Brandonwound Pickups JP#1 Humbucker Set
Within most any vintage guitar community, you can’t throw a pick without hitting someone that knows about Brandonwound Pickups. They make vintage replica pickup lines for Fender and Gibson style guitars. The T-Top bridge humbucker that comes with this set is the sort of attention to accuracy that I think of when I hear rumblings of a big pickup company feeling threatened by the boutique shops.
Just incredible craftsmanship. I mean, look at the detail in the T-Top bobbins… you will think you’re playing a pickup from the early 70s (go ahead and click for a larger image). The aging on the neck cover is a nice touch. Let’s not get anything confused with the “relic” fad… a properly aged pickup cover is the devil in the details to a PAF or vintage pickup connoisseur.
As part of a Jimmy Page series of reviews, I have been looking forward to checking out the JP#1 set. They are installed in the same 2-hum guitar, using the same amp settings to ensure consistency.
The JP#1 bridge has an open and lively character that lends itself to most any rock application with a nice punch in the low end that’s never too heavy, evenly-voiced mids and a sparkle in the highs that have plenty of presence to keep from being too sharp. I quickly found myself getting into classic 70s and 80s rock riffs, licks and tricks, before working into blues rock and even a little metal.
The covered JP#1 neck pickup is a little warmer and laid back by comparison, with the right amount of bloom. It has a slightly throaty low end and highs with just enough bite. You’ll be right at home with your blues and blues-rock in the neck position.
Series – 7.86 k
Inductance – 4.11 H
Split – 4.10 k
Split – 3.76 k
Parallel – 1.98 k
Series – 8.07 k
Inductance – 3.94 H
Split – 3.93 k
Split – 4.14 k
Parallel – 2.02 k
One of Brandonwound’s videos, showing the manufacture of some T-Top style humbuckers:
It is very easy to get a full range of totally workable clean and dirty tones from both positions while in series wiring. Parallel wiring slides into a laid back vibe when dirty and warm ringing character in clean. Using a clean tone in split mode and there is chime and glass to spare. Overall, the JP#1 set has a complex voicing that features an attention to nuance.
