# Are BareKnuckle Pickups THAT good?..



## Kristianx510 (Jul 5, 2012)

I was with my friend yesterday talking about modding our 7's, and he started muttering something about how he is thinking about paying $650 for a set of BKP's, and Misha Mansoor this and Misha Mansoor that..To me it all sounds a bit well...stupid. I was hoping someone here could possibly enlighten me as to why someone would dish out this much money for pickups.


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## Stealthdjentstic (Jul 5, 2012)

Anyone who buys something because of person X is usually stupid tbh


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## noob_pwn (Jul 5, 2012)

short answer YES
but I'm an endorsee so I'm prejudiced


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## Hollowway (Jul 5, 2012)

Well, there are loads of different BKPs, so it really depends. But I agree - if you're going to buy something because you like Misha, make it the Periphery album. I've got Aftermaths in one of my guitars and I don't think I sound anything like him. That being said, I do like the pickups. But I also like Carvin 7 string pups and a load of other pickups that don't get much love around here.


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## Stealthdjentstic (Jul 5, 2012)

The carvin pups are a lot better than people give them credit for if you take into account that the designers had to make them so they would usuable in the variants people order.


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## TRENCHLORD (Jul 5, 2012)

Watch this, but keep in mind that it's much easier to feel the differences in pickups, then it is to hear the differences via youtube videos.
http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/pi...ader-vs-aftermath-vs-sd-distortion-video.html

edit; - Skip to 5:55 to listen to the isolated guitar tracks for each pickup.


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## Kristianx510 (Jul 5, 2012)

Are BKP's really as expensive as my friend said? How much have you guys paid? are they worth what you paid?


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## Stealthdjentstic (Jul 5, 2012)

You can get a full set for like 300 used


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## Asrial (Jul 5, 2012)

IMO, BKP is a great brand, but so is Dimarzio, Lundgren, Lace etc..

And unless you know someone who already plays them, it's a serious leap of faith. I had my 1527 come pre-modded with a Warpig in the bridge, and I seriously adore that pickup to death now!
Just remember, that a pickup isn't a freecard to some artists sound, and you have to think about what guitar you smack a new pickup into, woodtypes, tonal preferences and output level.


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## areyna21 (Jul 5, 2012)

Stealthdjentstic said:


> Anyone who buys something because of person X is usually stupid tbh



I agree with this but bareknuckles are good let me explain a bit. First no one should buy something just because someone else uses it. I have tried and owned bareknuckle warpigs in a ibanez prestige 1570 which are my favorite pickups from them. I have also owned miricle man 7's in my ibanez rg7620 and an alinco nailbomb bridge in my esp horizon. Bareknuckles are very specific in the sound that you are looking for but some are pretty versitile. The warpigs are very deep and percussive with a lot of output and can even pull off good jazz clean tones. This is why I liked them so much and will eventually use them again. Nailbomb was good for chunky rhythm stuff but the response wasn't fast enough for stacatto picking and faster tech metal. The miracle mans were pretty much a way better emg passive type pickups. More clarity in the chords not sterile sounding but the cleans were not the greatest. I now have a motor city pickups warcry that is no longer made in my rg7620. It is just more my style for what I play on sevenstring. Bottom line is yeah they are good but not for everyone. I would personally try and get a used bridge and see if you like it because dropping 100-120 instead of 650 on two calibrated sets is easier. These pickups do have a very high resale value so you won't lose much if you purchase them new and resale but used you could get it right back if you don't like it. Now Zimbloth who is a member here is very very knowledgeable on these pickups so I would contact him. You'll need to know playing style, woods for your guitars, and sound you are going for plus more. He would be able to point you to exactly what you are looking for if you decide to go with BKP. Now motor city pickups allow you to order directly from them and so does BKP. Differnce is BKP is overseas and motor city is in Detroit. If you call MCP he will ask you the exact same questions but will custom wind the pickups for you. BKP used to do this but they have gotten way to big to only be able to do this for artists and some dealers now. So you could go through Zimbloth but that would be an extra person with no guarantee they can do what you want. Hope this helps


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## mongey (Jul 5, 2012)

They are nice pick ups. $650 is crazy talk. I've bought mine direct from the bkp site and a set is about 300 To 350 from memory. A bit more than a Duncan set but not ridiculous. 

They wont change your life or make you a rock star. But they have a clarity and a sound that I really like. 

I have always used Duncan's and I like bkp's better. But if they were 650 I'd stick to Duncan's


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## Vinchester (Jul 5, 2012)

I think people tend to believe that Duncan = JB and Dimarzio = Crunchlab/Evo and if you don't like their "flagship" pickups then OMGINEEDTOGETBKPFROMACROSSTHEOCEAN! 

That said, I haven't even had the chance or money to try loads of different SDs and Dimarzios but I'm sure that from their huge range, there are a lot of good sets for everyone that'd work just as well as BKPs.

Since many of you guys have the advantage of being in the USA (Yes, accept it you have the cheapest gear in the world) You also have the option of buying awesome American stuff. WCR pickups come to mind and personally I think I like my IceBuckers more than my Rebel Yells. BKPs aren't the elixir of tone; They excel in some guitar and don't in others. But we all agree that overall they are excellent and interesting as hell.


