Bare Knuckle Pickups The Mule

Submitted at: 0:57, 11/9/2005

Product Info

Pickup features: Humbucker - matched pair
Impedence or other specs: Standard
Price Paid: Ł 190
Purchased from: Direct From Bare Knuckle Pickups

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: Cort M700
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Standard Cort Mighty Mite pickups
Other pickups on guitar: none
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Blues / classic rock
Reason for pickup change: The Cort was a decent guitar, but when I bought an American Strat, it started to sound poor in comparison. I considered buying a better quality humbuckling guitar, but then I read the various reviews for these pickups and thought I would give the Cort a chance with a decent set of pickups (all of the rest of the hardware on the guitar is of a good quality and the guitar is realy nice to play). I was originally considering a pair of Stormy Mondays, but Tim suggested that The Mules might be more a appropriate choice - email answered within 24 hours.

Sound

Perceived output level: Not too powerful, but sound great through my Blues Junior amp (and through the pod when my wife is in the house)
Tone: Very well balanced and rich sounding - makes you want to play.
Sonic evaluation: I either play through a Blues Junior amp or through a Pod 2 (when silent playing is required). My guitar is transformed - no need to buy a Les Paul, my relatively cheap Cort now sounds great. These pickups have even led to an improvement in my playing!

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Blues / Rock - Great for both - superb service

Overall Rating

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

Submitted by: Dave Ronson <dironson31@hotmail.com>

Submitted at: 6:22, 10/16/2005

Product Info

Pickup features: humbucker bridge poistion
Impedence or other specs: don't remember
Price Paid: euros 120
Purchased from: Bare knuckle pick up..directly from the manufacturer

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: self made guitar with warmoth parts-mahogany-maple top-ebony
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: none..the guitar was just made when i got this
Other pickups on guitar: semour duncan jazz on the neck
Artists using this pickup: ME!
You musical style(s): psichedelic, psot rock,shoegazing,ambient,hard rock
Reason for pickup change: none..i just want the best

Sound

Perceived output level: hot but in a reasonable way
Tone: balanced 100% perfect brilliat, best ever
Sonic evaluation: my project guitar (warmoth top notch mahogany body with maple top, maple neck with ebony fingeboard) thorugh a mes boogie v twin preamp, sometimes a boss giga delay (twin series) and a brilliant Fender Twin amp blackface with groove tubes on

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: psichedelic, psot rock,shoegazing,ambient,hard rock..PERFECT!!!

Overall Rating

Comments: if stolen.. I 'd write Tim and get one again!!!! I play sicne 1988 and have a dozen of guitars ..this is the best pick up I ever tried for the bridge position love it 100%..hate? nothing I've got mysound now..thank to Tim

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

Submitted by: giulio <bodybag78@hotail.com>

Submitted at: 14:50, 10/14/2005

Product Info

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: Bridge 8.4k, Neck 7.1k; Alnico IV
Price Paid: NZD 425
Purchased from: MojoSound

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: Tokai Les Paul Custom
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock Tokai PAF II
Other pickups on guitar: None
Artists using this pickup: The Datsuns?
You musical style(s): Blues-based Classic Rock (ala Aerosmith)
Reason for pickup change: The original pickups were too weak, and just couldn't give me the tone I was after. Their note definition was also lacking.

Sound

Perceived output level: Increased output over stock pickups; cuts through the mix better, without sacrificing clarity or expressiveness.
Tone: Beautiful balanced PAF sound, with more balls. Very versatile.
Sonic evaluation: I am now using a Marshall Jubilee 2554, but I used to use a BOSS GT6 through a solid-state amp. Miraculously, even with that modelling setup, the Mules helped me to get a decent sound going. But now, it's simply fantastic - perfect for my style.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Rock, blues. These are a great match. I bought the calibrated set, so it's very versatile and effective.

Overall Rating

Comments: I would definately buy this set again, over all other brands I considered (Seymour Duncan and Gibson among them). I have been playing for about five years now, and have sold a lot of my older gear. I love these pickups - they're like a PAF with more contemporary output (without sounding unclear, muddy or overly hot), and suit my style perfectly. I am more than satisfied with this pickup, and I would like to mention the fantastic customer service Bare Knuckle provide - far superior to any of the 'major chains' out there.

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

Submitted at: 5:36, 9/12/2005

Product Info

Pickup features: Calibrated set cream open pole pickups
Impedence or other specs:
Price Paid: UK pounds 170.00
Purchased from: Bareknuckle on line shop.

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: 95 Les Paul Standard Plus
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Set of Seymour Duncan 59's
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: There should be a few by now.
You musical style(s): Classic rock & Blues
Reason for pickup change: Wanted to try a hand wound full size HB from Bare knuckle as Tim had already re-wound the mini HBs'on my LP deluxe

Sound

Perceived output level: About the same as the 59's when adjusted to the right distance from the strings.
Tone: good even tone, Neck has a lot of bass but does not muddy up, Bridge cuts through without being painful.
Sonic evaluation: Vox Tonelab into Marshall 20/20 power amp and Marshall 2X12.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: The Mules will do classic rock and blues well but can go high gain if your amp can. I mostly use old Amp patches on the vox but the Mules sound good through Soldano style high gain settings as well.

Overall Rating

Comments: I really like these pickups, for playing early zz top, Led Zep and free they work like a dream - but if you use high gain they can go all "EVH" and as brown as you like. Very good all round tone - if you like setting your amp up and using your volume controls or if you want to stomp on a box and go nuts these will go with you. As for customer service, Tim (the boss, designer and general head honcho) is a great bloke to deal with and will call you to discuss any problems and if you call or email him he always seems to have time for a chat.

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

Submitted by: Nick

Submitted at: 5:31, 8/16/2005

Product Info

Pickup features: humbucker
Impedence or other specs:
Price Paid: pound sterling 197
Purchased from:

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: ES 335 Gibson 1974
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: original gibson
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): soul blues , R'nB
Reason for pickup change: A lack of trebles after 30 years of use... and early 70' were not a good period for gibson stuff...

Sound

Perceived output level: a higher output level is really noticeable
Tone: a very good set , very balanced with lot of air and great dynamic. Playing alternatively with pick and fingers is really heaven
Sonic evaluation: I've been playing on and off for 30 years and regularly in a band since 1996. I pay a lot of attention on my gear and have selected a Mesa Blue angel thru Menatone pedals. Bare Knuckle is a perfect match to this set , and once the pickups fitted on the guitar , I was really happy to hear one of the best sounding 335 I've ever heard ( and I tried a lot of them , including old 60' with original PAF. In addition to this , what could I say ???? Well , My James Tyler burning water model will be more than happy to be retrofitted in a couple of weeks with a magic set. I'll tell you more very soon....Once Tim will give give me THE solution.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Soul , Rock , R'n'B ....Even though a telecaster should be a better choice for James Brown sound, this 335 newly equipped is a good tool.And it's heaven for all rock and roll and blues.

Overall Rating

Comments: I've stopped my endless quest thanx to bare Knuckle pickups. The only reason I don't upgrade all my guitars ( than the James Tyler ) is because they are all collectable guitars that I must keep 100% original for value concerns. And That's all.

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

Submitted at: 10:32, 8/12/2005

Product Info

Pickup features: Gold covered,humbucker
Impedence or other specs: 7.1k,4 conductor,AlnicoIV,underwound
Price Paid: 91 pounds sterling
Purchased from: Bare Knuckle Pickups Online Shop

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: LP copy & early 80's Gibson SG
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: stock humbuckers
Other pickups on guitar: SD JB Humbucker & gibson Tony Iommi pu
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Rock,Blues,mostly 60's & 70's stuff
Reason for pickup change: Looking for a better match,want more warmth,sustain and clarity.

Sound

Perceived output level: More power and sustain than stock pu's
Tone: Great character and clarity,very well balanced
Sonic evaluation: Tried in both guitars thru my 67 blackfaced fender proreverb & Zoom gfx-8 effects processor.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Classic Rock ,Blues,able to get the sound i was looking for

Overall Rating

Comments: Been playing 2 to 3 yrs regularly,on and off last 20 now that i have more free time!This pu matched up great to the other bridge pu's.Blew away the stock pu's,superb dynamics,awesome for the music i like to play.It was exactly what i was looking for.Wired this up the standard way,will be doing the Jimmy Page wiring mod using 4 push/pull pots in the near future on both guitars.

Will be ordering another one in the near future for sure,pain in the ass to keep swapping in & out of both guitars.

Just like to mention the great customer support and service.Tim Mills & co are great to deal with,this guy is a genius,really knows his stuff.I can't say enough good things about BKP.Thanks Tim for an awesome pu!

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

Submitted at: 11:15, 8/11/2005

Product Info

Pickup features: Passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs: Calibrated set of two
Price Paid: british pounds 172
Purchased from: Manufacturer

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: Washburn HB 50
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Native Washburn humbuckers
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Country, blues, roots
Reason for pickup change: Old ones a bit characterless - postive feedback from friendds with these

Sound

Perceived output level: Hotter than before, but not intended to be mega hot
Tone: I asked for "warm and growly" which is exactly what they are!
Sonic evaluation: I'm using a Ashdown Stinger amp (the commercial version is the Romany) mainly for recording and the odd gig. The pickups are beautifully warm and clear, and even when driving amp something of the woodiness of the semi-solid Washburn comes through. They're pretty hot but not meant to be more than that - they have other models for ultra output. This is more like a PAF. Compared to my Seymore Duncan 59er on a solid body guitar (which is very nice) they are more detailed and responsive. They really shake up my poor Pignose!

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Neck and bridge - it is a hand wound calibrated set

Overall Rating

Comments: I'd deffo buy them again. I'm considering their other products for other instruments I love the warmth and detail and they make me want to plug in, turn up and play. For recording I have found "the" sound more quickly. The others has an upper mids peak which never sounded good recorded. they're expensive in absolute terms but I bought them for a beautful guitar which deserves them. See www.2jayrecords.com for pics

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

Submitted by: Jonathan <mail@2jayrecords.com>

Submitted at: 8:20, 8/6/2005

Product Info

Pickup features: Humbucking, Alnico IV magnets, Trem-spaced. No covers
Impedence or other specs: 8.9 K ohm - 4 conductor. Double clotted-cream coils
Price Paid: Pounds Sterling About 90
Purchased from: Direct from Bare Knuckle - overseas mail order within a week

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: Don Grosh Retro-Classic (HSS)
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Tom Holmes 8.3K Bridge Humbucker (G-spaced)
Other pickups on guitar: 2 Bare Knuckle single coils
Artists using this pickup: That I would like to know ! There's gotta be a bunch of 'em now.
You musical style(s): Wide range from blues, jazzy noodlings, rock, funk, no real high gain stuff.
Reason for pickup change: Curiosity and maybe boredom. I got to thinking that I could maybe use a bit more oomph in the bridge. A phone call with Tim convinced me to try a Mule without covers - he's dangerous like that !

