Bare Knuckle Pickups Nailbomb

Pickup features: Humbucking/passive
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: LP (Les Paul)
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: EMG 85
Other pickups on guitar: At moment 81 but soon to be Bare Knuckle Mule (watch this space)...
Artists using this pickup: Urm...me?
You musical style(s): Southern Rock (to me that means BLS/Zakk Wylde), Metal etc. Blues-Rock/Fusion/WHATEVER (Pagey's way) but the Mule will soon be taking care of that.
Reason for pickup change: Wanted something with better sound quality (obviously!) Old pickup (85) was too 'easy come, easy go', too average-sounding.

Perceived output level: Slightly more than?
Tone: For me it changes from day-to-day, but for the record I'd say balanced.
Sonic evaluation: Epi- being run through Marshall MG50DFX but soon to be:
Epi-being run through some sort of hi-gain tube amp (RAWWWK!) With possible pedal selection/section.
But I'll let you know for sure when I get there.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play METARRRGGGHHHLLL (yeah, that kind) and these pickups are definitely good for the Zakk Wylde kind but I'd definitely say this would sound a helluva lot better through a tube amp (i.e. the Peavey-soon-to-come).

Comments: Yeah, I'd either replace it with a new one or a another one (Bare Knuckle of course).

Pickup features: Passive humbuckers
Impedence or other specs: Calibrated set

Model of guitar or bass: Kritz Stradovarius
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Kritz Humbucker
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Rock
Reason for pickup change: The Kritz humbuckers had too much feedback, and I wanted to replace them with something that is really good.

Perceived output level: Output is pretty hot, well, hotter than a Dimarzio PAF that is.
Tone: Really fat, rich and agressive at the bridge, and the neck humbucker sounds very full and huge.
Sonic evaluation: Kritz stradovarius (26" scale) -->Hughes & Kettner Triamp mkII, with a H&K TC412 cab.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I like to play different types of music. The pickups also sound very good when used clean (which is not the case with every pickup that is good foor use at high-gain). The bridge pickup might be too agressive for use in a shadows-coverband or something, but when you want to play Shadows, Bare Knuckle will have some other pickups that will be suitable for this. The neck humbucker is really cool; it sounds huge, and you really hear the character of your guitar. Really useful for solo's, and for clean chords. You can get very close to a jazz sound with this humbucker.

Comments: The original pickups in my guitar really sounded huge. And I wanted some pickups that could give me that same huge sound, but more aggressive. The original pickups were typical jazzy humbuckers, with loose windings, which made you hear the wood of the guitar, and I didn't want loose the character of the guitar.
I think it is very difficult to buy pickups without having them heard in your own guitar. I couldn't find my sound with some other pickups (I tried different Seymour Duncans (Custom, JB, Distortion), and EMG's).
After looking at the Bare Knuckle Pickups website, I thought I would email them with what kind of sound I wanted and what stuff I used. I got a reply from Tim very soon, with the advise of the Nailbomb Calibrated set. I read some good things about bare knuckle pickups here, and I thought I would give it a try (also because every one already uses seymour duncan and the other large brands).
When the pickups were installed in my guitar I couldn't believe my ears. Tim from Bare Knuckle Pickups really gave a good advice, because this is the sound I wanted to hear.
Also, when I use a single coil of the pickups, it also sound great, and that is something that not all humbuckers do!
If it would be stolen, I would definately buy another set.
I am thinking of changing the pickups of my other guitars to Bare Knuckle Pickups too.

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: DC: 16k

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson Les Paul
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: 490T
Other pickups on guitar: 490R
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Mainly rock, some 2 tone and reggae
Reason for pickup change: 490T was too light sounding.

Perceived output level: This has a hot full output.
Tone: balanced tone which lends itself well to being shaped by amp EQ
Sonic evaluation: Played through Marshall DSL201 combo and a DSL50 head and 1960AV 4x12, this thing really sings and roars.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: For rock and metal this thing can't be beat. Has nice warm clean too.

Comments: If I ever find myself wanting another pickup, Bare Knuckle will get the call.
Tim at Bare Knuckle is an amazing guy, he speaks the language of tone with you and can connect you with what you need. He basically asked what I played, Who's sound I liked, what gear I was using and what I had tried pickup wise and my opinions and from that came with a three suggestions... I had a think and picked a corker!
I've never baught something without trying it first but I have heard other Bare Knuckle pickups (Mule, Black Dog) and been impressed and thier reputation goes before them.
By the way you can order Bare Knuckle pickups with a huge list of options. Nailbombs are offrerred as four conductor under camo covers, however I specced 2 conductor wire and chrome covers... no extra cost.
This pickup is wound with a few hundred turns less on one coil than the other. According to Gibson this is what made fifties humbuckers sound so huge. Operators would stop winding when the boobin looked full so the two coils would have imbalanced field strengths. Machines are just too good at counting! The nailbomb is also scatterwound which increases capacitance because of air gaps in the windings. Oh and all this is done by hand!!!
Just to reiterate ?100 is not a lot of money when you consider a Seymour Duncan JB costs around ?80 and is mass produced soul less junk.
This is an amazing product delivered and backed the best and most personal service at a great price... marks out of 10?

