Bare Knuckle Pickups P-90

Mississippi Queen P90 style passive pickup. 7.7 ohms, Alnico V. Finished (with the other two BKPs fitted to this guitar - a set of PG Blues) with an aged gold cover to match the hardware - and damned handsome all three of them are too!

Installed in the middle position on a Gibson SG Custom 61 VOS Re-issue. As supplied by Gibson, this was a dud. No tone, no life, and no future in my guitar rack. The original pickups managed to combine sounding thin and muddy at the same time. But I loved the look of the guitar, so I took a punt with BKP and replaced all three pickups (neck and bridge with PG Blues set - reviewed separately). So three BKPs replace the Gibson Burstbuckers etc, and this guitar is totally transformed into an unputdownable tone temptress. (...I started playing it this morning at 6.30 with a cup of coffee, and it was 10.30 before someone interrupted me to point out I hadn't drunk it yet)

Output level is fine - not a hot pickup of course - Tim at BKP steered me expertly towards pickups that would sound good with this guitar, and something hotter would have sounded too dark with an all-mahogany body. The tone from this pickup...what can I say? OH YES!!!!!!! Juicy and full bodied with plenty of air and a sweet cutting edge. Thrilling really. But the really interesting this is how it works together with the PG Blues set on the neck and bridge. I pondered long and hard how to work enough switchery-pokery into the SG's tiny cavity and four-knob layout to give me the kind of combination options I wanted, and eventually resigned myself to having three volume controls and one master tone. It may not be the ultimate wiring for me, but that can wait. Meanwhile what I have is a selector that gives Neck, Neck and Bridge (out of phase - that's how PG Blues are supplied), and Bridge - like a Les Paul. BUT, with the middle P90 on a separate volume (not linked to the tone control) I can dial that one in to blend with the others on any selector position. Now it gets interesting: because the bridge and neck are out of phase, the middle pickup is also out of phase with the neck, and in practice the way it's currently wired, the interaction between the three pickups means that I have to have the P90 on all the time, even if it's only on about 2. Otherwise it cuts the top end of the other pickups. So there is a continuously variable range of tones to be had by blending all three together in different degrees, and because for all but the neck selector position, there is an element of out-of-phase cancellation of frequencies, it's an incredible palette of sounds, going from the straight sound of the pickup, through all the subtle vowel-like inflections that come in as you balance the levels between pickups, right up to full-on out of phase quack. With the P90 and neck being so close, there's a kind of crystalline mid-scooped sound with those two on full together. If you've ever played a Jimmy Page signature Les Paul with all his custom-switching options, that would give you an idea of some of the sounds you can get with this setup, although because this is a 3-way *blend* rather than a set of push-pull switches, it's probably more versatile. I think it's an absolute blues monster and there are great rock sounds too. You could do jazzy stuff with it too, although there's no substitute for an archtop there. Of course the straight humbucker and P90 sounds are what you'd expect, only more so.
I don't use any effects with it unless I'm playing on someone else's amp, when I'd use a bit of overdrive. I'm using it with a Fuchs ODS head and cab, and that provides great overdrive boost to kick in with the more extreme out of phase sounds, which need a bit of a volume lift if you want to match levels across selector position.

Can't give the Mississippi Queen (and the PG Blues set) anything other than a brilliant rating, especially since they've made the difference between wanting to sell a guitar and not being able to tear myself away from it. The BKP pickups have totally transformed a very disappointing instrument into something really exciting. There's nothing to dislike, other than having to re-consider my position on pickups v. body as the major factor in tone! I didn't compare these to anything other than the original Gibson pickups and there's no comparison. This is my first experience of BKPs but suffice it to say that I'm looking at a few of my other guitars that have been behaving themselves very well until now, and wondering what a bit of Mills magic might to do them.
I've been playing for decades and I've got some pretty special guitars, and this SG Custom was just not in the same league, but now it's a cracker. In my collection I've got guitars that cover a lot of ground tonally, but this is doing things none of the others can. I've found my grail!
Tim Mills advised me on the pickups to go for, wound them with four conductors in case I wanted more switching options (although I didn't go for the optional 'coil-tap' on the P90) and produced a superb aged gold finish which looks drop-dead gorgeous on the guitar. If only he'd donated his hair to a good cause (my scalp) I'd give him full marks for customer service!