Sound

Perceived output level: Slightly hotter than vintage PAF. Not a real high output device - nor should it be.
Tone: Balanced with no treble harshness. Singing mids and a tight, full bass response.
Sonic evaluation: Grosh straight into a Kingsley Deluxe 32 with a Two Rock cable.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Terrific for cleans, blues and rock. Jazz even. Not a country or shred tool tho :)

Overall Rating

Comments: The guitar is a Grosh Retro Classic in HSS, alder body, rosewood board, Callaham trem - a stratty thing with 2 Bare Knuckle S/C s and a Tom Holmes 455 ( I think) in the bridge. It's been there for 4 years or more. I ought to say that I use a 300K volume pot (a filed 250), and the bridge tone is 250 k linear with a meager 10nF polyprop tone cap.

Now first up the Holmes is a truly fantastic humbucker - I'm not alone in my opinion - Tim from Bare Knuckle agrees. So let's look at how The Mule stacks up in the bridge of this stratty tone monster compared to the Holmes - this should give a different kind of review compared to those of all these Mules in Lester's, below mine.

So to the weigh-in. Both are double cream "open" humbuckers - The Mule looks like a Devon double-clotted version. Both look like they are built as quality products. The Mule is F'in-trem-spaced (getchya Eee's back innit?) and the Holmes aint. The Mule weighs in at paltry 600 ohms more but that isn't gonna tell you what to expect. Time to rumble.

Seconds away, Round 1. Straight up the Mule is throwing in more mid girth and less high end than the Holmes. The Holmes is light and airy - really sweet - a good mover and with lot of spring and snap in the bass steps. Even somewhat single coil like. It has a superb clarity, detail and is tightly balanced. If there's criticism it can tend to be a little sharp and brittle on the highs - and maybe somewhat "clanky". Could there be Alnico V magnets in these? This disappears with a small roll down of the tone pot - and gives a lovely rounded thickened sound that'll take you to jazzy or blues tone places. The Mule in comparison could never be called harsh or brittle - the notes flying in are rounder and are packing strength. The Mule's rude and responsive, loaded with bad boy character that's coming from a lower-mid girth than the Holmes - this has gotta be due to the Alnico IV magnetics. Rolling down the tone here gives a really powerful sound - smooth and middy - it's Santana or Robben Ford. It's Greeny getting rather womanly in the tone department. It's stadium rock - powerful. It has the mid that just simply and wail - almost vocal but certainly not nasal. The Mule has more bass than the Holmes but in common with the Holmes it isn't muddy but tight with a springiness to its step. Admitted the Holmes is tighter and with less of a mud-tendency but it hasn't got quite the "grit" of The Mule.

Both humbuckers give "complex" and detailed sounds - both are scatterwound and reap the benefits. Their sound is really sensitive to the way you hit, mute and tickle the strings - I want to say here that both are very "direct" and immediate in their response. Somehow I feel though that the Mule has even more character - sensitivity to harmonics, palm mutes, everything is simply excellent. It can be warm, it can bite, it sustains and sustains. It is plummy and bitchin', less sweet and sugary than the Holmes but still clear and "open". Pumped it gives a wonderfully musical feedback.

The humbucker sound is not only important to me - with a 3 -way toggle I can split the humbucker and add either the whole humbucker of the split coil to any combination of the other 2 pickups. I use the humbucker alone for more volume but I want the thing to give me good sounds in combination with those great Bare Knuckle single coils. Splitting is done via a resistor to ground ( a great tip from Brinsley Schwarz - it gives a sound that is much closer to an "authentic" s/c). Both humbuckers deliver. The full Holmes with the neck s/c for example gives an almost hollow-body type jazz sound wow !. With the Mule it's less so - still a great sound - a full character rythmn sound that is given top end bite when the bucker is split. The Holmes in combination seems to give nice tight funk stabs -the Mule too but with less top and more and bass richness. The Mule split sounds better as a single coil than the Holmes - less brittle, and it mixes so well with the other single coils to give musical sounds.

Interestingly I have The Mule set closer to the strings than the Holmes. Unexpected. Why? Well I guess that cos the high-end is less prominent, I can get closer without feeling the volume increase so itensely. The Holmes may have been set unconsciously lower to try to get the Ee strings to balance better ( a more uniform magnetic field at the strings with the bucker set lower). Also the highs from the Holmes give better "in-between" sounds with the other pickups when set lower - not too overpowering on the highs which would add brittleness.

It's over!: Both humbuckers have gone the distance. Close but at the final bell The Mule has won on a unanimous points decision - it's been punching well above its weight - hitting hard and low compared to the lighter and stinging Holmes' jabs. Any lesser humbucker than the Holmes would have been knocked straight out in the first. The Holmes is "sweeter", The Mule is "fuller". The Holmes is clean sparkle and country blues, The Mule is ruder brit blues. Nashville vs Nottingham. Electraglide vs cafe racer. The Holmes is rock and roll, The Mule is rock. The Holmes is high californian cirrus, The Mule is low Atlantic cumulus scudding over green devonshire hills. Oops time to stop!

Both PAF-style vinatge humbuckers are low noise (ofcourse) but the Mule has the lower residual noise. To lighten a bass or mid heavy guitar the Holmes is a tremendous choice ( a good neck humbucker too - I know cos I have one)- it'll give you distinct cleans, great note separation and jangly clean chords if you want. Rolling down gets you bloozy and jazzy fast. It is as close to a vintage PAF as a man could want (I think). But to punch up a strat and get a rockier "Lester" sound out of that weak bridge position the Mule is simply ace. A slighter hotter PAF take with tremendously musical magnetics and windings. It'll take you to sounds that I personally don't believe you can get with a s/c. It'll drive your amp into submission if you want but retain the distinct note separation and a very unique singing character - a character on which you can put your own stamp of authority. Yup I do like it I must say.

And to Bare Knuckle: Tim's customer support is the best on the planet - he is a joy to do business with. A great bloke - I would happily buy a few pints for him in a devonshire village pub just to talk guitars and pickups with him. Give him a call - he knows his subject like no other and is as happy as heck to natter to you and to accomodate the idiosyncrasies of your wishes. He's not a salesman but you end up buying anyway so approach him with care :) I have a lot of booteek pickup experience - now I just keep returning to Tim and his pickups. A rather dangerous addiction to tone.

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

Submitted by: gerry <dlareg@gmx.de>

Submitted at: 13:00, 8/1/2005

Product Info

Pickup features: Humbuckers
Impedence or other specs:
Price Paid: Sterling Ł180
Purchased from: Bareknuckle Pickups

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Gibson Classic 57
Other pickups on guitar: Gibson Classic 57
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Classic Rock/blues
Reason for pickup change: Unhappy with bland sound

Sound

Perceived output level: These pickups seem to be slightly hotter than the Classic 57's, but way lower output than the PRS pickups I experimented with before.
Tone: Very balanced tone, at first I thought they were a bit bass light, but now I realise the other pickups were muddy sounding.
Sonic evaluation: I play three different Custom Shop Les Pauls ('59 Reissue, Goldtop, & Elegant) through a Lonestar Special (for small gigs) and a Marshall 30th Anniversary (for larger gigs. I replaced the Burstbuckers in the '59 with Seth Lovers almost straight away as they were so middley-sounding. Now I wish I'd tried the Bareknuckle Mules first. They are just powerful enough to drive the amps, whilst retaining a balance and sweetness I've never heard before. You get a sustain crossing into musical feedback almost at will. Clean they show loads of character, not the blandness you usually get. Dirty they have so much bite it's unbelievable - but absolutely no harshness, they've got the frequencies just right. Winding the tone pots back a bit gives you some great options too; usually I find things getting too muddy.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play classic rock and blues and these are the perfect pickups in my opinion.

Overall Rating

Comments: I would definitely buy these again - in fact I'm just about to order the Bareknuckle Stormy Mondays as I can't wait to hear what these will sound like in my Goldtop... I've been playing over 30 years so I'm no spring chicken, neither do I normally post reviews on gear. I've A/B/C'd my three Les Pauls through the Boogie Lonestar Special (great amp by the way!) and frankly there is no comparison - even the Seth Lovers (and I still think they are great pickups) sound bland against the Mules. The only complaint that I have is that I now have to cough up for new pickups for my other two Les Pauls - otherwise they ain't going to get played.

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

Submitted at: 6:04, 7/19/2005

Product Info

Pickup features: Passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs: Dunno
Price Paid: (Ł) Pounds 180
Purchased from: BKP

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: Washburn WI-66V
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock
Other pickups on guitar: n/a
Artists using this pickup: Don't care
You musical style(s): blues, rock
Reason for pickup change: Stock pickups were dull and weak sounding

Sound

Perceived output level: Higher output than stock pups
Tone: very well balanced
Sonic evaluation: I currently only playing through a 15 watt Marshall practice combo due to volume restrictions. I have a couple of effects pedals, an RMC Picture Wah, Keeley Fuzz Head and Analogman SD-1/808. I can get a great Hendrix/SRV tone using the neck pickup.

Before buying the pups I had a few queries regarding which ones would be most suitable for my needs. My queries were answered extremely quickly and Tim Mills was an enormous help both pre and post sale - exceptional customer service.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play mostly blues and rock, Led Zep, Hendrix, Eddie Hazel, SRV, Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Stone Roses.

Overall Rating

Comments: Had them now for 8 months and The Mules have transformed my guitar from a rather dull sounding and uninspiring instrument to one that is perfect for my needs. The strings don't bleed into one another as the stock pickups did. Each note rings out as clear as a bell, even through a dirt-cheap amp such as the one I'm using. Such clarity of tone makes for a very versatile guitar and I am over the moon with it. Clean tone sounds rich and full and it growls with the gain turned up.

Customer service is beyond compare. I needed some pots and caps to get my guitar wired up and Tim sent them to me before receiving payment (sorry for the delay with that Tim!). I would advise anyone looking for new pickups to contact BKP direct to discuss what they're looking for - you won't be disappointed.

