# Bare knuckle vs. EMG vs. DiMarzio



## RLG167 (Nov 16, 2015)

Hey all, so in 90% of all my guitars I have EMG's, and the other 10% have DiMarzio's, but I was talking to a friend of mine who swears by Bareknuckle pickups, so I want some input here. So I know this will probably get a lot of EMG haters going "How can you compare EMG's to Bareknuckles?!" But can we just leave that out of this please? It doesn't really help anyone in this situation. So anyways, I've tried-and hate-many SD pickups, (yes, even the blackouts, which aren't bad actually), and when I'm not using my go-to beloved EMG's (81/85, 81/60 in two of them) I have DiMarzio Super-3's, Super Distortion's, and Liquifiers. Now my point is, at around $300 a set, plus whatever shipping from England costs and how long it takes to ship (I'm in NY), I think buying and installing a set of Bareknuckles is a bit of a gamble. My biggest point mostly is, I don't know how they sound. I've heard a lot of great things, but I'm just not sure. If I do decide to get them, what would you suggest for very high gain, aggressive playing? I want like an EMG 85 on steroids to give you an idea. I've heard the Misha Mansoor Juggernaut set is great for that. And with the new Ibanez line that comes stock with Bareknuckles, I was thinking of getting one, but I'll probably just buy a pickup set and put it in a guitar I already have, as I don't want to spend $2,500 just to try some pickups.
Thanks, RG


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## sevenstringj (Nov 17, 2015)

Since you're in NY, I recommend themusiczoo. They carry BKP and they're good people. 

I switched from BKP to EMG so I can't help you there.


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## RLG167 (Nov 17, 2015)

sevenstringj said:


> Since you're in NY, I recommend themusiczoo. They carry BKP and they're good people.
> 
> I switched from BKP to EMG so I can't help you there.



Why did you switch if you don't mind me asking? From what I've heard, EMG's are like Bareknuckle's little brothers lol that's why I want to switch, I've heard they're just better.


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## RLG167 (Nov 17, 2015)

Any for anyone else who has any inpit, I'm not down-tuning, which I found out is what the Juggernaut is made for, so I probably won't try that.


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## ASoC (Nov 17, 2015)

You can email BKP and ask them what they recommend as a pickup set for you to try, you can also give the Axe Palace a call and they'll recommend something based on the guitar you're using and the sound you want. That being said, the Nailbomb is a pretty good starting point. It's one of their most versatile pickups and you can choose either a ceramic or alnico magnet for the bridge pickup. I currently have a C-bomb in the bridge of an RG7 with a Cold Sweat in the neck. It sounds great, the C-bomb is plenty thick, with lots of bite and clarity. And the Cold Sweat has a big clean sound and still packs enough power for screaming solos. The only thing I'll say about BKPs is that you need to play with the height a bit. I found that I got the best sound by lowering them a bit and adjusting the pole pieces closer to the strings. I also have a Holydiver being built for my 6, I'll be able to report on that once I get some play time on it.

Edit: Also the Blackhawk is meant to be a passive that has the good qualities of an active pickup


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## RLG167 (Nov 17, 2015)

sevenstringj said:


> Since you're in NY, I recommend themusiczoo. They carry BKP and they're good people.
> 
> I switched from BKP to EMG so I can't help you there.



I jus t checked out themusiczoo, I'm in Albany, so it's like a 4 or 5 hour drive  I'll check their website out though, hopefully they ship


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## RLG167 (Nov 17, 2015)

ASoC said:


> You can email BKP and ask them what they recommend as a pickup set for you to try, you can also give the Axe Palace a call and they'll recommend something based on the guitar you're using and the sound you want. That being said, the Nailbomb is a pretty good starting point. It's one of their most versatile pickups and you can choose either a ceramic or alnico magnet for the bridge pickup. I currently have a C-bomb in the bridge of an RG7 with a Cold Sweat in the neck. It sounds great, the C-bomb is plenty thick, with lots of bite and clarity. And the Cold Sweat has a big clean sound and still packs enough power for screaming solos. The only thing I'll say about BKPs is that you need to play with the height a bit. I found that I got the best sound by lowering them a bit and adjusting the pole pieces closer to the strings. I also have a Holydiver being built for my 6, I'll be able to report on that once I get some play time on it.
> 
> Edit: Also the Blackhawk is meant to be a passive that has the good qualities of an active pickup



I actually emailed them earlier today (NY time), so I'm waiting for a response.


