Absolutely. Most gear we're interested in is reviewed as a "sound test" which is only letting you know the person correctly installed them and turned on an amp. You provide lots of BACK-TO-BACK examples (the most valuable part) as well as clean labeling and excellent additional notes. This is a EXCELLENT resource. Thank you.
i've watched countless BKP comparison/demo videos on youtube and this one is the best by far. thank you for playing practical song structures with guitar chords so you can really hear the differences between each pickup. there are too many other videos out there with jumbled guitar solos and straight wankery.
Robert Craig either that or straight djentage and mix on top of mix that you cant really hear the pickup. rock stuff like this really makes it easy to hear the pickup. one more thing those phone recorded videos. ughh
This is a phenomenal setup for a comparison video. I've gotten so tired of those other comparison videos that play a large chunk of a song before moving onto the next pickup. The way this video has the pickups playing that same riff back to back, one after the other, is by far the best way to do a comparison vid.
there are hardly any people who’ve reviewed or made videos on the emerald, and so it always seemed a bit of a mystery to me. but this helped me decide it will be the next pickup i purchase, thanks!
After 2 years of playing the Rebel Yell in a korean PRS, it is simply the best goddamn humbucker I have ever played. Super responsive to the fingers, and if you ask him to go "wanna rock and roll?", he will answer "fuck yeah I do, fuck yeah!". My best friend for life.
+kembooo000 Thanks! You should look at this other vid as well as all the rhythm guitars were done with the Emerald, the tone is a bit more saturated than in the pickup comparison vid th-cam.com/video/nbojhmBgy5w/w-d-xo.html
+Richard Fay that video was great too. I'm actually looking for a pickup to get a tone like some psychedelic stoner bands (colour haze - the machine - sungrazer). if you have any recommandation it would be nice!
Yeah, now I'm really torn as to what I'm going to put in the PRS I'm going to mod for stoner/doom stuff. Do I want a Holy Diver in the neck and a Warpig in the bridge, or vice versa?
Seriously the best comparison on youtube. If you ever had the time you could do the warpig, blackdog, painkiller, and aftermath, and juggernauts for us? Maybe the nail bomb?
Richard thank you so much for making these videos, it's so difficult to assess this gear without hearing it all in such close comparison as a result of your efforts I just ordered a Kemper rack version and a BKP Holy Diver pickup for my Explorer, I have been tempted to buy an Axe FX for recording but the Kemper sounds way more real to my ears I can't wait to try out more Kemper profiles, that Budda profile sounds killer!
Thanks for the great feedback - I'm planning on doing lots more videos as I'm enjoying making them! I'm sure you'll love the Kemper and Holy Diver - a great combination :) (btw you can get the Budda profile for free by subscribing to the A/M profiles newsletter on their website)
I wasn't expecting to like it the most, but love the Holy Diver! I'll definitely pick one up for a new guitar I'm putting together. I was wanting a P-90 for the neck, but I think the Stockholm would be a bit much in that position, I might go with the Nantucket or Supermassive
Yeah I love the BKP hot single coils - they retail the feel and tone of a proper single coil at lower gain and clean settings, but the higher output means they handle higher gain much better!
This is great video. I have a Les Paul with 57 Classics that gets too shrill when going into high gain. I think a set of Emeralds is in my future. They sounded nice and rounded to my ear.
I'm just a Bassist who "dabbles" in Guitar for songwriting, jamming and the occasional Rhythm Guitar gig, but I *really* like the Rebel Yells - very nice Cleans, can go from Classic and "Hard" Rock to more \m/etal tones quite nicely, but cleans up with Volume roll-offs. So far they're my top choice to drop into my very modded PRS SE Tremonti Custom & Nick Catanese "Mark II" 2nd Generation Signature Models. Any opinion on a similar but heavier tone for my C-Standard, all-Mahogany "MKI" Catanese 1st Generation Model? (the all-Black with Red Pickup Rings, Body & Neck Binding version)
Appreciate the straightforward, but tasty, song selected for this. It provided plenty of techniques/dynamics but wasn’t overplayed, making it possible to actually notice the differences. Having said that, is it just me or (in a general way) did all of the BKP sound really good while the Ibanez RGA sounded thin and anemic? This is coming from a huge Ibanez fan BTW.
