Bareknuckle Painkiller Clips (Recto, Über, Krank, 2203)

[Lasse Lammert]

yo lads...

I've just installed a BK painkiller in one of my ESPs...
not because I don't like EMGs anymore (not gonna happen!), just because I've got like 10 EMG equipped guits and I thought it'd be nice to have another flavor...

si I emailed Tim from BK pickups and told him that I really like the EMG 81 and that I need a BK that's suited for my taste and downtuning...
here's his reply:

"Without hesitation, the Painkiller humbucker!
Tight focused bass response, punchy upper mids and clear highs(no fizz!)with plenty of power"


here's the BKP's page's discription:

"The Painkiller humbucker provides the defining tone for rock and metal guitarists seeking tight bass response and screaming highs coupled with a weighty mid range.
Scatterwound coils and a custom size ceramic magnet ensure an extremely powerful humbucker that retains clarity across the board even down to the lowest of drop tunings.
Typically British in voice and attitude, the Painkiller humbucker will always deliver the goods. "


I must say, the service at BKP is exceptional!

so my first impressions of the pup are:

of course it doesn't sound anything like an 81 (I didn't expect that, nor did I want it to sound the same), I really like the smooth creamy thickness it's got...
I've tried the nailbomb/warpig, and they were WAY too muddy for me, so I figured the least muddy one from BKP would be just right for me...

and the Painkiller is of course far less tight as the EMG81 (like any passive pup), but I can't help but liking it anyways, I'd say the BK with a TS is about as tight as the 81 w/o a TS.....
of course it's not my first choice for fast thrashy stuff, but I think I'd like it in a more sludgy context...
the output of the pup is high (not quite as high as the 81's, but close), it's got less mids and highs but a much bigger round lowend.

you really have to change the ampsettings (turn pres and mids up quite a bit and reduce bass), on these clips I still kept bass and treb around noon, just because that's for me kinda the default setting of most amps....

as I said, don't expect the tightest riffing, you can expect a thick, liquid and smooth sound though

these Clips are WITH a TS

Rectifier
Überschall
Krank
2203

 

[kaomao]

to me sounds a bit too fuzzy, especially the mesa clip
Maybe a duncan would be better

 

[Lasse Lammert]

to me sounds a too fuzzy, especially the mesa clip
Maybe a duncan would be better

well, that's the complaint I have with all passives...they all are a bit fuzzy, but often that actually sits nicely in the mix

 

[motomoto]

TBH mate, i don't like it.
As you guys said it's fuzzy, and to my ears overgained and not at all tight.

Sorry

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

I could easily see the PK/2203 combination work wonders for a sludge/stonerish tone, though the pickup definitely doesn't seem like the best choice for modern, tight metal. I have a perversion for dirty, gritty guitar tones and I've been listening to Down all day, so the JCM800 hit the spot for me

 

[Lasse Lammert]

TBH mate, i don't like it.
As you guys said it's fuzzy, and to my ears overgained and not at all tight.

Sorry

well, you're right....
but the thing is....if every band being recorded here turns out having the same sound it's not cool either...
OF COURSE I wouldn't be using these sounds for tight modern metal myself, but you always have to put it in the right context...for doom/sludge stuff these pups could be awesome.

broaden your minds a bit guys

btw, for tight modern stuff the sh-15 is still the best pup

 

[J.DavisNJ]

Nice sound dude. I've wanted to try some BKPs for a while! All I listen to lately is sludgy stuff, so I dig it...

Have you tried the Miracle Man? That one is supposed to satisfy EMG owners as well.

-Joe

 

[motomoto]

well, you're right....
but the thing is....if every band being recorded here turns out having the same sound it's not cool either...
OF COURSE I wouldn't be using these sounds for tight modern metal myself, but you always have to put it in the right context...for doom/sludge stuff these pups could be awesome.

broaden your minds a bit guys

btw, for tight modern stuff the sh-15 is still the best pup

Agree.
You have a good point there.And i agree that this pickup will probably work miracles for doomy stuff.
I'm a big BKPs fan but as im stuck with a some certain sounds that i'm after i found my holy grail into the warpig for tight and modern bass response(sold it to exoslime cause i'm into emg85s now but i still think its an awesome pickup).
My set of naibombs is another good option for modern stuff and really versatile as it has unbelievable clarity.Really high output with amazing cleans makes a great combination.
But i just don't play stuff like that any more

I think Chris Broderick use to play with a miracle man.I liked his tone:Smokin:

 

[Ermz]

First thought was that they'd rock for doom/stoner metal!