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## ASoC (Nov 17, 2015)

RLG167 said:


> I actually emailed them earlier today (NY time), so I'm waiting for a response.



They typically answer me between 1-2AM my time (west coast) so you should be getting an answer really soon.


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## RLG167 (Nov 17, 2015)

And if it helps with any suggestions from you guys, it would most likely go in my Dean USA Custom Vendetta. Neck-through maple/mahogany with mahogany wings, a flame maple top, and rosewood fretboard. Right now I have an EMG 81/85 in it. I'm looking for a super heavy tone with a good balance of bass and treble, and I want it to be very clear. I have achieved this tone with my EMG's, but there's no clarity, and with the DiMarzio's they are clear, but I can't dial in that sound I'm looking for. I like the adjustable pole pieces though. That's one thing I never liked about EMG's is that you can't adjust anything but the height, and the mids are sort of 'pre-scooped'. If you've played EMG's, you know what I mean. Oh, and I almost never play on a clean channel, but when I do, I like it soft, not twangy.


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## RLG167 (Nov 17, 2015)

And I just ordered an EC-401, which comes with an 81/60 set.


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## SqWark (Nov 17, 2015)

I tried Bare Knuckles pickups in 4 different guitars and replaced them in all but one. 

-Had a Holy Diver set in my ESP MII but it was way to bright and just not a good fit.

-Had a Blackhawk HB and a Cobra single coil in My Caparison Horus and was underwhelmed. Replaced them with a Fishman humbbucker and an EMG SA and it now sounds much better.
-Nailbomb ceramic in my Ibanez s5470. Sounded ok but nothing earth shattering as expected for the price and hassle. Replaced that with a Dimarzio EVO2 and couldn't be happier.

I tried really damn hard to like BKP and wasted a lot of money finding out that they were not for me. 

All my personal experience of course. I know a lot of guys love BKP but after spending as much as I have on them I'm gonna pass.


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## RLG167 (Nov 17, 2015)

SqWark said:


> I tried Bare Knuckles pickups in 4 different guitars and replaced them in all but one.
> 
> -Had a Holy Diver set in my ESP MII but it was way to bright and just not a good fit.
> 
> ...



You're probably the first person I've seen who has tried BKP and not liked them. My buddy who works at GC swears by them, he's got a ton of 7 string Ibanez's, and put Bareknuckles in all of them. Speaking of which, ibanez just released a new series in the prestige line called the 'Uppercut' series that comes stock with BKP. They have a superstrat, tele, a LP, and an S-type (which the stock photo of it is in a nice brown with gold hardware and a cool anodized kind of finish on the pup covers). all available in a 6, 7, 8, and 9. Apparently they haven't been released for sale anywhere yet though. Mid next month supposedly.


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## jc986 (Nov 17, 2015)

BKP's are good pickups, but they are no better IMO than SD, DiMarzio, EMG, or any other quality pickup. It's all just a matter of finding the right model to fit the tone you're going for. I have a Painkiller in one of my guitars ( have to admit I bought it mostly due to all the hype about BKP). I like it a lot but I don't think they are worth the price. I would have been equally happy with something from SD or DiMarzio.


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## RLG167 (Nov 17, 2015)

jc986 said:


> BKP's are good pickups, but they are no better IMO than SD, DiMarzio, EMG, or any other quality pickup. It's all just a matter of finding the right model to fit the tone you're going for. I have a Painkiller in one of my guitars ( have to admit I bought it mostly due to all the hype about BKP). I like it a lot but I don't think they are worth the price. I would have been equally happy with something from SD or DiMarzio.



Yeah, the price point makes it seem like they'd be better pickups. I'm not saying they're not high quality, but the Juggernaut set translates to $315 US plus god knows what shipping costs and how long it would take to arrive. I've heard they're all hand-wound, which I guess makes the price reasonable. But I'm thinking with r he new Ibby contract how will they continue to hand wind them? It's a tedious process and they'll have to make them in the thousands.


