Both sets sound awesome! The Polymaths sound more open with more note definition but less gain, while the Silos are just thick and awesomely chonky. I feel like they probably serve two different purposes: the thickness of the Silos would be perfect for single-guitar projects while the definition and cut of the Polymaths would work great in a band with multiple guitarists.
Which I think makes sense, since the Polymaths were designed with a multi guitarist band setting in mind, whereas Rabea has been fairly solo in his projects, correct? I may be wrong though, I’m definitely not clued into both artists like some others.
@@kronabus199a don't really know what Nolly does, but you're right about Bea. Last time he was in a band with another guitarist was Dorje, which was a long time ago at this point
@@ThePuffGD nolly played bass/guitar in periphery (who have 3 guitarists, 4 if you count nolly) and still plays with them on record, he also produces for them still
I honestly thought I was sold on the Polymaths, but hearing the Silos alongside, I just can't get over that lush low-midrange character they have. Really makes the amp purr. Silos it is, then! Cheers Bea 🤙
I vastly preferred the Polymath’s bridge pickup, super clear and chime-y…. And then greatly preferred the Silo’s in the other positions for that aforementioned mid range/low mid girth! Both are really tremendous sounding humbuckers. Want both ;)
Personally I preferred the brightness and clarity of the Polymaths on the clean demo and the honky, girthy sound of the Silos on the crunch and hi gain.
Hey, did you go for this setup? I am thinking same thing, but still afraid of pulling the trigger. Also, what is the guitar? Since lots of people talk about these pickups being better for some guitars and otherwise for the others. I am going to buy something (probably same set as you did) for my solid basswood body Strandberg with maple neck.
Sooo, the Polymaths have very even frequency responce, and Silos in comparison have bumps in lower mids and highs, to my ear at least. Both sets got an awesome character of their own and exellent string to string definition. Been a fan of Bare Knuckle pickups for three years now. None out of dozen pickups I had was dull sounding. Another exellent work on these two sets! And a great vid, Bea. Appreciate your work!
I tried both pickup sets, and the poly is my favorite by far. it has that fluid feel for leads without getting mushy on rhythm. The bridge Silo is a tonal monster, absolutely beastly, and the Poly has a bit less power but with a lot of 'sing' to it. The poly neck is warmer but retains the clarity, where the Silo neck has a lot less output imho, and feels a lot more like a singlecoil
Hello Rabea! I think the fact you played both sets with the same , admirable passion makes it really difficult to choose between those awesome pickups. I have to disagree on one point tho... you said the played part was the most boring. Not at all mate!! Was quite amazing, keep it comin'! Thank you :)
I was looking for exactly this comparison!! Absolutely set on a Silo Bridge and Polymath Neck for a nice upgrade to my ML3 baritone after seeing this. You crush it as always, sir!
So I love the midrange of the Silo in the bridge, it's like a really hot PAF. But I also love the way the Polymath sounds in the neck. Sounds like I need one of each lol. Thanks so much for this!
One extra thing to take into account: The Chapman doesn't have a tone pot, which will affect the output and final EQ of the pickup compared to the other guitars, unless they have no-load tone pots.
There seems to be better separation on the Poly's than the Silo's and there is noticeably less gain, but there is a fullness on the Silo's which is missing in the Poly's. Surprisingly the Poly's seem to actually push really well under distortion. Pretty interesting curve on them. I have a set of Silo's in my B2 which I absolutely love, but I'm tempted to do my own shootout to see which fairs better. Thanks for the video comparison!
I said it back when you demo’d the Nolly plug-in and I’ll say it again here. This piece of music is (for me) the best thing you’ve written. It has “Hit” written all over it. It gives me chills to this day and there is one particular note you hit in the solo which to me is just “it”! You just need a great singer to write a great melody for it. Don’t mean to fan boy but I know a great tune when I hear it!
The Polymath definitively sounds like a buffed version of the Bare Knuckle Abraxas (as someone from BKP acknowledged in a previous Nolly video, offset coils etc...). However, the "PAF with rolled back mids" character I love in my Abraxas does not feel as good when on a higher output PU. As the power increases, a PU needs mids to feel full. And there the Silo is the clear winner. Nolly's sound is a bit more Djent colored and Djent tones are usually a bit dry to my ears. I reckon the Polymath fits right there, when the Silo is openly about progressive musique.
I prefer the Silo, the mid frequency peak seemed lower with the Silo, it gives the sound a bit more weight, but they are both great, the Polymaths would probably sound great in a Les Paul
I love both l, they are different beasts, i can see many uses for both. Its all flavor. The silos are more rich sounding and the polymath has a sick midrange bite
Bare Knuckle did it right as far as getting into the market. They started with a tiny ad in the back of Guitar World and then they got shills to sing their praises all over the internet until the public began trying their pickups and turns out they're real deal, good pickups. In a few short years they are now as big a name as Duncan, Dimarzio, etc
I think they would need to have a range of more affordable pickups to be on that level. Right now they are pretty niche with boutique pricing. Nonetheless fantastic pickups.
