Bare Knuckle Pickups Geoff Whitehorn Crawler

Submitted at: 5:31, 11/30/2005

Product Info

Pickup features: Humbucking Passive
Impedence or other specs: Split Coil
Price Paid: Pounds (Ł) 210
Purchased from: Tim Mills of Bare Knuckle Pickups Ltd.

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: Manson Setneck mahogony Telecaster
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Bridge and Neck Seymour Duncan Seth Lover PAF's
Other pickups on guitar: Seymour Duncan Single Coil Quater Pounder
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Blues, Rock, Rock n Roll, Pub Rock
Reason for pickup change: The Seth Lover's sounded hollow and too much treble - even though the guitar is mahogony it isn't the same weight and thickness of a Les Paul so didn't mellow the sound of the pickups sufficiently.

Sound

Perceived output level: Significantly more output than before
Tone: Much more balance, toned down the severe treble and picks up more base.
Sonic evaluation: I use my Manson Setneck Telecaster, a Levier (PRS alike) and a Yamaha SAS1500 with Marshall JCM 900 valve amp, all humbucker or coil tapped type of guitars.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Blues, Rock, Rock n Roll, Pub Rock

Overall Rating

Comments: I have been playing for 30 years and I am going to get all my guitars fitted with Bare Knuckle pickups and if/when I change guitars I will also fit the same pickups. Their tone far surpasses any other pickups I have tried over the years. I chose this pickup after advice from Tim Mills of Bare Knuckle Pickups after telling him what I was looking for and what I played. I have found the sound I am looking for. Go and buy one now if you want 'that' tone.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I give this pickup a: 10 Fantastic value

Submitted at: 2:56, 7/4/2005

Product Info

Pickup features: humbucker
Impedence or other specs: 15k bridge 7.6k neck
Price Paid: uk pounds Ł210.00
Purchased from: bare knuckle pickups direct

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: 1974 les paul custom.
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: tom holmes
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): rock, pop and blues
Reason for pickup change: Great light weight Les paul custom with great accoustic sound.This guitar should sound great amplified but it just never really nailed the sound. I have tried most of the top flight pickups on it,including Seymour duncan Antiquities(my favourate pickup until now.)and Tom Holmes(the pickups that were on the guitar most recently.)but I always ended up picking up another guitar at the gig.I talked to Tim at bare Knuckle and he suggested I try these Crawlers as he had experienced a similar problem with a custom himself.The pickups arrived TWO days later and i fitted them just before leaving for a gig in Portland dorset.What a sound,powerfulbut clear,edgy and creamy(think Paul Kossof).I didn't put the guitar down all night and I played it the following two nights as well,I just Love these pickups!Tim is a very knowledgable guy,a great guitarist himself(check out his web site)and a genuinly nice bloke.I intend fitting his pickups to more of my guitars in the very near future.

Sound

Perceived output level: as above
Tone: as above
Sonic evaluation: Stereo signal sent to the crunch channel of a soldano SLO 100 and a Divided by 13 FTR 37

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Rock Pop and Blues but I could use this guitar for Any style.

Overall Rating

Comments: I would Definately replace these pickups immediately.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I give this pickup a: 10 Fantastic value

Submitted by: Chris Moores

Submitted at: 3:13, 6/3/2005

Product Info

Pickup features: Humbucking (passive)
Impedence or other specs: DC 15K Alnico V
Price Paid: Ł190
Purchased from: Bare Knuckle Direct

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson Les Paul Classic Plus
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Neck and Bridge
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Geoff Whitehorn
You musical style(s): Classic Rock , blues, heavy rock
Reason for pickup change: Stock pickups getting noisy and microphonic. Wanted something different, giving a wide variety of sound. I play anything from slow blues to heavy rock.

Sound

Perceived output level: About the same. But the bridge crwaler seems to sustain a little longer, a little more smoothly. Has a slightly wider tonal variation.
Tone: a very well balanced set. Giving a wide open sound with plenty of growl, as bassy or trebly as you want them to be.
Sonic evaluation: I use a Line 6 vetta through two 2x12's with celsetion vintage 30's. These pickups suit this set up very well, giving a warm almost acoustic sound through clean fender reverb models and a chunky full on sound through a Mesa rectifier model. They sound equally as good when used at lower gain through a Marshall plexi model, giving an excellent and well defined bluesy sound. The individual string separation is also very good, even at high gain. Additionally, on the middle, a great funky rock Allman/Doobie sound can be had. The neck pick up provides a sweet warm, Santana type sound. I also feel that the tone controls are more effective. The stock pickups (496R and 500T) although good pickups, sounded a little more mushy and muffled by comparison. I think it was a good idea to have the calibrated set and would recommend this approach if you can stretch to it.These pickups have certainly given my LP a new lease of life.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: As mentioned I play a wide variety of classic rock and blues from Robert Johnson to Balck Sabbath and these pickups are very versatile in that respect.

Overall Rating

Comments: I have been playing for about 20 years and for about 15 years in a band situation. I wanted a pickup that was going to be at least as good as the stock ones and the crawlers certainly fulfill that objective. I also wanted something versatile, the Crawlers are excellent in that respect. I have several other humbucker guitars and will certainly be calling Bare Knuckle as my first choice, if and when i decide to replace the pick ups in those guitars. The customer service is excellent and Tim is a good guy to talk to if you are a little cautious about changing your pick ups (you can buy other makes, fit them and easily be disappointed because you won't know what they sound like until they are in your guitar, by which time it's too late). Tim has a great knowledge of pickups and is genuially interested in ensuring that you go away happy.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I give this pickup a: 10 Fantastic value

Submitted by: Jeff C