Building an HSS strat. Buddy Guy polka dot body with a warmoth neck and Floyd Rose. Kinda want one fun 80’s shredder guitar. EVH II, Holy Diver or Rebel Yell?
@@afterstars no worries! I should also say that the Holy Diver is great too, definitely one of my favourites, but it's a bit darker, more low-mid frequency focused than the Rebel Yell. If the guitar is really trebley in nature then the HD might suit it better, but if it's fairly balanced then the RY is the more lively 80s rock pickup :)
Great video and pickup comparisons. I have an Les Paul R7 Goldtop and while i tried various pickups (GIbson 496T, SD Pearly Gates, SD '59/Custom Hybrid) i haven't found one that suits the guitar nicely. I was eyeing the BK Rebel Yells a bit and the Abraxas but the HolyDiver sounded really good, do you think those will go well in a LPS? BTW, what guitar did you use for this video?
What a demo should be. Thanks for the help in choosing a BKP (now if only I can find someone with a neck position video half as good as this one). One question; how drastic are the tonal changes in person? Even through my best headphones I have on hand the change is noticeable but subtle.
I find the differences much more noticeable to me playing (and to the live sound) than to the recorded sound. I notice the difference in compression and dynamics much more, so although any demo will give you an idea of the tone, you still won't know for sure until you play it yourself! For example, the painkiller is much hotter in feel, easier to get harmonics, etc, compared to say the Emerald, but is also a bit all-or-nothing, whereas the Emerald has great dynamics and pick response. And thanks for the compliments :)
Thank you! I just wonder what I should get for a Gibson Flying V if I want it to sound a tad hotter than a Gibson Classic 57 plus, but still sound like an Alnico bridge pickup.
Was it an RGA 7 that you used in this? I have one and find it very muddy sounding, the RGA in this is much clearer though. I was thinking of changing the pickups to BKP's so this is literally a perfect video for me, thanks for doing it.
Luke Nelson no worries ☺ It wasn't an rga7, it was a set of those pickups in an ash 7 string that I built for my son. They were very cheap 2nd hand from eBay! They've since been replaced by more bkp's 😀
I realize this an old video but was extremely useful. Have a holy diver in my super strat and love it. Very curious about the emerald now for a different flavor. Is it as fat as the holy diver in your opinion? Thanks again
I don't think the Emerald is as fat as the HD, no. It's got more of a high end focus than the HD, which is more low mid focussed in my opinion. The Emerald is still a great sounding pickup though. Although it's got more pronounced high frequencies than the HD, they're not ice-picky treble frequencies, they're really smooth. If you want a different flavour to the HD then it's a great choice - much brighter. My favourite at the moment is the Juggernaut, which is really low-mid focussed like the HD, but feels like it has 'more' of everything to me! lol (compared to the HD) :)
Hi Richard, have you had any experience with the Vhii bridge? It is one of my very few disappointments with BNs. It is on a Yamaha Revstar. The attack is so immediate, harsh and bright, I am afraid of touching the strings at all. I might sell it or try on a better suited guitar, if there is one somewhere. What say you?
I have had a VHII before, it certainly wasn't really trebley for me. But I do find that the BKP vintage and vintage hot pickups seem to react and bring out the inherent tone of the guitar, big time. The hotter pickups do it a bit less, imho, but I think that you definitely need to swap to a pickup with more subdued highs, for that guitar (imho) 🙂
Thanks for taking time to amswer.... what guitar did you have the VHii bridge on, if you please? Also, I have come to think you are predominantly a high-gain player, so that may be a factor I guess.
@@emreemre369 the VHII I had was in a maple thru neck, ash body, ebony board 7-string that I built, with a Hipshot contour trem. Regarding gain, I write and record quite a bit of hi gain stuff, but I gig in a couple of rock and pop covers bands, so a lot of my evaluating of pickups is done by playing lots of different styles! Lol
Cool. Got a question: which would you recommend for pinched harmonics, Zakk Wylde-esque squeals, that sort of thing? I've already swapped out the stock DiMarzios from an Ibanez RGT, but still not happy with bridge (Iron Gear Dirty Torque).
