Lifting The Veil

A dark-sounding Les Paul Standard has Mod squad chief Dave Burrluck considering some cost-effective tone changing choices

It’s probably not on a par with the scandalous selling of PPI but I seriously wonder how many of us have been ‘fooled’ by the lure of the retro-fit pickup? The sonic equivalent of anti-depressants and the like, a new pickup, or a set, are – and have been for a considerable number of years – seen as ‘quick’ fix for your tonal woes. Those of us who are serious about our sound won’t think twice at paying over £250 (sometimes considerably more) for this fix especially when there’s an element of unobtainium about our choice. “Pah, you don’t want DiMarzio, Seymour Duncan or EMG, you want ‘boutique’ tone, handmade, handwound, original spec etc.”