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## sevenstringj (Nov 17, 2015)

RLG167 said:


> Why did you switch if you don't mind me asking? From what I've heard, EMG's are like Bareknuckle's little brothers lol that's why I want to switch, I've heard they're just better.



The _s_hit BKP fanboys say.  And btw, I had a Painkiller and custom BKP single coil in a Schecter 007, and they ruled. EMG also rules. They're just different. I don't know why you can't get clarity out of the 81. I'm using an 81-8 and it's one of the clearest pickups I've ever played.


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## RLG167 (Nov 17, 2015)

sevenstringj said:


> The _s_hit BKP fanboys say.  And btw, I had a Painkiller and custom BKP single coil in a Schecter 007, and they ruled. EMG also rules. They're just different. I don't know why you can't get clarity out of the 81. I'm using an 81-8 and it's one of the clearest pickups I've ever played.



First, like I said, im just going on what my friends have told me, that's why I'm asking opinions on here too. Second, I'm just checking them out because I an looking for a certain tone that I can't get from EMG's, DiMarzio's, or SD's. I guess to sum it up in a simpler term, I want a Dimebag type sound but a bit less gain/presence. I can hear in my head what I want, but I just can't find it physically or sonically, you know? It's hard to explain.


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## RLG167 (Nov 17, 2015)

And out of DiMarzio and EMG, I prefer EMG, but I don't like the non-adjustable pole pieces. I know the new Het Set has them though. And I know he used to use the 81/85, so maybe it's an 81/85 set with adjustable pole pieces?


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## SqWark (Nov 17, 2015)

jc986 said:


> BKP's are good pickups, but they are no better IMO than SD, DiMarzio, EMG, or any other quality pickup. It's all just a matter of finding the right model to fit the tone you're going for. I have a Painkiller in one of my guitars ( have to admit I bought it mostly due to all the hype about BKP). I like it a lot but I don't think they are worth the price. I would have been equally happy with something from SD or DiMarzio.



^This!!!


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## SqWark (Nov 17, 2015)

RLG167 said:


> I know the new Het Set has them though. And I know he used to use the 81/85, so maybe it's an 81/85 set with adjustable pole pieces?



81/60 actually


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## Lemons (Nov 17, 2015)

If you like EMG's try a blackhawk set, If you want to try something a little cheaper you might be happy with a Dimarzio Titan set.


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## coffeeflush (Nov 17, 2015)

Not to hi jack the thread but 
How do the lace alumitones/deathbucker compare to the mentioned brands ? 
They don't provide eq curves on their website and can't find much info on their output either. So im curious how they compared. 

Thanks.


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## RLG167 (Nov 17, 2015)

coffeeflush said:


> Not to hi jack the thread but
> How do the lace alumitones/deathbucker compare to the mentioned brands ?
> They don't provide eq curves on their website and can't find much info on their output either. So im curious how they compared.
> 
> Thanks.



I've never heard of those, I'll look them up and see if I can find anything.


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## RLG167 (Nov 17, 2015)

SqWark said:


> 81/60 actually




I tried James' news sig. Eclipse at GC yesterday, the HetSet sounded amazing! Maybe I'll try that. Because I think my only problems with EMG's is the pre-scooped mids. If I had adjustable pole pieces (like the HetSet) I could probably get the tone I'm looking for! Although, I'm a bigger fan of the 81/85, do you know if they make that with adjustable pole pieces?


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## coffeeflush (Nov 17, 2015)

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/misc.php?do=bbcode#youtubevid


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## coffeeflush (Nov 17, 2015)




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## RLG167 (Nov 17, 2015)

@coffeeflush there's something wrong with the pics you posted, they're not showing up...


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## Spectivum (Nov 17, 2015)

coffeeflush said:


> Not to hi jack the thread but
> How do the lace alumitones/deathbucker compare to the mentioned brands ?
> They don't provide eq curves on their website and can't find much info on their output either. So im curious how they compared.
> 
> Thanks.



I have a deathbucker (see my trade thread if interested) compared to the others it weighs less and looks more futuristic.
Soundwise? different as always  it is detailed and balanced. I would say it is more in the middle of actives/passives than the other pickups I tried. Output is high, same league as other high output pickups.