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## hairychris (Jul 5, 2012)

Kristianx510 said:


> I was with my friend yesterday talking about modding our 7's, and he started muttering something about how he is thinking about paying $650 for a set of BKP's, and Misha Mansoor this and Misha Mansoor that..To me it all sounds a bit well...stupid. I was hoping someone here could possibly enlighten me as to why someone would dish out this much money for pickups.



As other folks have answered this too...

1) I agree that buying because of other people is a bit daft. Unless there's a particular sound you're after but you have to exhaust amp tweaks/upgrades first.

2) $650 for a set? WTF?

3) There are a shit-ton of different BKPs. The models won't necessarily work for him, and other brands are available. I know folks who've gone from BKP to other brands because they work better for their style. Or were cheaper for not much difference.

4) He'd better know how his guitar and amp reacts because BKPs can be fairly picky. 

5) I am a BKP user, fwiw. Both my main 7s have Alnico Warpigs loaded (set on one, bridge upgrade on the other that cost me ~130GBP and I sold kit to pay for it). I have my rig set up for them, and I don't know of any other Alnico pickups with that level of output. Not great for very fast uber-tight stuff, but I don't play that, and they react very well to the volume knob (as does my amp). In other words they work for me but I have no particular recommendation as I'm a thug.


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## Loomer (Jul 5, 2012)

What dealer is crazy enough to charge 650 dollars for a set of bkps? That's waaaay over double their actual price.


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## Zado (Jul 5, 2012)

I'm not a pickup guru,I never bought some boutiquehighendheandmadeinafuckingcavedeepinthecoreofearth pickps,just because,meh,I cant afford them and i feel duncans and emgs are just fine.That said,I thinkthere's too much hype surrounding too much stuff in too many forums..I mean,i find crazy to see tons of players drooling all over guitars and pickups they never played or heard in person...how can you say "i would love this",there are so many factors affecting sound.Well whatever

Also why do US players buy bareknucles (uk made iirc) instead of,dunno,wcr? just asking


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## GXPO (Jul 5, 2012)

Hype begot popularity begot haters begot fanboys 

I personally love them but I can't see that $650 is a price I'd pay for any pickups any times soon.

EDIT: 2 set's. Sorry, didn't read properly.


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## MaxOfMetal (Jul 5, 2012)

Zado said:


> Also why do US players buy bareknucles (uk made iirc) instead of,dunno,wcr? just asking



Two very different companies catering to two very different parts of the market really.


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## Leuchty (Jul 5, 2012)

Pickups are like amps, speakers, tubes, woods, strings, picks, etc...

Are BKP better than dimarzio? No. Better than SD? Emg? No.

They are all good. Matter of taste.


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## skeels (Jul 5, 2012)

Stealthdjentstic said:


> Anyone who buys something because of person X is usually stupid tbh



I would personally listen to anything Stealth says.


Wait....


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## fps (Jul 5, 2012)

Bareknuckle Nailbomb in the bridge of my Carvin DC727. Previously had the stock pickup which sounded a bit thin for me, then a Tonezone7 which was muddy and didn't cut, this pickup is brilliant for rock->metal sounds, love it. I can hear the difference.


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## Zado (Jul 5, 2012)

MaxOfMetal said:


> Two very different companies catering to two very different parts of the market really.


Really? gotta trust you since i never tried them what are WCR supposed to be great for?


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## narad (Jul 5, 2012)

Zado said:


> Also why do US players buy bareknucles (uk made iirc) instead of,dunno,wcr? just asking



I actually prefer WCR for a lot of stuff but they often run more expensive and, last I asked, won't wind 7 string versions. And for the kids, they won't make the fancy pickup covers either.


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## thedonal (Jul 5, 2012)

Let's frame this a bit better.

Someone is into a particular musician and likes their sound.

They would therefore like to get a similar sound.

Does it not follow that they would therefore gravitate to specific gear?

I love JP's playing and sound and therefore, as I'd heard them on recordings and had an idea what I'd be getting, I got the LF/CL combo for my 1527. I'm happy with that. I don't necessarily sound like JP or want to emulate him (couldn't play that fast anyway!), but I chose pickups that had a sound I wanted for the 7. 

Though this didn't work when I put an Evo in my RG550! But hey! Sometimes you gotta experiment too and tastes change...

No need to belittle someone's influences!!

BKP are a boutique pickup manufacturer- carefully selected parts, handwound and with numerous options. They are often very highly rated and often for good reason. But with a range of pickups, they will have different models for different sounds, so use the soundclips/youtube to choose the right ones. I expect I'll put a set in when I eventually get a Les Paul, due to reputation and soundclips.. What I choose will be down to the sounds I want out of the guitar (somewhere between Jimmy Page and Joe Bonamassa, if one set will do it).


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## Bower1 (Jul 5, 2012)

Just because you buy all the same gear as someone else whether it be Van Halen, Misha, Vai, Satch doesn't mean you will ever sound like them. 

I have Nailbombs. Worth it? You better believe it. They are very tight sounding pickups. Do I sound like someone else? Hell no, I suck too much. I bought NB's due to some recommendations from a friend who tried them and just from reading and listening to clips. Lifes too short to try to sound like those others guys anyway. Just listen to some clips and ask Tim.


