# Lundgren Vs Bareknuckle



## fateofthorns666 (Dec 16, 2008)

Hey guys, im tring to decide wheather to get a lundgren M6 or a Bareknuckle Coldsweat. I dont have any way of trying these pickups out so i cant just go out and play on one. i play on a caparison horus iris violet (mahogany body, bolt on neck). help me out guys


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## Jonny (Dec 16, 2008)

I've never tried a Lundgren pickup. As for BKPs, they are very organic if you want that kind of sound. I have a Cold Sweat neck, not bridge, but if anything to go buy - it packs everything and is very versatile.

Hope this helps somehow. Just wait for someone to chime in about Lundgrens.

EDIT: Check out the sound samples on the website too.


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## ZeroSignal (Dec 16, 2008)

I don't think many people here actually use Lundgrens. I know Bulb used to though... The Bareknuckle camp is fairly significant on this site so you can expect a lot of recommendations and info about them. They're just not my sort of thing though. 

This should probably be in the Pickups, Electronics & General Tech section.


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## vampiregenocide (Dec 16, 2008)

Because Bareknuckles are completely custom made, quality can vary from pick-up to pick-up apparently. Some people love them and find them really versatile, others don't like them greatly.

Lundgren...literally the only people I've heard of using them are Meshuggah. And they are awsome so there you go lol


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## Groff (Dec 16, 2008)

I found the Lundgren to be WAY too hot. It's good for what Meshuggah does, but with the tone I like to achieve, it gets a bit... Muddy? I think.. If you like tone with a lot of treble and like to tune your amp brighter, it's a nice compliment. I liked the M7 when I had it, a lot in fact, but it wasn't for me. Check out one of my clips: SoundClick artist: TheMissing - page with MP3 music downloads the song called "In Spite" was recorded with a Lundgren.

I don't have any experience with the Cold Sweat, the only BKP I have is a Nailbomb, and I love it. Talk to Zimbloth, maybe he can give you some more insight.



vampiregenocide said:


> Because Bareknuckles are completely custom made, quality can vary from pick-up to pick-up apparently. Some people love them and find them really versatile, others don't like them greatly.



Lundgrens are hand made as well. Tone is subjective. Some people like certain things, others don't.


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## HighGain510 (Dec 16, 2008)

fateofthorns666 said:


> Hey guys, im tring to decide wheather to get a lundgren M6 or a Bareknuckle Coldsweat. I dont have any way of trying these pickups out so i cant just go out and play on one. i play on a caparison horus iris violet (mahogany body, bolt on neck). help me out guys



That's a pretty bland description, it would help more if you gave examples of what type of sound you're going for and/or the type of music you play. I love both the BKPs and the Lundgrens I have so it really comes down to what application you're using them for.



TheMissing said:


> It's good for what Meshuggah does, but with the tone I like to achieve, it gets a bit... Muddy? I think..



Huh? No way, the Lundgren M7 is designed to be a super-articulate pickup, man.  If it was muddy I'd think it was your amp settings (or perhaps even the guitar ), not the pickup.


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## fateofthorns666 (Dec 16, 2008)

well im using it for metal obviously, i just want something tight sounding with bottom end and i hear both are kind of like that, and zimbloth sold me my caparison, hes cool, if anything ill call him


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## HighGain510 (Dec 16, 2008)

I'd go for either the Lundgren M6 or a Bare Knuckle Painkiller, really depends on your taste and price range. I dig both brands and have owned multiple BKPs (dig them a LOT) and I currently have an M7 set in my 727. Both are very cool, just different. On the Lundgrens you will notice a sharper high end (not brittle, just more highs in your overall output) and IMO a tighter low-end. The PK is no slacker in the lows, but the M7 is one of the tightest pickups I've ever heard.  You can't go wrong either way.


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## Groff (Dec 16, 2008)

HighGain510 said:


> Huh? No way, the Lundgren M7 is designed to be a super-articulate pickup, man.  If it was muddy I'd think it was your amp settings (or perhaps even the guitar ), not the pickup.



