Bare Knuckle or Kinmans

[hansaustria]

What`s the best choice for the "old" vintage Shadows sound. The "Apache-set" from Bare Knuckle
or a "Impersonator 54 - Zero Hum / Kinman" set. Anybody experiences? My guitar is a CIJ 57 reissue
Strat !

Hans

[dave robinson]

I would seriously check out pickups at the lower end of the price range before committing to either of those Hans.

[51 Relic]

I have Kinmans on my Drifter love them to bits great sound BUT they came fitted to the guitar from new .I agree with Dave shop around at the lower end of the market some great sounding pickups out there (Ironstone etc )

[ecca]

Kinmans

[hansaustria]

Kinmans

I need replacement PUs for my 2002 CIJ Fender 57 reissue. The sound of the stock set
is not OK for me - not well balanced. The bridge pu is very twangy and the neck pu is
too muddy. If I have to change from bridge to neck I would need an EQ for a correct
twangy smacking neck sound. This is different to my second Strat.

I will try the ironstone at first.


Hans

[Derek Misselbrook]

Kinmans

[dave robinson]

As someone already mentioned, the Ironestone Vintage are a great option and they are inexpensive. I was thinking along the lines of Fender 57/62s as they always seem to guarantee the vintage tone. The Kinmans obviously work for some, but I have never looked back since getting rid of them as have a lot of other players, I actually prefer Fender's Vintage Noiseless which are fitted on my USA DeLuxe Strat. If you want the guitar to sound like Hank of today, go for the Kinmans, but it's nothing like the vintage tone we cherish.

[MeBHank]

If, as you state, you desire the old sound, Kinmans are definitely not the way to go.

Although I've never used them, I would expect the Bare Knuckle Apaches to be excellent for what you want. They're scatterwound, which I've decided is an important factor in turning a good sound into a great one. When I next purchase a set of pickups, it will be the Apaches. However, if money is no object, the best pickups I've heard for getting the vintage tones are without a doubt the Sliders Vintage Classic "Shadows '59s".

J

[fenderplucker]

The Kinman Impersonator 54's are a completely different animal to the earlier Kinmans (including the vintage models) that Hank used for his "modern" sound, prior to going to the CS54's for the last tour. They have a completely different construction and in fact sound quite close to 57/62's or CS54's but without the noise (and no, I am not on the Kinman payroll!). That said, I think many of us have found that pickups can sound different in different guitars and so there is really no substitute to trying them out in your particular instrument, though of course that can get rather expensive given the price of some of them.

Paul.

[Didier]

What`s the best choice for the "old" vintage Shadows sound. The "Apache-set" from Bare Knuckle
or a "Impersonator 54 - Zero Hum / Kinman" set. Anybody experiences? My guitar is a CIJ 57 reissue
Strat !

Hans

Don't forget that Kinman PUs are "noiseless", when Bare Knuckle ones aren't.

Didier