nailbomb around that time, which is what I'd heard from BKP at the time, that the RY was developed based on that platform. Could very well be that the tonal target they were going for was closer to the JB. In any case, they are all different sounding variations on a high-output 80s-style pickup.
 
I've imported Bare Knuckle pickups before. Tim Mills is an excellent source of knowledge. The Peter Green's & War Pigs are awesome.
I'd order them more often if the import tarrif & shipping wasn't so high. Last set I ordered cost me around $350 by the time they arrived......
 
You can also email questions directly to BKP support - they are fantastic! I have switched exclusively to BKP (about 5 different types depending on the guitar and tuning), but no experience with the Nailbomb. Good luck!
 
Planta Fantasma said:
I've imported Bare Knuckle pickups before. Tim Mills is an excellent source of knowledge. The Peter Green's & War Pigs are awesome.
I'd order them more often if the import tarrif & shipping wasn't so high. Last set I ordered cost me around $350 by the time they arrived......
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This is why I haven't ordered any in the last few years as well, there are some id like to try but price wise it doesn't make sense.
 
Rich5150 said:
This is why I haven't ordered any in the last few years as well, there are some id like to try but price wise it doesn't make sense.
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Which ones? Just curious. I've got experience with a number of BKP and many Duncans, so might be able to offer some opinions based on common ground.
 
I had the BKP Rebel Yells in two different guitars and it's amazeballs. I've thought about taking out my SUHR SSH/SSV from my Charvel Pro mod DK24 and getting the BKP RY's again. The RY's had such an all around pleasant tone. Ballsy, cleaned up great /great midrange and not shrill/icepicky
 
Churchhill said:
Which ones? Just curious. I've got experience with a number of BKP and many Duncans, so might be able to offer some opinions based on common ground.
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Nothing specific, I just like to experiment sometimes. At the moment though I am good with what I have in my guitars right now. If I do need a change I find something from Duncan that fits what I need.
 
Chewie5150 said:
I had the BKP Rebel Yells in two different guitars and it's amazeballs. I've thought about taking out my SUHR SSH/SSV from my Charvel Pro mod DK24 and getting the BKP RY's again. The RY's had such an all around pleasant tone. Ballsy, cleaned up great /great midrange and not shrill/icepicky
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Just for my perspective, how would you compare the Reel Yells to a good quality straight-up PAF style pickup, like the Throbak ER-MXV like what's in my Collings?
 
Dave Merrill said:
Just for my perspective, how would you compare the Reel Yells to a good quality straight-up PAF style pickup, like the Throbak ER-MXV like what's in my Collings?
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I wish I had a good answer for you on that but I'm not familiar with the Throbak's. I'd say the RY's are a hot rodded up PAF. They are higher output around 14K i believe, Alnico V so they're hot but not like a ceramic. I've also had a Suhr aldrich which is another great hot rodded PAF style ( i believe) but I found the BKP RY's more musically pleasing. Also they clean up really well when rolling off Vol knob.
 
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