I didn't understand it either. I wasn't sure what was going on TBH, I tried messing with my amp. I might just be mistaking muddy to be a fuck ton of bass, which this pickup could certainly dish out. It definitely had some great articulation though, for sure.

It's very hard to describe what the M7 sounded like to me, but it sounded nothing like what i've heard in other clips from this website (which isn't a bad thing, nor a good thing). I guess muddy isn't the correct word to describe it... I honestly am not sure how to put it.


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## fateofthorns666 (Dec 16, 2008)

thanx guys


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## zimbloth (Dec 17, 2008)

Hey Paul. Just give me a call and I can describe each pickup to you in detail if you'd like. I can't speak for Lundgren as I've never used one before, I just know that most of my customers who use both have told me they prefer BKP, for what it's worth.



ZeroSignal said:


> They're just not my sort of thing though. )



I keep seeing you say this and its confusing. How do you know they're not your sort of thing? They have about a dozen models that are suitable for metal. They all sound unique and work with some guitars/amps and not others. How many have you tried and in what guitars? It's fine you really don't like them, but it would be a shame if you felt this way based on limited experience


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## ZeroSignal (Dec 17, 2008)

zimbloth said:


> I keep seeing you say this and its confusing. How do you know they're not your sort of thing? They have about a dozen models that are suitable for metal. They all sound unique and work with some guitars/amps and not others. How many have you tried and in what guitars? It's fine you really don't like them, but it would be a shame if you felt this way based on limited experience



As I've said before, I've tried Warpigs in my friend's Les Paul and I didn't think _that _much of them. I don't like any of the sounds I've heard on their website or on netmusicians and I know you don't either. But what's the point if I can't record something that sounds good? I don't even like how Broderick sounds with the BKPs. But what the hell, it's only my opinion. 

I'm very happy with how my guitars sound now.

And the bottom line is I don't have the money to splash out on those kind of pickups even if it was a "ZOMG WHOA" kind of response for me.


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## sakeido (Dec 17, 2008)

^ What the fuck? So what sounds good to you then? 

FWIW I've had a Lundgren M7, Bareknuckle Nailbomb 7 string, Miracle Man bridge & neck 7 string and Cold Sweat bridge & neck 6 strings. The M7 was alright I guess. Really bright to the point of being harsh, but incredible tight and very punchy bass. People used to compare them to "more articulate EMGs" all the time, but I didn't find them to be articulate or nuanced really.. I was playing through a Mark IV at the time which has a lot do to with that, but I thought the Lundgren cost far too much and I couldn't live with one of those things all the time.

Bareknuckles on the other hand are pricey, but sound phenomenal. I had my Lundgren in a S7320, and then got a S7320 with a Nailbomb, and the Nailbomb to me sounded a hundred times better. Much more even frequency balance - still a decent amount of highs, but the pickup had a dryness and articulation to the sound that the M7 could not dream of having. The bass is a little looser and on the whole, it felt more organic to me. I really liked the tone. The Miracle Men I put in a craptastic guitar so I'm not going to pass judgment on this. The neck model sounded awesome, but the bridge was a little weak - I still have the MM though so I might try it out in something else soon.

The Cold Sweats I have right now are my favorite set of pickups, ever. The Nailbombs are pretty close but the Cold Sweats sound like Duncan 59s on roids. Huge amount of mids, tight bass, the perfect amount of treble, and my god they are punchy as hell. Love em to death, they fucking rule.


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## hairychris (Dec 17, 2008)

The MM bridge is very tight. Very VERY tight. Great for legato stuff, not so much for nice fat rhythms, and somewhat sucky for cleans unless you have a great amp. Cold Sweats are fucking great, fat and tight(ish - you'll find that even loose BKPs are tighter then most) at the same time.

Anyway, just e-mail Tim at Bareknuckle, listen to the samples on the site, or drop Nick a line. These options = good.


