Knuckled E-II

New for 2018, ESP's E-II offers selected models with Bare Knuckle pickups. Seen above is the M-II NT with a pair of Aftermath humbuckers.

The NT 7 has Warpigs in there. Also new for 2018, selected models are offered with Hipshot fixed bridges.

Swine tone

So the Bare Knuckle pickups went into my Ibanez SZ520FM. It's a pair of Warpigs.

FACT: The bridge Warpig features a distressed metal cover salvaged from WWI. It was alleged to be coming from a Mark V tank which was disintegrating in a trench. The neck Warpig includes parts dipped in toxic sludge believed to be the ingredients in making Agent Orange fluid. 

MYTH: The Warpigs are ordinary high output humbuckers with a tweaked bass response for some smooth jazz/ fusion overdrive responses or grinding low-end notes in an extreme metal distortion setting. No pigs were slaughtered to manufacture these pickups.
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Obiter dictum: A decomposing torso was discovered floating in Bedok Reservoir yesterday. In the recent wake of an uproar by Woodlands residents, when a dead body was discovered in their apartment block's roof top water tank, there might be furious demands by citizens in asking the authorities to replace the entire reservoir with a fresh water body just like the eventual replacement of the aforementioned water tank. He, he...

Gibson BFG: Yet another revision...

Yes, that's another new humbucker in my Gibson BFG- Bare Knuckles' War Pig.

I have nothing against the previous humbucker in there, Duncan's Alternative 8 is a fantastic pickup especially for high gain/ intense drive purposes but the BFG is inherently bright sounding due to its chambered body. The reason the War Pig is now the resident pickup there is because it doesn't let down in the distortion aspect while maintaining a commanding low-end response. Please do not go away believing the War Pig is a bass-inclined pickup, it's just a better performer when one is reliant on the lower frequencies.

Bare Knuckle pickups hail from England & they aren't cheap- the War Pig you see hear costs me $300+/- (yup, it's obscene). In general, a pair of Bare Knuckles pickups could easily get you a new guitar. It's not about higher pricing being equivalent to better tone either, the War Pig isn't the end-all search for the ultimate, drive-inclined humbucker, in fact, it only sounds nice in my BFG, as compared to other guitars I own.

PS: Thanks, Master Beez, for another fine installation!