Closest match
no spec differences found
Output compared on measured inductance; tone charts compared directly.
high confidence
Bare Knuckle
Bare Knuckle Black Dog
Medium output, clear and balanced, with forward mids.
Hotter than 46% of the 280 bridge humbuckers we have
- Alnico 5 magnet: the common all-rounder: firm lows and clear highs
- More mids than a typical Bare Knuckle
“I really like the Black Dog as well, though its a bit more open and darker.”
£151≈ $202
Down from £181.20, changed 1 Nov 2026
Like the Bare Knuckle Black Dog, but…
- WarmerBare Knuckle Peacemakerdarker · similar output97 match
- More biteBare Knuckle Riff Raffbrighter · −7% output91 match
- HotterBare Knuckle VHII+13% output · Alnico 5 magnet89 match
- Less hotBare Knuckle Black Hawk Alnico 5−12% output · Alnico 5 magnet89 match
The closest pickup in each direction that still fits the same slot. See every match
Specs
- DC resistance
- 9.4k
- Inductance
- 5.03 Hmeasured, 1 reading
- Magnet
- Alnico 5
- Coil
- Hum-cancelling
vintage outputmid-forward
From Bare Knuckle's published specs ↗ (opens in a new tab). Traits come from these specs by stated rules.
Fits the bridge of a Les Paul, SG, PRS Custom 24, Superstrat (HH) or HSS Strat.
Also in the set
Similar pickups
280 fit the same slot · ranked on measured specs · top 40 shownUpgrading from the Bare Knuckle Black Dog? Put it on the map and see what sits where you want your tone to go.
Each score is how close a pickup is on measured specs, out of 100. The meter shows how many of those specs we could compare; a grey score means few could be. Filters cover the top 40. How scoring works
- Compare →
no spec differences found
Output compared on measured inductance; tone charts compared directly.
Compare →high confidencescooped mids · tighter low end
Output compared on measured inductance; tone charts compared directly.
Compare →high confidenceAlnico IV magnet: warmer, smoother · scooped mids
Output compared on measured inductance; tone charts compared directly.
Compare →high confidencehotter output · scooped mids
Output compared on measured inductance; tone charts compared directly.
Compare →high confidenceno spec differences found
No inductance for one of them, so output leans on DC resistance; tone charts compared directly.
Compare →high confidence
What others say
Demos, reviews and forum posts, quoted word for word and linked to where they were published.
Tone Test of the Bare Knuckle Black Dog Humbuckers by Dan Stevens
Bare Knuckle Pickups Official : Bruce Dickinson Black Dog/ Riff Raff
“I had some hesitation going in, since descriptors like “deep” and “smooth” often mean muddy or sluggish.”
“It’s bright enough to cut, thick enough to punch, and never strays into brittle harshness.”
“I really like the Black Dog as well, though its a bit more open and darker.”
“The Black Dog was leaner and had a little more of a bump in mid-mid to upper mids.”
“The Black Dog sounds slightly more percussive and open..”
Played the Bare Knuckle Black Dog?
Tell other players how it sounds in your guitar. These are visitors' own comments: checked for spam before they appear, but not fact-checked like the sourced quotes above.
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