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

Submitted by: C. Totty

Submitted at: 12:43, 7/1/2005

Product Info

Pickup features: Passive humbucker - Alnico IV magnets
Impedence or other specs: DC:8.9k according to the website
Price Paid: GBP Ł99
Purchased from: direct from Bareknuckle Pickups

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: Epiphone Les Paul Custom
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock Epiphone (bridge)
Other pickups on guitar: Stock Epiphone (neck)
Artists using this pickup: Tim from Ozzmosis! Dont know of any others...
You musical style(s): Rock! GnR, Led Zep, Deep Purple, Aerosmith etc. I also play some metal like Ozzy, BLS, Death Angel, Megadeth etc.
Reason for pickup change: Stock pickup was too muddy and notes had no defenition

Sound

Perceived output level: A bit less than the stock Epi pickup..normal I suppose.
Tone: Just right! I got rid of the Epi because it was too bassy and not clear enough.. this seems really balanced, no harsh treble or muddy bass!
Sonic evaluation: Im using my Epiphone LP Custom into a Marshall GV2 then into a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe. Sounds just right. I had to lower the neck pickup right down because this pickup is pretty low output, but now they are nicely balanced and this pickup has also made the middle position a bit more usable..before it wasnt clear atall but now it's alot better! I think the manufacturers description of this pickup is pretty spot on - "Traditional standards with a kick in the rear. Increased power and sustain without sacrificing character or definition." Cant argue with that! Even though this pickup is low output, it still works really well for playing metal, pinch harmonics come out so much easier/better now! Very versatile!

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play mostly old rock such as Led Zep, GnR, Sabbath etc also old metal like Megadeth.

Overall Rating

Comments: If it were destroyed or stolen I think I would buy it again..or maybe the more powerful Emerald. I've been playing for around 5 years.. I dont hate anything about this pickup! I'm not searching for 'that' sound anymore, I think I've found it. At first I thought it was my amp being muddy but nope it was the stock Epiphone pickup! I also thought I should mention how great the customer service is. I emailed Tim probably too many times(!)asking for recommendations and he told me The Mule sounded "beautiful in a LP", he was right! Also, I realised that I had ordered the wrong pickup spacing..simply emailed him and he changed it for me! Another thing, I realised I didnt have any solder, I emailed Tim to ask if he could send me some with it and yep, I got some! Great customer service. I didnt give this pickup a 10 because like people say nothings perfect...

On a scale of 1 to 10, I give this pickup a: 9

Submitted by: Tom R <email@email.com>

Submitted at: 8:48, 6/15/2005

Product Info

Pickup features: Humbucking
Impedence or other specs:
Price Paid: 190 ŁGB
Purchased from: Rockshack, Headingley, Leeds

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson SG Special
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: 490R/490T
Other pickups on guitar: none
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Rock, Blues, Funk
Reason for pickup change: Old pickups were ok. I will be keeping them for a project guitar in the future. Wanted to get a sound that was unique and that is what i now have.

Sound

Perceived output level:
Tone: Really articulate with more sustain and yet crunchy
Sonic evaluation: I use an old Vox AC 50(or 60 not sure) Head through a marshall 4x12 cab. Distortion from a Boss DS-1 and i use a vox wah pedal. Great amp for clean sounds but these pickups let the valves do the distortion thing naturally before i even need the boss. Love the clarity of these pickups but it has meant i need to play better! There is no hiding for sloppy playing with these pickups.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Great match for the styles i play. eg: Cream, Zep, Stones, old stuff and our own stuff

Overall Rating

Comments: I would definitely buy these pickups again for my SG. For another guitar I'd look for a different sound again but would go to the Bare Knuckle range to explore! I own an epiphone Les Paul that would suit some Miracle Man pup's...

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

Submitted at: 3:42, 6/3/2005

Product Info

Pickup features: humbucker
Impedence or other specs:
Price Paid: N/A used
Purchased from: turnkey guitars

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: prs se tremonti
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: prs stock pups
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): metal, metal, and metal
Reason for pickup change: low output, a lot of noise on the background, lots of feedback, lack of character.

Sound

Perceived output level: the story was, i went to the shop hoping to buy a pups from seymour duncan . its a dimebucker for a start. the guy on the counter said, whybut a pickup from em when in fact u can design ur own. he suggested bareknuckle pups. he rang a guy named tim. i told him that im a fan of pantera and i reli like the sound of the dimebucker wid the 59 on the neck. he told me that he knw evrything bout guitars and and i thought why not give it a shot. he made for me a mule pups alnico 5 for the neck and a pup called miracle man. i dnt knw what to expect widthese pups. i was scared a little coz i just dished out Ł180. when it arrived, the mule was zebra lookin and m. man was all black. i thought it was a good color choice. went to the guitar tech to have it installed. whenevrything was hooked up, the tech said itsa good sounding guitar. but i didnt appreciate it first coz it was only plain acoustic and no effects at all. i went home and plug it in on my zoom gudget and 100 watts fender speaker. what i heard is a sound made in hell. its awesome, powerful, not thin sounding and yet it can scream. the good thing about these pups is, theyre quite pickups. what i meant is, i strummed the guitar wid out any chords and let it just ring by itself til it fades away and put it beside the speaker. i was ecpecting some feedback but no feedback at all. no nothing. it was an amazing exprerience and my wife can even distinguish the sound. and recently i bought a warpig for my ibanez.
Tone:
Sonic evaluation: For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable:

Overall Rating

Comments: im sold for life with bareknuckle pups. i hve nothing to do with seymour duncan, dimarzio, emg and all those brandy products. BKP company is just a small company based in england and thyre not that huge yet. so the way i see it, its very intimate, very homely and customer service is fantastic. u wnt get that from other pups company.

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

Submitted by: jose arsuento <dolynds@aol.com>

Submitted at: 6:25, 5/31/2005

Product Info

Pickup features: Humbucking
Impedence or other specs: 8.9k
Price Paid: Pound stirling for calibrated set 190
Purchased from: Direct from Bare Knuckle, North Devon

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson Aged Historic '57 Goldtop
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Cassic '57
Other pickups on guitar: Bare Knuckle Mule also
Artists using this pickup: Tim Mills, me and those who have been lucky enough to discover Bare Knuckle
You musical style(s): Blues, Classic Rock
Reason for pickup change: Stock pickups had a good general tone, but weren't well balanced- too mushy at the bottom end, too harsh at the top end.

Sound

Perceived output level: Slightly more than stock
Tone: Extremely well balanced. There is definately a big wow factor when you first hear these little beauties. Our band, Tora Bora, based down in Guernsey in the Channel Isles, generally play a mix of blues and classic rock tracks, including stuff from Free, Cream, The Allman Brothers Band, Hendrix, early Mac and a few of our own numbers. The thing that immediately strikes you is the balance of these pickups. Clear defined kick (Mule?) at the bottom end which is so often lacking on Les pauls, but a lovely bright yet creamy top end- never harsh sounding. Given a clean boost through the Klon to get the power tubes cooking, they sound fantastic!
Sonic evaluation: Gibson Historic '57 through a Klon Centaur, Holy Grail Reverb, into handwired Marshall 2061X head and Marshall 4x12 Greenback half stack.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Blues/ Rock

Overall Rating

Comments: If they were stolen, I'd claim off my insurance intially for the Goldtop,(which I assume they'd run off with to boot) and in the meantime order another set of Mules from Tim and Ray to put straight into the replacement axe

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

Submitted by: Geoff <geoff@dlab7.com>

Submitted at: 14:11, 5/16/2005

Product Info

Pickup features: Passive Humbuckers
Impedence or other specs: 8.9K ish (bridge)
Price Paid: Pounds Sterling 170
Purchased from: Tim from bareknuckle

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: Les Paul
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Original Gibson neck Pickup, BKP crawler bridge.
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Rock
Reason for pickup change: Wanted a tad more bite and woodiness.

Sound

Perceived output level: Low output...but can scream
Tone: balanced, warm, woody, edgey....not shrill.
Sonic evaluation: Marshall JCM 2555 stack, sounds like a bstard. I play raw blues to hard edge rock. its perfect for me. really tasteful tone. FAT but has bite....not harsh at all! beeeaaautiful!

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable:

Overall Rating

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

Submitted by: Andy

Submitted at: 13:57, 5/3/2005

Product Info

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker (chrome covered)
Impedence or other specs: 7.3K Alnico IV
Price Paid: GBP Ł99
Purchased from: www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: Epiphone G-310 SG
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: stock Epi humbucker
Other pickups on guitar: Bare Knuckle Black Dog
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): everything from Cocteau Twins to Black Sabbath
Reason for pickup change: the stock Epi pickups were too muddy low down, and not clear and defined enough up high. clean sounds were poor.

Sound

Perceived output level: slightly more than the Epiphones
Tone: balanced and warm.
Sonic evaluation: i needed versatile pickups, and Tim was happy to advise me in what would work best. he wound me a Mule with slightly lower DC than they normaly are, which he's done for SG players in the past with great results. the Mule does everything i need - from clean sounds, to warm bluesy sounds to dirty metal sounds - i can hit the lot of them. i can get jazz or even country tones if i feel that way inclined.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: the Mule is perfect for just about everything.

Overall Rating

Comments: if i lost the SG i'd replace it and i'd definately fit another a Mule and a Black Dog, but i plan on keeping this guitar until they screw down the lid of my coffin. my next guitar will probably be a Les Paul, and will get Bare Knuckle pups. to me, it looks much better than the stock Epi pups, and sounds a *lot* better. they may be pricey, but they're hand built to order, and you get what you pay for. extremely well made, great service. i can't fault them.

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

Submitted by: aisuru

Submitted at: 15:01, 4/30/2005

Product Info

Pickup features: humbuckers (zebra, open coils)
Impedence or other specs: 9.0/7.5 ohms, Alnico 4, 2 conductor wire
Price Paid: pounds (uk) 170
Purchased from: bought direct from Bare Knuckle

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: PRS Santana SE V1
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Originals (EMGs?)
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Mainly Jazz/Rock.. But to pay the rent, EVERYTHING!!
Reason for pickup change: The original pickups were ok, i felt they lacked any real tonal character. I found myself using all manner of EQ and Enhancer pedals to get some "guts" out of the thing.

Sound

Perceived output level: Plenty more than the original pickups.
Tone: Open, powerful and yummy! I find them so versatile.
Sonic evaluation: I use my PRS Santana SEV1 with a large range of amps (hired backline for many sessions/band things), but my main amp is probably the Fender Twin. (They make my Twin ROAR! No mean feat, i can tell you).

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: So far all of the many styles I do as a pro musician have been covered (bar Tele Twang!)

Overall Rating

Comments: To start with, I am a PRS man. From the cheap all the way up to the prohibitively expensive, to me they are THE eletric guitar for feel. The SEV1 played like a dream but sounded two dimensional. But not anymore. I can honestly say these pickups will breath life into ANY setup. Get them now! Seriously.. NOW!