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## Louis Cypher (Jul 5, 2012)

The main thing I would crow about on behalf of BKP over any other is if you contact them direct or deal direct the customer service is incredible. You could not wish to ask for more helpful people. 

I would suggest you plot your mods out what sort of sound your looking for, plus what your current set up is and give Tim or anyone at BKP a ring and they will point you in the right doirection as to what one of their pups would be suitable for you. Plus the post sale help with issues or problems is excellent as well.


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## Lothar (Jul 5, 2012)

I had four BKP's in my guitars:
Coldsweat 
Warpig
Aftermath
Painkiller

from non BKP I had:
Dimarzio Blaze 7
EMG 81
EMG 808X
EMG 707
and some others

And my weapon of choice where the Painkiller's. They sound awesome. Srsly. It suits my needs perfectly and they are worth every penny. If not painkillers then I would choose the EMG X series.


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## themike (Jul 5, 2012)

If I was tossing the pickups into a low end guitar, I wouldn't care as much as I do. However, all of my Bareknuckle's are in my Paul Reed Smith's and there is a reason for it. I notice that with BKP they are not only hot/high output (obviously depending on the set), but at the same time also allow the personality of the woods to be present in the tone. With BKPs I can hear the difference between the all Mahogany, or the Mahogany/Maple, while with other companies that detail is much less noticable in high gain settings.

I also don't think the price is that outrageous - you have to understand the amount of care, research and developing that goes into something like this. For a small comapny like Tim's who handwind everything - its a big process and I think worth it.


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## t0ad (Jul 5, 2012)

Arguing about the price of a BKP set is a bit pointless. Just head over to their online store and you will have the price of every pickups (individual/set, covered/open) and every option.
https://www.bareknucklepickups.co.u...ath=65&zenid=15b000453760191a0f0f9ebef76fdf5d
The only variable is then shipping.

Aside from that, I don't believe you can just say that anyone who buys something on other people's influence is stupid. Buying something _just_ because it's hyped is a bit stupid indeed (and I'm not saying the person who does is). But you can't just always buy stuff that you got to try out for yourself (especially if you don't live in the US). BKP or any "small-output" custom manufacturer for that matter would lose most of their clientele. And I'd be stuck with entry level guitars forever.


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## WiseSplinter (Jul 5, 2012)

^ Indeed. If I only ever bought stuff I had the oppertunity to try I would never have a 7 string, there isn't a single extended range instrument in any music store in this whole city!  let alone boutique pickups for ERGs. I really want to try some BKP's, but I'm afraid this forum is pretty much the best I can do in terms of finding out about them before ordering them


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## t0ad (Jul 5, 2012)

WiseSplinter said:


> I really want to try some BKP's, but I'm afraid this forum is pretty much the best I can do in terms of finding out about them before ordering them



As a matter of fact, as someone already said in this thread and as I did myself, you can just shoot a mail directly to BKP, tell'em the style of music you play, the type of sound/tone you're looking for and the specs of the guitar you would fit them in. Tim will advise you personally on which model would best fit your needs. He's a really cool guy.


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## themike (Jul 5, 2012)

WiseSplinter said:


> I really want to try some BKP's, but I'm afraid this forum is pretty much the best I can do in terms of finding out about them before ordering them


 
Buy em and give them a try. I dont think you'll have any shortage of interest if for some reason you don't like them and want to resell


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## WiseSplinter (Jul 5, 2012)

t0ad said:


> Tim will advise you personally on which model would best fit your needs. He's a really cool guy.



I have no doubt that he would, I have actually exchanged some emails with them (I don't think it was Tim personally) and while I don't doubt that he's a nice guy, I don't believe that he would recommend any other brand even if they would in theory be better for my purposes. I'm pretty sure no one at Dimarzio would say "Oh, BKP's would be better for you". I think its a good rule that if you want information on how good a product is relative to another product, eg BKP vs. Dimarzio, don't ask the provider of either since they'll likely be biased towards their own product.

Of course, as you said, if I wanted to know which _model _ of a particular brand would suit me better I'd ask them, but if I wanted an opinion on which _brand _would suit me better, an neutral opinion seems a better alternative.

No disrespect to Tim, or anyone else, but it just makes sense to me to look for info in an impartial context.


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## JamesM (Jul 5, 2012)

You either like the BKP sound or you don't. I love it.


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## Purelojik (Jul 5, 2012)

dude you live in the states just order them from the axe palace. Nick is a forum member here and they sell them for like 300-350 for a covered set and less for uncovered. 

if they are worth it? yes i do believe they are simply for the response you get while playing. i've tried an aftermath bridge and a warpig bridge and neck. they are great pickups. especially love the aftermath bridge. 

i've tried loads of pickups the only other ones that come close to the response you feel from a BKP is the Seymour duncan distortion and the PRS Tremonti treble.

for the actual sound it comes down to your setup/amp/modeller/ + technique. i've heard some amazing players make shitty pickups sound great.


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## Hollowway (Jul 5, 2012)

WCR? How did I not know about these? I feel like I spend 11 hours a day on here and this is the first I'm hearing about them. But if no 7s, no bueno. For me, anyway.


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## MaxOfMetal (Jul 5, 2012)

Zado said:


> Really? gotta trust you since i never tried them what are WCR supposed to be great for?