Out of the ones I've tried I would say that the Rebel Yell and Painkiller are probably the most lively and raucous, making it easy to get pinch harmonics from them (although the Holy Diver is good for that too, it just depends on the overall tone you want). Having said that, if I was specifically after a Zakk Wylde tone then I'd have to go for the Miracle Man as that's what it's named after! :)
Richard Fay I need some advice. I am looking for a Bare Knuckle close in voice to Dimarzio Breed, for a fairly bright and scooped strat. Ordered the Holy Diver but now thinking Painkiller could be a better fit, HD might be too polite for the job. I am not a metal guy more hard rock, but I really liked the Breed, I just want something better. Any ideas you could offer?
I've not tried the Breed, but looking at descriptions of it I think the HD is probably fairly similar. HD is definitely fat with low mids and bottom end, and should suit you for hard rock. The PK is a lot more 'in your face' with a real high mid punch and is a bit less versatile due to it's brash nature. I still like it, but the HD is warmer, fatter with low mids, etc
Okay thanks I ordered the HD anyway... I think Breed was a little more aggressive type of pup though Would you say Painkiller would work on an Alder strat? like would it be too bright?
Emre Emre I would definitely try the HD first - it seems to me to fit the guitar and the sound you want. Obviously it's only opinions and you won't know until you try it, but yes I think the PK could be too spikey if the guitar is really bright naturally 😊
Richard this is my third day with the Holy Diver. I tried Abraxas, Black Dogs Crawler ands some other Bare Knuckles, not all on this guitar though. Holy Diver is the one I least liked. There is something harsh I am hearing in this pickup. I know it is supposed to be smooth and all, becaue the top end is rolled off. But I t makes me feel like I am playing through a transistor amp, I dunno what youd make of that. Maybe I put this on some years later and then I like it, that happens!
Hi, nice informative vid thanks, Im looking at putting a Holy Diver in my SSH strat. Do they play cleans well? or do they really suit and are aimed for drive
Yeah they're good for cleans too - I would think you'd be able to find some vids of clean sounds as it's a very commonly used BKP 🙂 Definitely one of my favourites, and I play in a couple of covers bands where I need to do lots of different styles 🙂
Emerald kicks ass... but probably not on a strat .- like mine.. how do you think about that? and how about Black dog on a strat if you tried that? Real good review congrats...
It has less bottom end than a lot of other BKP's yes. I still think it's a great hard rock pickup though, just less dominant bottom frequencies compared to some of the others, smooth highs and really balanced mids too
I would've thought that if anything it'd be better for that, because you'd have a lot of control over that bottom end, it wouldn't be boomy and overbearing, but that's just my opinion! I guess you'd have to try one!
You've nailed it, Richard. Absolutely frustrating how few people understand that to compare sounds, you've got to play the same thing. They just can't resist getting their dick out and playing different stuff for way too long, wiping the very short memory for tone that all of us have for something new.
I think the cleans of the Emerald are nicer (in my opinion), because the Em has more, glassy highs and less mids than the RY. The RY has a bit more mid push which is great for punchy dirty sounds but not as nice for cleans. Not that the RY doesn't have nice cleans too, but the Em is sweeter, imho :)
Painkiller, maybe - lots of high mids to cut through the mix. Message the guys at BKP and ask them though - they're really helpful and know their stuff!
I own a knaggs ssc it came new with bare knuckle mules i had bare knuckle custom make me a set of rebel yell pickups and they are killer tons of grunt if hi gain rock is your bag buy a set “though not cheap “ mine cost delivered £325 “ but well worth the money my knaggs was £3750 almost £800 cheaper than original.
Good vid, but I think I wish there were no overdubs......to me, they sound very similar. I think if re-done with no overdubs, more differences could be detected.
What a great demo. Only thing is that to understand best how the pick ups respond to tubes is to use a tube amp. Modelers are just a mathematical representation of a physical truth.
They aren't all in the same guitar, although the guitars were similar. I concede in the video that this will have an effect on the tones. However, I still stand by these tones as being pretty representative of the pickups relative to each other. Having built lots of guitars over the last 25 years and tried loads of pickups (BKP's in particular) for recording and lots of live use, I feel like these tones are a good example of the basic pickups' tone. I wouldn't have continued with the test (or included all of the pickups in the video) if I felt like any weren't good representations of those pickups. Hope that makes sense, I do understand that it would arguably be better in the same guitar :)
Really useful. Probably the best pickup comparison I've ever seen.