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

Submitted by: Tommy Caris <www.tomdcaris@hotmail.com>

Submitted at: 2:20, 4/22/2005

Product Info

Pickup features: Passive calibrated set of humbuckers with Alnico IV magnets.
Impedence or other specs: DC 7.2K Neck and DC 8.9K Bridge
Price Paid: Pounds Sterling 170
Purchased from: Directly from Bare Knuckle (intermational order).

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: Paul Reed Smith Custom 22 Stoptail
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Dragon II Bass & Dragon II Treble
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Me!!! Haven't heard of any famous artist using these pickups, shame!
You musical style(s): Fusion (Indian Classical music with Rock and Jazz) , Blues, Jazz and Rock
Reason for pickup change: I weas highly frustrated with the stock Dragon IIs! They were too midd heavy and just never made it for me. I have always found them to have an ugly tone and they were way too unrefined and unclear. Absolutely no bottom end punch either....I needed something more ballsy and refined, with more harmonics, dynamics and definition.

Sound

Perceived output level: They have a lower output than the Dragon IIs, but they have much more punch and balls! I didn't 'feel' that they were 'weaker' pickups!
Tone: Very balanced! Switching between the bass and treble position you notice that it's the 'tone' that changes, not the volume. I really didn't expect a 'calibrated' set to be so well balanced. The tone is very reminiscent of vintage PAFs. Tim assured me that the best PAFs used Alnico IV magnets, so I went for it, and I'm very glad I did. The tone is just very balanced, sweet and versatile.
Sonic evaluation: My main amplifiers are a Cornford Harlequin, a Germino Masonette and a Fuchs ODS 30. All top boutique amplifiers with tones to die for. I dont't use a lot of effect. I only have a Keeley compressor, an Analogman TS-9 Silver Mod, an Analogman Clone Chorus and an Analogman Sunface Fuzz. All really stunning gears!

I don't wanna sound like all of a sudden I have discovered 'the Holy Grail' or anything like that, but I must admit that I'm extremely satified and happy with these pickups! They produce that tone I have been looking for in my PRS. It's not classic Gibson Les Paul PAF tones, the PRS has a voice of it's own. But the Mules seem to really bring to life the best tones this guitar is capable of producing. I absolutely love it. The bidge pickup sounds like 'melted chocolate', if that means anything to you! By that, I mean that it's 'brown' and extremely sweet. Think Robben Ford, Scott Henderson and Warren Hayes (the Mule?!?) The bottom end kick is just astonishing! I really never expected humbuckers to have such a clear and punchy bottom end. It's really beautiful. The pickups are very sensitive to the way you 'touch' the notes, the way you pick and to your vibrato, which is just a dream for a player like me, who doesn't heavily rely on effects to get a wide aray of tones.

What really surprised me though was the quality of the clean tones! Again, I never expected humbuckers to have such beautiful clean tones. I used to always rely on singlecoils for my clean tones, now I have another option! It's not comparable to singlecoils though, it's something of its own, which is good since I play such 'different' and 'unorthodox' types of music. Think Allan Holdsworth types of clean tones.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play mainly 'Fusion' stuff, a la Allan Holdsworth, Scott Henderson, Robben Ford and Jimmy Herring. I'm also into Indian Classical music mixed with Rock and Jazz, a la Shawn Lane. The pickups are very versatile and take everything you throw at them quite happily. I have always found weird to say that a pickup can 'emulate' so and so. Although it's true that pickups are voiced according to 'styles' of music, it's really down to your technique and the way you touch that strings that produce different types of tones. What you need is really a pickup that can reproduce the different nuences of your playing and attack, which is easier said then done. That said, these pickups can do any Fusion stuff as well as Blues, Jazz, Rock, and even early Metal stuff! They really react extremely well to 'touch' and attack.

Overall Rating

Comments: I have been playing for about 10 years. First of all I would like to comment on the service I received from Tim Mills (Bare Knuckle pickups guru and owner). This guy is just amazing!! He definitely knows what he's building! Buying blind I would have probably chosen a pair of Stormy Mondays, but he recommended the Mules with Alnico IV magnets. And they are just perfect! Dealing with him, you can really see that he loves what he's doing and makes no compromise to give the best products and the best service. E-mails are answered the same day, or the next day, which is very nice. And all his pickups come with a lifetime warranty, that's saying something about the faith he's got in his products. Such a nice and friendly guy too! I had a few problems wiring the pickups into my PRS (I'm no guitar tech!), but he was extremely helpful in finding me a diagram I could understand! You rock Tim!!

Just e-mail him and he will build a pickup that exactly suits your need! 'Custom shop' service without the 'custom shop' prices! My Vigier Shawn Lane signature and the Dragon IIs are next on the list for an upgrade and a rewiring respectively!

These pickups are not cheap, but considering the other products available on the market. I would rather pay for BareKnuckles than get DiMarzios or Duncans for free. It's a choice, I have made mine!

Given the quality of the pickups and the customer support service, these are really amazing value for money pickups! Very highly recommended!

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

Submitted by: Avi <avinaash_m@hotmail.com>

Submitted at: 8:58, 4/6/2005

Product Info

Pickup features: Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: 8.4k
Price Paid: Ł99.00
Purchased from: Bare Knuckle Direct

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson Les Paul Standard
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Bridge Burst Bucker Pro
Other pickups on guitar: Bare Knuckle Stormy Monday
Artists using this pickup: Dont Know
You musical style(s): Blues / Rock
Reason for pickup change: The Burstbucker pro was just OK. I knew Bare Knuckle could improve on this.

Sound

Perceived output level: I get the impression that this has more out put than the Burstbucker, but this could be down to the scatter winding technique
Tone: Exceptionaly well balanced
Sonic evaluation: Gibson les paul through a Crowther Hot Cake into a Peavey classic 50. On clean this pick up is really clear and balanced. When overdriven the same clarity is there. I have the Stormy Monday in neck and the combination of the two gives me a beautifully balanced and warm tone. The Mule has no obvious spikes and it gives me a taste of what is possible from this product and makes me feel that we just accept that Gibson pickups are good,when clearly they are well short of this type of performance.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Great match for blues rock.

Overall Rating

Comments: As I've said in My Stormy Monday review. This is a fantastic product which deserves to be given a chance with big name pros (if they don't have them already)this opens up a few more possibilitys which were lacking in my previous pickups and the warm vintage tone I have heard so much about is now installed into my Les Paul giving a superb combination. I would hate to have it stolen. I have a Les Paul Studio as a second Guitar and would like to experement with some more Bare Knuckles. You'll only find out if you try them.

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

Submitted by: Chris O'Donnell <chris_odonnell@btconnect.com>

Submitted at: 13:05, 3/11/2005

Product Info

Pickup features: Passive neck/bridge humbuckers
Impedence or other specs: Neck 7 K ohms. Bridge 8.4 K ohms
Price Paid: Ł sterling 170
Purchased from: Manufacturer direct

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: Hamer Studio Archtop
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Seymour Duncan '59 neck, JB bridge
Other pickups on guitar: None now
Artists using this pickup: Don't know.
You musical style(s): Most things except Nu Metal
Reason for pickup change: Never liked the JB, thought the '59 a bit harsh. Previos Hamer Sunburst, owned from 1991 until neck break wrecked the guitar in 2004. I went through loads of pickups on that guitar before settling on Duncan Antiquity humbuckers. I was always happy with the neck pickup, but the treble lacked character by comparison. This Hamer Studio (from 1993) is a replacement for the neck break guitar. Has had a refret (wide, tall), new nut, CTS volume pots (replacing some 250K push-push taps). I've read the reviews and sort the opinion of people I respect and listened to guitars fitted with various bare knuckle pickups, when I've had the chance. I have been impressed enough to spend the money and give them a whirl.

Sound

Perceived output level: Perceived to be slightly higher than Duncan '59. These pickups are really very open and clear, seemingly allowing the guitar to 'breath'.
Tone: Crystal clear, balanced humbuckers these are. I can perceive no specific tone signature of the pickup as such, but there is a lot of body and substance to the tone, even with the volume and/or tone controls rolled off. Everything I have played has sounded convincing and alive. String seperation is excellent and the balance across the pickup selections is also spot-on. I have to say that the middle position, when used with myriad volume/tone settings, is so versatile that it has to be experienced. I have spent literally hours playing here - just for fun. I had a good talk to Tim Mills, on the phone, prior to ordering these pickups, purely for his advice and opinions on his interpretation of my preferences. Buying blind, I may have chosen Stormy Monday pickups. Tim's interpretation of my preferences was right on the money. I think these people know what they're building inside out and I would invite you to talk to them.
Sonic evaluation: Marshall JMP1, Marshall EL84 20/20, Alesis Quadraverb Plus (for reverb, live), Custom 2 x 12 pine open backed cab fitted with Celestion Greenback speakers (8 ohm), wire individually for stereo. I play clean and back the OD1/OD2 volumes off (about 25-33%)to give better balance/body for live use, that way everything works - including the volume controls on the guitar - across all styles. But that's just me, we're all diferent, thankfully.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play from clean blues/jazz to AC/DC style rock and anything in between. Whatever I'm asked to do, really (asuming I can).

Overall Rating

Comments: I've been playing the guitar for 35 years - not continuously obviously. I have wasted as much money on gear as the next bloke (could have paid my mortgage probably!). The gear listed above works for me, along with any good Telecaster (Fender or not) and a Gibson WM45 acoustic and Shure mics. I can pretty much tell what is going to work and what isn't for me and these pickups are, without doubt, the best humbuckers I have used. I've played these in the house at low volumes and at stage volumes. They cut it all ways. I would suggest that you always try to listen to something before you buy. In this case listen to the guitar you've got played acoustically and decide how best its attributes could be amplified to your taste. Then call Bare Knuckle Pickups directly and put it all in the pot. I believe you will probably get a suprising result from the pickups you choose to buy. This is inspiring stuff.

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

Submitted by: Gary Randle

Submitted at: 0:06, 3/8/2005

Product Info

Pickup features: Humbucker - custom wound neck
Impedence or other specs: 7.4 K Alnico IV
Price Paid: GBP 90
Purchased from: Bare Knuckle direct

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: Custom Made Les Paul
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: classic 57
Other pickups on guitar: Bare Knuckle Emerald
Artists using this pickup: If you play blues or rock you should use it
You musical style(s): Blues, Rock, 60's & 70's pop
Reason for pickup change: Wanted a better blues lead tone - more like Paul Kossoff's

Sound

Perceived output level: a little hotter than classic 57
Tone: think of the thickest humbucker lead tone and you have it
Sonic evaluation: Marshall Silver Jubilee 25/50 Combo, Fender Princeton II, blackstone overdrive, boss DF-2 feedbacker

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: this is the greatest blues pickup, but it is very versitile too. If you turn down the volume it cleans up really nicely. Actually on my guitar it cleans up without losing too much volume, which is really great.