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## 1b4n3z (Nov 17, 2015)

I tend to steer towards Duncans every time I consider pickups, it's my tone for sure. EMG 81 is great for metal rhythm, but the lack of low end gets on my nerves pretty quickly - but the high end cut is very nice. It's hard to find a passive with that kind of character - haven't actually found one yet - but I'm getting there with the Duncan Distortion paired with a cheapo treble booster circuit. I usually bypass the circuit, but it's nice to have it on hand when needed. Reminds me a lot of BKP Painkiller, but with much more grunt and power


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## coffeeflush (Nov 17, 2015)

Spectivum said:


> I have a deathbucker (see my trade thread if interested) compared to the others it weighs less and looks more futuristic.
> Soundwise? different as always  it is detailed and balanced. I would say it is more in the middle of actives/passives than the other pickups I tried. Output is high, same league as other high output pickups.



Thanks man, so I can paid with another high output pup like a Dimarzio evo for example ? 

How is the eq curve ? Any spikes or is it neutral and balanced ?
Also why are you trading it ?


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## TonyFlyingSquirrel (Nov 17, 2015)

I wish BKP made a Strat sized rail version of their VHII Neck p/u.


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## RLG167 (Nov 17, 2015)

BKP got back to me very quickly, around 6 this morning. They asked for the specs of my guitar and what type of music I play. In my original email to them I mentioned that I wanted a good, near perfect balance of lows and mids, with boosted highs. So I sent them the specs of my guitar (5pc maple/mahogany neck-through, mahogany wings, quilt maple top, TOM string-through body, EMG 81/85 active humbuckers), and that I play mostly thrash and almost never clean, but when I do, I like a soft clean, not twangy. They sent me what they assume would be the best match, as the Nailbombs with ceramic magnets. (I had origi ally asked about the Juggernaut set) They also sent links to videos, and went into detail when I asked about the warranty. Overall very amazing customer service. Here is the last email I got below to show the level their CS is at:

"Hi Reuben,

That mahogany body and neck thru design will add warmth. The Juggs will be pretty bassy in there. I recommend a set of Nailbombs with the ceramic magnet option for the bridge. They will be great for metal and thrash - loads of cut and aggression, with a nice organic feel. A great set.

Have a listen here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2kvQkpz5sM


Charlie Griffiths (Haken, Total Guitar, Guitar Techniques) using a set of ceramic Nailbombs. 


http://vimeo.com/39759313


(it might be best to turn off the 'HD' button on the clip).


https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_28_178 

Kind Regards, 

Ben French"

1I'm just stuck on the CS because they're so thorough. Anyways, if I decide to swap the EMG's, now I know what the best match would be for my guitar. Looks promising


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## ASoC (Nov 17, 2015)

I'll +1 what they said, the first thing I was struck by when I got my ceramic Nailbomb was how perfect it was for thrash. I can't speak for the neck pickup, as I have a Cold Sweat instead. That's one of those things that happens I guess when you buy pickups that are in stock instead of ordering new ones



TonyFlyingSquirrel said:


> I wish BKP made a Strat sized rail version of their VHII Neck p/u.



I actually just sent them an email to see if there's any way they'll wind me a noiseless single coil or a strat sized rail bucker. As much as I like my DiMarzio HS-2, I have a strong suspicion that it just doesn't have enough output for my needs. Sure I could squash the hell out of it with compression and dime out the gain, but that would be treating symptoms instead of the actual problem. If they can't or won't do it, I'll probably just go with an Air Norton S or a Fast Track or something


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## coffeeflush (Nov 17, 2015)

On topic of bkp's.

I tried aftermaths and found them to be a combination of the SH4 and Dimarzio evo , the compressed clarity and open string kind of sound are both there. 
That sound is holy grail for some, for others its meh. 

Personally I didn't like them much. But the blackhawks look interesting to me, the price though discourages me. 

I play dimarzio now for most part and I am thinking about Lace pickups.


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## crankyrayhanky (Nov 17, 2015)

You can get a better price than $315 + shipping. I look at eBay to see if they carry what I need at a good price and usually just go direct to BK. I priced out a set last week (no covers) and the price was around 299 shipped to AZ. The numbers change according to the exchange rate and obviously higher if you want fancy covers. 