Absolutely. Most gear we're interested in is reviewed as a "sound test" which is only letting you know the person correctly installed them and turned on an amp.
You provide lots of BACK-TO-BACK examples (the most valuable part) as well as clean labeling and excellent additional notes. This is a EXCELLENT resource. Thank you.
Seriously, finally someone who understands
Simple right.
i've watched countless BKP comparison/demo videos on youtube and this one is the best by far. thank you for playing practical song structures with guitar chords so you can really hear the differences between each pickup. there are too many other videos out there with jumbled guitar solos and straight wankery.
Robert Craig either that or straight djentage and mix on top of mix that you cant really hear the pickup. rock stuff like this really makes it easy to hear the pickup. one more thing those phone recorded videos. ughh
This is a phenomenal setup for a comparison video. I've gotten so tired of those other comparison videos that play a large chunk of a song before moving onto the next pickup. The way this video has the pickups playing that same riff back to back, one after the other, is by far the best way to do a comparison vid.
Rebel Yell! Tighter lows, crisp high mids and highs. Will cut better in a mix.
Expensive JB
I thought it was more similar to a Gibson 498T....
@@anthonydavella8350 for me the Holy Diver is more like a JB
@@Matheuszalenski Which means BOTH are too similar and NEITHER are worth the extra money.
The openness uncompressed sound of the holy diver puts it on top. IMHO.
THIS. THIS is how you should review pickups people.
there are hardly any people who’ve reviewed or made videos on the emerald, and so it always seemed a bit of a mystery to me. but this helped me decide it will be the next pickup i purchase, thanks!
Me to. I wanted the rebel yell till i heard the emerald
@@Gaytanjeremy I lied, it wasn’t the next pickup I purchased, I got a Seymour Duncan Custom 5, but I still do really want to try it.
This video should be the gold-standard for pickup comparison videos
The best pickup comparison video I’ve ever seen, well done
great comparison video, really digging the rebel yell but also like the holy diver and painkiller
Please organize a crowdfunding for making a 2.0 version of this video with all of them humbuckers pls.
;)
This would be awesome tbh
Still waiting btw
yeah still waiting
@@Glokta6 still waiting bro!
I found your article on Google and I wound up here. Thanks so much for the info in the article as well as this demo. Subbed
Frickin p90 sounds killer.
After 2 years of playing the Rebel Yell in a korean PRS, it is simply the best goddamn humbucker I have ever played. Super responsive to the fingers, and if you ask him to go "wanna rock and roll?", he will answer "fuck yeah I do, fuck yeah!". My best friend for life.
try suhr aldrich pickups and you may change your mind.
@@ray1ashwin Been there, output too high. I like the RY because it actually has a fairly moderate output. It rocks by character, not power.
The pick attack is nicely pronounced, giving that aggressive character without being harsh. 👌
The Stockholm p90s and the Emerald... Wow
exactly the sound im looking for too
One of the best pickup comparisons on TH-cam. Very informative and measured.
the emerald has the exact tone I'm looking for! thanks!!
+kembooo000 Thanks! You should look at this other vid as well as all the rhythm guitars were done with the Emerald, the tone is a bit more saturated than in the pickup comparison vid th-cam.com/video/nbojhmBgy5w/w-d-xo.html
+Richard Fay that video was great too. I'm actually looking for a pickup to get a tone like some psychedelic stoner bands (colour haze - the machine - sungrazer). if you have any recommandation it would be nice!
+kembooo000 Have a look through the bareknuckle forums, I've seen lots of posts about getting stoner tones on there
Richard Fay What's the name of this song?--it's great!!!
The holy diver has great caracteristics, smooth warm top end enough bite and this magical paf hotroded sound
Dig the Holy Diver the most. nice comparison!
I think the HD is probably my favourite BKP - so warm and fat and really versatile
Would the Holy Diver sound good in a Les Paul or it would be too bassy/muddy??
Yeah, now I'm really torn as to what I'm going to put in the PRS I'm going to mod for stoner/doom stuff. Do I want a Holy Diver in the neck and a Warpig in the bridge, or vice versa?
war pig i imagine would be a good doom pickup - sit
@@Aceandbob23 I would like to know the answer to that one too.
