Bare Knuckle Pickups Emerald

Pickup features: Chrome Covered Humbuckers
Impedence or other specs: Bridge - 12k, Neck - 10.5k Alnico V, 4 conductor wiring.

Model of guitar or bass: 1978 Ibanez Iceman IC200
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Ibanez NOS Super80's
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Rock/Metal/Blues
Reason for pickup change: Dissatisfied with output from the NOS Super80's. When I bought the guitar, it had DiMarzio Distortion's in it, which didn't sound too good to me. I managed to find some NOS Ibanez Super80 pickups on eBay, as they were the stock pickups for this guitar, they sounded good, but just didn't have "that" sound I was after for this guitar.

Perceived output level: Warm to Hot output.
Tone: Quite a warm, balanced tone.
Sonic evaluation: I wanted something that would work well with a solid mahogany body and maple set neck, and thankfully, these Emerald's do the trick. Amp-wise, I go through a 6550 loaded Ampeg VL-503 via an Ibanez TK999US and a few other pedals.
Clean, the pickups have a brilliant, warm and balanced tone that's well defined. Add a touch of drive to get that bluesy "breaking" tone, and these pickups really start coming alive with warmth and clarity. With higher gain settings, it really sings with that aggressive SG vibe. Nice. ;)

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Style wise, these would suit all sorts, but would be really good for Classic Rock a la Thin Lizzy etc.

Comments: I wanted a pickup that would work well with the Iceman, which is basically a cross between an SG and a Firebird, and as such, it exudes the solid mahogany body vibe. Wound up, these pickups have that aggressive tonality that only a good pickup can get when matched to a solid mahogany guitar. This is my 2nd set of BKP's, and I'm well chuffed with both the product and the company. I telephoned my order, and spoke to Tim, who advised my choice and was really knowledgable and friendly. I'd certainly buy more BKP's.

Pickup features: Humbucker with reverse magnet in the neck pickup.
Impedence or other specs: 11 &12k from memory

Model of guitar or bass: Les Paul Studio
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock Gibsons
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Don't know
You musical style(s): Blues/ Rock
Reason for pickup change: Stock pickups were just ok. I have Amule and a Stormy Monday on my LP standard, so I know what these are capable of. I also wanted to try the Petre Green tone,thats why the magnet in the neck is reversed. Bare Knuckle suggested this and said it would be no problem to supply.

Perceived output level: Seems to have a greater output than the stock pickups.
Tone: Very well balanced. Lovely warm bottom end. With both pickups on the tone is thinner for the Peter Green effect.
Sonic evaluation: Les Paul Studio Through A Peavey Classic 50.The tone is warm and clear. I found that power chords with the bridge pickup are great with this set up and with the middle position selected I can get some unusual lead sounds.
The bridge pickup has a good creamy bassy tone which is great for atmospheric minimal playing.
This guitar is now equiped with pickups that are versitile and egdey and will be able to hold its own in a veriaty of situations.


The

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Blues / Rock. Gives a good aggresive example of this style.

Comments: This is my second set of Bare Knuckles and I have not been disapointed.
I have a Les Paul Standard equipped with a Mule Neck and Stormy Monday Bridge Humbucker.The Emeralds are lots of fun and have more of a sharper tone than the others, which gives me more options as a player.
I had asked Tim about the Peter Green tone and he suggested reversing the magnet in the neck to acheive this. I went for this option and find the tone with both pickups on unusual but great fun.
The Bare Knuckle team are so helpful and really live and breath guitars.
If you are looking for pickups to enhance your guitar I would strongly recommend giving BKPs a chance as they produce hand made quality products, bespoke in many cases, that deliver.
One last thing. I chose Zebra coils for my Emeralds and they look fantastic.

Pickup features: Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: 11.0K Alnico V custom wound to match mule

Model of guitar or bass: Custom Built Les Paul
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Classic 57
Other pickups on guitar: Bare Knuckle Mule
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Blues, Rock, 60's & 70's Pop
Reason for pickup change: Wanted to get more of the tone that Paul Kossoff, Gary Moore and Peter Green get

Perceived output level: More powerful than the classic 57
Tone: Nicely balanced with a ton of harmonics!
Sonic evaluation: I am using this though a silver jubilee Marshall 50 combo and a Fender Princeton II. I also use a blackstone overdrive, boss DF-2 Feedbacker (which I don't need with this pickup!) and MXR Phase 90.
Tim potted these into a set of my own covers from a set of 1963 humbuckers (no I don't still have the pickups!). He even went to the trouble of using 'aged' pole screws so they would match.
When I put this on the guitar and played through the Marshall I was amazed at the range it has. The volume control works now, all the way from 1-10. As you turn it up you get more push into the amp. Also the harmonics really jump out on this. My guitar has a lot of natural sustain (it has tone chambers under the top), with this pickup I could have held the opening note of Supernatural all through the song! I wanted the tone from 'Still in love with you', but I got so much more.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This is great for everything I play, it might not suit a nu-metal player but I think it could be used for anything else

Comments: I have already bought more Bare Knuckle pickups. With the Mule in the neck position, this is the sound I was looking for exactly. I would recommend talking to Tim at Bare Knuckle if you are not sure which of their pickups to get (there are so many!). I have been playing for 30 years and have spoken with many manufacturers (including Seymour Duncan and Lindy Fralin), about pickups and had custom pickups before, but Tim seems to know even more then any of them and he can translate this into a sound from the pickup.
Also they have the best customer service I have ever found.