One of the best pickup tones I have ever played is the middle position between my silos with the neck pickup coil tapped to single coil. It's absolutely unreal! Running them in my Eastwood ultra GP
Love both sets. It's interesting how to my ear the sets go in reverse. The bridge in the polymath set is a little brighter sounding where the silo has more low end punch. But the neck polymath is so warm and buttery. And the silo neck was brighter and more jangly tonally. For me I would combine the 2 and have a silo bridge and a polymath neck in a guitar based on what I've heard here.
@@10brucelees yeah I'd go with polymath bridge and silo neck too. Crisp tidy and open bridge for riffs in the pocket and smooth leads; and a honky heavy neck for those pumping riffs and wild bendy leads. Versatile.
I just got Polymaths put in my Mayones Regius Core. The neck pickup is absolutely beautiful, and the bridge can definitely get angry. I love them. Now I need a Silos set in one of my other guitars.
didn't even watch but i just love this whole thumbnail/theme coming from a bigger youtuber artist. Love to see you do this stuff again! We may have lost Merrow but we now have BEA!
Just got silos in a baritone. They’re 10/10. Throwing polymaths in a prs in a couple weeks so this video only makes the wait worse. Thanks for the great video Rabea.
It’s still the honeymoon phase but they’re by far my favorite set of BKP’s. Not very hot and the feel is something you need to experience. That’s the biggest thing pickup comparison videos will never be able to show you. I’ve had Juggernauts multiple times, Ragnarok, Black Hawk and Impulse sets. They’re all good and specialize in something. The Polymath might be the most versatile of them all.
Cheers Rabea. I think I am sold on the silo neck, dig that bluesy type tone... still no closer to deciding on the bridge, both sound great in their way!
You're right about BKP not making a bad sounding pickup. I went back and forth between getting a set of Silos or Polymaths, but opted for Silos in my 7 string. Just wired them in yesterday. I'm really stoked, but the Polymath would have been a good choice as well. Great video, as always. Thanks for the tone test.
The Silos have a beautiful wide soundscape that seems to surround the core notes. The polymath on the other hand seems veeeeeery tight and would be awesome in a very muddy bass-heavy guitar like my PRS S2.
this two is'nt something that we can choose to, but to have it all, they have different character. Silo with raw, presence and extended high tone and the polymath sound tidier, lower output, sweet mid and so dynamic.
I really like these pickups. I will try the Silo in the bridge position and the polymath in the neck position on my guitar. Also the Ragnarok in the bridge position sounds great. I like the combination with different kind of pickups in one guitar, because it gives me more options.
Great comparison, While both are awesome sounding sets I like the silo bridge and pair it with a polymath neck…Love the thump of the silo bridge and the way the polymath breathes at any volume…great sounding, well worth the money
Thanks a lot for sharing this, this is the perfect timing, I was thinking about changing the pick up of my chapman 7 string rob scallon signature, looking for something brighter with more definition, your test is giving me lots of information 😊👍👌
my first thought: the polymaths are probably easier to mix xD second thought: i prefer the silos cause "more is more" if if i want less i can fix that in the DAW dunno lol
Having owned and played both of these, they are very similar but with some key differences. Both have a fairly small low end, and smooth high end. They’re both midrange focused pickups, with the Silo emphasizing the lower mids a bit, and the Poly more so the high mids. The silo is a bit darker and smoother, the poly a bit brighter with more attack. The Silo saturates a bit quicker, it’s just a touch hotter, has a spongier attack on the strings. The poly is a little more open, and crunchier, sharper attack, a little more articulate. They’re both fantastic pickups, amazing all rounders, great cleans, crunch and high gain tones. Leads especially as one would expect from pickups with accentuated mids. I would suggest the Silo for slightly brighter guitars, and the Poly for slightly darker guitars, and neither for guitars with a large midrange already, or guitars with no low end.
I do too but he’s so loyal it may not happen unless he works out some kindve deal with Chapman. Idk he’s got a lot of dealings going on it seems as it should be with lots of companies now. Victory, Neuraldsp and the Quad Cortex, Barwknuckles and idk who else. I have a feeling he’ll choose to stay with Chapman. Like I said he seems extremely loyal to Rob. Rob got him started and I think he truly appreciates it. It opened a lot of doors for him. He’s a great guitarist but they’re are a ton of great players. Rob brought him in his circle and that’s about that.
I recently purchased a Les Paul standard double cutaway from Japan and the burstbuckers just aren't my favorites. Been debating whether to install Polymaths or Silos. This video helped a lot Bea!
I really liked it's not SILO vs POLYMATH - instead - SILO or POLYMATH I had been confused on this for months now, had ordered SILOs - cancelled then polymath. I have been in so much discussions with Nolly on Facebook groups, Ben from BKP and TIM for wiring related doubts. At the end it's really about your taste like - just like in any other product as well. SILO - Warm, Higher low end, great for anything specially single guitar solo projects like Rabea will have for ambience albumns. I specially love the neck pickup, just so glassy, haven't heard any humbucker like that till now. Great for baritone as well. Polymath - Balanced, slightly higher mid range to make music more vocal sounding and jucier, great for mixing and that's what nolly is good in, great mixes - even his other plugins are great in balance. Parallel tones are great on this pickup but you may need help in wiring for this. I went for polymath only because I liked high gain bridge riffs in those. I am going for parallel wirings with the help of TIM at BKP. Parallel sounds on polymaths are just great. Again - SILOs neck is just something else. It's the best neck pickup I have ever heard.