Seriously the best comparison on youtube. If you ever had the time you could do the warpig, blackdog, painkiller, and aftermath, and juggernauts for us? Maybe the nail bomb?
Holy diver: 0:36 0:48 0:54
Rebel Yell: 1:00 1:12 1:18
Emerald: 1:24 1:36 1:42
Painkiller: 1:48 2:00 2:06
thanks, i really needed that
such a badass riff i didnt mind listening to it all
Those Stockholm's!!! so thick! My fav is the Rebel Yell
Richard thank you so much for making these videos, it's so difficult to assess this gear without hearing it all in such close comparison
as a result of your efforts I just ordered a Kemper rack version and a BKP Holy Diver pickup for my Explorer, I have been tempted to buy an Axe FX for recording but the Kemper sounds way more real to my ears
I can't wait to try out more Kemper profiles, that Budda profile sounds killer!
Thanks for the great feedback - I'm planning on doing lots more videos as I'm enjoying making them! I'm sure you'll love the Kemper and Holy Diver - a great combination :) (btw you can get the Budda profile for free by subscribing to the A/M profiles newsletter on their website)
This is honestly so good. I've wanted some BKPs for years and actually find it quite overwhelming going around looking for lots of different demos etc
Very nicely done. The Holy Diver would be my choice.
I wasn't expecting to like it the most, but love the Holy Diver! I'll definitely pick one up for a new guitar I'm putting together. I was wanting a P-90 for the neck, but I think the Stockholm would be a bit much in that position, I might go with the Nantucket or Supermassive
Test 1 (chugs): 00:15 HD, 00:18 RY, 00:21 EM, 00:24 PK, 00:27 TS, 00:30 Sp90, 00:33 RGA
Test2 (Rhythm): 00:36 HD, 1:00 RY, 1:24 EM, 1:48 PK, 2:12 TS, 2:36 Sp90, 3:00 RGA
Test 3(Rhythm and Lead): 3:24 HD, 3:36RY, 3:48 EM, 4:00 PK, 4:12 TS, 4:24 Sp90, 4:36 Rga
Damn it. It was down to the VHII, Abraxas, or Rebel Yell but now I guess Emerald too.
Awesome demo, Holy Diver is my pick.
I love that 2nd riff. I stopped even caring about the pickups cause that shit was rocking so hard. Rock on! \m/
the Trillogy Suite surprised me :o
they sound so tight with the right amount of crunch and a good low end
Yeah I love the BKP hot single coils - they retail the feel and tone of a proper single coil at lower gain and clean settings, but the higher output means they handle higher gain much better!
Richard Fay What's the name of this song? It's great!!!
Richard Fay Are the Trilogy Suite single coils noiseless???
No, they're not!
Thanks for the great shootout! I think I will replace my Holy Diver with the Rebel Yell Bridge on my Les Paul Custom. Pickup is too dark, lacks spank!
I hope you had BKP Warpig comparison as well. So far the best comparison I've seen. I'll definitely hit that subscribe button for more..
This is great video. I have a Les Paul with 57 Classics that gets too shrill when going into high gain. I think a set of Emeralds is in my future. They sounded nice and rounded to my ear.
I'm just a Bassist who "dabbles" in Guitar for songwriting, jamming and the occasional Rhythm Guitar gig, but I *really* like the Rebel Yells - very nice Cleans, can go from Classic and "Hard" Rock to more \m/etal tones quite nicely, but cleans up with Volume roll-offs. So far they're my top choice to drop into my very modded PRS SE Tremonti Custom & Nick Catanese "Mark II" 2nd Generation Signature Models.
Any opinion on a similar but heavier tone for my C-Standard, all-Mahogany "MKI" Catanese 1st Generation Model? (the all-Black with Red Pickup Rings, Body & Neck Binding version)
Best way to compare pickups
The rebel yells and painkillers are tasty
Wow Magnificent tones you have..
great video thanks!
(wish u'd throw warpig/afftermath in there)
😎 Came for the pickups, stayed for the rock!
Best pickup shootout ever.
wow thank's for the public service
You're welcome! :)
thanks for the service, just one thing, my Budda SD80 doesn't sound like that at all.
great comparison, maybe the best I've seen, thank you.