 
WCR's focus seems to be on 6-string guitarists looking for some of the tones of the 60's and 70's, while BKP is focusing on extended range players looking for more modern sounds. 

That doesn't mean WCR is only for old guys looking to sound like Thin Lizzy, and that BKP is only for 16 year olds looking to djent, but they do lend themsleves to different sectors of the market overall.


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## nostealbucket (Jul 5, 2012)

I got my aftermath set for less than $300. Awesome pickups. Worth the money. AND i dont sound like a kid trying to copy Misha's tone.


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## technomancer (Jul 5, 2012)

MaxOfMetal said:


> WCR's focus seems to be on 6-string guitarists looking for some of the tones of the 60's and 70's, while BKP is focusing on extended range players looking for more modern sounds.
> 
> That doesn't mean WCR is only for old guys looking to sound like Thin Lizzy, and that BKP is only for 16 year olds looking to djent, but they do lend themsleves to different sectors of the market overall.



Normally I agree whole-heartedly with you Max, but that's a REALLY bad generalization given over 2/3rds of BKPs product line are not modern voiced pickups. I'd agree that ON HERE BKPs are primarily used by extended range players looking for modern sounds and you don't hear about WCR on here much because they are six string pickups only and the majority of their stuff is more vintage voiced (with the exception of the IceBucker and IronMan)


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## t0ad (Jul 5, 2012)

WiseSplinter said:


> I have no doubt that he would, I have actually exchanged some emails with them (I don't think it was Tim personally) and while I don't doubt that he's a nice guy, I don't believe that he would recommend any other brand even if they would in theory be better for my purposes. I'm pretty sure no one at Dimarzio would say "Oh, BKP's would be better for you". I think its a good rule that if you want information on how good a product is relative to another product, eg BKP vs. Dimarzio, don't ask the provider of either since they'll likely be biased towards their own product.
> 
> Of course, as you said, if I wanted to know which _model _ of a particular brand would suit me better I'd ask them, but if I wanted an opinion on which _brand _would suit me better, an neutral opinion seems a better alternative.
> 
> No disrespect to Tim, or anyone else, but it just makes sense to me to look for info in an impartial context.



Haha, yeah of course, I never said he would direct you to other brands, that's preposterous  I was indeed just speaking models, assuming you want to try out BKP.

On a side note, I'm not sure it makes much sense to say "this or that brand is the way to go for you". As long as a brand has a decent variety of models -as do BKP, DiMarzio, SD etc- they're all good candidates for you to find a pup that will suit your needs. There are so many other factors to influence the final sound (amp, cab & every single aspect of your guitar) that you will probably never know for sure which one is *the* one for you.

In any case, if they're so popular among aficionados, there must be a reason. And it's certainly not aggressive marketing. So just go for it, get expert advice to choose the BKP model that's best suited for you and if really you don't like it, you'll have no trouble finding a buyer on this forum at a minor loss.


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## Konfyouzd (Jul 5, 2012)

I've used them before. They're good but I think some ppl just like to hype up the shit their idols play.


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## Konfyouzd (Jul 5, 2012)

nostealbucket said:


> ...AND i dont sound like a kid trying to copy Misha's tone.



It would take far more than pickups to do that anyway...


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## Rook (Jul 5, 2012)

Yeah I'm kinda with Konfyouzd here, there're not _bad_ pickups in that if you put them in your guitar they'll do what they're supposed to do, but there's no special magic about them that makes them 'better', all this stuff you hear about them being better at this and better at that is all a bit inflated.

They do have their own particular sound and feel, I personally am not really into their hotter stuff and it's hot pickups I like. They're moderate output stuff's nice but so are they from x, y and z other USA/UK made brands. I find their hot stuff very bitey, almost scratch at times. The attack is insane, if it's attack you want then great but that's exactly why it's all down to taste. Can't fault quality though, not in the least bit.


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## hairychris (Jul 5, 2012)

Purelojik said:


> for the actual sound it comes down to your setup/amp/modeller/ + technique. i've heard some amazing players make shitty pickups sound great.



And, conversely, I've heard players with great kit sound like a dog's arse.

In the high gain world the choice of amp/speaker and EQing will overshadow the choice of pickup. The pickup is really the icing on the cake, and if the cake's baked catshit then no fancy icing will make it taste any better.

I don't get the whole fanboy thing either, truth be told, but hey. If idiots are helping to keep Tim in business then who am I to complain?


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## cardinal (Jul 5, 2012)

I've played only one BKP and I like it. 

I think the reasons that they are popular here:
popular endorsers
wide product range, particularly for 7 strings
sellers (like Nick and Tim) that really know the product and give good recommendations based on what you want from your current guitar/rig. I told both Tim and Nick what I didn't like about my current guitar and what amp I was using, they gave a recommendation (the same one, btw), and it really nailed it.


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## Andromalia (Jul 5, 2012)

BKPs are good pickups, that doesn't mean they're better than DiMarzio, SD or EMG. To each his own. Hundreds of great albums were recorded with mass produced pickups. I'd say good 50% of rock and metal albums were recorded with EMG 81s, Super Distortions and Gibson stock pickups.

And as a reminder, guitar stock pickups are usually pretty good, the issue on SSO is skewed because half of you play Ibanez.


