Dimarzio Steve's Special vs Bare Knuckle Juggernaut
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- Опубліковано 29 вер 2024
- Signal Chain: Ibanez RG Premium - Line 6 Sonic Port - Apple Ipad 2 with Positive Grid JamUp Pro XT - Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 - Pro Tools 10
Here is a video comparison of two bridge pickups I own. The Dimarzio Steve's Special, which I've had installed in my Ibanez RG Premium for the past few years, and a Bare Knuckle Juggernaut Bridge (Misha Mansoor Signature) which I recently bought and installed. I've been a big fan of the Steve's Special, but I felt that I want something with a little more crunch and presence. So I decided to try the Bare Knuckle Juggernaut. I also have the Dimarzio Liquifire (John Petrucci signature) installed in the neck position. In this video, I used Positive Grid's JamUp Pro XT app for Ipad. I love this app for it's amazing realistic tones and many customizable options. Along with their app "Bias", you have the tools to create virtually any tone you desire, ranging from clean and acoustic tones to huge gained out metal tones and everything in between, I'm playing excerpts from a song called "Dimensions" from my band Avant Guardian's upcoming full length album. Please feel free to comment on which pickup you like better and ask any questions you may have. Thanks for watching and please like and subscribe!
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The real battle:
0:31 vs 0:53
1:16 vs 1:34
1:49 vs 2:02
2:27 vs 2:47
3:03 vs 3:22
Thank you!
They’re really close! Only the lead part I find the BKP a bit clearer, but is it worth the difference in price?
Both pickups sound pretty similar and awesome to me. Great playing and demo. Thanks
These are both good pups. I have a few Steve's Specials and love them. They do wonders with high gain because of the clear mids. It's a very under the radar pickup but absolutely worth trying if you play with a lot of gain and need clarity.
Very hard to hear the difference, possibly because of your digital audio etc. I do however love your playing, and just bought your music off Bandcamp, because it is excellent. Glad i found the video overall!
Thanks a lot! Much appreciated!
Cool use of frame rate in your videography! What camera/frame rate did you use?
Steve's Special Win but in the last camparison the Juggernaut and Liquifire Clean
Win.
Thanks for watching!
@@RevenantSoundStudios you should do this again and throw the Tone Zone in the mix. I can do the throaty djent thing pretty well with a slightly modified tone zone I had dimarzio make as a single-spaced Tele pickup.
Another guy did a tone zone vs bkp demo, but the audio wasn't as good. The sound was very similar with the tone zone having slightly more of a spike.
What model number is that Ibanez?
Those chords around 1:45 are awesome what do I have to do to learn that
Hi, I just wondered which spacing option you chose for the Juggernaught's? 50mm or 53mm???
Hi there, I got the 53mm spacing since my guitar has a Floyd Rose style tremolo.
They sound the same, maybe because it's ALL DIGITAL?
the bareknuckle has clearer mids.
Erick you can hear the diff when its only the guitar. The juggernaut is a tad brighter on the mids i believe. If you hadnt blown your ears out with amps maybe you would spot the difference.
Wow. You are fucking stupid. Even if it is digital, no two pickups have the same output or frequency response (unless they are the exact same construction-windings, magnets, et cetera). Different pickups means a different signal going into the amp or whatever. What difference does it make if the thing that alters the signal is digital or analog?
so Steve special in neck and bridge?
+Obie Quan Both the Steve's Special and the Juggernaut were compared in the bridge position.
Jugg sounds shrill and muddy in the low end. I prefer dimarzio.
i like steves special ;) its sounds old school loosy goosy wich is a tone i prefer over these new tighter sounding pickups
Man they're extremely close. You're right about the Bare Knuckle, it does have a little bit more bite, it pokes through a mix maybe a bit better. But I've gotta give it to Steve's Special for me personally. I like the balanced sound more.
Adjustable pole pieces.... Save some money and get the DiMarzio, it can be adjusted to poke through just the same.