Appreciate the straightforward, but tasty, song selected for this. It provided plenty of techniques/dynamics but wasn’t overplayed, making it possible to actually notice the differences. Having said that, is it just me or (in a general way) did all of the BKP sound really good while the Ibanez RGA sounded thin and anemic? This is coming from a huge Ibanez fan BTW.
the ibanez pickups sound so good lol
muddy .. scooped mids x milion.. bad response to hand.. trust me.
666nataS yeah man totally agreed! I pulled both mine out and straight in the garbage lol
It did?
By good do you mean shit?
holy driver got my taste... thanks bro now I know what to have next
Would you say the Rebel Yell has the same kind of tightness as a ceramic pickup?
I don't think it's as tight as a ceramic pickup, but it is tight for an alnico, while still retaining the warmth
Building an HSS strat. Buddy Guy polka dot body with a warmoth neck and Floyd Rose.
Kinda want one fun 80’s shredder guitar. EVH II, Holy Diver or Rebel Yell?
If it were mine, I'd go Rebel Yell - really lively, lovely tone, nice high mid peak, great for 80's shred, harmonics just fly off it!
@@Serratus007 Awesome! Thanks for your advice
@@afterstars no worries! I should also say that the Holy Diver is great too, definitely one of my favourites, but it's a bit darker, more low-mid frequency focused than the Rebel Yell. If the guitar is really trebley in nature then the HD might suit it better, but if it's fairly balanced then the RY is the more lively 80s rock pickup :)
Great video and pickup comparisons. I have an Les Paul R7 Goldtop and while i tried various pickups (GIbson 496T, SD Pearly Gates, SD '59/Custom Hybrid) i haven't found one that suits the guitar nicely. I was eyeing the BK Rebel Yells a bit and the Abraxas but the HolyDiver sounded really good, do you think those will go well in a LPS? BTW, what guitar did you use for this video?
What a demo should be.
Thanks for the help in choosing a BKP (now if only I can find someone with a neck position video half as good as this one).
One question; how drastic are the tonal changes in person? Even through my best headphones I have on hand the change is noticeable but subtle.
I find the differences much more noticeable to me playing (and to the live sound) than to the recorded sound. I notice the difference in compression and dynamics much more, so although any demo will give you an idea of the tone, you still won't know for sure until you play it yourself! For example, the painkiller is much hotter in feel, easier to get harmonics, etc, compared to say the Emerald, but is also a bit all-or-nothing, whereas the Emerald has great dynamics and pick response. And thanks for the compliments :)
Great playing! How do you insert those accented drums? I love that Stockholm sound!
What you guys say about the Rebel Yell on a Les Paul for a hard Rock tone that can perform pushed into some metal?
Euclides Netto sounds perfect for it, in my opinion 😊
I had a very similar sounding pickup in my old Les Paul copy, sounded great for classic hard rock and metal
Rebell yell is voiced for a les paul so you tell me. Do you know who Steve Stevens is?
Thank you! I just wonder what I should get for a Gibson Flying V if I want it to sound a tad hotter than a Gibson Classic 57 plus, but still sound like an Alnico bridge pickup.
Bkp Nailbomb. Alnico5 rock/metal. Ceramic metal/rock
Are the pickup heights matched?
Was it an RGA 7 that you used in this? I have one and find it very muddy sounding, the RGA in this is much clearer though.
I was thinking of changing the pickups to BKP's so this is literally a perfect video for me, thanks for doing it.
Luke Nelson no worries ☺ It wasn't an rga7, it was a set of those pickups in an ash 7 string that I built for my son. They were very cheap 2nd hand from eBay! They've since been replaced by more bkp's 😀
I want BKP in my Ec-256 but cant decide which one shall I go for, I want this guitar to go from thrash to blues and everything in between.
Please do a lower/vintage output one. Awesome format for a shootout.
great vid.
I the ibby pickups sounded really different.
i personally did not much care for them.
Those emeralds and the painkillers.....wow, so cool
Excellent - thank you for putting this together.