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## Hollowway (Jul 5, 2012)

Yeah, BKPs are definitely well known around here, but this is an ERG forum, so they're known partially just because we don't have many options to choose from there. For 8s there are only a few, and most companies don't make the production range of 8s like BKP does.


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## MF_Kitten (Jul 5, 2012)

they are really good, but they aren't the "final level of pickups". They are one more flavour of pickups available out there. They aren't for everybody, and like other companies, they can never be said to be "the best".


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## F0rte (Jul 5, 2012)

Stealthdjentstic said:


> The carvin pups are a lot better than people give them credit for if you take into account that the designers had to make them so they would usuable in the variants people order.



THIS.
People really should be giving Carvin's pups more respect than they currently have.
I tried a DC800 not too long ago with stock Carvin pickups in it, and honestly I really wouldn't have planned to switch them out if I owned the guitar.
They are pretty high quality, MUCH more so than EMG's or Seymour Duncan's in my opinion.

@OP
Honestly, I would really not buy them for that much money. Most luthiers have ways in order to get them new for much less than what they are sold for I hear, so if I were wanting to test some out, I wouldn't buy them direct, I might as well jsut buy a new guitar with the ones I want to try installed in it.
They are very high quality pickups, but I would want to hear input about the new ones from people who don't ride Misha's dick around for an honest and non bias opinion.

My favorite's are vintage P90's. Sound absolutely incredible, however they are literally worth thousands in some cases..so no I don't own any.
What made them my favorite was when I tried a vintage les paul they have at a guitar center here in town worth $29,000....Sounds incredible though to say the least, words couldn't do it enough respect.
O.O


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## JamesM (Jul 5, 2012)

^The DC800 pups seem to be an exclusion to the rule. Most Carvin pups in my experience are good for vintage tones and not much else.


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## Konfyouzd (Jul 5, 2012)

t0ad said:


> As a matter of fact, as someone already said in this thread and as I did myself, you can just shoot a mail directly to BKP, tell'em the style of music you play, the type of sound/tone you're looking for and the specs of the guitar you would fit them in. Tim will advise you personally on which model would best fit your needs. He's a really cool guy.



You mean like every other brand? 

Fascinating... 

@Lol - What makes Carvin pups higher quality? The fact that you prefer them? Also a whole guitar is more expensive than a pickup set.


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## F0rte (Jul 5, 2012)

Konfyouzd said:


> @Lol - What makes Carvin pups higher quality? The fact that you prefer them? Also a whole guitar is more expensive than a pickup set.



The Carvin pickups just have a much better sound to me than any EMG's or Seymour Duncan's that I have heard, and i've had my share of trying all of them. Shall I put "In my Opinion" into my last post to make sure no one else gets butthurt?

And at the price in which BK pickups are sold at, if you have enough money to afford 2 pickups from them, you'd might as well just buy a new guitar since they practically come out at the exact same price. BK's are pretty god damn expensive, and not worth how much they are sold for "in my opinion."


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## Konfyouzd (Jul 5, 2012)

No. I just think you should be careful w words like "quality."


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## F0rte (Jul 5, 2012)

Konfyouzd said:


> No. I just think you should be careful w words like "quality."



Excuse me for irritating you with a small word. Obviously, the post was opinion based.


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## wakjob (Jul 5, 2012)

BKP's notoriety is first and foremost, a high quality item. With great tone and clarity.

Now, I've been modding my Marshall to hell and back trying everything...you name it, i've implemented it. One thing I did was put ALL 1-3 watt metal film resistors in it. 

Oh it was clear alright... to a fault. It lost all it's mojo. Too clean. Didn't get that thick warm and fuzzy tubiness to translate the same. And the plain strings sounded messed up.

Just sayin', for some, too much emphases is put on clarity. You MIGHT not like what it brings to the forefront of your tone. And if your guitar itself isn't very toneful, you might say "this expensive PU's sucks". 

I've been analyzing individual components (woods, PU's, cables, pots, caps, resistors ect..) for awhile. Sometimes it still surprises me that it's the cheaper things that really make the magic in the bigger picture.

Point being, I like cheap, and even stock PU's....But I do have a BK!


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## t0ad (Jul 5, 2012)

Konfyouzd said:


> You mean like every other brand?
> 
> Fascinating...



Yes, probably like every other brand. Haven't had email conversations with every other brand. The fact is that this thread is about BKP, not every other brand.


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## stonevibe (Jul 6, 2012)

I like my Bare Knuckles, but then I like my SDs and DiMarzio as well.


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## hairychris (Jul 6, 2012)

JamesM said:


> ^The DC800 pups seem to be an exclusion to the rule. Most Carvin pups in my experience are good for vintage tones and not much else.



My bandmate's stock PUs with active option in his DC727 sound pretty good to me... And I never had any problems with the 6 string pickups myself at high gain levels.


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## Prydogga (Jul 6, 2012)

I trust the BKPs going into a current build of mine because of the clips I've heard which, while don't prove exactly how good the pickups are, at least show me they CAN do what I need, that and the fact a lot of close friends of mine, whose developed understanding and taste of tone I trust, very much enjoy their experiences with BKPs.


