# BKP Piledriver - noisy at high gain?



## BenSolace (Nov 19, 2010)

Hi guys!
Long time browser, first time poster. I am considering a set of BKP piledrivers for my Fender tele, so that they can keep up with the painkillers in my JEM, but I am worried that they might hum a little more than I'd like. I understand that they're not stacked noiseless singles, but I was wondering if anyone here could shed some light on this for me? I've tried the search function, without any luck.
Obviously i expect a little more hum than a humbucker, but how much more?
Thanks!


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## onefingersweep (Nov 19, 2010)

Yes they will be very noisy at high gain. Much more noisy than a humbucker. So expect much more hum. Best is to get a good noise gate like the ISP Decimator, it will solve the problem.


BTW that was some incredible lurking by you, three years haha


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## BenSolace (Nov 19, 2010)

onefingersweep said:


> Yes they will be very noisy at high gain. Much more noisy than a humbucker. So expect much more hum. Best is to get a good noise gate like the ISP Decimator, it will solve the problem.
> 
> 
> BTW that was some incredible lurking by you, three years haha



like a shadow in the night! 
I expected as much, and even though im not talking rediculous gain, i think ill have to go with the EMG T-set. I just need a set of tele pickups that can keep up output-wise with the other bareknuckles i use... without adding all that hum.
I do actually own an ISP, but i find that when using a wireless system that subjects your signal to so much other noise, that it is little more useful than a noise gate, which i use on my g-major with great results.
Shame, cos i would have liked to try them out... but any more opinions/experiences are welcome


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## Revan132 (Nov 19, 2010)

terrible1 said:


> Hi guys!
> Long time browser, first time poster. I am considering a set of BKP piledrivers for my Fender tele, so that they can keep up with the painkillers in my JEM, but I am worried that they might hum a little more than I'd like. I understand that they're not stacked noiseless singles, but I was wondering if anyone here could shed some light on this for me? I've tried the search function, without any luck.
> Obviously i expect a little more hum than a humbucker, but how much more?
> Thanks!




Email Tim at Bare Knuckle Pickups (Email is on the main site!).
He answers very quickly, and is very informative. Tell him what sound you are looking for and any concerns. He will recommend you what you are looking for! Nobody can really be of better service when it comes to BKP's!


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## anne (Nov 19, 2010)

I have Piledrivers in my Tele and they indeed get really noisy with a distortion pedal, and it's not going to be comfortable if you're used to humbuckers. If you're playing standard tuning range, I don't really think noise will be anything special to deal with, but if you're dropping down to eight-string range and need to turn up the gain, it will become a problem. For what I'm doing, I was able to find a solution, so I'm happy with the Piledrivers, but if I wanted no-hassle quiet Tele pickups, I'd probably go with the Fender SCNs.


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## BenSolace (Nov 21, 2010)

Revan132 said:


> Email Tim at Bare Knuckle Pickups (Email is on the main site!).
> He answers very quickly, and is very informative. Tell him what sound you are looking for and any concerns. He will recommend you what you are looking for! Nobody can really be of better service when it comes to BKP's!



I've emailed BKP, and originally i was recommended the blackguard set, but i do need some additional power from them.
The tele is used for drop b tuning... i dont pile on the gain, nor do i use any pedals. I use just enough to make legato runs comfortable, but keeps rhythms tight (for which my triaxis/VHT setup helps me with  ) Like i mentioned earlier, i think the EMG telecaster set with ceramic magnets might do the trick for me... i prefer the ceramic magnet feel in pickups.
Apart from that, my main guitar uses painkillers and soon all of my guitars will use some form of BKP, so 1 guitar i think i can swing


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## -Nolly- (Nov 21, 2010)

terrible1 said:


> I've emailed BKP, and originally i was recommended the blackguard set, but i do need some additional power from them.



The Flat '50 Blackguards are pretty nuts - at around 10.5k&#937; the bridge is one punchy fucker. Don't be fooled by the "Vintage" tag


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## BenSolace (Nov 21, 2010)

-Nolly- said:


> The Flat '50 Blackguards are pretty nuts - at around 10.5k&#937; the bridge is one punchy fucker. Don't be fooled by the "Vintage" tag



Any idea what the DC resistance of the neck model is? That kinda power for the bridge seems fine, but how does the neck model measure up?


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## -Nolly- (Nov 21, 2010)

The neck is 6.8k&#937;, vs the Piledriver's 7.4k&#937;.


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## BenSolace (Nov 21, 2010)

-Nolly- said:


> The neck is 6.8k&#937;, vs the Piledriver's 7.4k&#937;.



thanks for the input everyone!
i have decided to go with the flat 50 blackguard tele set... after a bit more digging it appears they will probably be enough power for what i am looking for


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## Zugster (Nov 21, 2010)

You have to kill that noise at the source. An ISP decimator can't do that. Kinman makes single coils sets for teles and strats that to totally noise free and sound amazing. I have a Broadcaster set in my tele. Quite expensive but they nail the problem.


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## sevenstringj (Nov 21, 2010)

I don't have a Tele, so I've never tried 'em, but Duncan makes several hot, hum-cancelling tele pickups...

(Pickups for Tele® - Seymour Duncan/Basslines) - Page 1

Dimarzio makes hot hum-cancelling tele pickups, too. Just go to their website and click Tele.


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## BenSolace (Nov 22, 2010)

thanks guys.
problem is with stacked noiseless pickups, i fear i may lose the classic tele tone, which i want to keep. in all fairness, the seymour duncan alnico 2 pro set thats in there ATM isnt _that_ noisy, i just wanted something with a little more power and character.
i think i made the right decision


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## zimbloth (Nov 22, 2010)

As a BKP dealer, I've installed _many _Piledriver sets for customers over the years. I didn't really find them very noisy at all. Sure there is some noise being a high output single coil, but it's nothing a noisegate doesn't completely squash. I most recently installed a set in a G&L ASAT Classic and it sounded fucking amazing. I did not have to adjust the threshold setting on my Decimator at all to make it completely quiet.

I honestly would not worry about it. Anyone using a high-gain setup should be using some kind of noisegate anyways. I can't imagine ever playing a gig without one, humbucker or otherwise.

PS: I use a wireless setup as well (X2) and I've never experienced any increase in noise than plugging straight-in. If anything it sounds quieter.


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## onefingersweep (Nov 23, 2010)

Try Dimarzio Area-series, really good quiet singlecoils. I really can't tell that they aren't true singlecoils. By the tone itself of course 



zimbloth said:


> I honestly would not worry about it. Anyone using a high-gain setup should be using some kind of noisegate anyways. I can't imagine ever playing a gig without one, humbucker or otherwise.



Absolutely!


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