@@SHREDTILLDEAD Pole pieces should only be adjusted relative to string height and radius, that’s why they’re adjustable, otherwise you start running into other issues like string pull.
Can't hear any difference ...
Me too
steve's special is more scooped and compressed, the juggs are more open sounding also a little more grit bass and mids are more present
Agree
they are actually close, very close! both sound great!
Honestly they sound very similar.
I like the Steve Special for leads and the juggernaut for rhythm.
Id say the Dimarzio for me. Rhythm 3 really made up my mind with the chords. The BK seems to have some xtra bass that i'd want to eq out anyways and it gives up some clarity in the upper mids as well.
Are those all original riffs? Total badass. The SS wins for me! Very dream theater-esque quality, the leads especially.
No such difference, What I like about BK juggernaut is that it has more Clarity n Separation.
this is awesome... thank you for this video! For the money and sound... I don't hear nothing bad in Steve's Special. I had replace this pickup with Evolution (DP159) because it has more mids and less bass, but from here what I hear... Juggernaut is overrated! But very cool sounding pickup.
Thanks for watching Jasmin! I agree and I think the Steve's Special is a great pickup especially for the money. But it does lack some mids, which the Juggernaut provides. You can definitely find many other great pickups for much cheaper than the Juggernaut! Thanks for your comment!
AGWillMusic yeah... I will stick to the Dimarzio's ;) You have a lot of great humbuckers for the good price. Cheers! ;)
*****
Definitely! Cheers!
Thanks for taking the time to put this together. I really enjoy watching pickup comparisons for some reason. Even if I have no intention of getting either set for myself. It's just interesting seeing all the different ways a mass of copper wire and magnets can make a guitar sound.
Thanks for your comment! I agree, it's amazing how there's such a vast variety of pickup options to help one achieve their desired tone. Each pickup has it's own different characteristics.
Why is pickup switch in the middle for rhythm?
And why I see always the same pickup in the video? At least to me, it looks like the same pickup...
Steve's Special, no contest, in every category. Fatter, warmer.
not so different from DZ from the BN , I like them both, great video
Thanks!
Damn SS for the win, just a tad less harsh, they do sound very similar
I like the jug..St spec is good but jug has more cut on front of the note..a touch more definition, and doesn't sound whiny on the leads...has more body....if you get 10 yrs out of a set of BKPs...it's only $30 a year to have kick ass tone..not expensive..I've used Duncan/Dimarzios and currently have a C bomb and the sensitivity is off the charts..I'll pay the extra for holy Grail tone anytime!
I agree, the juggernaut definitely has more cut and definition. It's a little more balanced than the Steve's Special, to my ears anyway. I'm definitely happy with my BKP, it was worth the money! Thanks for watching!
The lead is where the difference is noticeable and for my taste I prefer the Dimarzio.
Sounded the same to me. I had an ibanez 7 string that i put a Bareknuckle Aftermath in.. and honestly i didnt really think it was worth the $200 i paid for it. I just found an old Dimarzio Blaze picjup i bought years ago but never installed, and swapped out the aftermath for the blaze and completely fell in love with the blaze. I think im going to pick up some steve specials for my 6 string since its basically the 6 string version of a blaze and just get rid of the aftermath
Jack Smith Thanks for your comment. They actually sound different but the differences are subtle. Bare Knuckles are definitely expensive and that's usually the case with boutique pickups. While the tonal differences with those and more affordable companies like Dimarzio and Seymour Duncan will be fairly subtle. I actually have a Blaze bridge pickup waiting to be installed in my 7 string. I think I read somewhere that the Blaze is considered to sound better than the Steve's Special. Perhaps in a subtle way even though they're voiced practically the same. I'll have to try it out to see!
well let me know your opinion once you try it out
Sounds great! Love your riffs, especially the 2nd one! I actually preferred the Dimarzio for the distorted stuff and the Bare Knuckle for the clean. The Steve's Special really nails that early Dream Theater tone!