Put me down as BKP fanboi. I have (2) Juggs, MMans, (2) BHawks, and an Aftermath in different guitars. It's not even close to me when compared to other popular brands like DiMar & SD, but YMMV IMHO JM2C


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## SqWark (Nov 17, 2015)

RLG167 said:


> I tried James' news sig. Eclipse at GC yesterday, the HetSet sounded amazing! Maybe I'll try that. Because I think my only problems with EMG's is the pre-scooped mids. If I had adjustable pole pieces (like the HetSet) I could probably get the tone I'm looking for! Although, I'm a bigger fan of the 81/85, do you know if they make that with adjustable pole pieces?



^Agreed! The Het set sounds very good. Found it was a little too lively in Alder but in my Mahogany guitars it sounds awesome! Never seen the 81/85 with adjustable pole pieces. I kinda think that the 81/85 combo is what it is and they're not gonna mess with it. Personally I love the 81 in the bridge of several of my guitars depending on the tone wood used. Mahogany body+EMG 81 sounds awesome to my ears.


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## TonyFlyingSquirrel (Nov 17, 2015)

The combination of the Het Bridge / 66 Neck is piquing my interest as of late.


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## SqWark (Nov 17, 2015)

TonyFlyingSquirrel said:


> The combination of the Het Bridge / 66 Neck is piquing my interest as of late.



I just wish you could buy just the JH bridge pickup instead of only being able to get it as a (het) set. Gets kinda pricey. I have the Het Set in one of my guitars (ESP MII) and it replaced the 57/66 combo which I had previously installed. To my ears the 66 neck pickup did sound good but not that different to the JH neck pickup (a newer version of the EMG 60). Both very smooth sounding with awesome cleans.


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## RLG167 (Nov 17, 2015)

So a couple hours ago FedEx dropped off my newest baby  it's an LTD EC-401, (pretty much an EC-1000, without locking tuners, and I got it for a steal too!) Anyways, it has the EMG 81/60 set and I don't know what it is, but it sounds INCREDIBLE!! I'd even go as far as to say it sounds better than any of my other guitars. This guitar is solid mahogany body with a set mahogany neck. I never accounted for the wood because now that I think of it, this is only my second guitar with a mahogany neck and the other (Deal ltd. edition ML Knight, 81/85) is my other favorite axe with EMG's. All of my guitars except those 2 have maple necks with either mahogany, basswood, or alder bodies. Maybe it's something with EMG pairing up with a mahogany neck and body that I think sounds great. BTW, I'm primarily running it through my Bugera 6262 half stack.


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## SqWark (Nov 17, 2015)

RLG167 said:


> So a couple hours ago FedEx dropped off my newest baby  it's an LTD EC-401, (pretty much an EC-1000, without locking tuners, and I got it for a steal too!) Anyways, it has the EMG 81/60 set and I don't know what it is, but it sounds INCREDIBLE!! I'd even go as far as to say it sounds better than any of my other guitars. This guitar is solid mahogany body with a set mahogany neck. I never accounted for the wood because now that I think of it, this is only my second guitar with a mahogany neck and the other (Deal ltd. edition ML Knight, 81/85) is my other favorite axe with EMG's. All of my guitars except those 2 have maple necks with either mahogany, basswood, or alder bodies. Maybe it's something with EMG pairing up with a mahogany neck and body that I think sounds great. BTW, I'm primarily running it through my Bugera 6262 half stack.



 Mahogany body plus EMG 81/60 is an awesome combo! Despite what many believe the wood does make a huge difference in the overall tone.


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## RustInPeace (Nov 17, 2015)

With the Canadian dollar ....ting the bed, Theres no way I can justify spending $400+ on a set of these. Out of all the BK's I've tried, I've only really liked 2 of them in the miracle man bridge and a neck mule.


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## RLG167 (Nov 17, 2015)

SqWark said:


> Mahogany body plus EMG 81/60 is an awesome combo! Despite what many believe the wood does make a huge difference in the overall tone.