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## Daemoniac (Jul 6, 2012)

Personally, I think yes they are that good. But the style agrees with me, and the Ceramic Warpigs I had gave me exactly the kind of disgusting, gainy grind I was after. Whether or not they'd do the same thing for you is completely subjective.


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## Greatoliver (Jul 6, 2012)

I would guess that a lot of the issue is that there is a big price tag associated with them. The price is because the quality and workmanship on the pickups are very high, not because the sound is "very good".

The actual sound, and whether you like it, is not really dependant on the price tag, above a certain price limit, i.e. if you pay £20 for some IBZ pups, they will probably(/definitely ) sound bad, but if you buy SD/DM etc pups, they will all sound "good". The difference in price reflects the quality of the parts and the effort put into them, plus perhaps a little for the "boutique magic" in some ranges (essentially paying for the name.)

Whether the pickup will work for you isn't related to the price - I wouldn't want to use a Warpig, for example, when I'm trying to record funk. Just because it is expensive, it doesn't meant it will give me the sound I'm looking for. So I think it is a bit of the more-expensive-must-be-better syndrome, which is true in the sense of workmanship, but it doesn't mean it will get you more towards the sound you are looking for.

I am basically saying that the extra price won't get you further towards your sonic goal, and as many others have said, I don't think they are any better than other pup brands. They may be worth trying however, as they may be right, and if they are, then it is well worth the cost.


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## blackrobedone (Jul 6, 2012)

Having gone from some stock RG 7 pickups, New 7s, or whatever, to just about anything else is an astonishing upgrade. But going from Dimarzio or Duncan to BKP is not like that. It's just a different, high quality pickup. The exorbitant price is based off import fees, smaller production scale, and free stuff (strings, cardboard box, etc) with each pickup. It's not that they cost twice as much because they sound twice as good. If Seymour Duncan had a small shop and 12 employees and such, they could charge $200 per pickup as well, just like the smaller US companies.


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## loktide (Jul 6, 2012)

BKP are great pickups but not worth the hype, imo.

in europe, they're viable alternatives to other brands (dimarzio, seymour duncan,etc) since they're not THAT much more expensive. with the conversion rate from GBP to USD, though, prices are ridiculous, imo.

they're great pickups with a unique character, but not necessarily 'better' than dimarzios or duncans. they're simply different.


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## danresn (Jul 6, 2012)

I bought a guitar that came with Aftermaths and it convinced me that I will when I can I shall be replacing my other guitars with barenuckles. Until then the Seymour Duncans (JB, 59, Hot rails) in them are still fantastic.

This is of course how I feel they react to my particular style of playing, and the tone I like.


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## -JeKo- (Jul 6, 2012)

Certainly more natural sounding pickups than some cheaper ones but it's up to you whether they're worth their price.


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## Konfyouzd (Jul 6, 2012)

t0ad said:


> Yes, probably like every other brand. Haven't had email conversations with every other brand. The fact is that this thread is about BKP, not every other brand.



You've missed the point. The thread asks if they're that good. And you mention somethings that's available from ALL brands as a means of proving this one is in some way revolutionary. I'm not condemning your fanboyism as you're more than entitled to it. I just didn't see how the ability to email a company and ask questions is a new concept.


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## KiD Cudi (Jul 6, 2012)

Yes. Yes they are... /thread


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## zimbloth (Jul 6, 2012)

I'm not going go get into my opinion on their quality and tone, just to say... $650?? We typically sell an uncovered set for around $260-280 tops. I wouldnt worry too much about what artists use and hype into that, as a lot of the celebrity BKP users have used a million different models and are always changing it up. Just listen to clips, read reviews, talk to people with experience/expertise on them, and then try it out if you want. Any reputable dealer will have a return/exchange policy of some sort just in case.


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## Daemoniac (Jul 6, 2012)

^ Here in Australia the Warpigs retail for that much, it's insane


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## asilayamazing (Jul 6, 2012)

TRENCHLORD said:


> Watch this, but keep in mind that it's much easier to feel the differences in pickups, then it is to hear the differences via youtube videos.
> http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/pi...ader-vs-aftermath-vs-sd-distortion-video.html
> 
> edit; - Skip to 5:55 to listen to the isolated guitar tracks for each pickup.


THIS, they sound like ass



Konfyouzd said:


> I've used them before. They're good but I think some ppl just like to hype up the shit their idols play.


THIS...too much hype because of DJENT......



Andromalia said:


> * the issue on SSO is skewed because half of you play Ibanez. *


THIS, have to get better pups for cheaper wood IMO.
Come at me bro!



loktide said:


> BKP are great pickups but not worth the hype, imo.


THIS. i havent tried them but for 300 im not going too, in the vid at the beginning the invader and distortion were much better all around IMO the warpigs were close to the invader, but im paying 300 for invader sound.


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## Daemoniac (Jul 6, 2012)

Why is it such a hard concept to grasp that if you like them, they're worth it, if not, they're not... Good lord, people - nobody here is 'right'.


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## Konfyouzd (Jul 6, 2012)

Ibanez =\= cheap wood in all cases. Where'd that rumor come from?

@Mischa - Come on... You know everything in life is black and white. 

(Did I spell your name right? )


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## Daemoniac (Jul 6, 2012)

It's the old "basswood = crap" thing.


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## Mordacain (Jul 6, 2012)

Daemoniac said:


> It's the old "basswood = crap" thing.



