Bare Knuckle Pat Pend ’63 Veneer Board Strat

June 17, 2026 darthphineas 63 Veneer, Alnico 5, Bare Knuckle, BKP, Pat Pend 63, Pickup, Single Width, Singlecoil, Stratocaster

History

The Bare Knuckle Pat Pend 63 set has been part of the company’s Strat pickup lineup for more than a decade. While Bare Knuckle already offered several excellent vintage inspired single coil options, the arrival of the Pat Pend series helped fill an important gap between the sparkle of the late 1950s and the fuller voice that emerged as the 1960s progressed.

Alongside the Pat Pend 59 Slab Board set, the Pat Pend 63 Veneer Board aims to capture a specific moment in Stratocaster history. This is still very much a pre CBS sound, but it reflects a period when Fender single coils begin to gain a little more authority in the mids and low end.

On paper, the difference may seem small. The Pat Pend 63 carries a few additional winds compared to its late 1950s counterpart. In the world of vintage Strat pickups, however, small changes often create noticeable results.

Installation

For this evaluation, the Bare Knuckle Pat Pend 63 set is installed in a 1990 American Standard Stratocaster with a maple neck and fingerboard.

Electronics include a Mojotone Pre Wired Premium Historic Strat Wiring Harness featuring CTS 250K vintage taper pots, a CRL 5 way switch, Switchcraft output jack, and a Luxe Paper and Oil .1uf capacitor.

First Impressions

The first thing that stands out is how balanced this set feels across all five switch positions.

Many Strat sets excel in one or two positions and simply tolerate the rest. The Pat Pend 63 feels intentionally voiced as a complete package. The bridge pickup has enough body to stand on its own, while the neck retains the depth and openness players expect from a vintage style Strat.

There is an immediate sense of confidence in the attack. Notes jump from the speakers with authority, but never cross into aggressive territory.

Evaluation

More Muscle Without Losing Vintage Character

As Fender moved into the mid 1960s, Strat pickups began to sound slightly larger and more assertive than their late 1950s counterparts. The Pat Pend 63 captures that evolution beautifully.

This set delivers everything players love about a traditional Strat pickup. There is plenty of sparkle, impressive note separation, and that unmistakable single coil snap. The difference is that everything feels a little bigger. The lows have more substance. The mids step forward slightly. The highs remain detailed but avoid excessive glassiness.

If you have ever found a late 1950s style Strat pickup to be a little too delicate or overly bright, the Pat Pend 63 may be exactly what you have been searching for.

Clean Tones

Clean tones are where this set truly shines.

The neck pickup produces rich piano like lows with excellent clarity on the wound strings. Chords remain articulate even when extended voicings become complex. The middle pickup delivers the woody character and balanced response that make it a favorite for rhythm work.

Positions 2 and 4 provide everything a Strat player hopes for. The familiar quack is present, but it never feels exaggerated or artificial. Instead, the tones remain musical and useful across a wide variety of styles.

Country, funk, blues, reggae, indie, and pop players will find plenty to like here.

Driven Sounds

Adding gain reveals another strength of the Pat Pend 63.

The additional output helps push an amp slightly harder without sacrificing clarity. Single note runs stay focused and articulate, while chords maintain excellent separation. There is a precision to the magnetic field that gives every note a defined place within the mix. Even with higher gain settings, the pickups retain their vintage identity.

Classic rock tones are particularly satisfying. The bridge pickup cuts through with authority, while the neck pickup delivers thick lead tones that never become muddy. The result is a Strat set that feels equally comfortable covering traditional clean sounds and more aggressive overdriven applications.

Specs

Bridge
Resistance – 6.628 K
Inductance – 2.815 H
Magnet – Alnico 5 Rods

Middle
Resistance – 6.139 K
Inductance – 2.35 H
Magnet – Alnico 5 Rods

Neck
Resistance – 5.968 K
Inductance – 2.641 H
Magnet – Alnico 5 Rods

Demo

Micky Crystal demonstrates the Bare Knuckle Pat Pending ’63 Veneer Board single coil Strat set

Bare Knuckle ’63 Veneer Board Demo by Danny Dela Cruz

Bare Knuckle ’63 Veneer Board Tone Test with Danny Dela Cruz

Conclusion

The Bare Knuckle Pat Pend 63 successfully captures the transition from the bright sparkle of the late 1950s to the fuller voice that defines many of the most celebrated Strat tones of the early 1960s. It retains the openness, clarity, and dynamic response expected from a vintage style single coil while adding a touch more punch, warmth, and authority.

Players searching for authentic Strat character with a little extra substance should place the Pat Pend 63 near the top of their shortlist.

For reference, this Bare Knuckle Pickups Pat Pending ’63 Veneer Board Strat set evaluation was conducted with the following: Fractal Axe-Fx II XL+ featuring Celestion Impluse Responses and Fractal MFC-101 MIDI Foot Controller. ADA MP-1 Tube Pre-Amp loaded with Tube Amp Doctor ECC83 Premium Selected tubes, using the ADA MC-1 MIDI Controller. Fryette LX II Stereo Tube Power Amplifier. Physical cabs use are Marshall 1960B, Mojotone British, and Peavey 6505 cabs loaded with Celestion Classic Series Vintage 30s and Classic Series G12M Greenbacks.

Bare Knuckle Pickups Website | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Instagram