BARE KNUCKLE POLYMATH HUMBUCKING PICKUPS
By Chris Gill
ADAM “NOLLY” GETGOOD is one of those magnificently talented bastards who excels at everything he’s obsessed with, whether as a multi-instrumentalist (he’s probably best known as a former bassist for Periphery), producer/engineer/mixer (with credits for Animals as Leaders, As I Lay Dying, Devin Townsend and more), software designer behind the awesome Get-Good Drums plug-ins, drum libraries and groove packs or pour-over coffee-brewing connoisseur/mad scientist. When the similarly obsessed pickup designers at Bare Knuckle announced their collaboration with Getgood on his own signature Polymath humbucking pickups (Adam had previously helped design acclaimed Bare Knuckle models for other artists), expectations were rightfully high. The end result is a pair of impressive pickups that exceeds the previously perceived limitations of a traditional humbucker design.
FEATURES Like all Bare Knuckle hum-bucking pickups, the Polymath is available separately for bridge or neck positions or as a set, in 6-, 7- or 8-string configurations, covered, radiator, TVS or open coils (with numerous options for each), pole screw options, four- or two-conductor wiring, short or long mounting legs and 50mm or 53mm pole spacing. We auditioned a 6-string set featuring etched Polymath design nickel covers. Bare Knuckle categorizes these as “Contemporary” style pickups (compared to Vintage and Vintage Hot), with DC resistances of 14.2k ohms (bridge) and 11.9k ohms (neck). The magnets are Alnico 5, and Bare Knuckle does not specify the gauge of the copper coil wire.
PERFORMANCE Our Polymath pickups were installed in a Chapman ML1 Pro superstrat featuring an ash body with maple top, maple neck-through-body with ebony fretboard, fixed bridge and custom BKP CTS 550k master volume and tone pots. Played through a variety of amps, the Polymaths delivered phenomenal tone with a pleasant, vocal midrange, tight and lively bass and surprisingly full-bodied treble without harsh overtones. Attack is instantaneous and intoxicatingly percussive and chunky, enhancing the definition of every pick stroke or finger pluck. The overall sound, particularly when using generous amounts of distortion, is dialed in, focused and refined, as if crafted by a talented recording engineer.
I was honestly floored by how well these pickups enhanced my playing, inspiring me to play
