Bare Knuckle Pickups and Badass bridges + BABICZ

[ellangus]

Does anyone have any opinion on Bare Knuckle Bass pickups?

Firstly - I'm NOT a bassist - sorry!

I'm considering buying a P-Bass pickup for my son (who is a bassist) as a surprise for Christmas.

He has a Mexican precision bass deluxe series-98-99 red with gold anodised pickguard with passive pickups. (See below).

I have had a few BK pickups in my guitars and swear by them, just wondered if the Bass pickups were as good.

Also He definitely wants to upgrade the bridge - he has suggested a Badass II but I have seen very good reports about the Hipshot Kickass - any comments there would also be appreciated.

(I know that the Badass is no longer available but I have seen them around used and that wouldn't be a problem).

Thanks in advance.

Edited November 27, 2017 by ellangus
more info requuired

[Lozz196]

No experience of BK Pickups, but re bridges I favour the Gotoh 201 - it looks much like the original BBOT (bent bit of tin) but has slotted grooves in it to stop the saddles slipping, so helpful to hard-hitters. Direct replacement, no mods required to the bass. Fender themselves now make a hi-mass bridge that looks very much like the Badass that fits MIM basses, but is much more reasonably priced. Thomann have them.

[nilebodgers]

LOL - the twisty world of P-Bass pickups... I've been down that rabbit hole myself recently; there are just so many options and different manufacturers out there that working out what to buy is really hard.

One thing to watch out for if you swap the bridge is that the heavy duty bridges have thicker baseplates and (usually) larger saddles, so if your existing bridge has the saddles quite low you may need a neck shim to get the action back down after swapping it. Might be ok as-is, but it's a thing to watch out for.

 

[derreybass]

Hi I've got Badass bridges on some of my basses. I love the look of them but can honestly say that they don't in my opinion make any difference to the sound. As nilebodgers says you might have to shim the neck if you fit one.

[ellangus]

Thanks guys.

Also been looking at Babicz bridges - Any thoughts?  I think the appeal with the Babicz is the fact that once set up they can be locked.

[funkydario]

I do love Bare Knuckle P , put once on my beloved and too soon gone Bacchus Vintage Series BPB62 and it just kills. If I remember correctly it was the '58 , not sure to be honest. They made 2 version and mine was the more punchy version. Remember I've made some 60's Fender PB owners goin nuts when we compared my 330€ used bought Bacchus with their pre or post CBS P's.

That Bass was a special one...BK pups helped to sound really amazing

[ellangus]

Thanks all.

 

Just picked up a Babicz for £45 so sorted there (for now).

Still open to suggestions/comments on the pups.

[gary mac]

He should be delighted with that bridge, they are so well engineered, easy to use, once fitted and in my opinion, look great.

Re the pick ups, as with guitars the choice is huge and there are provably more good than bad. Might be easier to make a choice based on the style of music that your lad enjoys playing, or if likes the tone of a certain player, that could help.

IN my P basses, I love G&L MFD SB1's. I'm about to do a P bass build with Fender 62 reissues, as I've been so impressed when hearing them.

I would also happily use Entwistle pickups in guitar or bass, the quality is great, even though they are very cheap compared to many others on the market. I recently fitted a set of their humbuckers to a customer's Les Paul and he was totally delighted with them.

 

Anyway, hope he is happy with whatever you get for him.

[roman_sub]

Bare Knuckle bass pickups are superb. I am a long-time user of their guitar pickups and happy to report their bass pickups kick donkey and share many of the qualities of the guitar pickups - honest, open and articulated throughout the entire range of the instrument.  P/J combo that sounds great is a '58 P and PE (plain enamel) bridge Jazz.