I realize this an old video but was extremely useful. Have a holy diver in my super strat and love it. Very curious about the emerald now for a different flavor. Is it as fat as the holy diver in your opinion? Thanks again
I don't think the Emerald is as fat as the HD, no. It's got more of a high end focus than the HD, which is more low mid focussed in my opinion. The Emerald is still a great sounding pickup though. Although it's got more pronounced high frequencies than the HD, they're not ice-picky treble frequencies, they're really smooth. If you want a different flavour to the HD then it's a great choice - much brighter. My favourite at the moment is the Juggernaut, which is really low-mid focussed like the HD, but feels like it has 'more' of everything to me! lol (compared to the HD) :)
killer review man, great job!
Hi Richard, have you had any experience with the Vhii bridge? It is one of my very few disappointments with BNs. It is on a Yamaha Revstar. The attack is so immediate, harsh and bright, I am afraid of touching the strings at all. I might sell it or try on a better suited guitar, if there is one somewhere. What say you?
I have had a VHII before, it certainly wasn't really trebley for me. But I do find that the BKP vintage and vintage hot pickups seem to react and bring out the inherent tone of the guitar, big time. The hotter pickups do it a bit less, imho, but I think that you definitely need to swap to a pickup with more subdued highs, for that guitar (imho) 🙂
Thanks for taking time to amswer.... what guitar did you have the VHii bridge on, if you please? Also, I have come to think you are predominantly a high-gain player, so that may be a factor I guess.
@@emreemre369 the VHII I had was in a maple thru neck, ash body, ebony board 7-string that I built, with a Hipshot contour trem. Regarding gain, I write and record quite a bit of hi gain stuff, but I gig in a couple of rock and pop covers bands, so a lot of my evaluating of pickups is done by playing lots of different styles! Lol
Good to know that... I will be keeping the vh2 for another occassion then... thanks a lot, see you around
Cool. Got a question: which would you recommend for pinched harmonics, Zakk Wylde-esque squeals, that sort of thing? I've already swapped out the stock DiMarzios from an Ibanez RGT, but still not happy with bridge (Iron Gear Dirty Torque).
Out of the ones I've tried I would say that the Rebel Yell and Painkiller are probably the most lively and raucous, making it easy to get pinch harmonics from them (although the Holy Diver is good for that too, it just depends on the overall tone you want). Having said that, if I was specifically after a Zakk Wylde tone then I'd have to go for the Miracle Man as that's what it's named after! :)
Thanks. I want something with more mids and hotter. Was wondering about the Crawler, but the Holy Diver sounds very nice.
Alnico nailbombs?
Richard Fay I need some advice. I am looking for a Bare Knuckle close in voice to Dimarzio Breed, for a fairly bright and scooped strat. Ordered the Holy Diver but now thinking Painkiller could be a better fit, HD might be too polite for the job. I am not a metal guy more hard rock, but I really liked the Breed, I just want something better. Any ideas you could offer?
I've not tried the Breed, but looking at descriptions of it I think the HD is probably fairly similar. HD is definitely fat with low mids and bottom end, and should suit you for hard rock. The PK is a lot more 'in your face' with a real high mid punch and is a bit less versatile due to it's brash nature. I still like it, but the HD is warmer, fatter with low mids, etc
Okay thanks I ordered the HD anyway... I think Breed was a little more aggressive type of pup though Would you say Painkiller would work on an Alder strat? like would it be too bright?
Okay I ordered the HD.. would you say Painkiller would be too bright on an
Emre Emre I would definitely try the HD first - it seems to me to fit the guitar and the sound you want. Obviously it's only opinions and you won't know until you try it, but yes I think the PK could be too spikey if the guitar is really bright naturally 😊
Richard this is my third day with the Holy Diver. I tried Abraxas, Black Dogs Crawler ands some other Bare Knuckles, not all on this guitar though. Holy Diver is the one I least liked. There is something harsh I am hearing in this pickup. I know it is supposed to be smooth and all, becaue the top end is rolled off. But I t makes me feel like I am playing through a transistor amp, I dunno what youd make of that. Maybe I put this on some years later and then I like it, that happens!
Hi, nice informative vid thanks, Im looking at putting a Holy Diver in my SSH strat. Do they play cleans well? or do they really suit and are aimed for drive
Yeah they're good for cleans too - I would think you'd be able to find some vids of clean sounds as it's a very commonly used BKP 🙂 Definitely one of my favourites, and I play in a couple of covers bands where I need to do lots of different styles 🙂
Great playing buddy
Emerald kicks ass... but probably not on a strat .- like mine.. how do you think about that? and how about Black dog on a strat if you tried that? Real good review congrats...