I noticed many people saying the polymath is brighter in the comments but I am not really hearing that. For my taste the Polymath sounds to me like it is lacking some brightness and clarity under heavy gain that I personally search for in a pickup. I did however enjoy the tone of the polymath through the TS, but I prefer to get that bright and sort of grinding bite without needing additional help. The Polymath definitely has many applications it is well suited for but the Silo is the winner in my ears for pure musicality, clarity and chime plus a raw, almost old school bite with a modern voicing. I actually enjoy the Polymath in the neck position for cleans and I believe that paired with the Silo in the bridge may be the perfect pick up set.
My favorite pickups currently is What i have in my lefty 1990 charvel 475 which is dimarzio super 3 bridge wired straight to output basically and 2 dimarzio fast track 2 neck and middle. i turned what used to be the mid boost into tone 2. so tone 1 is hooked only to fast track 2 neck and 2nd tone is hooked only to fast track 2 in middle. I have not like you and others had the opportunity to play the guitar through tube amps. Basically i ran it through old rackmont Line 6 Pod i believe it was the xt version. But i am planning to buy some schecter's like the one of the cheap models and upgrade the tremolo to original floyd rose and change the pickups to probably bare knuckles silos or these polymaths. Depending on the range. Type of music i play goes from bluegrass, blues, to classic metal to thrash metal, and country. so something that can go from like a hank williams jr./waylon jennings to a Gary moore to Steve Vai/Joe Satriani to Dave Mustaine/James Hetfield. I was gonna do a coil tap or coil split to the dimarzio super 3 and fast track 2's but worried because i heard those ultra high pickups becomes too thin sounding. So i didn't, i don't have the means like others to test pickups and pickup wiring setups. So i will probably when i buy a new guitar probably a schecter i will possibly Try the Silos or polymaths in it and have Sweetwater sound install them . I did however noticed silos seemed louder but i think it was due to they were a little more darker sounding than the polymaths, but only slightly.
I have a set of Silos in my McCarty and they sound epic! Ordered another set for the P22 they handle everything well. And I love the double pole screw look with covers. 😎
Poly is more compressed and a bit more spikey whereas the Silo is a bit cleaner, not darker or muffled but more low mid sort of vibe... could be the floyd rose influence on them Silos. Good review Rabea
Okay, so if I had my druthers, I’d have a polymath in the neck for the cleaner creamier stuff, and a silo in the bridge for bone crushing distorted tones. Bea nailed it first time out of the gate with the Silo. It is by far my favorite high gain pickup. Maybe I’d add a third hum bucket with a Fishman Fluence to round it out.
after listening to this demo i played some with my alpha and omega pickups for comparison idk guess i am bias to them i tried alot of pickups and the alpha/omega are just incredible all around great sounding pickups you have played them before on your demo of the Mark Holcomb PRS but that has been awhile sir thx as always love all you do sir
Both sound great. I may prefer the Silo's. Also.....would love to hear your take on the whole thing that Glenn Fricker has been on about how for high gain at least it doesn't matter what pickup you have they all sound pretty much the same and that it's all just a bunch of marketing stuff.
Please do this in standard tuning. I’m deciding between these two pick ups and it’s hard to determine which one for a standard tuning player who does shred, country rock, hard rock, progressive metal and cleans.
bought the polymaths a year ago. never regretted it once despite the high import taxes europeans have to pay since brexit.... they have a "mid-range-nose" that i really like and that cuts very nicely through the mix of a band (especially on solos) yet have a unique character to my ears...and those middle positions are just beautiful
The Silo is definitely bassier. Considering it still sounded full in a Floyd equipped guitar, that's impressive. I wonder how it compares to the PRS Tremonti Treble? The Polymath I would love to try one day.
Would really like to see a little double track guitar demo with both of these pickups. It would give those of us who would like to get both a sense for how they complement each other. In, and out of a full mix would be nice as well.
the way i heard it is the Polymaths are the mitre saw. Your Silos are the angle grinder :) i personally prefer the silos for their midrange, just too tasty! Nothing wrong with the poly, just a taste thing, they sound so lush. I currently have guitars with Mules, Nailbombs and Warpigs and yea, bare knuckle just doesnt know how to make bad pickups it seems
I'm not a big fan of very hot pickups in general but both tonal signatures sound pleasing to my ear. I would love to hear what underwound silo's would sound. If they act as I suspect and that is slightly brighter an less compressed plus retaining that big and clear low end I would buy that set
I don’t think any pickup would sound bad in your hands. They’re very similar. I have a set of polymaths coming now and thinking of putting a silo in my guitar tuned to A# due to how nice it sounds in your baritone tuned down.
