Choosing the Best Guitar Pickup for 7-String Guitars: Bare Knuckle vs. DiMarzio

When it comes to choosing the best guitar pickup for a 7-string guitar between Bare Knuckle and DiMarzio, several factors come into play, including your playing style, tonal preferences, and the specific sound you're aiming for. This article will break down both options to help you make an informed decision.

Understanding Bare Knuckle Pickups

Tonal Variety

Bare Knuckle is renowned for their hand-wound pickups, offering a wide range of tonal options, from vintage to modern sounds. If you're looking for clarity, power, and dynamic sensitivity, Bare Knuckle pickups can be an excellent choice.

Customization

Bare Knuckle provides a high level of customization. You can choose from different winding options, magnets, and finishes, allowing you to tailor the pickup to your specific needs. This flexibility makes them versatile and highly adaptable.

Popular Models

Some popular models from Bare Knuckle include the Juggernaut and Painkiller. These pickups are favored among metal players for their clarity and power, retaining dynamic sensitivity essential for aggressive playing styles.

Quality

Bare Knuckle pickups are generally highly regarded for their craftsmanship and attention to detail. This leads to a rich and nuanced tone, making them a top choice for discerning guitarists.

Understanding DiMarzio Pickups

Versatility

DiMarzio is known for its versatility, catering to various genres from rock to metal to jazz. Their pickups can handle a wide range of styles and produce strong output and clarity, especially in high-gain situations.

Popular Models

Some popular models from DiMarzio include the Crunch Lab and D Activator, which are favored by 7-string guitarists. These pickups provide a strong output and clarity, making them suitable for aggressive playing styles.

Consistency

DiMarzio pickups are often praised for their consistency in sound and performance across different guitars. This can be a crucial factor if you have a variety of guitars and want your pickup to perform well regardless of the instrument.

Considering Your Playing Style and Sound Preference

Playing Style

If you play heavier styles like metal or progressive rock, both Bare Knuckle and DiMarzio have strong offerings. However, Bare Knuckle may provide a more aggressive tone, which can be ideal for sections of Djent. DiMarzio, on the other hand, offers versatility across genres, making it a great choice if you play different styles.

Sound Preference

It's recommended to try out pickups from both brands in a similar guitar setup to see which sound you prefer. This hands-on experience can provide insights into which pickup will best match your playing style and tonal preferences.

Budget

Bare Knuckle pickups are generally more expensive due to their custom nature. DiMarzio pickups are often more budget-friendly while still offering excellent quality. This can be a significant factor when deciding between the two brands.

Conclusion

The choice between Bare Knuckle and DiMarzio ultimately depends on what you want to play. For Djent, the Bare Knuckle Juggernaut and Painkiller are just perfect. For a thick, growling, and dark tone with a perfect fit for death metal or extreme metal genres, the Bare Knuckle Warpig Ceramics are highly recommended. However, DiMarzio's X2N pickups are worth considering as well, though they might lack the thick, saturated tone of Bare Knuckle's Warpig Ceramics.

Alternatively, a custom 7-string version of Seymour Duncan Slug is a better and even more aggressive option. It's less expensive than Bare Knuckle's Warpig Ceramics but has a longer waiting period. Remember that all these pickups are basically one-trick pony, great for extreme metal but sounding too harsh for other musical genres. The Bare Knuckle Warpig Ceramic can clean up the most but lacks versatility, and the Seymour Duncan Slug is the most aggressive of them all.

If you're looking for articulate and versatile pickups, the DiMarzio Blaze Series won't disappoint. Alternatively, for tried and tested options, the DiMarzio Super Distortion is highly recommended.

However, I suggest considering a Lace Alumitone DB7 at the bridge and Alumitone HB7 at the neck. These pickups combine the thick sound of a humbucker with the snappy attack of a single coil, giving you an excellent overall sound.