Which is such a ridiculous concept. Not sure who originally propogated that myth but basswood is a fine tone wood, particularly when combined with maple neck.


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## Daemoniac (Jul 6, 2012)

And honestly, the tone I got with BKP in a basswood guitar was gorgeous - made for an especially fine recording tone. EDIT: Hell, even the SD Blackouts sounded fantastic - very smooth in basswood.


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## Stealthdjentstic (Jul 6, 2012)

The reason people think basswood is shitty is because all they've played is low/medium end guitars with basswood. Suhr lovessss basswood + maple top.


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## asilayamazing (Jul 6, 2012)

Stealthdjentstic said:


> Suhr lovessss basswood + maple top.


i would like that, but basswood by itself is no fun for me, and i owned a prestige rg.... years ago.


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## Stealthdjentstic (Jul 6, 2012)

asilayamazing said:


> i would like that, but basswood by itself is no fun for me, and i owned a prestige rg.... years ago.



Prestige RG is high end?


JP's sound fucking WICKED and they are basswood too.


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## TRENCHLORD (Jul 6, 2012)

Not to continue off topic (thread changed to "does basswood really suck"),
but quality basswood wings around a maple neck-thru is a very good combo.
The basswood doesn't color the maple tone much at all, and it will slightly reduce the metalic sound/tinnyness on floyd equipped guitars.

Like is often said, wood quality selection > species.


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## 7stringDemon (Jul 6, 2012)

Are they worth it? That's up to you man.

Personally, I like a fat, medium-high output, punchy, beefy, middy death metal worthy pickup so I always fall back to the Super Distortion for 6 strings andthe D-Sonic 7 for my 7 strings (neck is typically a Liquifire for both).

But at the same time, the painkiller in my Swamp Ash RG565 sounds so good that I want to stab myself out of happiness every time I hear it.

And I wasn't a big fan of the Aftermath in really anything but Mahogany. Guess I'm just not a fan of super djent. I like my middy, bassy thump that cuts through any mix


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## Saber_777 (Jul 6, 2012)

I know Michael_T uses them like crazy, went and replaced about every pup that was in a guitar with BKPs.


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## asilayamazing (Jul 7, 2012)

Stealthdjentstic said:


> Prestige RG is high end?


that seems to be the general opinion on SSO.


EDIT: not trying to derail. On topic i would like to see some good videos of BKP putting other pickups to shame
and i would consider buying them!


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## MistaSnowman (Jul 7, 2012)

To me...are the pickups good? I'd say so but it does, also, depend on the rest of your rig (pickups make up only one part in factoring overall tone) and most importantly the skill level of the player.


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## octatonic (Jul 7, 2012)

They are excellent but I wouldn't pay US prices for them given what they go for here in the UK.
You guys have access to some terrific pickup manufacturers in the states for a lot less.
John Suhr makes some amazing pickups and they are around 1/3rd the price of the Bareknuckles to you guys.

If people are chasing the Animals as Leaders/Periphery tone then concentrate on technique and form rather than having X pickup in Y guitar.

IMHO and YMMV.


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## octatonic (Jul 7, 2012)

Stealthdjentstic said:


> JP's sound fucking WICKED and they are basswood too.





TRENCHLORD said:


> Not to continue off topic (thread changed to "does basswood really suck"),
> but quality basswood wings around a maple neck-thru is a very good combo.
> The basswood doesn't color the maple tone much at all, and it will slightly reduce the metalic sound/tinnyness on floyd equipped guitars.
> 
> Like is often said, wood quality selection > species.



I have a Suhr Pro/Modern that is flame maple on basswood and it sounds killer.

John Suhr refers to it as the tonal 'holy grail'.

I agree with what you said regarding wood selection- there are ordinary pieces of every wood species and exceptional ones too.


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## Evil Weasel (Jul 7, 2012)

I must admit for the prices I see Bareknuckles going for in the US I don't think they are worth it. They are very good pickups, but even in the UK they are 30-50% more expensive than the other 'big brands' to buy brand new. I have bought 2 sets brand new for guitars but they were through a dealer so I got very good prices comparable with what I would pay anyway for dimarzio/SD etc. At those prices it is a no brainer, but when you are paying £125 for a covered humbucker it is a bit excessive IMO. I dread to think what that equates to in the US. Must be $200 or more.


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Jul 7, 2012)

Evil Weasel said:


> I dread to think what that equates to in the US. Must be $200 or more.



I think they're around $130 - $140 per pickup here in the US. 

Still, I don't know much about BKP, but I think I'd prefer to buy EMGs over them, even though they're around the same price, give or take $20 - $30. My reason being because I know how EMGs already sound and I know I already like the tone. It would be a shot in the dark for me if I bought BKP's. Maybe one day when I get a better-paying job I can grab one and see if they're worth the hype.


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## Wrecklyss (Jul 8, 2012)

Bower1 said:


> Just because you buy all the same gear as someone else whether it be Van Halen, Misha, Vai, Satch doesn't mean you will ever sound like them.