I loved the polymath in my Les Paul but was not pleased with it in a Caparison TAT Special. I think the poly’s are very guitar dependent. The silo bridge sounds dope AF in everything I’ve heard it in. Definitely like your pickups neck sound in this vid as that is what I like in a neck humbucker(hamburger) pickup to sound like. Very strat like.
I've been trying to decide between the silo, the polymath, and the ragnarok for a while now. They all sound so good! I love the top end grind of the poly. I can't tell if the silo has that or not. The silo is definitely a little thicker. Does anyone know if the ragnaroks have a similar mid range/treble sound to the polymath, or is the silo more similar in that regard? I want that top end grind with just a little more bass!!
oh my... I am solving same problem :) which to get for my THE ONLY ONE GUITAR I own and plan to go like that for some time. Its Strandberg with solid body (standard nx6). So, Rags, Silo or Poly? Which would be the most versatile set? Considering I have just 1 guitar? Versatility is number 1 importance, next is the heavy shit I play a lot :)
After I watched this video couple months ago, I have 2 sets of Silos in my 2 mayones regius core 6 with different bridges,even though sounds different more than expected,still love them both. I am thinking about to put the polymath in my Regius 7.. not sure it’s good or not.. I also have a set of Rag in my ESP USA horizon on drop C, and Jugg set in my strandberg J6, I love all of them. Bare knuckle never let me down. Not just about the sound,they all feel great
To my ears through this video it sounded to me like the Silos have more low mids, the polymaths have more high mids, the silo is more compressed, the polymath is more airy. Both good in their own semi similar applications!
It's interesting, and maybe it's just me - but the Polymath bridge is much brighter than the Silo, yet position 4 on the Silo is definitely brighter sounding (to my ears).
fairly close in overall vibe - silo's maybe a little darker at times (when on clean settings) silo's a bit punchier on high gain both sound amazing though - I have some Legendary humbuckers that sound just like the silo's which are awesome
To me they sound very similar, but there's a little low midrange warmth in the Silos which makes me lean that way (not just saying that because theyare your sigs!).
My opinion: Silos win the clean battle; they sounded warmer and fuller. Polymaths were a bit bright and thin for my taste. Polymaths win the crunch/distortion battle; they sounded less muddy. I am on the hunt for some pickups for an incoming PRS McCarty, as I plan to remove the stock vintage style 58/15 LTs in exchange for something more modern. I want to turn it into a chugging machine! For that reason, I may go with the Polymaths.
![F.HERO Ft. JSPKK x ลำไย ไหทองคำ x M-PEE - ไม่สนิทบิดหมด (Thai Riders Anthem) [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kPJZ0UihBfk/mqdefault.jpg)
Conclusion : Bare Knuckle makes dang good pickups.
Both sets sound awesome! The Polymaths sound more open with more note definition but less gain, while the Silos are just thick and awesomely chonky. I feel like they probably serve two different purposes: the thickness of the Silos would be perfect for single-guitar projects while the definition and cut of the Polymaths would work great in a band with multiple guitarists.
Which I think makes sense, since the Polymaths were designed with a multi guitarist band setting in mind, whereas Rabea has been fairly solo in his projects, correct? I may be wrong though, I’m definitely not clued into both artists like some others.
@@kronabus199a don't really know what Nolly does, but you're right about Bea. Last time he was in a band with another guitarist was Dorje, which was a long time ago at this point
Totally agree, seems like they were designed with two different purposes in mind. Both sound killer
@@ThePuffGD nolly played bass/guitar in periphery (who have 3 guitarists, 4 if you count nolly) and still plays with them on record, he also produces for them still
I honestly thought I was sold on the Polymaths, but hearing the Silos alongside, I just can't get over that lush low-midrange character they have. Really makes the amp purr. Silos it is, then! Cheers Bea 🤙
I vastly preferred the Polymath’s bridge pickup, super clear and chime-y…. And then greatly preferred the Silo’s in the other positions for that aforementioned mid range/low mid girth! Both are really tremendous sounding humbuckers. Want both ;)
Username checks out, but why would you betray your last name?
Mr Cheese?
Is it me or was the silo bridge super tight and percussive…lotta thump!
Personally I preferred the brightness and clarity of the Polymaths on the clean demo and the honky, girthy sound of the Silos on the crunch and hi gain.
Silo bridge and polymath neck?
Great pickups, I think that polymath bridge and silo neck would be an awesome blend !
I was thinking the same thing…is it me or was the silo bridge pickup super percussive
Did you end up with this combo amd if so, how are they combined
@@tryston2022 Hello, not for the moment maybe later but i’m not planning to buy new pickups for now
Silos have been in every baritone I've owned since they were released. Best pickups of all time for the heavy low crowd in my opinion.
To my ears , Silo has a nice growl . Poly has a nice top end grind . This helps A LOT !! Thanks for the demo Rabea .
The Polymath is like a polite Silo that got a haircut and a suit. Sharp and precise. I prefer the beast within the Silo tbh.
The polymaths seem like they were made to maintain definition as gain increases without becoming woofy or nasally, and they accomplish that very well!
Ordering a Silo bridge, Polymath neck. Thanks for the help, Bea.