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson Les Paul Standard
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Standard 490T
Other pickups on guitar: 490R
Artists using this pickup: Dunno
You musical style(s): Classic rock, Metal, Two tone, Reggae.
Reason for pickup change: No power in the 490T, tone was not 'round' enough.

Perceived output level: Hot, nice and powerful
Tone: Balanced, leaving unrestricted options for EQ meddling. It's all there just dial in or out what you do or don't want.
Sonic evaluation: I play through a Marshall DSL201 20 Watt combo for practice/recording or a DSL50 50 watt head & 1960A 4x12 for gigs.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Classic rock, Metal, Two tone, Reggae. this pickup does it all very well.

Comments: The nailbomb seems to have a very wide response maybe just a bit mid scooped. I really love it's sound. My les paul souded very tame on it's standard pickup, though the unplugged sound was very powerful for an electric, revealling the possibility for serious noise from it.
I should point out the 490T is a very good pickup. If the amp was driven really hard IT ROCKED, and the clean sound was amazingly sparkly for a humbucker, it just doesn't do metal at all, no way, no how.
With the nail bomb I've got all EQ knobs on full and it sounds great, powerful classic rock tone, that can be used for more modern metal parts too.
For my clean stuff I use the Nailbomb and the 490R together and they harmonise together very nicely.
For reggae and whatnot the 490T was a shade crisper but the nailbomb has a real warmth to it which I am loving. Sounds a bit wierd saying these things about about a pickup called a the 'Nailbomb' but there you go.
This company will have something to offer you. Just call and ask for Tim. He is a seriously experienced guitar player and can talk 'tone' with you and connect you with what you need.
In my case I was able to spec a chrome cover and 2 conductor wiring. A nice touch was a complimentary set of guitar strings in the package.

Pickup features: Humbucking F-Spaced with Camo cover
Impedence or other specs: 15.8K, Alnico 5

Model of guitar or bass: Triple Fat Strat with Warmoth neck
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Duncan JB, DiMarzio FRED
Other pickups on guitar: Lace Hot Gold Dually (13.2k,6k), Dragon 1 Bass
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Metal and Power Blues
Reason for pickup change: Wanted a unique sound for a unique guitar.

Perceived output level: Noticeably hotter then a Duncan JB (I guess Bill Lawrence is right on this one).
Tone: Good amount of treble, fairly mid scooped, enough bass for balance.
Sonic evaluation: A 10 pound 3H Strat into a)JCM 600 B)JCM 800 C) Laney Gh100TI. In the Marshalls it was so articulate and the note simply screamed out! especially on the bass strings. Palm mutes were round and focused which is the number 2 reason I decided to try the NailBomb. The number 1 reason was that I suspected that the harmonics would simply pop out and my hunch was right. My Laney needed a PU that would cut through the mud at high gain and the NailBomb is simply the perfect match. I strongly recommend this PU to any high gain amp players. It's simply the best matching of treble and mids in a PU I've tried.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play Old School Metal with my bridge PUs so palm mutes, harmonics, tapping, fast lead runs, etc. The NailBomb is just what I was looking for while remaining faithful to Alnico magnets.

Comments: Yes I would have to get another but I'm also planning on getting other Bear Knuckle PUs. If I wasn't such a PU junky I'd settle on the NailBomb for my other main guitar. I give a 10 when a PU meets or surpasses my expectations. The NailBomb met my expectations easily but it would have been hard to surpass. Although, the attention to detail and customer service definitely surpassed my expectations. Lastly, as a Fat Strat player that has gone through ever Trembucker, F-Spaced and Rail PU out there it was so refreshing to see a handwound shop that cared about my larger spacing needs. Kudos Tim!

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Yamaha RGX420S D6
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock Yamaha Pickup
Other pickups on guitar: 1 Stock Neck Yamaha Pickup
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Blues Lead
Reason for pickup change: The stock pickups in this guitar don't deliver the right tonal output on high end frequencies. Nor do they delivery clarity when drive is added to the amp.
The general description is muddy.

Perceived output level: The high end is greatly improved. Clear output, leaves a slight ring when playing the unwound strings. The heavier strings react very well. Again Improved output. But when gain is added the clarity still stands. No muddy output and loss of definition in the mid and bass frequencies
Tone: Bassy and Tebly. Slightly scouped Mid.
Sonic evaluation:
For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This is a good match for blues lead on a Baritone. General playing is greatly improved. Especially rhythm!

