Bare Knuckle Pickups Geoff Whitehorn Crawler

Bare Knuckle Crawler humbucking passive pickup

Installed in the bridge position of my US fat strat with ash body and rose neck. Replacing stock pickups with this and 2 Irish Tour single coils. I wanted to tighten up and boost the sound that I was produsing with my stock's and these came very highly recommended.

The Crawler has this rather wonderful ability to be a pickup for all tones. I was looking for a bit more creamy punch than my original stock set,but I did not want to loose the light clean tone that I use in my band. This pickup does that and much more.

Clean, the sound is brash and cutting with tremendous clarity in the highs, and a lovely rounded tone without ever falling into boominess in the lows. Back off the vol a little and the tone shimmers like a single coil and cuts like a vintage strat should.

As the sound pushes into crunch, be it through the amp, or by utilising the incredible pick attack responsiveness, wide clear dynamic growl occurs, with those same qualities as the clean tones.

Into full amp driven OD, and the thickness and clarity of tone takes my breath away. Incredible soloing sound, and thick crunchy chords with huge natural harmonics causing an incredible pop. The way the tone stands out in the mix of a full band is ace, as it is imposible to disappear.

I play good old fashioned rock, and this sound is like how you imagined the guitarists in the 70's wanted to sound, but it just hadn't quite got there yet. All the way up to chuggy thrash tones and shredding cut is in these remarkable litle machines.

There are a lot of 10's thrown around in the reviews on this website, and I feel they are only justified if the reviewer really is truly blown away and has had a chance to compare the product favourably against the products rivals. I hav listened to three identical guitars with this pickup, an SD custom custom, and a Dimarzio vintage distortion in, and the comprison was laughable.

Through my JVM half stack, they are truly epic, and the customer service from Tim at BKP cannot be spoken of highly enough.

BKP Geoff Whitehorn Crawler Pickups
Calibrated Humbucker Set

RG320 IBANEZ
Both Positions
Replacing Seymour Duncans
To try and get the sound i was wanting.
Already had listened to these on BKP website.

The output level was a tab louder
Put through Marshall stack and Hughes and Kettner, also together in stereo between the two. I can only add to say to everyone, these pickups absolutely rock, from crystal clear jazzy sounds to a clear floyd sound, switching to rock, metallica and the like, they were awesome. I put the guitar through all amount of effects and each one was great to say the least. My playing is Pink Floyd and i got the sound i was after from the clean of Shine on to the heavy sorrow, just fine. The smile on my face now would sell a 1000s of these. Also i have been able to stage them at a very loud volume and they made my smile larger and the gig awaesome, if only for me.

would i buy them again, silly question, i have already spoken to Tim who by the way gave me no ends of time and having more than one guitar to play with and now heard these. My money will be going to BKP no matter what the cost.
To compare is a liitle unfair really because pickups in there respective woods are great in themselves, but just exploring have turned around my playing. I now have to only put my recently aquired Dave Gilmour GHS Signature strings on and maybe my smile will be seen in true color.

Bridge Humbucker 14.4k hand scatter wound.

Hamer USA studio

Bridge

Duncan 59

Duncan 59 in the neck.

Geoff Whitehorn signature set.

The Duncan was average.

I am using a Cornford Hurricane and play all styles of music.

The pickup is astounding, it is so complex and 3D whilst keeping all the articulation and strong mids.
It is good clean and doesn't have any icepick highs that bucker with this output usualy would in this position, but its forte is in heavy overdrive where it just sings. No mud but a tight bass with the most artculated and 3D mids I have heard in a bucker.

Tim answered my emails fast and was great to deal with.

Set of humbuckers and, um, that's about all I know. Sorry. I ain't one of them fancy pants geetar expurts. I'm just some wee buffoon who enjoys playing his guitar (Very badly).

They are installed in an Epiphone Les Paul Standard as I am a cheapskate and not good enough to merit a guitar costing four figures.