Thanks man! My favorite thing about the Steve's Special was the lead tones I got.
Pretty similar except on cleans, which the dimarzios won by a mile
hey, personally Steve's Special actually sounds nicer in this vid! what's the model of this Ibanez, is it mahogany bodied? i have a mahogany J Custom and it has Tone Zone in the bridge but i find it very muddy, do you recommend Steve's Special as a problem solver for my J Custom? thanks
Sweet! That guitar is actually a basswood body. I actually have an Ibanez S Series mahogany body with a tone zone and it sounds really good. The tone zone does have a good amount of low end so it can get muddy easily. The steves special will definitely sound cleaner in your J Custom but it does have more low end than highs so a brighter pickup might work even better. However I'm sure the steves special will sound good in your guitar.
JJLipton Thanks! Yes, they're riffs from my band Avant Guardian. Awesome! Yeah I agree about the SS having a Dream Theater like tone. Thanks for watching!
Jp used steves special ..on images and words Fyi ;) and air norton for the bridge
You simply CANNOT test pick ups using a fucking software, amp sims and whatnot! It's processed synthetic shit! They'll all sound pretty much the same, GUARANTEED .... Get an analog pedal, hook it up thru an amp and mic it!
I agree, I want to here the pick ups alone to hear the actual differences.. I dont like these reviews much..
analog or digital doesnt make a difference. if he doesnt change the settings, you will be able to still tell the difference. when tests are conducted, there are variables and constants. the amp is not a variable, its a constant. analog or digital, you will be able to tell as long as the amp sound doesnt change. the pickups are what creates a different sound. and amp sims are still picking up a signal and have evolved to the point where you can get as good as a real amp, and in a some cases, BETTER
Wouldn't that imply that it doesn't matter what pickups you're using then? Assuming you're going to be processing it with amp modelers anyways?
Well said :)
and then eq it? Hah, funny you...
The lead tone you got with the Steve’s Special is amazing.
B.k.p more middle
S.s. more bass
both sounds great, but can you do it with a real amp?? please
Also, damn dude you can play. Rock on.
Vote steve special
Do you prefer the liquifire or air norton (Clean & Shredding)
TheLaziestGamer I prefer the Liquifire. I have the air norton in a different guitar and overall prefer the tightness and improved tone of the Liquifire for both clean and distorted tones.
nice playing man! will definitely check out your band!
to me, the steve`s special sounds better here. :) I have a juggernaut 7 set in my RGD2127 and they sound really nice and I was expecting the juggernaut to sound more balanced and round here, but I`m happy to find the steve`s special my personal favorite here. I have a steve`s special in one of my old 550ltd and it sounds so fucking awesome in there
I liked the Steve special for rhythm and the bk for leads
DiMarzio
Steve’s has a rounder tone, better for cleans, but that juggernaut sounded amazing with the way the notes mixed in that three part harmony, tighter low end and that extra mid to high growl was tastier, although it fell flat on the clean parts compared to Steve’s. Idk maybe I just don’t like the liquifire...
Steve's Special
If you were using shitty pickups with software you'd be able to tell the difference so all those saying you can't tell because its digital are false to a certain degree. However given the fact that they are similar in specs it is harder to tell in software only because of the presets you are using for them. For those who have ears you can tell differences, but they are subtle.
What direction was the Steve’s special installed? I know one direction makes it brighter
It was installed in the standard or default direction.
These are both incredible, as is your playing!. The Steve's are rounder, with the Juggs more scooped and aggressive sounding. Not sure if there's more treble or if it's an effect of the scooped mids. Rhythm is obvious tighter and more modern, with the leads sounding a bit harsher and more pointed in return. The sound has its place for sure!
I like the Jugger better, on distortion & the S's & LIQF on clean. Better depth on clean.
Hi, did you find a big difference changing the guitar's stock Dimarzio/IBZ pickups to Steve's Special?