Pickup features: SINGLE COIL
Impedence or other specs: 7.8K

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson SG Special Limited Edition
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: GFS P90's
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Rock,Blues, Jazz
Reason for pickup change: Excellent review on Guitar & Bass magazine, I wanted to try something different and the Hand Wound caught my attention. The GFS were humbuckers that sound like P90's not the real thing.

Perceived output level: More than any other pickup. E.g., Humbucker or single coil
Tone: Balance
Sonic evaluation: Gibson SG Special Limited Edition, Fender '65 twin reverb connected to a Furman Power Factor Pro Clear Tone Technology AC filter and Evidence Audio Lyric HG cables.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: With this pickup I can cover lot's of different styles with a twist, truly versatile, but it's much more

Comments: Hell I am getting the same, playing non stop for 8 yrs, I have an Analog Man Ibanez Turbo Tube Screamer TS9DX and just bought a Mooger fooger MF-105 just to play weird experimental stuff sometimes. This is truly the most interesting set of pickups around, the HARMONICS, sustain, and DYNAMICS,...!so this is what Dynamics mean!,WOW. I love the woody and creamy feel of BKP91's. I had a chance to play a Gibson Les Paul Special Historic reissue with Gibson P90's reissue and what an excellent sound, that took me on a year long search that ended with the purchase of this set that turn out to be more lot's more. This is it. I bought sets of BKP for another Gibson SG (Standart), and 2 Fender Strat one is a 50th anniversary American Series. The service is on league on its own, outstanding.

Pickup features: Single
Impedence or other specs: 9.6/6.5K Alnico V

Model of guitar or bass: PRS EG IV (91 model)
Position: middle
Pickup being replaced: middle and neck Duncan Strat
Other pickups on guitar: Bare Knuckle Crawler
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Rock, Blues, 60's & 70's pop
Reason for pickup change: Looking for a different sound from the guitar. Sock pickups were not bad, but I wasn't using the guitar much as I have a HSS strat with EMG's.

Perceived output level: Classic, hotter than strat pickups but not as hot as h/b
Tone: Perfect! Gives me a great old blues tone, the neck pickup sings, the middle gives me enough raunch to use for power chords without boost
Sonic evaluation: Marshall Silver Jubilee 25/50 combo, Fender Princeton II, Blackstone overdrive, Boss DF-2, MXR Phase 90.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This si great for all blues and rock. When you turn the volume down the pickup cleans up niceley. I have the Live Wire ST Pro tone controls on this guitar ans with them I can almost get an accoustic sound from the pickups and can get a very Statish tone too.

Comments: I now am using this guitar a lot more, it is much more versatile and with the Crawler in the bridge gives a great sound. Tim is amazing to deal with and they cut me the scratchplate for the pickups to save me cocking it up!
I have bought a lot of pickups through the years but I am now in the process of changing a lot of my guitars to Bare Knuckles. Every one of their pickups gives me exactly the sound they promised. Talk to Tim if you have a sound in your head and can't get it. They are great to work with.

Pickup features: S/C
Impedence or other specs: 8 ish and wound with original enamel wire on Alnico 4 magnets

Model of guitar or bass: Epiphone Casino
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Standard issue
Other pickups on guitar: N/A
Artists using this pickup: N/A
You musical style(s): All
Reason for pickup change: Actual guitar is physically good value with a decent setup. Standard pickups leave a lot to be desired

Perceived output level: Slightly above standard
Tone: very well balanced
Sonic evaluation: Casino with Princeton. Sounds are brilliant - excellent clean through to a very good driven sound. Just what a vintage US Casino should sound like. My new Casino might not have the eventual resale value or appreciation that a US model wold have but it sure as hell sounds just as good if not better!

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: All styles, pickup suitable for all styles except metal and thrash - pickups respond very well to volume and tone adjustments

Comments: Yes I would buy again immediately. Playing 40 years, other guitars Epiphone SG Custom (with a calibrated set of Bare Knuckle Mule Humbuckers - also brilliant!) and custom built "strat" which is fitted with Bareknuckle Irish Tours - excellent!!. Quite simply the best brand of pickups I have ever used, and I have been through just about everything over the years, service excellent and the price makes them excellent value. The personal service makes you feel valued and I now have the sound that I have wanted for years - was feeling very jaded with my music, but now it's a pleasure every time I pick up a guitar! All my electrics are now fitted with Bareknuckles - does that tell you something!