Hey, did you go for this setup? I am thinking same thing, but still afraid of pulling the trigger. Also, what is the guitar? Since lots of people talk about these pickups being better for some guitars and otherwise for the others. I am going to buy something (probably same set as you did) for my solid basswood body Strandberg with maple neck.
Im also curious
Sooo, the Polymaths have very even frequency responce, and Silos in comparison have bumps in lower mids and highs, to my ear at least. Both sets got an awesome character of their own and exellent string to string definition.
Been a fan of Bare Knuckle pickups for three years now. None out of dozen pickups I had was dull sounding. Another exellent work on these two sets!
And a great vid, Bea. Appreciate your work!
I tried both pickup sets, and the poly is my favorite by far. it has that fluid feel for leads without getting mushy on rhythm. The bridge Silo is a tonal monster, absolutely beastly, and the Poly has a bit less power but with a lot of 'sing' to it. The poly neck is warmer but retains the clarity, where the Silo neck has a lot less output imho, and feels a lot more like a singlecoil
Love the Polymath. Sounds like a PAF with more juice.
If i had a blindfold on i could picture a super hot SG being played
@@kremepye3613that's my opinion exactly
Hello Rabea! I think the fact you played both sets with the same , admirable passion makes it really difficult to choose between those awesome pickups. I have to disagree on one point tho... you said the played part was the most boring. Not at all mate!! Was quite amazing, keep it comin'! Thank you :)
I was looking for exactly this comparison!! Absolutely set on a Silo Bridge and Polymath Neck for a nice upgrade to my ML3 baritone after seeing this. You crush it as always, sir!
this is why im here !! hahahhaha exactly the pair i was thinking of going with and boom here is this video
So I love the midrange of the Silo in the bridge, it's like a really hot PAF. But I also love the way the Polymath sounds in the neck. Sounds like I need one of each lol. Thanks so much for this!
One extra thing to take into account: The Chapman doesn't have a tone pot, which will affect the output and final EQ of the pickup compared to the other guitars, unless they have no-load tone pots.
even then, the wire will arguably add capacitance
There seems to be better separation on the Poly's than the Silo's and there is noticeably less gain, but there is a fullness on the Silo's which is missing in the Poly's. Surprisingly the Poly's seem to actually push really well under distortion. Pretty interesting curve on them. I have a set of Silo's in my B2 which I absolutely love, but I'm tempted to do my own shootout to see which fairs better. Thanks for the video comparison!
I said it back when you demo’d the Nolly plug-in and I’ll say it again here. This piece of music is (for me) the best thing you’ve written. It has “Hit” written all over it. It gives me chills to this day and there is one particular note you hit in the solo which to me is just “it”! You just need a great singer to write a great melody for it. Don’t mean to fan boy but I know a great tune when I hear it!
The Polymath definitively sounds like a buffed version of the Bare Knuckle Abraxas (as someone from BKP acknowledged in a previous Nolly video, offset coils etc...). However, the "PAF with rolled back mids" character I love in my Abraxas does not feel as good when on a higher output PU. As the power increases, a PU needs mids to feel full. And there the Silo is the clear winner. Nolly's sound is a bit more Djent colored and Djent tones are usually a bit dry to my ears. I reckon the Polymath fits right there, when the Silo is openly about progressive musique.
The Silo’s position 2 and 4 (inner/outer coils) sound AMAZING! Very pleasing, unlike a lot of pickup sets.
I prefer the Silo, the mid frequency peak seemed lower with the Silo, it gives the sound a bit more weight, but they are both great, the Polymaths would probably sound great in a Les Paul
I thought this too. Poly’s have a great Les Paul honk to them
Pretty certain I'm going to throw a Silo in the bridge and Polymath in the neck in a future project guitar! Thanks Bea!
I love both l, they are different beasts, i can see many uses for both. Its all flavor. The silos are more rich sounding and the polymath has a sick midrange bite
Bare Knuckle did it right as far as getting into the market.
They started with a tiny ad in the back of Guitar World and then they got shills to sing their praises all over the internet until the public began trying their pickups and turns out they're real deal, good pickups. In a few short years they are now as big a name as Duncan, Dimarzio, etc
I think they would need to have a range of more affordable pickups to be on that level. Right now they are pretty niche with boutique pricing. Nonetheless fantastic pickups.
@@Return2TheLiving They do, look up the Bootcamp series
@@BenFentem shit, you are right! How long has this been a thing lol
One of the best pickup tones I have ever played is the middle position between my silos with the neck pickup coil tapped to single coil. It's absolutely unreal! Running them in my Eastwood ultra GP
They sound exactly like my BKP from 2007. I feel like they all sound so similar it's hard to tell apart.
Love both sets. It's interesting how to my ear the sets go in reverse. The bridge in the polymath set is a little brighter sounding where the silo has more low end punch. But the neck polymath is so warm and buttery. And the silo neck was brighter and more jangly tonally. For me I would combine the 2 and have a silo bridge and a polymath neck in a guitar based on what I've heard here.
Totally get you but I'd go the other around . Weird isn't it
@@10brucelees not at all. I could definitely see going the other way as well.
Same
wow, I was thinking the same!