GuitarRazze I did notice a significant difference when I switched to the Steve's Special. The Steve's Special had more clarity and top end and it was tighter than the stock Dimarzio/IBZ. Honestly though, I think those stock pickups are actually not bad. You can get them to sound tighter depending on your amp settings. I'd still recommend upgrading the stock pickups to something better though. Thanks for your comment!
AGWillMusic Yeah that's what I thought. So far I've got good results by using an eq-pedal in front of the amp to get a tighter sound. I still think I should upgrade the pickup since I have a 7-string RG Premium and I need the extra tightness with the low B. Thanks for answering.
Great demo. They sound so close with the backing track however you hear a difference when played alone. I prefered Steve's Special. Btw have you or anybody else tried it in the neck position?
I personally prefer the dimarzio but they both sound great.
not much difference there,but the steve's has a tit bit less mids.
i think the steve special has more cut for solo in this video
Little to no discernible difference. I think the Dimarzio might have actually been just that hair width better. That being said, I replaced a Gibson 500T/496R with a set of BKP Mules and it was (of course, look at the specs) like night and day. You usually have to make a pretty significant change in the pickups to see a real difference.
+MikeScott32 I agree that the difference between the two pickups is subtle. I also notice a significant difference while playing through my live setup. In my experience, higher gain settings will mask the tonal differences between guitar pickups and guitar bodies, necks bridges etc. Lower gain and clean settings allow for more of the guitar pickup's nuances to be heard. Of course, I mainly used high gain settings in this comparison. Thanks for your comment!
They sound really similar. On the rhythm sections I'd swear the Juggernaut sounded slightly better, but it is possible that it may have been just a little louder.
killer tone indeed,, what about drums, any vst ?? samples triggered?
Thanks man! Yeah the drums are the drummer from my band. I mixed them, I did use some samples along with direct microphone tracks.
Hi, nice video and a very good playing! I have a question for you... How is the combination Steve's special and Liquifire? Is it better than SS and AN?
Thanks! The Liquifire is voiced very similar to the Air Norton but has a slightly more modern tone with more output. In my opinion, it has a more balanced sound, while the AN can have a more midrange forward sound. Either combination works well with SS but I prefer the Liquifire.
Boy the licks are awesome
Thanks man!
im likeing the dimarzios a tad more
the dimarzio reminds me a bit of the bk miracle man
Can’t hear much of a difference honestly, but damn how thick a pick do you use?
I use Dunlop Jazz III XL picks. amzn.to/2tXCHxL
steve's has more hair on the balls !
juggernaut sounds better
Hi buddy , I am using the same guitar and considering to upgrade my guitar pickup .I have seen a lot of demo of bkp pickups videos . But Jugg would not be my first choice . How do you think the black hwak bkp set compare to the cold sweat (neck) + aftermath ( bridge) ?? Or any other recommendation for my guitar pickup , I mainly play metal ,rock , fusion staff many thanks !!
Hi there, unfortunately I haven't tried any of the other pickups that your'e considering; so I wouldn't really be able to tell you how they compare. I also have the Cold Sweat bridge pickup in another guitar and it sounds great. Quite similar to the Steve's Special but brighter sounding. I listened to the demos on BKP's website and really liked the Juggernaut the most so I chose that one. My advice would be to email BKP, you can tell them what kind of guitar you have and the styles that you play; they'll recommend a pickup for you to try. They have great customer service. Also, if you do end up buying one of their pickups or a set, make sure to write "TRI-TABS" in the comments when your'e ordering so that they'll make your pickups to fit your guitar's pickup cavity. Thanks for watching!
AGWillMusic Thanks a lot man !
You are getting this tone with just an ipad? Is this legit?