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## silentrage (Dec 17, 2008)

I don't think you guys get it.
He's heard the clips, read the reviews, he doesn't like them. 
You're gonna have to try a different angle.


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## sakeido (Dec 17, 2008)

silentrage said:


> I don't think you guys get it.
> He's heard the clips, read the reviews, he doesn't like them.
> You're gonna have to try a different angle.



I'm just wondering what he does like then, since there are so many Bareknuckles they can do pretty much anything you want.


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## ZeroSignal (Dec 17, 2008)

sakeido said:


> I'm just wondering what he does like then, since there are so many Bareknuckles they can do pretty much anything you want.



Dude, I don't like what I've heard and I don't have the money to splurge on pickups. Especially in recent times with the economies the way they are.

I really like the sound of EMGs but I hate the horrible plastic sterility. I like the tight, focused sound but I'm looking for something less plasticy. I've found something that works really well for me.


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## cosmicamnesia (Dec 17, 2008)

the lundgren definitely packs an assload of bass and it's extremely bright, and _extremely_ tight....it should sound brutal in mahogany.....

as for BKPs, they are very similar (nailbombs and warpigs at least).....but, from what ive heard, theyre alot more versatile and have more in the mid-range section


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## ZeroSignal (Dec 17, 2008)

cosmicamnesia said:


> the lundgren definitely packs an assload of bass and it's extremely bright, and _extremely_ tight....it should sound brutal in mahogany.....
> 
> as for BKPs, they are very similar (nailbombs and warpigs at least).....but, from what ive heard, theyre alot more versatile and have more in the mid-range section



But the Meshuggah lads use them in alder, non?

Yeah, I hear that across the board the BKPs are supposed to be very versatile.


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## HighGain510 (Dec 17, 2008)

sakeido said:


> I'm just wondering what he does like then, since there are so many Bareknuckles they can do pretty much anything you want.



This is very true, I've tried about half of the BKP lineup at this point and they do all sound pretty different. Passing judgement on the entire line based on your experience with a single set is a bit odd.  If I based my judgement of BKPs in general based on my first set (Miracle Man 6-string set) I never would have tried another. Glad I'm a bit more open-minded than that, Tim does some killer work.  Heck, Ryan even said my PRS sounded fantastic... and he's not a PRS guy at all. 



ZeroSignal said:


> But the Meshuggah lads use them in alder, non?
> 
> Yeah, I hear that across the board the BKPs are supposed to be very versatile.



I have my M7 set in a swamp ash body/quilted maple top, sounds phenomenal IMO.


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## Randy (Dec 17, 2008)

zimbloth said:


> I keep seeing you say this and its confusing. How do you know they're not your sort of thing? They have about a dozen models that are suitable for metal. They all sound unique and work with some guitars/amps and not others. How many have you tried and in what guitars? It's fine you really don't like them, but it would be a shame if you felt this way based on limited experience





sakeido said:


> ^ What the fuck? So what sounds good to you then?





silentrage said:


> I don't think you guys get it.
> He's heard the clips, read the reviews, he doesn't like them.
> You're gonna have to try a different angle.





sakeido said:


> I'm just wondering what he does like then, since there are so many Bareknuckles they can do pretty much anything you want.



I don't know why you're all jumping down his throat so much, considering I've heard people throw around that they "Don't like the sound of {SD's or Dimarzios}" on an occasion or two and they've each got an even wider range product line. Perhaps you need to try more of each before you pass judgment on the entire brand, but the barrier-to-entry on these might be a bit steep (not just price, but availability/try-ability).

I haven't played a pair of BKP's, so I can't argue for or against but they definitely carry a hefty price tag for something that's little more than a "better" mousetrap. The lungrens I've played and heard boast a very unique sound that's pretty individual to them, whereas the BKP mantra seems to be "they do what any other passive pickup can do, but better" and I'm skeptical to say the least.  

EDIT: _Also, sorry for jumping rather far off-topic about this one._


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## noodleplugerine (Dec 17, 2008)

I think the price for BKPs is entirely justified.