@@10brucelees yeah I'd go with polymath bridge and silo neck too.
Crisp tidy and open bridge for riffs in the pocket and smooth leads;
and a honky heavy neck for those pumping riffs and wild bendy leads. Versatile.
Both sound absolutely fantastic and as some of the others posting here say they are different beasts that have their places! Cheers brutha Bea!
Currently waiting on my custom shop ESP. I've decided to go with the Silos for it.
The polymath cleans make my heart melt (in a good way)
I just got Polymaths put in my Mayones Regius Core. The neck pickup is absolutely beautiful, and the bridge can definitely get angry. I love them. Now I need a Silos set in one of my other guitars.
didn't even watch but i just love this whole thumbnail/theme coming from a bigger youtuber artist. Love to see you do this stuff again! We may have lost Merrow but we now have BEA!
I know I’m not the only one that’s been waiting for this video! Cheers to You Bea!! I’m still sold on the Silos. 🤘
Definitely the BKP comparison I was looking for, thanks!! They both sound fantastic!
I like Silo on the neck and Polymath on the bridge!
Just got silos in a baritone. They’re 10/10. Throwing polymaths in a prs in a couple weeks so this video only makes the wait worse. Thanks for the great video Rabea.
How were those Polymaths in the PRS?
It’s still the honeymoon phase but they’re by far my favorite set of BKP’s. Not very hot and the feel is something you need to experience. That’s the biggest thing pickup comparison videos will never be able to show you. I’ve had Juggernauts multiple times, Ragnarok, Black Hawk and Impulse sets. They’re all good and specialize in something. The Polymath might be the most versatile of them all.
Cheers Rabea. I think I am sold on the silo neck, dig that bluesy type tone... still no closer to deciding on the bridge, both sound great in their way!
You're right about BKP not making a bad sounding pickup. I went back and forth between getting a set of Silos or Polymaths, but opted for Silos in my 7 string. Just wired them in yesterday. I'm really stoked, but the Polymath would have been a good choice as well.
Great video, as always. Thanks for the tone test.
The Silos have a beautiful wide soundscape that seems to surround the core notes. The polymath on the other hand seems veeeeeery tight and would be awesome in a very muddy bass-heavy guitar like my PRS S2.
this two is'nt something that we can choose to, but to have it all, they have different character. Silo with raw, presence and extended high tone and the polymath sound tidier, lower output, sweet mid and so dynamic.
I really like these pickups. I will try the Silo in the bridge position and the polymath in the neck position on my guitar. Also the Ragnarok in the bridge position sounds great. I like the combination with different kind of pickups in one guitar, because it gives me more options.
Great comparison, While both are awesome sounding sets I like the silo bridge and pair it with a polymath neck…Love the thump of the silo bridge and the way the polymath breathes at any volume…great sounding, well worth the money
Thanks a lot for sharing this, this is the perfect timing, I was thinking about changing the pick up of my chapman 7 string rob scallon signature, looking for something brighter with more definition, your test is giving me lots of information 😊👍👌
my first thought: the polymaths are probably easier to mix xD
second thought: i prefer the silos cause "more is more" if if i want less i can fix that in the DAW
dunno lol
Same thing! ;)
hey what's up man, amazing demonstration, silo woooo, thats pickups blowed up my head
greetings from mexico
Having owned and played both of these, they are very similar but with some key differences.
Both have a fairly small low end, and smooth high end.
They’re both midrange focused pickups, with the Silo emphasizing the lower mids a bit, and the Poly more so the high mids.
The silo is a bit darker and smoother, the poly a bit brighter with more attack.
The Silo saturates a bit quicker, it’s just a touch hotter, has a spongier attack on the strings.
The poly is a little more open, and crunchier, sharper attack, a little more articulate.
They’re both fantastic pickups, amazing all rounders, great cleans, crunch and high gain tones. Leads especially as one would expect from pickups with accentuated mids.
I would suggest the Silo for slightly brighter guitars, and the Poly for slightly darker guitars, and neither for guitars with a large midrange already, or guitars with no low end.
My 2 fav sets! Completely different, both completely amazing ;)
Thank you Bea for leaving me with the most perplexing decision of my life. Guess I have to get both now!
I have a strange feeling that Bea won't be with Chapman for much longer and will form a new partnership somewhere else
I do too but he’s so loyal it may not happen unless he works out some kindve deal with Chapman. Idk he’s got a lot of dealings going on it seems as it should be with lots of companies now. Victory, Neuraldsp and the Quad Cortex, Barwknuckles and idk who else. I have a feeling he’ll choose to stay with Chapman. Like I said he seems extremely loyal to Rob. Rob got him started and I think he truly appreciates it. It opened a lot of doors for him. He’s a great guitarist but they’re are a ton of great players. Rob brought him in his circle and that’s about that.
This aged well.
Called it
This was such a good call lol
You were spot on Nostrildamus !!
This was an absolutely amazing video and is making the decision even harder!
I have Silo's in two different guitars and LOVE them. They are really excellent in clean, crunch or high gain.