Alex Gotcha Yes, using Jamup Pro XT by Positive Grid
the petrucci is strong with this one
I'm thinking of either getting the juggernaut set, or custom Duncan's voiced like it. Is the bridge overly bassy on that, or is it tight? I go for a tight low end that has plenty of umph, but without being muddy. It sounded great, but idk how it would be for my tone haha also, do you play in standard? My guitar in E is what it would go in
Matthew Horn I definitely recommend the juggernaut set. They are pricey but I'm happy with my juggernaut bridge pickup. They are definitely tight. It's tighter than the Steve's Special that I was previously using. It isn't muddy at all. Although I'm sure you can make any pickup sound muddy with bad amp settings etc haha. You can also get killer harmonics out of them. I do play in standard, but Misha Mansoor (it's his signature pickup) plays in much lower tunings all the way down to like drop A or so! And his tone is very tight. So it will definitely handle any low tunings you throw at it. Thanks for watching!
+AGWillMusic F#
What band is this? Digging the riffs thoroughly.
Thanks man! The band is Avant Guardian, song called "Dimensions".
Im confused , why is the pickup slector switch in the middle postion?
(both neck and bridge)
The middle position selects both pickups which produces a rounder tone, I feel that it suits the clean passage that I was playing.
AGWillMusic even during the distorted parts the selector switch is in the middle postion? when it says rhythm , the slector switch is in the middle!
Dimarzio
Every single riff was sick, but the last clean arpeggio you played was incredible, is it a song of yours?
Thanks a lot! Yes, this is from a song called Dimensions from my band Avant Guardian. Here's a link to our album. avantguardian.bandcamp.com/album/metamorphosis . Thanks again!
Thank you very much!
What wood is the body.....basswood? Mahogany?
Basswood
what an awesome video! thanks a lot, bro!!!
6StringMinh Thanks!
Lumix gh2?
Yes indeed
Hmm. For the chordings, I can hear a clear difference between the two. They sound really similar, but the juggernaut has a 'clarity" to it, thats hard to explain. For single note phrasings, I really couldnt hear much, if any difference,
For the money, I'd just as well buy the dimarzio and just turn the presence of the amp up a bit lol
Awesome! Yeah there isn't a huge difference, in lower gain settings, the differences will be more apparent. But the juggernaut is overall tighter and more focused than the steves special. When playing through a half stack, you'll notice that the steves special has more loose low end while the juggernaut stays tight. So it would take more work to get the steves special to sound as tight. For leads however, that extra low end/slightly laid back highs-highmids, can sound really nice for leads but might not cut through a dense mix as well as the juggernaut. Both are great pickups though and for bareknuckle, you're mainly paying more for "handmade" and the exchange rate haha.
both sound like 1's and 0's. use an amp, I have the jam up app, it's good but seriously, use an amp for your shootouts bro.
great song
Thanks!
great!!
+min ham Thanks!
came for the demo, but got to caught up in the riffing dude. Great playing man!
Thanks a lot man!
A) killer playing B) Both pickups are GREAT and C) iOS recording RULES.
Thanks!
awesome video, thanks!
Thanks for watching!
AGWillMusic what tuning are you playing in? i'm looking for something close to a juggernaut but not as expensive, is the steve's special pretty close to it overall, or do you know of another pickup that comes a little closer?
AkiraSpectrum
I'm playing in E standard tuning. The Steve's Special is a little more rounded than the Juggernaut. I love the lead tone that I could get out of it. It's dynamic, articulate and rounded. Ultimately I do prefer the Juggernaut, it's tighter even more dynamic and cuts through better. Also has better harmonics. But not by that much. The Steve's Special is an excellent pickup and you can really dial it in close to a Juggernaut sound with some EQ. I don't know of another pickup I can recommend that sounds similar to the Juggernaut but perhaps you can look into the Dimarzio Titan or the new Seymour Duncan Alpha/Omega pickups. Thanks!
cool thanks!
both sound damn good and your playing is awesome. but i like the juggernaut more i think. sounds like a little less output, more clarity and less presence but nicer mids.
+Rubolf Guitar Thanks! Yes there is a little more clarity and it cuts through a little better in a dense mix.