Fresh from the shock of the new in the form of Rabea Massaad’s excellent Bare Knuckle Silo humbuckers that we checked out in last issue’s Mod Squad, it’s time to consider the opposite strand of the signature pickup world, and so we’re looking backwards!
For every top-level player who’s deserving of their own signature pickup (tweaked for their signature guitar perhaps), there seems to be an increasing number of signature pickups that aren’t improved or enhanced, they’re simply recreations of the artist’s pickups in one of their significant guitars, presumably with the warts ’n’ all of time and heavy use.
Few pickup makers, however, base their entire range on such historic signature designs. But one exception here in the UK is the revitalised Cream T brand that centres on this ‘historic signature’ pickup theme with models that have either been wound for the artist – be that Keith Richards or Jeff Beck – or are actually proper artist endorsed signature pickups for, notably, Billy F Gibbons. His BFG WhiskerBuckers on a Patrick James Eggle Macon sounded magnificent and certainly outshone my own well-used 2001 PRS Singlecut.
“Why don’t you try our new Bernie Buckers?” suggested Cream T’s Tim Lobley. In truth, I’d been thinking about upgrading that model as PRS’s Singlecut has moved on in two decades, and while many would simply trade and move on up, I’ve always liked the guitar. Could I make it more like a 1959 Les Paul – or even Bernie Marsden’s fabled Beast? Before I could think any further, the
Denne historien er fra August 2021-utgaven av Guitarist.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra August 2021-utgaven av Guitarist.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
BASIC INSTINCTS
The sophisticated range of Swedish-designed guitars made by .strandberg* has lured thousands of players over to the headless side. But the company's new stripped-back Boden Essential model is its strongest play yet for the hearts and minds of mainstream players
Second String
As PRS's more affordable USA-made S2 line moves into its second decade, the series gets a revamp with - at last - USA-made pickups and electronics. What took so long?
PABLO VAN DE POEL
When a band from The Netherlands describes themselves as 'raw, psychedelic Southern rock', it may take a little cognitive processing to work out what that might mean. One listen to DeWolff, however, and you will be duly transported to the 60s for some fuzzed-out rock 'n' roll
THE BERNIE MARSDEN COLLECTION
With a fabulous collection of the late Bernie Marsden's guitars, amps and other highly collectable music gear going under the auctioneer's hammer on 11 June, we were thrilled to have the chance of a sneak preview
LENNY KRAVITZ
Some 35 years since the release of his debut LP, for his 12th record, Blue Electric Light, Lenny Kravitz is back again with equal doses of vigour and vibes, using vintage guitars and the purest valve amps
GEORGE VJESTICA
You may not know him at first glance, but the work of Stoke-on-Trent native George Vjestica has probably impacted some of your favourite albums and movies
DICKEY BETTS
Emerging from the shadow of Duane to write signature hit Ramblin' Man, the Allman Brothers guitarist was a hard-living pioneer of Southern rock
NICK GUPPY
It is with great sadness that we report the passing of our highly valued amplifier guru, who died suddenly in April
Lucky Break
Alex Bishop blends old wood with new in an attempt to fix a severely damaged guitar headstock
Tones Behind The Tracks
Cedric Burnside learnt at the knee of his fabled grandfather, but his latest album is a hill country blues masterclass on his own terms