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I am completely stuck.. help!
This FAQ section is intended to answer some of the most common questions, but, at any point, if you need any assistance at all with selecting the right model, installation, technical aspects, troubleshooting or any issues with our website at all, please do not hesitate to CONTACT US
When you contact us through phone, email, our live chat feature or our social media profiles, you are getting directly through to the staff here at our workshop. Everyone who answers your messages is a guitar player with many years experience in making the finest pickups that money can buy and direct, hands-on experience with our entire product range, so there is no question too big or too small and we will always endeavour to get you a helpful response in reply as soon as possible.
We are based in the UK, so, when making international calls, please be aware of time zone differences to ensure that you catch us during our opening hours and, if you are concerned about international calling charges, please send us an email requesting a call back, with your location and contact details to [email protected]
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How Much Does Shipping Cost to My Country?
We tailor our shipping services for each individual country, to give you the best balance between a fast, secure service and a reasonable cost. To get an accurate, up-to-date shipping cost for your country, simply add any item to your basket and follow the steps through to our checkout area. Ensure that the correct country is selected as the shipping destination (there is no need to fill in your full address at this point) and the shipping cost will update automatically. Shipping for retail customers is always a flat rate, regardless of the order size, so there is no increase for multiple or more bulky items.
Please note that, for International orders, we do not include local import taxes / fees in your final order total, so please look up the rules and regulations in your country/state to ensure that you know what may be applied by your local customs agency
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What are my payment options?
Bare Knuckle Pickups accepts online card payments through our secure checkout, provided by Opayo. Opayo accepts the following cards: Visa Debit, Visa Credit, Mastercard Debit, Mastercard Credit. PayPal is also accepted.
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How easy is it to install a pickup?
If you follow our wiring schematics then pickup installation is quite straightforward, as long as you work carefully and methodically. Always use a soldering iron of at least 25 watts and make sure it is at full temperature before starting. Check all surfaces that require soldering are clean and free of grease before separately tinning all wires and surfaces to be connected with hot solder. If you have any doubts or have never installed a pickup, get a reputable guitar technician to do the job for you. As always, if you have any questions at all then contact us and we'll help as much as we can.
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What is the correct value pot to use?
Traditionally, Fender style single coil pickups require at least 250k ohms and humbuckers and P90s require at least 500k ohms in order to get a clear and bright tone. We produce a full range of custom 280k and 550k pots in a variety of fitments, which perfectly partner with our handwound coils to deliver a superbly clear and detailed result. P90s and lower resistance humbuckers can also work great with lower pot values, so certainly feel free to experiment, or contact us with any questions about your specific setup.
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What is scatterwinding?
Scatterwinding is the process of guiding fine copper wire by hand in a random or scattered pattern around a bobbin that is spun by a machine. True scatterwinding can only be done by hand and requires a degree of skill to get the required tension to create consistent results.
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How do scatterwound pickups sound different from machine wound ones?
Scatterwinding by hand can be time consuming but it has many advantages over conventional machine winding, not least a far superior sound. When a coil is scatterwound, the wire isn't as close or even, layer on layer, as with a machine and this lowers the distributed capacitance that exists between the turns of the wire. Lower capacitance allows more top end, the resonant peak increases slightly and the pickup has a flatter frequency response across its range. The result is a clearer, more open sound that has the impression of being louder purely by the amount of extra detail and dynamics present that scatterwinding has created.
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Are All scatterwound pickups unique?
To a certain extent each pickup will be unique and have its own character, however this will always be within the boundaries of its specification. For instance, no two Riff Raff humbuckers will be identical but they'll both have the same number of winds, the same wire, the same magnet and therefore very similar overall sound characteristics and performance.
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What is the Bare Knuckle "Four conductor colour code"?
A rundown of our four conductor wiring colours, plus comparisons to the colour coding of some other popular brands can be found here: Humbucker Colour Codes
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What is the difference between braided two conductor and four conductor?
Braided two conductor hook-up allows series operation only (humbucking), whereas four conductor hook-up allows advanced wiring options such as series/parallel, in/out of phase and coil splitting. We generally recommend 4 conductor wiring for all humbuckers, unless a vintage-accurate wiring setup is required, as 4 conductor wiring offers greater flexibility for multiple different switching setups, compatibility with other types and brands of pickup, future mods and upgrades and switching pickups between different guitars.
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Can braided two conductor wire be changed to four conductor?