The sound produced by an electric guitar is an entirely electromagnetic operation, and as such the pickups are THE most important aspect of a guitar's sound.


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## ZeroSignal (Dec 17, 2008)

HighGain510 said:


> This is very true, I've tried about half of the BKP lineup at this point and they do all sound pretty different. Passing judgement on the entire line based on your experience with a single set is a bit odd.  If I based my judgement of BKPs in general based on my first set (Miracle Man 6-string set) I never would have tried another. Glad I'm a bit more open-minded than that, Tim does some killer work.  Heck, Ryan even said my PRS sounded fantastic... and he's not a PRS guy at all.



Read my above posts.



HighGain510 said:


> I have my M7 set in a swamp ash body/quilted maple top, sounds phenomenal IMO.



Heh, the M7 was going to be my first choice to go into my mahogany S7320 but then I looked at the price... 

EDIT:



Randy said:


> I don't know why you're all jumping down his throat so much, considering I've heard people throw around that they "Don't like the sound of {SD's or Dimarzios}" on an occasion or two and they've each got an even wider range product line. Perhaps you need to try more of each before you pass judgment on the entire brand, but the barrier-to-entry on these might be a bit steep (not just price, but availability/try-ability).
> 
> I haven't played a pair of BKP's, so I can't argue for or against but they definitely carry a hefty price tag for something that's little more than a "better" mousetrap. The lungrens I've played and heard boast a very unique sound that's pretty individual to them, whereas the BKP mantra seems to be "they do what any other passive pickup can do, but better" and I'm skeptical to say the least.
> 
> EDIT: _Also, sorry for jumping rather far off-topic about this one._







noodleplugerine said:


> I think the price for BKPs is entirely justified.
> 
> The sound produced by an electric guitar is an entirely electromagnetic operation, and as such the pickups are THE most important aspect of a guitar's sound.



Yeah, but there are many other components that are also important. High quality pots, switches and leads. I bought an Elixir Cable the other day and it made a pretty damn good difference. Especially on the clean channel. I've been meaning to do a comparison test for a few days now but I don't have any monitoring headphones... -_-'

DiMarzio/Seymour Duncan/Lundgren/Q Tuners are no slouches either. If I wasn't happy with my sound then I wouldn't keep using what I use. Would I? I'm not a DiMarzio rep. I go by what sounds best to my ears.


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## bulb (Dec 17, 2008)

I have an M7 and M8 as well as a Ceramic Warpig and Painkiller, and i have tried Ceramic Nailbombs, Nailbomb 7's, and Cold Sweats as well.
Although the lundgrens are great pickups, they are very one dimensional, they NAIL that certain sound, but i wouldnt say they are very versatile.

I have to say that the more BKP's i have tried the more i have found that separate from their voicings, they are the tightest, cleanest and most versatile pickups i have ever tried. I may even be replacing the Carvin's M7 with something, maybe a painkiller or a cold sweat or something. And this is no way a diss on Lundgrens, because they are phenomenal pickups, way better than 99&#37; of duncan, dimarzio, emgs in my opinion, but the BKPs are just that much more amazing!

Email Tim, dude will NOT steer you wrong, get whatever he tells you to get, even if you think he may be wrong, because hes right haha!


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## buffa d (Dec 18, 2008)

Sakeido! Which guitar did you put the Cold sweat set in?
Just curious... I just ordered a set for my 7620


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## fateofthorns666 (Dec 18, 2008)

i think i mite just go with a BKP coldsweat, it seems like the right choice because it has more definition, it should sound great playing thru my horus and 5150


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## Randy (Dec 18, 2008)

fateofthorns666 said:


> i think i mite just go with a BKP coldsweat, it seems like the right choice because it has more definition, it should sound great playing thru my horus and 5150



Sounds like a fitting choice, man. Good luck.