Come to think of it, James Hetfield's Eclipse and Snakebyte have the same setup (mahogany/mahogany, EMG 81/60), and so do the Jim Root (Slipknot) signature Strat, Tele, and Jazzmaster. Those are the 2 off the top of my head. I'm pretty sure the Gibson Zakk Wylde LP is mahogany/mahogany but with an 81/85


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## ASoC (Nov 17, 2015)

A lot of those guys also use guitars with a 24.75" scale lengths, which contributes to a darker sound with less of a snappy attack and less high end resonance. I guess that also really helps EMGs sound their best.


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## RLG167 (Nov 17, 2015)

I'm going to take the EMG's out of my Vendetta and sell them to go towards a set of Ceramic Nailbombs. Which in US dollars translates to roughly $282, plus whatever shipping is. Think it's worth it?


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## witeter (Nov 18, 2015)

Out of all the BKP's i tried the Ceramic Nailbomb was probably my favourite i used to have it in a mahogany bodied PRS SE custom 24. It does thrash great and lends itself to fast riffing really well. Just dont expect it to be 'better' than anything else, BKP's offer another flavour and for me their trademark is their excellent clarity. However I prefer EMG's over BKP's, imo nothing gets close to the rhythm pups EMG offer for metal.


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## TommyG (Nov 18, 2015)

I have tried many Dimarzio pickups and a few Seymour Duncans.
I had 1 set of EMG's 808's in a guitar and I did not like them at all. (I know the 707 and 808 pickups were not their best offerings)

After installing BK Blackdogs in my Schecter C1 Elite, I now understand why so many people like Bare Knuckle pickups.
They really do sound better and have great clarity.
They just sound like they are better at bringing the full frequency range to your amp.
Its kinda like you have been missing something until now.
The feel is very nice and controlled.

I am waiting on my Ceramic Nailbomb pickup now for my 7 string.


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## RLG167 (Nov 20, 2015)

Well, I just took the EMG's out of my Vendetta, and it was quite a mess. I should've taken pics to show how horrendous it was. First, the pickups themselves were switched. The 81 was in the bridge, the 85 was in the neck. Second, they're the new 'solderless' ones with the 3-pin plugs, but besides the plugs, everything else was soldered. It had 250k pots which I think weren't right (all my other EMG loaded guitars have 500k pots), and nothing-and I mean NOTHING AT ALL-was covered, all the solder joints were open. No heatshrink tubing or even electrical tape. They weren't even secured, the wires were just flopping around in the back. Anyways, I don't want to spend the few hundred it'll be to get the EMG's back in with the PROPER equipment, so I'll probably just sell them on reverb.com or somethinG and buy DiMarzio's. I want the Bareknuckles, but the Nailbombs are $315 for a covered set! And I couldn't find a US distributor that has Nailbombs in burnt chrome (I think that's what the color is called), so I'd have to order them straight from BKP and spend a fortune on shipping.


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## jc986 (Nov 20, 2015)

Any BKP dealer can order you whatever pickups you want and would usually charge the same amount as they sell their in stock ones for. 

Also 81 bridge / 85 neck is how 99% of factory installed EMG's are configured. EMG's( as well as any other active pickups) should be using 25k pots, not 250k or 500k (those are for passive pickups). I'm not sure what you mean by the solder joints not being "covered". It doesn't sound like anything abnormal with the wiring to me unless the pots were actually 250k instead of 25k.


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## RLG167 (Nov 20, 2015)

jc986 said:


> Any BKP dealer can order you whatever pickups you want and would usually charge the same amount as they sell their in stock ones for.
> 
> Also 81 bridge / 85 neck is how 99% of factory installed EMG's are configured. EMG's( as well as any other active pickups) should be using 25k pots, not 250k or 500k (those are for passive pickups). I'm not sure what you mean by the solder joints not being "covered". It doesn't sound like anything abnormal with the wiring to me unless the pots were actually 250k instead of 25k.



I've never had a guitar with an 81/85 set with the 85 in the neck and an 81 in the bridge. And a good way to tell, and I even emailed EMG about this, is that the bridge pickup will have the logo in gold and the neck pickup will have the logo in silver. The 85 was gold and the 81 was silver. As for the pots, that was a typo, my bad  . I meant 50k. (My tablet apparently doesn't know what 50 is lol) and by covered I meant all the solder joints in the wires from the tone to the jack to the volume to the pickups didn't have heatshrink or electrical tape. I've never seen a solder joint without some kind of protective cover. It's hard to explain how awful it was inside, just trust me, not something you want the wires in your guitar to look like.