Comments: I am ging to install one into my Jackson for metal playing! Will buy more from BAre Knuckle. Superb company to deal with

Pickup features: passive humbucker + fully equiped pickguard after personal spec
Impedence or other specs: DC: 16k / DC: 9.2k

Model of guitar or bass: strat plus deluxe 92
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: lace sensor
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Anything. I work with music and special effects for theater. I may be asked to produce anything
Reason for pickup change: The terrible sound produced by the lace sonsors

Perceived output level: Very high.
Tone: Very balanced / versatile. Could be used for jazz or anything esle. Maybe not the best for trash.
Sonic evaluation: Strat plus deluxe mapple / mapple neck. Mesa boogie subway blues. these pickups are very good. They are really balanced, full of shime ( very rare for humbuchers I think )and the whole products smells quality. I imagine these can be used for anything ranging from jazz to rock. The distortion is beautiful (Very powerful indeed if one wants it) . I would say these picks are among the best you can find on the market today.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play music and produce special effects for theater and stage. I play mostly jazz and rock.

Comments: I am very satisfied with this product. B&K has been very helpful and I guarantee you that what I wanted was not easy. I asked for a fully equipped pickguard with splittable humbucker system. The whole system had to be able to be used on stage for concerts or for theater effects for adults or children ( I then needed a very accurate volume control since I do not have the right to harm children's ears )
The whole team has been helpful and has delivered a very fine product.
After my opinion, the high cost matched the quality. The price is forgotten, the quality stays.

Pickup features: Strat H-S-S set
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Mexican Strat
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: stock
Other pickups on guitar: stock
Artists using this pickup: dunno
You musical style(s): jazz/rock
Reason for pickup change: seeking optimal sound

Perceived output level: a significant boost in output
Tone: tone is now airy, open sounding, almost like a natural compression!
Sonic evaluation: mexican strat through a Mesa Boogie F-30 (Keeley Comp stomp and Boss DD-5)

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This is the sound of my dreams.

Comments: I'd replace this in a heartbeat. BareKnuckles is totally customer oriented and very responsive. I've been at the guitar about 40 years now. Had lots of other set-ups.

Pickup features: Passive Humbuckers
Impedence or other specs: two core cables, 16k

Model of guitar or bass: Schecter Omen6
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Bareknuckle miracleman
Other pickups on guitar: stock diamond series
Artists using this pickup: Littlesolacecomes
You musical style(s): Metal
Reason for pickup change: I required a tighter pickup for enhancing the bottom end and midrange, as I use a drop 'A' tuning. These Nailbombs fit the bill....

Perceived output level: Hi output, beasts, loud and aggressive
Tone: Balanced tight bass good midrange, silky treble
Sonic evaluation: Schecter Omen6-Engl tube pre-100watt soild power amp-Marshall 1960AV 4x12.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Metal, (meshuggah-esque) perfect match designed for drop tunings, bridge pick-up to hot for neck.

Comments: I will be ordering more to install in my second guitar an Ibanez rg540, and also in a schecter blackjack7. these pick-ups were modified with a consultation with TIM @bareknuckle, and they are the sound of heavy riffs...

Pickup features: bridge humbucker
Impedence or other specs: hot paf

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson L.P. Stand.
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Rio Grande BBQ
Other pickups on guitar: Harmonic Design Z-90(hot P-90)
Artists using this pickup: Wait a couple of years,......you'll see!
You musical style(s): Heavy-blues,fat rock ,try to play fusion.
Reason for pickup change: BBQ is a good p.u .but to southern-rock sounding(whitch isn't bad at all).I wanted a heavier screaming leadtone,asked Tim advice,and believe me,that guy knows his products!I like Gambale's leadtone,and come very close now(no way i got his skills)

Perceived output level: Hot enough,but at the same time very balanced,not to modern sounding.Has a vintage feel,but more output,and middy-oriented.Has that"Alvin Lee I"am goin home tone"
Tone: See above
Sonic evaluation: Lespaul trough many diff.amps(ENGL Powerball, Framus Cobra,peavey 5150 II),always using same selfmade cabinet(2-vint.30 celest.+2-10 inch.weber alnic.)Boss chorus,....that's all.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: For what i wanted (fat leadtone), it is a superb p.u.

Comments: Playing for 15 years in several bands,i allways try to improve myself,in technical skills aswell as in tone.I've heared all the great gods live (Gambale,Petrucci,Satch,Vai,Carlton,Lukather,...),so my ears are very spoiled.Offcourse,all these guys have magic fingers,but it is the first time that i dare to say that my tone is as great as theirs.Believe me,if Tim stays with his philosophy (real handmade with top materials),he's gonna be a serious threat for the two bigones( S.D. Dimarzio)