Hiya... Would you say the Emerald is good for hard rock rhythm playing? I have come to think it has little bottom end.
It has less bottom end than a lot of other BKP's yes. I still think it's a great hard rock pickup though, just less dominant bottom frequencies compared to some of the others, smooth highs and really balanced mids too
Thanks. Well I am concerned how it would do with palm muted riffs, chugging that kind of thing
I would've thought that if anything it'd be better for that, because you'd have a lot of control over that bottom end, it wouldn't be boomy and overbearing, but that's just my opinion! I guess you'd have to try one!
100k views and no subs??? Wtf
Killer review
You've nailed it, Richard. Absolutely frustrating how few people understand that to compare sounds, you've got to play the same thing. They just can't resist getting their dick out and playing different stuff for way too long, wiping the very short memory for tone that all of us have for something new.
Well stated
How would you compare the cleans of the Emerald to the Rebel Yells?
I think the cleans of the Emerald are nicer (in my opinion), because the Em has more, glassy highs and less mids than the RY. The RY has a bit more mid push which is great for punchy dirty sounds but not as nice for cleans. Not that the RY doesn't have nice cleans too, but the Em is sweeter, imho :)
great comparison, thanks!
Cheers :)
Could you tab that solo at all? It sounds amazing.
what would you recommend in an alder or swamp ash body guitar for thrash metal music and why?
Painkiller, maybe - lots of high mids to cut through the mix. Message the guys at BKP and ask them though - they're really helpful and know their stuff!
Nice!
+LOFT Thanks! :)
Wish you had Nailbombs and Ragnaroks in this shootout.
Well done bro!
Holy hell. This video is amazing. Subbed.
well done
I own a knaggs ssc it came new with bare knuckle mules i had bare knuckle custom make me a set of rebel yell pickups and they are killer tons of grunt if hi gain rock is your bag buy a set “though not cheap “ mine cost delivered £325 “ but well worth the money my knaggs was £3750 almost £800 cheaper than original.
Amazing!! Thank u for this!! Makes my decision that much easier!
Okay can we talk about that P90 coz holy cow, that is some tasty, THICC tone.
Yep, it is huge!!
Incredible, u should make some more!!!
Good vid, but I think I wish there were no overdubs......to me, they sound very similar. I think if re-done with no overdubs, more differences could be detected.
which pu's do you like best from this ?
i have the Emerald bridge in my strat. Its a winner!
I’m thinking of putting the emerald in a jazzmaster build, with a coil split option. Mahogany body, maple neck, rosewood board..
Great comparison I only wish you included the warpig
awesome video
thanks for this!
Lundgren>?
Really good comparison! This is how to to do it.
great video!
What a great demo. Only thing is that to understand best how the pick ups respond to tubes is to use a tube amp. Modelers are just a mathematical representation of a physical truth.
Were all the samples done on the SAME guitar? IF not it does not really give a proper example of each pickup.
They aren't all in the same guitar, although the guitars were similar. I concede in the video that this will have an effect on the tones.
However, I still stand by these tones as being pretty representative of the pickups relative to each other. Having built lots of guitars over the last 25 years and tried loads of pickups (BKP's in particular) for recording and lots of live use, I feel like these tones are a good example of the basic pickups' tone. I wouldn't have continued with the test (or included all of the pickups in the video) if I felt like any weren't good representations of those pickups.
Hope that makes sense, I do understand that it would arguably be better in the same guitar :)
you showed a photo of the nailbomb but labeled it Emerald.
nicholascremato, I didn't, all bkp's can have that style cover, I took that picture myself of my emerald in camo cover. it's definitely an emerald ☺
Bare Knuckle gives the option of customizable covers and colors. Don't go by looks alone.
Wow great vid
Anyone know the name of the song?
Cliporis I wrote it for this video ☺
Gotta go with the divers
No Blackhawks or Nailbombs? Those are the ones I'm most interested in...
Ew
Damn the stockholm p90 sounded really good to me, guess it's time to get a p90 guitar
You don't need a p90 guitar. It's standard size pickup.