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## sakeido (Dec 18, 2008)

buffa d said:


> Sakeido! Which guitar did you put the Cold sweat set in?
> Just curious... I just ordered a set for my 7620



I put them in my Jackson SLS3.. mahogany neck through mahogany wings, ebony board. Sounds fucking awesome, so incredible, hands down my favorite sounding guitar right now. 



Randy said:


> whereas the BKP mantra seems to be "they do what any other passive pickup can do, but better" and I'm skeptical to say the least.



That's pretty much it. If you don't like BKPs, you must just not like pickups period? I thought he was an EMG guy then, but he doesn't like those either, so really I can't think of what he could still like.


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## Piledriver (Dec 18, 2008)

sakeido said:


> I put them in my Jackson SLS3.. mahogany neck through mahogany wings, ebony board. Sounds fucking awesome, so incredible, hands down my favorite sounding guitar right now.
> 
> 
> 
> That's pretty much it. If you don't like BKPs, you must just not like pickups period? I thought he was an EMG guy then, but he doesn't like those either, so really I can't think of what he could still like.



Tim recommended me the Painkiller for my SLS3.
hows the cold sweat going?


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## sakeido (Dec 18, 2008)

Piledriver said:


> Tim recommended me the Painkiller for my SLS3.
> hows the cold sweat going?



I absolutely love it. Zimbloth recommend the PK too, but I liked the 59s that came in the SLS and wanted something with that same kind of sound except hotter. Once I got em in, they were staying  the painkiller would be a little bright for me but I think I will still get a set for my SLSMG. I've recorded a bunch of clips with the Cold Sweats, on my Soundclick.. What Was Green, Forward Progress and 50th Generation are all my SLS3 with the CSes


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## Piledriver (Dec 18, 2008)

sakeido said:


> I absolutely love it. Zimbloth recommend the PK too, but I liked the 59s that came in the SLS and wanted something with that same kind of sound except hotter. Once I got em in, they were staying  the painkiller would be a little bright for me but I think I will still get a set for my SLSMG. I've recorded a bunch of clips with the Cold Sweats, on my Soundclick.. What Was Green, Forward Progress and 50th Generation are all my SLS3 with the CSes



I thought about the same thing,but i would like a brighter pickup because i feel that the 59 was a little dark and lacks output.
so i think that the PK will do what i need,the brightness will probably even up with all of the mahogony and low tunings.


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## sol niger 333 (Feb 12, 2009)

bulb said:


> I have an M7 and M8 as well as a Ceramic Warpig and Painkiller, and i have tried Ceramic Nailbombs, Nailbomb 7's, and Cold Sweats as well.
> Although the lundgrens are great pickups, they are very one dimensional, they NAIL that certain sound, but i wouldnt say they are very versatile.
> 
> I have to say that the more BKP's i have tried the more i have found that separate from their voicings, they are the tightest, cleanest and most versatile pickups i have ever tried. I may even be replacing the Carvin's M7 with something, maybe a painkiller or a cold sweat or something. And this is no way a diss on Lundgrens, because they are phenomenal pickups, way better than 99% of duncan, dimarzio, emgs in my opinion, but the BKPs are just that much more amazing!
> ...




I think you should be an endorsed BKP artist dude. Anyone with your big ass tone would be a great ambassador for their product. Hit them up!!!!


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## 7 Dying Trees (Feb 12, 2009)

I just got an M7, and it's awesome. Sounds a lot like a more aggressive blaze pickup, with better crisper high end and punchy bass as has been said.

However, in a bright guitar I can see the M7 just sounding harsh, in a guitar that lacks top end it compliments really nicely.

I'd say BKP's really have the seymour duncan vibe going on in them, that sizzle, whereas the lundgren leans more towards the dimarzio camp.

However, I am really happy with the M7 I got, and when cash allows I'll probably deck another guitar ourt with them. Yes, they are expensive, but they are really cool.

Anyway, as has been said, go with tim's recommendation, he knows what he's on about.

Either way, you can't really go wrong with either.


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