Put simply, yes. If you decide after buying a Bare Knuckle humbucker that you'd prefer four conductor wiring, we can change it over for a charge subject to return of the pickup by registered mail. If you purchased your pickup through a Bare Knuckle Main dealer then please conduct your return through them.
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What is the difference between braided 2 conductor and 2 conductor + screen options for P90s?
2 conductor + screen provides the start and finish of the coil and a separate ground, making it easier for series or parallel connections with more than one coil. Braided 2 conductor has a single internal conductor and the braided jacket is effectively the other conductor and used as ground.
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What spacing is right for my bridge humbucker?
"Spacing" refers to the distance from E pole to E pole on the bridge pickup of a humbucker equipped guitar. Standard spacing, usual with fixed Gibson style bridges, is 50mm (it's actually 49.4mm on BKPs as per the original Gibson PAF but is rounded up to 50mm in the industry). Wide or F (Fender) spacing is typical of tremolo equipped guitars and is 53mm as per original Fender spacing. The majority of Gibson guitars are standard spaced, although they have occasionally used a wide spaced bridge on some SG and Flying Vee series. PRS, despite fitting standard spaced humbuckers as stock, are actually wide spaced on their tremolo equipped guitars. Neck pickups are always standard spacing. If in doubt, take a measurement of your overall string spacing directly above the pickup (rather than measuring the original pickups themselves) and go for the closest option.
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What is "wax potting?"
When a coil has been wound it is immersed in a mixture of paraffin and beeswax to solidify the coils and help guard against microphonic feedback. Our contemporary coils are all wax-potted.
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What is the difference between potted and unpotted coils?
The very first humbuckers from the '50s were not wax potted and the practice of immersing coils in wax to prevent microphonic squealing didn't become common place with humbuckers until later in the '70s and '80s (single coils have always been wax potted). Unpotted coils have a very dynamic and touch sensitive feel with a brighter edge, which is well suited to low-gain playing, while potted coils are much more practical for any playing style where high amounts of preamp gain and loud volume are used.
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What is the difference between vintage long-leg and short leg baseplates?
The 1/2" vintage long-leg humbucker mounting is common on Gibson guitars, or any guitar with a generous pickup cavity. The shorter 1/4" long humbucker mounting leg is more suited to shallow routed/slimmer bodied guitars such as Strats and PRS, etc.
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Should I Choose Alnico V or Ceramic for my bridge pickup?
The Alnico V magnet offers up a huge, deep bottom end with rich, throaty mid range and warm highs. The ceramic magnet option adds more output, tightens the bass response and smooths the mid range slightly with a brighter cut in the high end.
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What is the difference between a humbucker and a single coil pickup?
A humbucker consists of two coils usually wound in the same direction, however the electrical path to ground travels in opposing directions in each coil and the magnetic polarity is reversed. The humbucker is designed to cancel out 60-cycle hum and has a fatter, richer sound to that of the taller, narrower single coil that can be prone to 50/60 cycle hum.
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What does RW/RP mean?
Reverse wind/reverse polarity (RW/RP) refers to the orientation of the coil and magnets of a pickup being reversed, when compared to a "stock" or "standard" version of the same pickup.
Although, in isolation, stock and RW/RP coils sound exactly the same as each other, when you combine stock and RW/RP coils together, you can achieve hum-cancelling affects, as well as some slight tonal shifts.
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Stock vs RWRP middle single coils.
A stock middle coil will have more mid-range on the middle positions of the 5 way selector and not be hum-cancelling. You'll also notice marginally more volume across the whole set of 3 coils. Fender Strats originally came with 3 stock wound/polarity coils. RWRP middle coil will hum-cancel in positions 2 and 4 of the 5 way selector, which is arguably more versatile than a stock middle coil and was popularised by players like Mark Knopfler and Eric Johnson.
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What are zinc-plated steel baseplates?
Zinc-plated steel baseplates for Strat coils add more bottom end definition, clarity and power to the coil. They work on the same principle as a Tele bridge baseplate, with tapped mounting holes so height adjustment screws thread directly into the baseplate, ensuring it will never fall off. The baseplates are wax potted with the coil to prevent microphonic feedback. Whilst it is most common to fit one to the bridge coil only, the zinc-plated steel baseplates work well on middle and neck coils too.
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Flat magnet profile or vintage stagger?