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## jc986 (Nov 21, 2015)

Neither pickup is exclusively a "Neck" or "Bridge" model. I like the 81 and the 85 in both positions depending on the guitar and what I plan to use it for. EMG states on their website though that the 81 is "traditionally used in the bridge position of your guitar".

I was just pointing out that having the 81 in the bridge and the 85 in the neck wasn't an issue at all and is in fact how pretty much any stock guitar with the 81/85 combo comes from the factory.


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## HighPotency (Nov 21, 2015)

RLG167 said:


> Well, I just took the EMG's out of my Vendetta, and it was quite a mess. I should've taken pics to show how horrendous it was. First, the pickups themselves were switched. The 81 was in the bridge, the 85 was in the neck. Second, they're the new 'solderless' ones with the 3-pin plugs, but besides the plugs, everything else was soldered. It had 250k pots which I think weren't right (all my other EMG loaded guitars have 500k pots), and nothing-and I mean NOTHING AT ALL-was covered, all the solder joints were open. No heatshrink tubing or even electrical tape. They weren't even secured, the wires were just flopping around in the back. Anyways, I don't want to spend the few hundred it'll be to get the EMG's back in with the PROPER equipment, so I'll probably just sell them on reverb.com or somethinG and buy DiMarzio's. I want the Bareknuckles, but the Nailbombs are $315 for a covered set! And I couldn't find a US distributor that has Nailbombs in burnt chrome (I think that's what the color is called), so I'd have to order them straight from BKP and spend a fortune on shipping.



Axe Palace has an order form if you can't find burnt chrome nailbombs in stock at any of their US distributors. I went through the order form and it came to $309.00 without shipping.


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## RLG167 (Nov 21, 2015)

I'm actually just gonna get the solderless kit from EMG. I thought it would be at least a couple hundred, but it's less than $40!! So I'll get that and that'll clean it up a bit and make everything easier


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## RLG167 (Nov 21, 2015)

In the meantime until I get those pups back in, here are a couple pics I took of it. I figured as long as all electronics and hardware are off, I might as well polish it up a bit. In the pics it's kind of hard to see, but it has a mirror finish. When I was done polishing it, I could see myself, even though it's not a solid color. The Dean Custom Shop used some pretty high quality finishes


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## bzhan1 (Nov 21, 2015)

I've literally bought $50 no name guitars from craigslist that sounded as good as $1k guitars with name brand pickups plugged into the same setup. The hype machine is real, the BKP CEO's yacht you're paying for is also real.


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## RLG167 (Nov 21, 2015)

Yeah, I'll just stick to my old favorite, the EMG 81/85. I have a few guitars with an 81/60, and I want to try the 81X/85X, I don't know what the X is for, but I guess I'll see . And I also want to try the Het Set \m/


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## Alex79 (Nov 21, 2015)

witeter said:


> Out of all the BKP's i tried the Ceramic Nailbomb was probably my favourite i used to have it in a mahogany bodied PRS SE custom 24. It does thrash great and lends itself to fast riffing really well. Just dont expect it to be 'better' than anything else, BKP's offer another flavour and for me their trademark is their excellent clarity. However I prefer EMG's over BKP's, imo nothing gets close to the rhythm pups EMG offer for metal.



Pretty much what I would say:
"Better" is always difficult, it's so much in the eye of the beholder.

*Basically, you know it's right when it feels right!*


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## Jaek-Chi (Nov 27, 2015)

IMO, EMG's don't have anything on BKP's, in any way shape or form. If you want that thick low feel, they have pickups that are crystal clear and not muddy like the EMG's, if you want crunchy distortion, they do multiple that put the EMG's to shame. I'm not bagging them by any means, i've had plenty of guitars with them and they are solid, but in all honesty don't stack up to BKP's, so if you are worried about sound quality or build quality, don't be.