Overall Rating

Comments: I have the magnet reversed in this so that in combination with the bridge Emerald I get another great tone. Once again I told Tim the sound I was after and he delivered. I have been playing over 30 years and now i am having to buy all new pickups! Seriously, this is the sound I always wanted form my Les Paul, and not just one of them, it has lots of sounds in it. The only problem with Bare Knuckles is that once you have one then you need to get more!

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

Submitted by: Philip King <philip_king@msn.com>

Submitted at: 6:13, 1/13/2005

Product Info

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: God knows, I just play guitar not build them!
Price Paid: Sterling Ł90
Purchased from: Feline Guitars

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: Paul Reed Smith McCarty
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: McCarty Treble
Other pickups on guitar: Bare Knuckle Stormy Monday in the neck position.
Artists using this pickup: Bob and Bill,
You musical style(s): Jazz, Funky Rock, Blues, Rock
Reason for pickup change: Found the stock Pups a little muddy and not enough gain for the rockier stuff that we do.

Sound

Perceived output level: Ceratinly more output then the stock McCarty pickups,
Tone: Well balanced, with a lower mid kick.
Sonic evaluation: As Mentioned I am using a PRS 01 McCarty (Non ten top) through a Jim Dunlop MXR Wilde Overdrive, a Cry Baby, and a US Fender Hot Rod Deluxe. I also have an old 94' Jackson Ps-1 which is a back up and a guitar that I was using for heavier Rock. Put it this way my PRS now has more balls and output than my Jackson!

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Funky Rock, Jazz, Blues, Rock, and an occassional bit of Disco.

Overall Rating

Comments: I have music insurance so iI am covered and certainly would buy another McCarty and place the same pick ups in. I have been playing for about 12 years and this is the very first time that I have ever replaced pickups, but I was upset that I had bought a guitar for Ł2400 and it was begining to sound flat. I also own as mentioned a old Jackson PS1, and couple of accoustics, and play through a US Hot Rod Deluxe. I did not compare this to other products because I have no idea about pickups, I stated what sound I wanted to my luther, and he said I needed a Mule and Stormy Monday, That is what I ahev and it sounds how I want, simple.

This is the sound that I wanted, in the bridge position it screams, lovely lower mid kick, and cutting tone, I have found that the pickups are working really well with my McCarty and it hasnt changed the tonal quality of the guitar, it still sounds like a McCarty but louder, smoother (Neck), and more agressive, and sustains for longer,

It is now my perfect guitar, I am very happy, Now it is time to save up for a new amp!

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

Submitted by: Chris Kelly

Submitted at: 4:13, 1/12/2005

Product Info

Pickup features: Humbuckers - Alnico IV Passive Calibrated Set
Impedence or other specs: 8.7K Bridge, 7.0K Neck
Price Paid: GBP 170
Purchased from: Direct from Bare Knuckle

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson SG Special 1991
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Gibson 490T/490R
Other pickups on guitar: N/A
Artists using this pickup: Not really bothered but the list will grow
You musical style(s): Rock
Reason for pickup change: Bought the guitar second hand. The 490s and most of the hardware was knackered (I think the previous owner sweated acid). I originally replaced the 490s with Gibson Burstbucker 2 & 3 which were awful.

Sound

Perceived output level: I would say that these have a normal output - about the same as the 490s
Tone: Wonderful tone - very well balanced. Also has a transparent quality that allows your amp and effects to be heard.
Sonic evaluation: The SG into a Mesa F-30. Sometimes with a few pedals (Keeley TS9-808 mod Tubescreamer, Boss DD-6 delay, Boss CE-5 chorus, Vox Clyde wah), sometimes not. Clean with a bit of reverb The Mule is fantastic, dirty it will do blues right through to classic rock.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Rock - it is excellent for this. With the right amp and pedals you could probably do anything. Except maybe twangy country but you wouldn't use an SG for that would you? Available for either position or as a matched set.

Overall Rating

Comments: I would buy these again in an instant. I've been playing a few years now and have tried to build a collection of gear that has great tone and sounds really good. I ordered direct and spoke to Tim who runs the company and is a really top bloke. I had tried Gibson Burstbuckers but hated them so I got in touch with BK, explained what I wanted and these were one of the choices suggested. I am extremely satisfied with these pickups. They produce an excellent, balanced sound and allow you to hear what you're playing (which means I can no longer hide my sloppy technique - damn you Bare Knuckle). How good are they? I am currently in the process of getting another set of BKs (Custom Emeralds) for my V.

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

Submitted by: ChrisG

Submitted at: 15:14, 1/9/2005

Product Info

Pickup features: Humbucking
Impedence or other specs:
Price Paid: US $172
Purchased from: Direct from Manufacturer

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: SG Special
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock
Other pickups on guitar: Burstbucker Pro (Neck)
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Rock, funk
Reason for pickup change: Original ones were just OK, & I wanted a really great sound.

Sound

Perceived output level: Normal output
Tone: Very clear & bright tone - sharp
Sonic evaluation: SG Special thru a Laney 100watt head into a 4x12 Red Bear cabinet. The Mule is great for solos - it has a nice bite to it & no muddiness. I've only got it in the bridge position, so I don't use it for rhythm guitar. I'm very glad I got it.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Rock, funk - they're great

Overall Rating

Comments: Yeah, I'd probably get another one, but I'd have to save up for it again ;) They're pricey, but in this case, I feel they're worth it. After all, I want a great sound from my guitar & I'm not going to change this pickup out - ever. So what's a little extra $$$?

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

Submitted at: 9:12, 1/2/2005

Product Info

Pickup features: PAF Humbuckers.
Impedence or other specs:
Price Paid: N/A
Purchased from: Mansons.

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: Maison Les Paul.
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Maisons
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): MarK Knopfler.
Reason for pickup change: Maison Pickups were crap.

Sound

Perceived output level: Nice output.
Tone: Very nice warm tone, ballsy tone from Bridge. 10 out of 10!
Sonic evaluation: Line 6 Products.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Dire Strairs/Mark Knopfler.

Overall Rating

Comments: You cannot beat Bare Knuckle Pickups! They are the most boutique pickups in the world, no one can compete with the shear hand made quality, Some makers claim that they hand scatterwind, I can tell you that they don't,what they actually do is guide the machine by hand. Tim at Bare Knuckle is the only maker in the world who actually sites there and scatter-winds the pickup in his hands and hand builds everything, even the piece of maple in the humbuckers is cut and shaped by hand. The quality and service cannot be matched.

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

Submitted by: Stefan Price <stefanprice@fastmail.fm>

Submitted at: 15:49, 1/1/2005

Product Info

Pickup features: Humbucking
Impedence or other specs:
Price Paid: Ł 200ish
Purchased from: Direct

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: 2003 Gibson Les Paul Standard
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Burstbuckers
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Various, mostly Rock
Reason for pickup change: Burstbuckers sounded 'scratchy'- not smooth enough and slightly painful on the ear!

Sound

Perceived output level:
Tone: Perfect
Sonic evaluation: With a '03 LP Standard into Matamp 1224 Mk II + Matamp 4x12 loaded with Celestion Hot 100s, everything just sounds 'right' - perfectly balanced tone, lovely crunch with loads of definition and balls. Really sweet when played soft, and really singing when hit hard.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Classic rock's the obvious choice, but sound great for anything

Overall Rating

Comments: Buy them

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

Submitted at: 2:10, 12/14/2004

Product Info

Pickup features: passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs: 8.6 Alnico 4
Price Paid: sterling Ł89.99
Purchased from: soho soundhouse

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: epiphone les paul hollowbody
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: stock epiphone
Other pickups on guitar: stock epiphone
Artists using this pickup: ?
You musical style(s): country/rock/blues
Reason for pickup change: i bouhht this pickup for a home build project, but the guitar is more fender style (scale and string spacing), so i bought another that fitted better, and had this left over, so decided to put it on the les paul.

Sound

Perceived output level: it sounds great. clearer and brighter than the stock.
Tone: great for ac/dc, hard rock, really cuts through...no muddyness, clear, sharp, biting tone.
Sonic evaluation: i play through a yamaha dg stomp into either a marshall 15- watter, or into the mac. don't get me wrong, i can't remember being unhappy with the stock epi. unit, as i hadn't played the guitar for a while. but this sounds tremendous. cleans up nicely too, which some pickups don't do. as i said before, it really cuts through, roll the tone off and it sitll sounds great but without the sharpness, with the tone up, it's great for lead stuff. it works well with the epi. at the neck, too.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: i play all sorts. sounds great for hard, classic rock, would probably work well for some heavy styles, which i don't play. i ran through the patches on my dg stomp, and i couldn't find a patch that didn't work.

Overall Rating

Comments: would i replace it with the same? yes! i have other bare knuckles on my other guitars, all different models, all sound great in their different ways. i'm very happy with these pickups, and wouldn't swap them for anything else. there may well be other pickups that are as good, i won't argue, but personally, i'm thrilled with the sounds i get, so there's no reason to change, and i can thoroughly reccomend these pickups. i also have a homebuilt single pickup tele style guitar with a stormy monday (h/b) at the bridge, and a fender mex. standard tele fitted with (bare knuckle) brown sugar pickups. i've been playing on and off for 20+ years, and this is the best i've ever sounded. the customer service at bareknuckle is fantastic, too. if only other companies were the same.

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

Submitted by: paul <telecaster@dsl.pipex.com>

Submitted at: 8:29, 11/21/2004

Product Info

Pickup features: passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs: 8.6 / alnico4 i believe
Price Paid: sterling Ł89.99
Purchased from: soho soundhouse, london

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: homebuilt guitar with graphite neck/swamp ash body
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: 'super 70' (?) japanese 70's or 80's humbucker
Other pickups on guitar: none
Artists using this pickup: ?
You musical style(s): country rock, bluesey rock mainly......bits of all sorts....
Reason for pickup change: pickup sounded 'ok', hummed a bit tho', i fancied something with a bit more 'class' and 'quality' that didn't hum so much in front of the mac.