This is really just a fun excuse to watch Rabea play for an extended amount of time! 😊
I recently purchased a Les Paul standard double cutaway from Japan and the burstbuckers just aren't my favorites. Been debating whether to install Polymaths or Silos. This video helped a lot Bea!
I really liked it's not SILO vs POLYMATH - instead - SILO or POLYMATH
I had been confused on this for months now, had ordered SILOs - cancelled then polymath. I have been in so much discussions with Nolly on Facebook groups, Ben from BKP and TIM for wiring related doubts. At the end it's really about your taste like - just like in any other product as well.
SILO - Warm, Higher low end, great for anything specially single guitar solo projects like Rabea will have for ambience albumns. I specially love the neck pickup, just so glassy, haven't heard any humbucker like that till now. Great for baritone as well.
Polymath - Balanced, slightly higher mid range to make music more vocal sounding and jucier, great for mixing and that's what nolly is good in, great mixes - even his other plugins are great in balance. Parallel tones are great on this pickup but you may need help in wiring for this.
I went for polymath only because I liked high gain bridge riffs in those. I am going for parallel wirings with the help of TIM at BKP. Parallel sounds on polymaths are just great.
Again - SILOs neck is just something else. It's the best neck pickup I have ever heard.
Just got my SILO bridge pickup for my strat. It sounds perfect.
I noticed many people saying the polymath is brighter in the comments but I am not really hearing that. For my taste the Polymath sounds to me like it is lacking some brightness and clarity under heavy gain that I personally search for in a pickup. I did however enjoy the tone of the polymath through the TS, but I prefer to get that bright and sort of grinding bite without needing additional help. The Polymath definitely has many applications it is well suited for but the Silo is the winner in my ears for pure musicality, clarity and chime plus a raw, almost old school bite with a modern voicing.
I actually enjoy the Polymath in the neck position for cleans and I believe that paired with the Silo in the bridge may be the perfect pick up set.
My favorite pickups currently is What i have in my lefty 1990 charvel 475 which is dimarzio super 3 bridge wired straight to output basically and 2 dimarzio fast track 2 neck and middle. i turned what used to be the mid boost into tone 2. so tone 1 is hooked only to fast track 2 neck and 2nd tone is hooked only to fast track 2 in middle. I have not like you and others had the opportunity to play the guitar through tube amps. Basically i ran it through old rackmont Line 6 Pod i believe it was the xt version. But i am planning to buy some schecter's like the one of the cheap models and upgrade the tremolo to original floyd rose and change the pickups to probably bare knuckles silos or these polymaths. Depending on the range. Type of music i play goes from bluegrass, blues, to classic metal to thrash metal, and country. so something that can go from like a hank williams jr./waylon jennings to a Gary moore to Steve Vai/Joe Satriani to Dave Mustaine/James Hetfield. I was gonna do a coil tap or coil split to the dimarzio super 3 and fast track 2's but worried because i heard those ultra high pickups becomes too thin sounding. So i didn't, i don't have the means like others to test pickups and pickup wiring setups. So i will probably when i buy a new guitar probably a schecter i will possibly Try the Silos or polymaths in it and have Sweetwater sound install them . I did however noticed silos seemed louder but i think it was due to they were a little more darker sounding than the polymaths, but only slightly.
I have a set of Silos in my McCarty and they sound epic! Ordered another set for the P22 they handle everything well. And I love the double pole screw look with covers. 😎
Poly is more compressed and a bit more spikey whereas the Silo is a bit cleaner, not darker or muffled but more low mid sort of vibe... could be the floyd rose influence on them Silos. Good review Rabea
Okay, so if I had my druthers, I’d have a polymath in the neck for the cleaner creamier stuff, and a silo in the bridge for bone crushing distorted tones. Bea nailed it first time out of the gate with the Silo. It is by far my favorite high gain pickup. Maybe I’d add a third hum bucket with a Fishman Fluence to round it out.
after listening to this demo i played some with my alpha and omega pickups for comparison idk guess i am bias to them i tried alot of pickups and the alpha/omega are just incredible all around great sounding pickups you have played them before on your demo of the Mark Holcomb PRS but that has been awhile sir thx as always love all you do sir
dude the silos sound sooo nice. saving up for them for sure.
Both sound great. I may prefer the Silo's. Also.....would love to hear your take on the whole thing that Glenn Fricker has been on about how for high gain at least it doesn't matter what pickup you have they all sound pretty much the same and that it's all just a bunch of marketing stuff.
@09:40- I'm all in on the sigh'lowz'! Merry Christmas✝12/13/22BOM.
Please do this in standard tuning. I’m deciding between these two pick ups and it’s hard to determine which one for a standard tuning player who does shred, country rock, hard rock, progressive metal and cleans.
Very close! Silo wins, Polymath is great too! Thanx again AWESOME PLAYIN AS ALWAYS!
More chime and higher output in silos. More clarity in the low mids on the polymath and a cool mid range bite.
bought the polymaths a year ago. never regretted it once despite the high import taxes europeans have to pay since brexit.... they have a "mid-range-nose" that i really like and that cuts very nicely through the mix of a band (especially on solos) yet have a unique character to my ears...and those middle positions are just beautiful
The Silo is definitely bassier. Considering it still sounded full in a Floyd equipped guitar, that's impressive. I wonder how it compares to the PRS Tremonti Treble?