Pickup features: Passive
Impedence or other specs: Alnico 5

Model of guitar or bass: Ibanez RG
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: N/A
Other pickups on guitar: DiMarzio
Artists using this pickup: Me
You musical style(s): Hard Rock
Reason for pickup change: DiMarzio are useless muddy compressed shite and I like SD and EMG even less.

Perceived output level: Hot-ish
Tone: Quite a balanced tone
Sonic evaluation: I use an Ibanez RG with colorsound pedals and a Spider 2 amp. I do not like the Spider 2 but the new pickups sound a whole lot better through it then the DiMarzio did.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play hard rock guitar and this pickup is perfectly fine for what I want at the moment.

Comments: I will buy from BKP again, the customer service is excellent and the pickups are fabulous. I will never buy DiMarzio again, they are rubbish in comparison. Well at least the ones I have used were.

Pickup features: Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: 11 K AlnicoV

Model of guitar or bass: Ibanez
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock
Other pickups on guitar: All 3 stock replaced with BKP
Artists using this pickup: See BKP Homepage
You musical style(s): Anything
Reason for pickup change: Boring, muddy stock pickup

Perceived output level: Medium/Hot
Tone: Very well balanced,
Sonic evaluation: Ibanez->RMC3 Wah->KeeleyBD-2->Mesa Boogie.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Suitable for AC/DC, Led Zep basically overdriven Rock.

Comments: Open, perfect balance across the strings, stay clear & responsive as the volume knob is turned down and have low noise in comparison to other brands. On clean they have an open vocal quality. Distorted they sound?..angry, like a distilled amp explosion. Perfect for gritty, overdriven sounds of the 60 - 80s.

Pickup features: Humbucking passive
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Left Handed Gibson Les Paul Standard
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Gibson PAFs
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Blues Rock
Reason for pickup change: Not enough power/ definition on stock pickups

Perceived output level: A little louder than the stock PAFs
Tone: Clear with good definition and sparkle for a humbucker!!
Sonic evaluation: Used with a fender hot rod deluxe. Instantly better sound. Brought the amp to life which has saved it from being traded in!!...nice singing chimy dry tone and well defined, creamy driven tone....perfect for Mark Knopfler, Gary Moore and even SRV!! fans.

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

Comments: I'd definately buy again and am considering trying some of their other models. The Les Paul is the only humbucker guitar i use but with the BareKnuckles it's giving me the sound I was looking for. I use telecasters (loaded with Kinmans) for the twangy stuff.

Pickup features: Covered passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs: Special Edition, 13k. Alnico V.

Model of guitar or bass: Gordon Smith Gypsy Semi
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Lindy Fralin 8k/9k set
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Blues/Jazz
Reason for pickup change: Lindy's were nice, just a bit bland and weak.

Perceived output level: More than the Lindy set, but more open in the top end, not a typical hot humbucker sound, more like a 9k pickup tone with more volume.
Tone: Very balanced, lovely open top end clarity. nice midrange bite, not too much just right.
Sonic evaluation: Used with a Fender Custom Vibrosonic and a Marshall.
Nice clean tones, when split they give a nice jangle. Top end is really open and smooth. With more drive they are really clear, not at all muddy, great harmonics, and dynamics, well I've never heard a humbuker with as much range! Must be something in this scatterwinding!

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Great for Blues and classic rock, enough volume for a good amp overdrive without pedal boosts. Clean jazz tones are also impressive due to the dynamic range of the pickup.

Comments: I'd buy another Bare Knuckle Pickup anyday. Great service at the show and very helpful.

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker, Alnico V magnet and Plain Emamel hand scatter wound coils.
Impedence or other specs: 12K Neck/12.5K Bridge - wound with special gauge plain enamel wire - special editions!.

Model of guitar or bass: P.R.S. Classic Electric Maple Top (old one from '91 with alder body)
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: HFS in bridge and a Vintage Bass in the neck.
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Varied - lots of live playing and teaching rock/metal/Blues/Jazz - I don't do country....
Reason for pickup change: Bored with the stock PRS sound. The HFS was only really good at rock and heavier sounds and lacked bottom end, although the vintage bass was a good pickup - a little bit undefined and muddy at times. The coil splits tended to sound brittle before.

Perceived output level: A bit more output than the stock set. Hot enought to drive tube amps well.
Tone: Very open - transparent top end, not harsh, excellent balance of lows, mids and highs. Warm without being muddy when turned down and rocks when turned up - without any harshness. Vintage tone - but more of it!!
Sonic evaluation: The amps I use range from a MATAMP 1224, JCM800, to a Boogie/Soldano rack rig. Various Keeley and Analog.man SD1 and TS-808 pedals, and the odd RAT.
Nice open and transparent sound. When you dig in the pickups respond well and allow notes to jump out. More dynamic than the stock PRS pickups. Gives a better range of tones - the coil splits work very well - the alnico magnets help here.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Excellent all rounder - can get classic sounds but will do a convincing modern scream as well!!

Comments: Biggest problem with Bare Knuckle is the choice!! It's not like Lindy's that have one design with more or less output - you can choose a pickup to match what you want to do - Tim at Bare Knuckle is very helpful assisting you in your choice.
The quality of the pickups is second to none - all made by hand! For the price they are excellent ? about the same as some of the Gibson and Duncan pickups here in the UK.
I've had lots of pickups and the Bare Knuckles are the best - I've got two loaded with LIndy PAFs - watch out for them on eBay when I change over to some more Bare Knuckles. Until this set Lindy's were my favourites, Dimarzios sound compressed and muddy (a pair of Warpigs for my Ibanez..), Duncans are expensive and have always disappointed me. EMGs are fun but sterile (I may try a set of Miracle Mans ? or should it be men? - in my Charvel).