Sound

Perceived output level: sounded better straight away. louder, no hum, ballsier. the chords and notes sound fuller. they really 'sing' now. sustains like f...
Tone: thicker, livelier, fuller accross the spectrum, really. no mud!
Sonic evaluation: i'm using a homebuilt single 'buckered guitar through a yamaha dg stomp, into cubasis on the mac. i did a demo with the old pickup, then re-recorded it with the same settings. i could tell the difference as soon as i plugged in, even thru the little iMac speakers. the clean stuff sounded dirtier, but great. i've since tried it thru the marshall and different patches on the dg stomp, and it sounds awesome. now all those 'experimental' patches make sense. harmonics are like nothing i've ever played before. there's no 'mush' to the sound, which is a real bonus for me. i hate mush.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: country rock/bluesey rock/rock...sounds great, a big improvement on a pickup i wasn't unhappy with in the first place. it's at the bridge, and sounds really good there.

Overall Rating

Comments: if anything happened to it, i'd definately get another bareknuckle....i probably will anyhow for my other guitars. been playing 21 years, but i'm no 'god'. also own a mex tele standard, epi' les paul hollowbody, takamine accoustic, dg stomp, marshall 15watt combo, encore bass..other bits and bobs... i love the sound..don't hate anything about it. i had a good look around before choosing this unit, tim was very helpful, i e-mailed him with a rundown of the stuff i play, and asked what might suit me. he specifically reccomended the mule. i chose bareknuckle after reading up as much as i could find out on the net, i also liked the ethos and enthusiasm of the company. another time, i might have gone for 4 conducter wiring for the coil-tap option, but i honestly don't miss it, it just sounds so good as it is.

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

Submitted by: paul <telecaster@dsl.pipex.com>

Submitted at: 4:51, 11/1/2004

Product Info

Pickup features: humbuckers
Impedence or other specs: -
Price Paid: sterling Ł150
Purchased from: manufacturer

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: flying V
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: standard epiphone
Other pickups on guitar: -
Artists using this pickup: -
You musical style(s): rock and blues
Reason for pickup change: epiphones not to poor but guitar deserves a quality tone a little too much treble for my tastes

Sound

Perceived output level: wallop! in your face without too much distortion
Tone: wonderfull-dial in what you need from jazz to H/Metal
Sonic evaluation: straight into a fender 40 watt blues deluxe no pedals

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: can be used for any style

Overall Rating

Comments: fantastic sounds highly recommended.I have a les paul with S/duncans a jazz and JB they are ok but the bareknuckles outperform them easily to the extent I now only use the L/P for slide.remember for the same money (in the UK) you get a hand wound pick up rather than something churned out for slave wages in korea or wherever

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

Submitted by: stu lawrence <studuke@hotmail.com>

Submitted at: 16:09, 10/8/2004

Product Info

Pickup features: Passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs: 8.5k
Price Paid: GBP Ł90
Purchased from: www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: '76 Yamaha Les Paul copy mmm
Position: middle
Pickup being replaced: Stock Yamaha
Other pickups on guitar: Yamaha gold-covered neck
Artists using this pickup: Tim Mills himself! Others too but I forget the names.
You musical style(s): Bluesy, and non-cheesy rock
Reason for pickup change: Stock pickup was nice, but too weak really. It lacked bite and the ability to really sing with a little bit of gain.

Sound

Perceived output level: It's only 8.5k so it's not super 'hot', but a lovely overwound version of the PAF.
Tone: Balanced. It has all the midrange of a humbucker but has a lovely top end and bass response. Its perfect.
Sonic evaluation: I play through a valve practise amp, about 20 watts, and so it tends to be driven nearly full pelt when I'm playing with other people. On my own i turn the gain and volume down to about the same level, and use the guitar's volume knob to add bite if necessary. The pickup is lovely, and it everything I wanted and expected and more. For the first time ever there is nothing else I want to change about my sound. It's so good that it can be used for crunchy rhythm fills, the pickup is balanced and a joy to listen to. The top end is bright but not harsh, the midrange is responsive, and the bass end doesn't dominate like other pickups. It's exactly what I wanted, and restores my faith in more expensive after-market parts. I can't reccomend Bare Knuckle enough.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Blues and decent rock, or anything that tickles my fancy, and it stands up like a big heavy thing that doesn't fall over.

Overall Rating

Comments: If it was lost or stolen I would dance aimlessly in sorrow for a while. Then I would save for another. I have been playing for about 4 years probably, and have bought or played many posh pickups and think them all crap in comparison to my Mule. I love everything about it, hate nothing, and would probably write love letters to Tim were it considered normal by society. The only problem now being that I've got to save up another Ł90 to buy a neck pickup - the Mule makes it sound pretty pathetic.

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

Submitted by: Tom <bot_tom1987@hotmail.com>

Submitted at: 1:28, 8/14/2004

Product Info

Pickup features: Passive Humbuckers Alnico IV magnets
Impedence or other specs: Calibrated Set (7.85K neck, 8.75K bridge)
Price Paid: GBP 190
Purchased from: Direct from Tim at Bare Knuckle Pickups

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson Les Paul Standard 1990
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Rio Grande Genuine Texas Humbucker
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Blues Rock, Southern Rock
Reason for pickup change: Rio Grandes lack dynamics and clarity. They are very smooth when overdriven hard for solos and can give a reasonable crunchy rythym sound, but there is no edge. Not so good for cleaner sounds.

Sound

Perceived output level: Lower than the Rio Grandes, higher than the original stock pickups
Tone: Natural, tight full bass, no added mids, treble clear and chimey but not piercing.
Sonic evaluation: I have fitted these pickups to a Gibson Les Paul Standard 1990. I use 10-46 and a heavy pick. I play through a Top Hat Club Royale (newer 11" deep cab), using a Roger Mayer Red Lion Wah upgrade, Blackstone Mosfet Overdrive 2SV3, Roger Mayer Voodoo-1 in that order. I would usually run the amp at around half on both Volume and Master, which gives an excellent warm mostly clean sound, use the Voodoo-1 (with Gain minimum and Output high) to get overdrive for riff/rythym playing then add the Blackstone (Output maximum, gain low) for solos.

These pickups are incredibly natural sounding, the output seems to convey all of the detail and complexity of the unplugged sound of the guitar with exactly the same tonal balance. No added mids, no smoothing of pick attack, no low end muddy mushiness, no high end harshness. In fact, since fitting these pickups I have adopted a combined pick and 2nd/3rd finger pick style because it just sounds so good - lead runs just get so much more interesting. The clarity of these pickups also means I can get the most musical harmonics and feedback when I face my amp up close - not the super-strat kind that leaps out at you from an octave or two higher, but that full grungy unpredictable sound where you turn the guitar this way and that and it sings back to you. In the neck position, the sound is almost like that of a Stat neck pickup with more punch and without the midrange roundness. I had no idea before that it was possible to get such a musical clean sound out of a Les Paul. When used with the Voodoo-1 or the Blackstone, sound is almost identical to the Top Hat amp when overdriven without pedals, class A EL84 perfection - higher output pickups would overwhelm these pedals and result in metal mahem.

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

Overall Rating

Comments: These pickups convey as much detail as single-coils without the noise. I had almost given up on the Les Paul because of the lack of dynamics, but it is now the guitar I always reach for.

Tim at Bare Knuckle was very helpful. I explained what I wanted/liked/disliked and he recommended the Mule, with a guarantee to change them if they were not right. No need, they are perfect. He also made them the day after the order and I received them the day after that. After fitting the pickups, I decided to rewire the pickup selector and replace the old caps (to remove any last remnant of noise) - Tim sent wire and caps through the post on trust and I mailed back the money - alright, it was only three pounds, but it shows you this company is fantastic to deal with.

I would replace the Mules if stolen. I have been playing 14 years.

Note: I'm not sure if a I have remembered the impedence correctly - the bridge one was a smidge below the standard Mule and the neck one was lower again.

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

Submitted at: 8:26, 8/13/2004

Product Info

Pickup features: Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: About 8K - custom wound with Alnico3 magnets.
Price Paid: pounds 85
Purchased from: Bare Knuckle Pickups

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: Ibanez SX470DX
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Stock
Other pickups on guitar: All BKP
Artists using this pickup: See BKP homepage
You musical style(s): Blues to Rock
Reason for pickup change: Stock was lifeless

Sound

Perceived output level: Normal. Less than the Hot Stock pup
Tone: Pure clean beauty. Very Peter Green.
Sonic evaluation: After discussing what I wanted with 'Tim Mills' he offered to use Alnico 3 magnets and wind them to give a cleaner sound. Well that's exactly what he delivered. They sound 3 dimensional, open, perfect balance across the strings, stay clear as the volume knob is turned down and have low noise in comparison to other brands. They have the most elusive of pickup qualities – an eerie, haunting, open vocal quality.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Ideal for clean to light overdrive.

Overall Rating

Comments: How often have you bought a Wah, distortion pedal etc and though it was great but was a little bit noisy, a little bit harsh or picked up too much background hiss? You liked the item but a few things niggled you. So eventually you decided not to use it and felt if only those niggles were sorted out you would have been closer to achieving your ‘hallmark tone’. Well, the top players do use the same pedals and guitars as you or I, but the difference is that they send them off to their ‘electronics/guitar wizard’ to replace noisy components, put in higher specification parts and set them up properly. Sure, the overall design is the same but the attention to detail is far greater.

Attention to detail, care and a bit of pride/love go into making things great.

At any price (If you order more than one pickup, they work out the same to slightly less than the major manufacturers), these are truly magnificent pickups – and that goes for any of the three different models I have tried. I have installed about 20 pickups from different manufacturers and of course tried many, many stock pickups. If you live in the UK, you would be out-of-your-mind to buy from any other manufacturer. I honestly wouldn’t consider buying any other type. My main guitars only have BKP in them.

Make you and your guitar proud, speak to ‘Tim Mills’ and discuss what type of music you admire and buy a set of Bare Knuckle Pickups.

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

Submitted by: Greg. R.

Submitted at: 6:20, 8/12/2004

Product Info

Pickup features: Passive humbuckers
Impedence or other specs: 9.4K bridge 52mm
Price Paid: UK Pounds 90
Purchased from: Direct at Bare Knuckle

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: Custom made solid body by De Gier in the Netherlands
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Seymour Duncan JB
Other pickups on guitar: Seymour Duncan Jazz neck, Harry Haeussel Blues strat middle
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Jazz, Jazz-Rock, fusion
Reason for pickup change: Disliked the JB after 1 1/2 year, too muddy, too hot, too compressing, lack of clarity

Sound

Perceived output level: Quite lower than the JB, higher than an old Gibson I fitted to try, quite in the ballpark of the Jazz neck despite the staggering 9.4K
Tone: Very well balanced, warm, just percussive and punchy enough to remain clear and defined
Sonic evaluation: Custom made guitar (by Sander de Gier in the Netherlands) solid body (cedar with maple carved top) set neck (maple with rosewood board) fixed tailpiece strings through the body, HSH pickup configuration. Mesa Nomad 45 1x12" combo with a TC-Electronic G-Major in the loop.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play mostly jazz and fusion.