Firstly it totally depends on the sound you are after. I wanted a crunchy, articulate tone that wasn't muddy or too lose in the low end, but had lots of mid range crunch and brutality and went for an Alnico Warpig, and i've never been happier. Heard aftermaths, nailbombs etc etc. If unsure, email BKP, they are super helpful. It cost me about $260 for just a bridge pickup, but the guys were amazing and i had my pickup that was sent to me in Australia in 3 days!

If you speak to them (they were a great help to me) and make the right, informed decision, i would imagine it hard to think you'll be disappointed.

Best of luck with the choice


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## RLG167 (Nov 30, 2015)

A bit off topic, but I decided to sell the Dean in the pics. If anyone's interested send me a message


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## RLG167 (Dec 16, 2015)

So I decided not to sell the Dean (it's my baby, I can't  ) so after talking to the people at the store for about 2 hrs today, I finally decided on a DiMarzio Super 2 in the neck, and a DiMarzio Dominion (sig. pup of Mark Morton from Lamb Of God) in the bridge. The super 2 has the highest treble rating of any of the pickups on the DiMarzio website and a decent mid and bass, but since I really only use the neck pickup for lead, I wanted a pickup with powerful treble for clear and crisp leads, while not overpowering the bridge pickup. And the Dominion has a great Bass and Mid rating, with a generous Treble rating. And I love LoG, and that tone is exactly what I'm looking for. So we decided that the two pickups are pretty much a perfect match. I got them in white. I figured white pickups with the black magnets would look great in my guitar because it's aquaburst with chrome hardware, but the Dean logo on the headstock is also white, so it should complement the color scheme well. I never use a tone control really, so I'm going to re-wire it for a bridge volume and a neck volume, no tone. I was considering getting it routed for a Floyd, but I think a string-through configuration is a great way to keep it.


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## RLG167 (Dec 16, 2015)

Thanks everyone for your input, I really do appreciate it


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## justinreagin (Dec 20, 2015)

RLG167 said:


> Hey all, so in 90% of all my guitars I have EMG's, and the other 10% have DiMarzio's, but I was talking to a friend of mine who swears by Bareknuckle pickups, so I want some input here. So I know this will probably get a lot of EMG haters going "How can you compare EMG's to Bareknuckles?!" But can we just leave that out of this please? It doesn't really help anyone in this situation. So anyways, I've tried-and hate-many SD pickups, (yes, even the blackouts, which aren't bad actually), and when I'm not using my go-to beloved EMG's (81/85, 81/60 in two of them) I have DiMarzio Super-3's, Super Distortion's, and Liquifiers. Now my point is, at around $300 a set, plus whatever shipping from England costs and how long it takes to ship (I'm in NY), I think buying and installing a set of Bareknuckles is a bit of a gamble. My biggest point mostly is, I don't know how they sound. I've heard a lot of great things, but I'm just not sure. If I do decide to get them, what would you suggest for very high gain, aggressive playing? I want like an EMG 85 on steroids to give you an idea. I've heard the Misha Mansoor Juggernaut set is great for that. And with the new Ibanez line that comes stock with Bareknuckles, I was thinking of getting one, but I'll probably just buy a pickup set and put it in a guitar I already have, as I don't want to spend $2,500 just to try some pickups.
> Thanks, RG



Being totally honest here, I purchased a set of Nailbombs for a Les Paul, maybe I expected too much, but I was not impressed at all, much less with the price tag they command. Maybe it was just a bad set or something, but it struck me as all hype. I've been happier with run of the mill Duncans, Emgs, and Dimarzios. I traded the nail bombs out and sold them, replacing them with Suhr Aldrich pickups, which I was quite pleased with.


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## RLG167 (Dec 21, 2015)

justinreagin said:


> Being totally honest here, I purchased a set of Nailbombs for a Les Paul, maybe I expected too much, but I was not impressed at all, much less with the price tag they command. Maybe it was just a bad set or something, but it struck me as all hype. I've been happier with run of the mill Duncans, Emgs, and Dimarzios. I traded the nail bombs out and sold them, replacing them with Suhr Aldrich pickups, which I was quite pleased with.



Yeah, I'm going with DiMarzio's. I was thinking a Super 2 in the neck and a Dominion in the bridge.


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