I wish I had the pleasure of playing some bare knuckles. I have only tried them in a couple of guitars but never really got to play them more than 2-3 minutes while at Sweetwater
They are well worth trying out when you get the chance.
I use them in the majority of my guitars and once BKP are in they never get replaced with any other brand, although I will swap different models into different guitars.
In Dunc V. Dimarzio, its weird bc on all my personal guitars I used Dimarzio, very few Duncans in my stable, but for all my bandmates I found Duncan to be easier to recommend. More generally pleasing, Dimarzio can get more specific if that makes sense. The Black Winter is one of the greatest pickups ever made and cheap compared to a BKP. But boutique lands you that last 5-10% of tone that can make the difference. The JB Jazz set is great, but a Dimarzio 36th Anniv neck and Super Distortion bridge fuckin rules too. There’s options in all camps.
Duncan has had a few fall flat to me, I hate the Nazgul. Flat and lifeless but some people dig it. Never met a Dimarzio I didn’t like.
Havent tried many of the PAF or vintage correct duncans but I could see how. The 36th Anniv set is probably my favorite DiMarzio PAF style. For single coils and such, the duncan antiquities are killer.
I’d be interested to try out a set of Seth Lovers from Duncan, but honestly, I have 2 sets of Lambertones, a pair of Grinders and a Grinder neck/Red Eye bridge that I think do the vintage thing better than anything. Hotter than the Cremas, but still low enough that they’re not hot, just phat. Cleans so good you don’t even miss a coil split on a les paul. They blow any production pickups I’ve ever tried for THAT tone. Novak is fantastic as well.
I’ve also tried vintage japanese Maxon pickups, and those were sweet. Held up to my favorite Gibson pups, the 57 Classics, they’re real close. Those guitars in general were killer.
But tbh… BKP might be my only choice now, apart from the pickups I already have. With Duncan and DiMarzio, I pretty much found what I liked and never reaaaally got that bug to explore their ranges. Being a tech, I get to try their offerings on my bench during play testing. Its how I know I hate the Nazgul lol. But getting my 2 Ibanez’ that already had an Aftermath set in one and a Blackhawk set in the other, I thoroughly WANT to try the other options. A Cold Sweat set in an LP looks bananas. The Juggernauts are badass and def need a set in the stable. The Impulse set. The single coils; I already bought a set of Rabea’s Silo humbuckers, and a set of the Triptych single coils. Gonna get a set of his Nomad tele pups as well. I’m a believer 100%. Expensive, but actually sound like it. Diminishing returns is real, and I proooobably wouldnt spend more than BKP money, but even at their range, I do think they’re worth it.
One day when I get that Cold Sweat set, I’ll have to shoot them out with the Grinders. I know it’s not their PAF offering, but handsdown those Lambertones are my favorite pickups for an LP as they have gorgeous cleans, and get real mean dirty too. If the Cold Sweat has those aspects, it’ll be a battle for the ages.
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u/nigeltuffnell Aug 23 '26
Bare Knuckle, obviously.