The Polymath I would love to try one day.
Would really like to see a little double track guitar demo with both of these pickups. It would give those of us who would like to get both a sense for how they complement each other. In, and out of a full mix would be nice as well.
I put a silo in the bridge of my guitar and it sounds absolutely amazing.
Many many month with my SILOs. Really good pickups in my collection.
Both sounds great. Personally for the bridge I liked the Silos and for the neck the Polymaths. Would be curious to see how they sound together
the way i heard it is the Polymaths are the mitre saw. Your Silos are the angle grinder :)
i personally prefer the silos for their midrange, just too tasty!
Nothing wrong with the poly, just a taste thing, they sound so lush. I currently have guitars with Mules, Nailbombs and Warpigs and yea, bare knuckle just doesnt know how to make bad pickups it seems
I'm not a big fan of very hot pickups in general but both tonal signatures sound pleasing to my ear. I would love to hear what underwound silo's would sound. If they act as I suspect and that is slightly brighter an less compressed plus retaining that big and clear low end I would buy that set
I don’t think any pickup would sound bad in your hands. They’re very similar. I have a set of polymaths coming now and thinking of putting a silo in my guitar tuned to A# due to how nice it sounds in your baritone tuned down.
I loved the polymath in my Les Paul but was not pleased with it in a Caparison TAT Special. I think the poly’s are very guitar dependent. The silo bridge sounds dope AF in everything I’ve heard it in. Definitely like your pickups neck sound in this vid as that is what I like in a neck humbucker(hamburger) pickup to sound like. Very strat like.
Cleans for Polymath
Distortion/Overdrive for Silo
Both sound great!! I could see myself using both, i rather liked the silo more on the cleans and lead.
I’d go Silo bridge, Poly neck. Fat round sounding pickups in both spots.
Both sound great! I'm guessing the Silo's might handle aging strings better.
I've been trying to decide between the silo, the polymath, and the ragnarok for a while now. They all sound so good! I love the top end grind of the poly. I can't tell if the silo has that or not. The silo is definitely a little thicker. Does anyone know if the ragnaroks have a similar mid range/treble sound to the polymath, or is the silo more similar in that regard? I want that top end grind with just a little more bass!!
oh my... I am solving same problem :) which to get for my THE ONLY ONE GUITAR I own and plan to go like that for some time. Its Strandberg with solid body (standard nx6). So, Rags, Silo or Poly? Which would be the most versatile set? Considering I have just 1 guitar? Versatility is number 1 importance, next is the heavy shit I play a lot :)
After I watched this video couple months ago, I have 2 sets of Silos in my 2 mayones regius core 6 with different bridges,even though sounds different more than expected,still love them both. I am thinking about to put the polymath in my Regius 7.. not sure it’s good or not.. I also have a set of Rag in my ESP USA horizon on drop C, and Jugg set in my strandberg J6, I love all of them. Bare knuckle never let me down. Not just about the sound,they all feel great
god damn, both sets sound incredible.
Really helpful thanks man!
I'd probably use the polymaths for recording rhythm tracks but otherwise prefer the silos. Both sound good though
I purchased some Silos. They are in production. Cant wait to get them. Rabea do you use modern or 50s wiring for them?
To my ears through this video it sounded to me like the Silos have more low mids, the polymaths have more high mids, the silo is more compressed, the polymath is more airy. Both good in their own semi similar applications!
It's interesting, and maybe it's just me - but the Polymath bridge is much brighter than the Silo, yet position 4 on the Silo is definitely brighter sounding (to my ears).
fairly close in overall vibe - silo's maybe a little darker at times (when on clean settings) silo's a bit punchier on high gain both sound amazing though - I have some Legendary humbuckers that sound just like the silo's which are awesome
The polymath's are brighter but the silo's warmth is more my flavor 🤘🏽
To me they sound very similar, but there's a little low midrange warmth in the Silos which makes me lean that way (not just saying that because theyare your sigs!).
The Polymaths are a mid forward and brighter sounding than the Silos, my preference is the thicker sound of the Silos.
My opinion: Silos win the clean battle; they sounded warmer and fuller. Polymaths were a bit bright and thin for my taste. Polymaths win the crunch/distortion battle; they sounded less muddy. I am on the hunt for some pickups for an incoming PRS McCarty, as I plan to remove the stock vintage style 58/15 LTs in exchange for something more modern. I want to turn it into a chugging machine! For that reason, I may go with the Polymaths.
A bit late but how did it go? I'm debating on the same
@@tryston2022 Wish I had kept the stock 58/15s in the McCarty, especially the neck. Wasn't a fan of the Polymaths at all.
@carliniguitar one thing I will say is the polymath has to be close to the strings. I'd say 2mm or even 1.6 and they come alive
Never tried the silo but have the polymath in a prs: they are quite sensitive to height and can get quite chunky when treble side lowered down.
I was waiting for this
Need to compare Silo’s vs Warpig’s!!
Good tones man!
Both sound incredible!!