 

[BrettT]

I own a Miracle Man and absolutely love it. It's a bit more scooped with more highs (as opposed to high-mids) than the Painkiller, but prob the closest tone-wise of all their p'ups. One big thing I noticed about it, though...it's bass heavy and having it too close to the pickups definitely fuzzes it up. I now have it a bit further from the strings than I normally set my p'ups, and it's now really open and tight sounding. One of the tightest passives I've played, actually. It's seems to be a general consensus that BKP's are quite sensitive to pickup height, so I suggest fiddling with it.

 

[J.DavisNJ]

I own a Miracle Man and absolutely love it. It's a bit more scooped with more highs (as opposed to high-mids) than the Painkiller, but prob the closest tone-wise of all their p'ups. One big thing I noticed about it, though...it's bass heavy and having it too close to the pickups definitely fuzzes it up. I now have it a bit further from the strings than I normally set my p'ups, and it's now really open and tight sounding. One of the tightest passives I've played, actually. It's seems to be a general consensus that BKP's are quite sensitive to pickup height, so I suggest fiddling with it.

It's not overly scooped, is it? Close to an 81 at all?

-Joe

 

[BrettT]

It's not overly scooped, is it? Close to an 81 at all?

-Joe

Defnitely not overly scooped, IMO. It's pretty balanced with a bit more emphasis on low mids. Very throaty, growly pickup with a chimey top. I've always read on the BKP forums that it's the closest the the 81 of all their models...it's actually what convinced me to buy it. The closest comparison I've been able to do is between my guitar and my drummers. We have pretty much the same guitar, but his has an 81 while I have the MM. The MM definitely has more bass, but it remains tight. It just sounds a bit more dynamic and alive to my ears.

 

[J.DavisNJ]

Defnitely not overly scooped, IMO. It's pretty balanced with a bit more emphasis on low mids. Very throaty, growly pickup with a chimey top. I've always read on the BKP forums that it's the closest the the 81 of all their models...it's actually what convinced me to buy it. The closest comparison I've been able to do is between my guitar and my drummers. We have pretty much the same guitar, but his has an 81 while I have the MM. The MM definitely has more bass, but it remains tight. It just sounds a bit more dynamic and alive to my ears.

Thanks for the info...I'm definitely gonna try these out in the future.

Do you have one in the neck as well?

-Joe

 

[BrettT]

Thanks for the info...I'm definitely gonna try these out in the future.

Do you have one in the neck as well?

-Joe

No, but I find it pairs GREAT with the SD Jazz that I currently have in the neck position.

 

[PhilTheBeard]

i liked those pickups with the recto the best

 

[gabriel g.]

Totaly NOT a fan of that sound, but thats just personal view. It will work great for doom stuff!!!! But all clips sounded very very scooped...

Check out the Dimebucker!!!! Its a great tight pickup in thick guitars (like a les paul or a Ibanez SZ) very high output and creamy

 

[Hamish666]

Check out the Dimebucker!!!! Its a great tight pickup in thick guitars (like a les paul or a Ibanez SZ) very high output and creamy

I have to COMPLETELY dissagree, I cannot wait to swap out my dimebucker in my razorback for some warpigs.

The Dimebucker has far too much highs and not nearly enough mids. Fine if you're going for an old school thrash sound but beefy it is not, and totally sucks for modern stuff (I play in B so it is completely useless).

I am however thinking about putting it in my PRS SE custom as I'm looking for a bright tone - NOT a creamy tone atall

 

[BrettT]

I have to COMPLETELY dissagree, I cannot wait to swap out my dimebucker in my razorback for some warpigs.

The Dimebucker has far too much highs

This was my experience with the Dimebucker. Creamy is the last word that comes to mind when I think of that pickup. Icepicky as hell.

 

[BrettT]

Finally got to listen to these on my monitors. How close to the strings is the pickup? Definitely sounds like mine when I had it too close, and sounds NOTHING like any other Painkiller clips I've heard.

 

[Lasse Lammert]

I have to COMPLETELY dissagree, I cannot wait to swap out my dimebucker in my razorback for some warpigs.

The Dimebucker has far too much highs and not nearly enough mids. Fine if you're going for an old school thrash sound but beefy it is not, and totally sucks for modern stuff (I play in B so it is completely useless).

this..
dimeebucker=the least creamy tone I've heard.

about the distance:
yep this is pretty close to the strings, I also have some clips with the pup further away from the strings, but I liked the extra beed the proximity of the pup added for this style