Compared to the Epiphone stock pickups, the output volume alone (Even before we get to the actual sound) is considerably improved. With my (And this is being kind) limited knowledge of guitars and their workings, I was quite pleasantly surprised with how noticeable the difference in volume was. For the price, I thought the Epiphone stock pickups didn't do a bad job but the Bare Knuckles really bring life into a (Compared to any others listed here) cheap guitar and now it's the guitar I always reach for when I want to remind myself how bad I am at attempting to play one. That written, I've only got three guitars so the choice isn't exactly overpowering. Still, I'll play it over my Telecaster or Casino more often than not and that's only really been the case since the pickup change.

I use this with a Laney VC30 112 amp with a Laney GS210VE cab, if that's of any interest. As this is the only amp I have ever owned, I can't really comment on how the pickups might sound through different equipment. Sorry about that.

From my tiny experience of guitar playing, I have to say I'm very impressed with the Epiphone now I've got these pickups in it. They really do make a tremendous difference. The neck pickup produces a much sweeter, smoother tone than I was used to and the bridge pickup is great for overdriven rock. I don't know what it's like distorted as I tend to shy away from distortion (Maybe it frightens me?). Something I thought was great is that it's a good blend of tones when both pickups are running together. Quite often I've noticed the 'both pickups' setting can sound pretty weak but, in this case, it's a very good selection, equally as viable as using either the neck or bridge pickup alone.

By the way, I gave an eight for this section as I don't know enough about guitars to be giving out tens or the like. If I knew more, it may well score more highly. I just don't have the experience to compare it with enough other pickups to do so:

Responding to the suggested questions in this 'Overall' section:

If somehow these Geoff Whitehorn Crawlers were destroyed or stolen, yes, I would go straight out and buy another set of them. I think they're marvellous and while ??210 isn't (As far as I can tell) particularly cheap for a set of pickups, I've got a guitar which sounds super for a little over five hundred pounds.

I've only been playing the guitar (And some might argue that point) for a couple of years. Prior to that, I only attempted to play the bass (For about seventeen years now) and drums (For about four or five years, terribly).

I don't know pickups well enough to say in-depth what I love and hate about them. I know I love the fact the sound from it makes me happy and enjoy playing my guitar. There's nothing, so far, to hate about it and I don't foresee any problems. Even if there is a problem, I believe Tim Mills is incredible when it comes to his lifetime guarantee and will back it up.

When I was looking for new pickups, I only did so because of the existence of these Bare Knuckle Pickups and wouldn't have bought any otherwise. I heard about them through a friend who (Along with his brother) had installed some and fell in love with them. Like so many people here, I found Tim Mills to be a superb man when it comes to the care he takes over his customers. I mean, I'm a complete goof and was asking him so many stupid questions about the pickups and he was patient with me throughout, able to decipher my ramblings and lead me to the pickups I now enjoy using greatly. This might sound like an odd thing to write but it's almost like he makes you feel you're the most important customer he's ever had and that's both novel and marvellous when so many places just want to get your money and get rid of you.

Again I only gave a nine, rather than a ten, as I'm one of those anal annoying people who refuses to give full marks for anything as he believes nothing can be absolutely perfect. If I was less stupid, it would be a ten:

Bridge Humbucker.

2006 Stratocaster deluxe HSS. Replaced fender humbucker in bridge position.The other pickups are single coil noiseless in the neck and middle position. The reason for change was the Fender humbucker was crap absoluteley no balls whatsoever.

The out put is high with this humbucker,i am using it with a Hiwatt head and cab with Boss DS1, Boss Bluesdriver,Boss Delay and a Ibanez TS9dx Turbo Tubescreamer. The tone is now awesome completeley blows me away. I play mainly Blues/Rock Gary Moore, Rory Gallagher,Walter Trout, Peter Green type stuff.

If it went walkies i would become an instant manic depressive untill i replaced it. I have been playing for 40 years and i have now achieved the tone i have always strived for i absoluteley love this pickup. My other guitar is a Fender Hotrod 62.

Pickup features: Humbucking Passive
Impedence or other specs: Split Coil

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

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

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

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

Pickup features: humbucker
Impedence or other specs: 15k bridge 7.6k neck

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

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

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

Comments: I would Definately replace these pickups immediately.

Pickup features: Humbucking (passive)
Impedence or other specs: DC 15K Alnico V

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

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

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

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