A "vintage stagger" handles the heavier 7 ¼" radius of a vintage fingerboard and works well right up to around a 10" radius. The stagger is how Leo Fender heard the strings balanced the best, and we use the more common '56 stagger with the E/A magnets at 17.6mm, D/G magnets at 18.4MM, B magnet at 16mm and high E magnet at 16.8mm. We can also produce the earlier '54 stagger with low G pole on request. Flat magnet profile gives better string to string balance on modern radius finger boards of 10" and flatter. At the end of the day it's a matter of preference and what works best for the individual. Some players use a vintage stagger on very flat fingerboard radii of 14" and love it!
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What is the Tele 4-way mod?
By adding a separate ground-wire to the Tele neck cover it is possible to wire a Tele set to a 4 way switch, which will give the additional option of both bridge and neck in 'series' (as opposed to the standard 'parallel' mid setting). 4 way switch settings are : 1. Bridge 2. Bridge and neck in parallel 3. Neck 4. Bridge and neck in series. This mod works the best on 'stock' wound Telecaster® coils as opposed to RWRP.
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Is there an optimum height for best pickup performance?
Adjusting the height of a pickup is essential to obtain the best sound and volume balance with the other pickups on the guitar. More volume and power are present closer to the strings; the pickup will sound clearer further away but it will have less output. Start by adjusting the bridge pickup close to the strings whilst barring across the strings at the highest fret of the guitar. Adjust the pickup away from the strings until no overtones or false harmonics are heard and the best balance of power and clarity is achieved. Once the bridge pickup is adjusted for maximum performance the other pickups on the guitar can be adjusted by ear to gain optimum volume balance.
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Does it matter which way around a pickup is fitted?
Bare Knuckle humbucker designs feature both symmetrical and asymmetrical coils. Traditionally the screw coil goes nearest the bridge and nearest the neck respectively, but feel free to experiment for optimum tone.
Most Single coil pickups will sound the same, whichever way around that you fit them, but Strat and Tele (and Tele P Bass) pickups will typically only fit well in your guitar in one orientation, due to the shape of their baseplates. P90 singlecoils, Split P Bass and J Bass coils can be fitted either way around with no affect on tone or performance.
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How long is the warranty and is it transferable?
The Bare Knuckle warranty is for life to the original purchaser subject to returning the registration form. The warranty is non-transferable and does not cover damage through misuse or improper handling, normal wear to covers, installation charges or any form of modification or repair undertaken by anyone other than Bare Knuckle Pickups Ltd.
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Can Bare Knuckle Pickups be mixed with other manufacturer's pickups?
Yes, our pickups can be used alongside the majority of other manufacturer's pickups, although it is always wise to check the polarity and wind direction, especially in the case of single coils, as occasionally the polarity or wind direction may be different. It is always best to get a coil wound correctly and the right magnetic polarity from the outset so if you are in any doubt please contact us and we'll make sure you get the correct information to make an informed choice.
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What does "calibrated set" mean?
A calibrated set of humbuckers (or single coils for that matter) are pickups wound to optimise tone and output for their respective position. For example, the bridge and neck humbuckers are wound differently and often feature different magnets too. The strings move much more over the neck pickup and generate more current, so neck pickups are often wound to have a lower output in comparison to a bridge in order to achieve better clarity and balance between the pair. The best way to think of a calibrated set is as a matched pair.
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Can covers be added or removed from a humbucker?
To avoid invalidating your warranty, we are happy to remove covers for the original purchaser, free of labour charges. The customer must only pay the shipping charges relevant to their location. Please contact us first before sending pickups to our workshop, so that we can ensure that we have all of your contact details.
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What is "polarity?"
"Polarity" is the relationship of positive and negative electrical current, or magnetic poles to each other.
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What is a pickup's "impedance"?
A pickup's "impedance" is a measure of the resistance to the flow of AC (guitar signal).
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What is "resonant peak"?
"Resonant peak" is the frequency that the impedance of a pickup is at its highest. A higher resonant peak usually indicates a brighter, more open sound within a certain type of pickup, i.e. humbuckers or single coils.
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What is "DC resistance"?
"DC resistance" is the resistance to the flow of Direct Current. In practice it is used as a very general indicator of a pickup's power, with a higher DC reading yielding more power and a darker sound. However, the gauge of the wire also has enormous bearing on the sound; different wire with similar DC readings will not have the same power or sound. As always, let your hands and ears be the judge.