True. Extreme's Nuno Bettencourt grew up a huge Eddie Van Halen fan. One day on tour, he got he opportunity to play EVH's guitar through EVH's effects and amps, with EVH at the controls. He was very disappointed when he still sounded like himself. Tone has more to do with how you play than what you play. If you can afford BKPs and they work well with your playing style, it will sound good. If a Lawrence or Duncan or Bartolini works for you, rock 'em as hard as you can. The best way to sound like a guitar player you admire is to study their technique.


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## Carl Kolchak (Jul 8, 2012)

The BKP I've used myself and the other ones I've heard demo'd lead me to believe that while they are very good pickups, you can get something that sounds just as good from either DiMarzio or SD for half of what you'd end up paying for a BKP. 

Again, I'm knocking the BKP, but they really do seem more of a status symbol than anything else.


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## Leuchty (Jul 8, 2012)

I have BKP's in my RG. They're great.

Now I want another RG with Dimarzio D-Activators. 

Also, in re to Basswood...

Eddie van halen - Basswood
Joe Satriani - Basswood
Steve Vai - Basswood
JP - Basswood

Obviously Basswood makes you a better player...


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## asilayamazing (Jul 8, 2012)

CYBERSYN said:


> Eddie van halen - Basswood
> Joe Satriani - Basswood
> Steve Vai - Basswood
> JP - Basswood


great players... but honestly i dont adore any of their tones....i do adore their technique.

EDIT: EVH plays mahog/maple top/maple neck too, did on a few famous songs.


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## grunge782 (Jul 8, 2012)

BKP's are just great at sounding articulate and thick for metal. 

The thing with BKP's is they have A LOT of very good pickups where as SD and Dimarzio will have some more "lacking" pickups along with a few of their very good pickups. 

Personally, in the right guitar I still think its hard to beat a SD JB. But that is for rock music, not metal.

I've yet to hear SD or Dimarzio make a pickup that sounds as thick, clear and heavy as the Warpig and Miracle Man.


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## grunge782 (Jul 8, 2012)

asilayamazing said:


> great players... but honestly i dont adore any of theyre tones....i do adore their technique.
> 
> EDIT: EVH plays mahog/maple top/maple neck too, did on a few famous songs.



This, though EVH's lead tone was excellent. All their tones sounded kinda wimpy though for rhythm tones IMO.


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## hairychris (Jul 9, 2012)

octatonic said:


> If people are chasing the Animals as Leaders/Periphery tone then concentrate on technique and form rather than having X pickup in Y guitar.



Tosin's EMGs don't sound too bad... Very much not BKPs.


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## Bigredjm15 (Jul 17, 2012)

Yeah I would just try them... I was scared to death to try Lundgren M8s, but I'm glad I pulled the trigger and did, very awesome pickups and versatile. I'm planning on a BKP aftermath into my other 8 string soon. Possibly a nailbomb in the neck. I think overall, you just gotta try them out to see what fits you best. No one can argue the quality of these pickups.


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## -JeKo- (Jul 17, 2012)

octatonic said:


> They are excellent but I wouldn't pay US prices for them given what they go for here in the UK.
> You guys have access to some terrific pickup manufacturers in the states for a lot less.
> John Suhr makes some amazing pickups and they are around 1/3rd the price of the Bareknuckles to you guys.



This. Suhr pickups are very good for the money. I've bought a lot of them from the US myself but I also love my BKP VHII.


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## Astewie26 (Jul 21, 2012)

Zado said:


> I'm not a pickup guru,I never bought some boutiquehighendheandmadeinafuckingcavedeepinthecoreofearth pickps,just because,meh,I cant afford them and i feel duncans and emgs are just fine.That said,I thinkthere's too much hype surrounding too much stuff in too many forums..I mean,i find crazy to see tons of players drooling all over guitars and pickups they never played or heard in person...how can you say "i would love this",there are so many factors affecting sound.Well whatever
> 
> Also why do US players buy bareknucles (uk made iirc) instead of,dunno,wcr? just asking



Well for emgs a set is around 200 and a set of bkp are 280 without the cool covers. Which for the extra 80 i would never settle for emgsI swapped out my emgs for a bare knuckle aftermath and it blew the emgs away. as well as having sd blackouts. And I think a lot of USA people buy them cause the quality is supposed to Be excellent through bkp and in my experience it is plus all the fantastic reviews. Not to say any other pickups are bad, but I feel there worth the extra 100 bucks


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## soul_lip_mike (Dec 31, 2020)

Is it better as a USA resident to buy a BKP set direct or through a dealer here?


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## Phlegethon (Dec 31, 2020)

soul_lip_mike said:


> Is it better as a USA resident to buy a BKP set direct or through a dealer here?



I'd order direct from BKP since they give you that option on their website. Might be from Canada, but ordering direct from BKP did save me a large number of headaches. The 63 veneer 7 string set I ordered arrived within a reasonable time (pre covid so keep that in mind). I should also mention that one of the big deciding factors is how useless Canadian music company distributors are when it comes to getting things to someone. 

When I've ordered things through distributors in the past I'd be waiting six weeks to 2 months with no item, and zero word on how much longer I would be waiting. What ended up happening is that I'd have to pick from something that a store would have in stock. My orders would be for things as common as a 6 string seymour duncan JD. 

I would go so far as to avoid ordering from a company that only sells through distributors if there was something that wasn't sitting in a brick and mortar store. I don't want to be waiting months on end for something that should only take a few weeks to arrive.


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