BKP Stratocaster Pickups

[Britishampfan]

Anyone use and Bareknuckle strat pickups? what do you think of them.

I use Nailbomb humbuckers in my Les Paul and I am quite pleased with them.

I recently put my original fender pickups back in my strat and they sound great clean I mean really great clean sound but when I turn up the gain or fuzz not too happy with the breakup and overdriven sound.

Anyway I don`t know what I`m looking for, I`m more of a humbucker Gibson guy so I`m lost on this but I`m looking for a killer strat sound in all positions clean and dirty tones.

Right now my strat clean sound is identical to Clapton`s slow hand album which is a great sound but I want my own. Right now positions 2 and 4 nail "The Core" sound. Seriously the tone is so the same people would think it`s a direct ripoff.

 

[crzyfngers]

i'm loving the mother's milk. clean or screaming, it's the perfect strat pickup for me. the budz are a close second. i have a set of '69 custom shop in a box somewhere.

 

[edgie]

'63 Veneer. I also had the Apaches which are very good. I just replaced them just to try another flavor. One good thing about BKP pickups is that they sound great clean and dirty and they're relatively quiet even without the noiseless design. You can go from 50's twang to hard rock, just make sure you wire the 2nd tone control to your bridge pickup for max versatility.

 

[V-P]

'63 Veneer. I also had the Apaches which are very good. I just replaced them just to try another flavor. One good thing about BKP pickups is that they sound great clean and dirty and they're relatively quiet even without the noiseless design. You can go from 50's twang to hard rock, just make sure you wire the 2nd tone control to your bridge pickup for max versatility.

How does the Apaches compare to the '63s? I'm planning on ordering later this week but can't decide between the two.

 

[edgie]

I had both in an Edwards SRV replica strat with a brass lefty bridge. The Apache would be warmer I think because it has more mids. The name is actually deceiving as it may imply that it's only good for twang and cleans but it's very versatile. I like it but it can be a bit too rounded for the neck position.

The '63 has more punch(Alnico V) and crisper than the Apache like what 60's strats are suppose to have. To me it has more detail on the neck pickup even if it has less chime. It's like the bass frequencies are more obvious because it has less mids.

 

[Ciroxin]

I own the Mother's Milk set but with zinc plating on all three pickups. Zinc plating makes it sound firmer in the bottom and slightly increases the output. Commonly, people order it only on bridge pickup but BKP people encourage you to try it on all three positions.

Very interesting effect, especially if you are looking for your own sound. I put my set in Vigier Retro Expert 54 which is alder/maple wood combination. I do like it since it does sound stratty but slightly different than the rest of my S type guitars. (ha, I also own The Core-nailer Strat).

Sooo... that might be an option for you if you seek your own sound on vintage powered pickups. I highly recommend it.

I have read on BKP forum that the '63 Veneer is BKP's inhouse favourite Strat pickup.

 

[snowblind56]

I have a set of Trilogy Suites. (Actually, they are for sale in the Emporium.) Good pickups if you want a modern sound that retains the single coil-ness. Enough output to do heavy music, if you wanted.

 

[Britishampfan]

Thanks guys!

 

[choucas09]

Here's a set of Apaches in a Tokai Strat (81).

Requiem.mp3

 

[Britishampfan]

The apache sounds like a great pickup, I was unable to play the clip right now but I noticed that on the bareknuckle site that the treble is quite pronounced and I only own various Marshall amps that are bright to begin with, so I`m a bit concerned that the sound would be way bright.

I like a brighter sound that cuts through. My nailbombs are bright and heavy on low end that cuts right through even in heavy fuzz and distortion.

 

[Dashface]

I've never had their strat pickups, but I have had some tele and some humbucker - all of which have been phenomenal.

Strat are definitely next

 

[V-P]

I had both in an Edwards SRV replica strat with a brass lefty bridge. The Apache would be warmer I think because it has more mids. The name is actually deceiving as it may imply that it's only good for twang and cleans but it's very versatile. I like it but it can be a bit too rounded for the neck position.

The '63 has more punch(Alnico V) and crisper than the Apache like what 60's strats are suppose to have. To me it has more detail on the neck pickup even if it has less chime. It's like the bass frequencies are more obvious because it has less mids.

I think I'll have a go at the Apaches then!

 

[johnh]

I have a set of Irish Tours in one of my strats. I've previously tried Apache's and Mothers Milks which I loved, but sold those strats, and I have the Brown Sugars in my tele (fabulous pickups).

I'm not saying I'm an expert, but to my ears, the IT's are by a long shot the best sounding strat pickups I've ever played.

 

[paulmapp8306]

Curve ball. i have Irish Tours in my strat after trying both Mothers Milk and Apachies. By far the best strat PU Ive EVER tried.

Enough output to rock, warm/round enough for mellow tones - and while you loose alittle high end sizzle of the mothers milk there still not muddy. Pos 2 and 4 are the same but different if you get me - and its the only PUs Ive tried where I use the middle PU on its own.

Just my 2p