Overall Rating

Comments: The JB is a very good pickup. It's more a matter of me not having made the right choice to start with. I found the JB to be much to dark sounding for my taste. It might be great in a very bright guitar to get a fat tone. The Mule is a very clear balanced pickup that does not seem to colour the guitar tone but conveys it honestly to the amp. The tone is warm and clear, not too bright, very present and fairly percussive but not overwhelming or opressive, great for percussive comping. It's fat enough for single lines not to sound thin but chords remain very defined Although I mostly use the neck bucker for clean tone solos and classic jazz comping, I use the middle strat pup quite a lot to brighten up some comping and I now can use the Mule for power comping that came out way too muddy with the JB. And now the lead tones! Fantastic. Singing and wailing while cutting through, no harshness at all, 'agressive butter'? well just the right balance of both. And this in between on the edge crunch tones is soooo sweet, fat but clear and defined. I see the Mule as a great modern powerfull PAF.

I can highly recommend Bare Knuckle Pickups for the quality of their product and of their services and advice and the speed of order processing. Certainly the best customer service you can have (or even deram of). I'm already considering replacing the pups in my '74 Gibson ES 345 with Bare Knuckle Pickups. Damn! GAS again... grrrrrrr!

Been playing first rock and funk and now jazz and fusion for 30 years as a serious amateur.

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

Submitted by: Fabien Lagrange <fabien[@]wanadoo[.]nl>

Submitted at: 6:43, 7/23/2004

Product Info

Pickup features: Scatter-Wound Passive Humbucker (Open-poled / Zebra)
Impedence or other specs: 7.5 for neck
Price Paid: (Part Of Set) Ł85
Purchased from: Direct from Tim at Bare Knuckle

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson Les Paul Studio (2004)
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Gibson Stock Neck PU (490R)
Other pickups on guitar: Bare Knuckle "Miracle Man" (Bridge Position)
Artists using this pickup: N/A
You musical style(s): Although I play various musical styles I bought the LP specifically to play heavier music (rock and grunge etc).
Reason for pickup change: The 490R neck PU was harsh and not very thick and I was looking for a fat neck PU with bags of tone and sustain.

Sound

Perceived output level: Slightly more output than the Gibson 490R.
Tone: No muddiness here, warmth, tight bass response, bags of sustain and sweet harmonics.
Sonic evaluation: Les Paul Studio ŕ Tech 21 TRIAC ŕ Tech 21 Power Engine 60. The Mule delivers exactly what I was looking for and more. Through a clean setting with the tone rolled off you can get a great jazz sound (think Kenny Burrell) but when you bring the tone back up and add some drive it does that really fat soupy Les Paul rock thing (think Paul Kossoff). It also balances really well with the Miracle Man, which I had installed in the bridge position.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play Grunge, Punk, Rock, Blues, Jazz, and Funk etc but as I said at the beginning of the review I use the Les Paul specifically for the heavier stuff. I think that the Mule is well suited to all of the above although if you are looking for really dirty you would need something hotter in the bridge which is why I opted for the Miracle Man in the bridge position.

Overall Rating

Comments: This PU delivered everything I was looking for and more. It all started when I bought the LP studio and was disappointed with the stock PU's, My 1st choice was Seymour Duncan (like most people) but a friend of mine recommended Bare Knuckle and then I read the article in guitar buyer. So I contacted Tim at Bare Knuckle and explained what guitar I had and what sound I was looking for, he made some recommendations PU wise, I made the purchase and I have to say the PU's are exactly what I was looking for. Hand wound, in the UK, easy to deal with, friendly. What more can I say other than my Strat will be next!

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

Submitted by: Mark <redskinweasel@hotmail.com>

Submitted at: 17:06, 6/15/2004

Product Info

Pickup features: Passivoe Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: 7.5 for neck, 8.5 for bridge
Price Paid: AUD $400
Purchased from: Direct form Maker

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: Guitar
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Gibson Burst Bucker Pro
Other pickups on guitar: none
Artists using this pickup: N/a
You musical style(s): Rock, Blues
Reason for pickup change: The burstbuckers on my LP standard were a bit harsh sounding, very in your face as opposed to a sweet sustaining tone. Also they were quite high output and tended to change tone (became snarly) when driven - generally a good sound but not what i wanted.

Sound

Perceived output level: Similar output volume to the original pickups
Tone: clear as a bell!! Neck pickup was quite bassy and needed several adjustments.
Sonic evaluation: Les paul 2003 standard -> Rat II -> Laney VC-30 212. The first thing i noticed about the pickup was the significant drop in gain, this is not a bad thing as the trade off is unbelievable sustain and clarity - if i want more gain i turn up the gain knob on the rat, simple!! My LP now sounds smooth and clear (not spikey like the original tone). I belive the pickup actually provides an accurate amplification of the guitars natural tone/wood combination, very sweet and balanced tone.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play rock, and noodle a,round a bit with blues/Jazz. The tone is perfectly matched for this type of music and would be perfectly suited to a non master volume amp (orange AD30, Vox AC30 etc..) where everything is controlled by the guitars volume knob (i havent turned my rat pedal off since putting these pickups in!!). If you play real heavy rock style stuff - you may need to buy pickups with a bit more grunt to them (Warpigs??)

Overall Rating

Comments: i was real nervouse about screwing around with my les pauls stock pickups - but do not at all regret swapping them out. Great sweet and clear tone - the trade off being les front end drive into my amp!! If they were stolen - i'd buy them again. A nice toumch was the twio sets of strings supplied with the pickups. Very easy guys to deal with!!

On a scale of 1 to 10, I give this pickup a: 9

Submitted at: 6:51, 6/8/2004

Product Info

Pickup features: Passive humbuckers
Impedence or other specs: Calibrated Alnico IV DC: 8.9k
Price Paid: N/A
Purchased from: Direct from manufacturer.

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: Les Paul Studio
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: 490R and 498T Alnico
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: None.
You musical style(s): Everything.
Reason for pickup change: Sound from 498T in the bridge was like a tall man on a step ladder; thin, precarious and overstretched. While sound from 490R in the neck had all the sonic consistency of syrup in a muddy pond. Was looking for crisper and cleaner tones when playing the mid and upper registers through the clean channel, and that ever elusive Joe Perry clean-but-dirty sound when channel was switched to overdrive.

Also, from a cosmetic perspective, I wanted to change the look of the guitar. The shiny gold hardware installed at the factory just wasn't doing it for me any longer.

Sound

Perceived output level: Normal output. Not a hugely experienced player, so please forgive the
Tone: Tone controls dialled to 6-7 on both clean channel and overdriven channels gives a great big fat tone. Fantastic.
Sonic evaluation: 2003 Les Paul Studio modified with Grover tuners and Zakk Wylde GHS Boomers (11-60)through a Park G25R amp. (I also have a 2003 Les Paul Standard and these pickups are far superior to the Burstbuckers installed in that).

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Learning all styles of music, and these pickups are versatile enough for virtually any style that you care to attempt. The only exception being perhaps the thrashy end of the metal spectrum. But if you're after that sound, you'd buy a War Pig wouldn't you?

Overall Rating

Comments: First, let me give you some background about the type of player I am. I'm not a hugely experienced player (my musical training was all classical) and as a result I flirted with Asian made guitars for many years as a kind of hobby. Six months ago, I decided to get serious and promptly bought a Les Paul Studio, started taking lessons and practicing hard. While my first Gibson blew me away initially, it soon started to sound a little bit too much like those Squiers and Jacksons from my former playing life. I tried discussing this with several sales guys in Tin Pan alley (in London) and achieved exactly the square root of f**k all.

Enter Tim at Bare Knuckle Pickups. For a guy like me, who at this stage of his playing career has more questions than answers, Tim is revelation. He took time to answer questions, exchange views, and discuss pros and cons. The guy genuinely cares (unlike so many others) about what he sells, and it's bloody refreshing. So, would I buy again? Absolutely no question. Of course I would. I ordered on Tuesday afternoon and they arrived first thing Thursday. Not only am I blown away by them, but the tech who installed them, and my teacher both of whom who have been playing for 30+ years a piece, thought they were jaw droppingly good. Also, if shiny hardware is not your thing, ask Tim about his custom distressed covers. I had been meaning to replace all the gold hardware since I bought my studio, and these pickups provided the perfect excuse to do just that. (Tim even helped me to source the replacement hardware). In comparison to the other two guitars I have(a 2003 Standard & CS Zakk Wylde Bullseye), I would go as far as saying that the replacement pickups have probably turned the cheapest Gibson I've bought into the most versatile guitar I own.

No joking, they really ARE that good.

Check out Tim's site at www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk

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

Submitted by: Rob <howelro@bloomberg.net>

Submitted at: 12:51, 5/28/2004

Product Info

Pickup features: Humbuckers
Impedence or other specs: @9.2 bridge 8.5 neck
Price Paid: pounds (Ł) 190.00
Purchased from: Bare Knuckle direct

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson LP classic goldtop plus
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock ceramics
Other pickups on guitar: n/a
Artists using this pickup: unknown
You musical style(s): Blues / rock
Reason for pickup change: Difficulty in balancing tone between the two at high volume / gain. Bridge can get a bit mushy, whilst neck overly bright.

Sound

Perceived output level: Hotter thaN STANDARD gibson alnicos but well balanced and retain excellent clarity.
Tone: Covers a much wider spectrum of tones than Gibson ceramics and alnicos.
Sonic evaluation: Used with THD Univalve plus semi open back 2x12 (v30's).Marshall DSL50 plus closed back 2x12 (v30's).Mesa Boogie Rocket 44 and Fender HR Deville 2x12. Pick ups work very well with all , particularly pleased with the Marshall especially when employing effects in the loop.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: First class for blues and classic rock style - superb pinched harmonics possible especially on the in between position.

Overall Rating

Comments: If stolen - hassle the insurance man and simply buy them again. In the six years I've been playing I've had a wide variety of guitars but currently a 35th anniversary Gibson LP Custom (3 pup), a Gibson Les Paul Standard, LP classic goldtop , LP studio Gem, 61 reissue SG plus a Fender 52 reissue tele and the ubiquitous heavily modified strat. For the job I wanted them to do, these pups really deliver. A big improvement on the Gibson ceramics - making the classic a more versatile Les Paul and really encouraging to simply play, without having to seemingly endlessly try and balance volume and tone between pickups.The inbetween settings are a complete revelation - fantastic!!

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

Submitted by: Mat Clemett

Submitted at: 12:26, 5/28/2004

Product Info

Pickup features: Humbuckers
Impedence or other specs: @9.2 bridge 8.5 neck
Price Paid: pounds (Ł) 190.00
Purchased from: Bare Knuckle direct

Instrument

Sound

Perceived output level: Hotter thaN STANDARD gibson alnicos but well balanced and retain excellent clarity.
Tone:
Sonic evaluation: For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable:

Overall Rating

Comments: On a scale of 1 to 10, I give this pickup a: No Opinion

Submitted at: 13:44, 4/10/2004

Product Info

Pickup features: Calibrated set of Alinco IV Humbuckers
Impedence or other specs:
Price Paid: Pounds 200
Purchased from: Direct

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: Tele
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: N/A
Other pickups on guitar: N/A
Artists using this pickup: None yet that I know of
You musical style(s): Blues, Rock
Reason for pickup change: New Build of Guitar so new pickups required.

Sound

Perceived output level: Powerfull, but not too powerfull. When on a clean amp they are very bright and crystal clear. If you turn up the drive they give a good rock sound
Tone: Very well balanced. Bridge is nice and bright. Neck is very warm.
Sonic evaluation: Guitar is a Warmoth thinline Tele. Neck, again Warmoth R/W on R/W (Gold Frets) Amps Tech 21, Line 6.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Blues/Rock. Seem to do both very well.

Overall Rating

Comments: Bought these for Blues playing but I'm now thinking that they do a good job when dirty so that may cover the Rock as well. Playing many years and own a few guitars, Strat, a few acoustics and a Parker Nitefly. Good customer service. I'm now wondering if I can retrofit my Parker with some WarPigs! - Get rid of those Dimarzio's. Not the cheapest but certainly worth it.

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

Submitted at: 1:18, 3/14/2004

Product Info

Pickup features: Passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs: 8.5/9.8 k
Price Paid: British Pounds Ł190
Purchased from: Sounds Great

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson Les Paul Classic Gold Top
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Standard hot ceramic pups
Other pickups on guitar: n/a
Artists using this pickup: None that that I know ...they dont yet know what they are missing.
You musical style(s): Classic rock and particularly sixties/seventies Cream/Free/Bad Co/Green
Reason for pickup change: Love the guitar but found the standard pups a tad to hot, especially the bridge pup which just masked the tone of the guitar. Just didnt sound like a LP.

Sound

Perceived output level: The bridge pup when metered is 9.8 k and is pretty powerful as is the neck at 8.5, but not so much as to overpower the tone.
Tone: tone of both is simply beautiful. It solid and thick but has enough bite when you dig in, but never shrill or ice pick. Responds well to backing off vol and tone on guitar.
Sonic evaluation: This calibrated set has made my LP sound like a LP should. I use this with an Engl 50W valve Screamer/V30 cab for home use and an Engl Powerball 100W head/Marshall 1936 with V30s, and the sound and tone I am getting is exactly what I wanted. These pups really drive the valves into a glorious harmonic overdrive that is never fizzy. I guess you could describe the tone as a cross between Clapton - Steppin Out/Politician and Kossoff in his best moments.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: As I said before...sixties/seveties rock and blues/rock...what else is there?

Overall Rating

Comments: I am over the moon with these pups... I think I shall have to buy anothe LP so I can try out the other pups in the range. My Strats goina be next for fettlin.

A big bonus here is that there I was in the shop, 12-30 on Sat. pondering on which pup to buy out of the aray on offer, I simply rang Bare Knuckle and the guy that makes em ( Jim I think ) answers the phone and talks me through the options. Now where else will you get that sort of personal service. Sorry Jim, your phone wont stop now.

I gotta mention though, that I had to file the Gibson mounting ring as it was too tight a fit with the new pup cover, but that could be the ring tolerences being to tight. Also my set has engraved nickel covers - the engraving bit totally spoils the look IMHO, would have prefered plain covers, maybe its an option. The nickle plating is lovely, has a slight aged look about it,scrummy.

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

Submitted by: Denis Robinson <denis@stratman10.freeserve.co.uk>

Submitted at: 5:06, 2/26/2004

Product Info

Pickup features: humbucker
Impedence or other specs: 7.8 through to 7.2
Price Paid: pounds sterling 285
Purchased from: Bareknuckle Pickups Direct

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: Epiphone SG three pickup custom - Vintage Ivory
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Epiphone Gibson Design Humbuckers
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): All
Reason for pickup change: Guitar great value with a proper setup but as you would expect, for the price, the standard pickups are rather lacking in all areas

Sound

Perceived output level: Slightly hotter than standard
Tone: well balanced, slightly bright when clean, break up well in overdrive, not mushy or muddy
Sonic evaluation: Guitar as stated, Amp - Fender Princeton. The sound from these pickups is excellent, plenty of presence. In clean mode the blend of neck and middle is superb - can be used for many purposes. Bridge cuts through well and all positions sustain forever - lots of lovely rich overtones. On overdrive the sound has all the qualities you could want unless you are looking for thrash metal capability. They were custom wound for me the "vintage way" (not necessarily equal turns on all bobbins)as a calibrated set of three and demonstrate all that is good from classic humbuckers. I'm 56 now and have been playing (sort of!) modifying and building guitars for over 40 years and these are the only humbucking pickups that I have not found lacking in any specific area - and I have been through just about everything you can except for some of the stupidly priced US "boutique" offerings. I know that you buy the sound you want with the spec of pickup you choose, but are very flexible and excell in all areas. Cannot recommend them too highly.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: All styles, pickups are very good in all areas. The set was calibrated so no positional mis-match

Overall Rating

Comments: I would happily buy the same again. Playing 40 years, have a very nice aged strat I built from old original parts with Kinman 56's (shortly to be replace with a set of Bareknuckle "Irish Tour" single coils and a Casino which would already have Bareknuckle P90's but for a mix up in pickup covers! Very sold on the brand - workmanship, sound and value second to none!

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

Submitted at: 8:39, 2/16/2004

Product Info

Pickup features: passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs: 8.8k
Price Paid: sterling 99.00
Purchased from: Direct from Bare Knuckle United Kingdom

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: Les Paul
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Gibson Burstbucker
Other pickups on guitar: Original Gibson neck pickup
Artists using this pickup: None...but won't be long before they do!!
You musical style(s): Rock, Pop, Jazz, Country
Reason for pickup change: Original Gibson pickup was too shrill in the top end...when you dug in it hurt in the treble.

Sound

Perceived output level: Around the same as original
Tone: Beautifully warm and chiming clean, blossoms when dirty and you dig in. Balanced.
Sonic evaluation: I am using it in a Les Paul through a Matamp 1224 valve amp. It also sounds great through my Deville and my Carvin Bel Air.It is a real quality sound with NO harshness, every string sounds like it should be there...no muddiness. Notes run in to one another when picking..real class.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play my own music but i was influenced by Free, Stones, Beatles, Thin Lizzy etc.

Overall Rating

Comments: Would i buy it again? I have already ordered 2 more for my 335, another Mule for the bridge and a Stormy Monday for the neck as it has slightly less power for a clear rhythm sound. I have been playing for 30 years or so...I have tried EVERY pickup on the market, even the very best American ones and this just oozes TONE!The best bit is this...you don't buy from a box..each one is wound to the output YOU require especially for you and you can request the same again or slightly modify the windings to suit YOU!If you know the sound you are looking for they will provide it.The manufacturer described to me over the phone what it would sound like and i have never before received such an accurate description of a pickup. Just in case you are wondering....I am not related , don't work for them and have never met them! Just telling the truth about a future classic.

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

Submitted by: Brian carter <walkinginharmony@ukonline.co.uk>

Submitted at: 1:25, 1/25/2004

Product Info

Pickup features: Alnico 2 passive humbucker nickel cover
Impedence or other specs: DC 8.8K
Price Paid: GBP Ł99
Purchased from: Direct-website

Instrument

Model of guitar or bass: PRS custom 22
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Seymour Duncan Seth Lover set
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Rock,blues
Reason for pickup change: The Seymours were ok but had a mid spike that made them sound a little nasal with some of my sounds.They were noisy too and I think they needed to be potted(again?).

Sound

Perceived output level: I've got some Bare Knuckle Stormy Mondays and these are definately hotter than those and certainly more aggresive than the Seth Lovers.Not a distortion tone though, hot PAF i guess.
Tone: Warm bass, not too mushy, strong mids(reminds me of Gary Moore)and overall a really clear sound.Not brittle like the Seymours.
Sonic evaluation: 50w 70's Marshall combo and a few pedals, overdrive ,chorus, wah.The less the better for me.The pickups drive the amp really well, more than my Stormy Mondays which I bought first although the tone is not dissimilar, just a lot more of it.This time I went for a calibrated pair of humbuckers and the balance is great-punchy bridge with loads of prescence and a warm neck that still has a touch of hollow honk to it(very G'n'R).

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Most types of rock and blues from '60s stuff upt o now.I'll have a go at anything that catches my ear. I was really pleased with the Stormy Monday I bought before christmas which I put in my Gibbo and the tone was so good I've decided to change all my guitars over to Bare Knuckles. The set of Mules really sit well in the PRS and work great WITH the guitar whereas the Seth Lovers always sounded like replacements(if that makes any sense!).The Seymours are going up on ebay now, they were fine but tin comparison to my Mules sounded very plain-the Mules really have TONE.As for positions, the calibrated pair(don't know what the neck one measures at)that they made for me seem to be just right for the positions they're ment to go in, these guys obviously know their stuff.

Overall Rating

Comments: Stolen?As I said in my last review for the Stormy's - theguy better be able to run fast! Been playing along time and tried plenty of combinations of amps and guitars - keep coming back to the mahogany/maple guitars and Marshalls always seem to sound good whatever. Bare Knuckle's attention to detail is great, not only do the pickups sound amazing but the service is good too - didn't have to wait long, nice packaging and free strings too.Thought the strings might be a gimmick but they were good ones(Everleys I think)and it saved buying a set when I did the change over.Emails and questions were always answered and quickly too - they even mailed to check I'd got them ok and that I'd got them installed without any problems! Like I said I've tried most stuff, pickups too, over the years and these Bare Knuckles really do it for me.It's a funny feeling but it seems like one less thing I have to worry about now as the two sets I've had have been great and I now know where I'll be going for the rest of my guitars.The range seems well thought out and I'm looking at some Black Dogs next. Satisfied?100%! Overlook these at your peril.

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

Submitted by: Stephen May <stephenmay@ukgateway.net>