Artec Single Coil Hot Rail

Blade humbucker, passive, alnico 5 bar magnet, 12.6k impedance, 4 conductor, zebra coils.

Went into a 1992 Korean Squier Strat, replacing the stock Squier middle position pickup. I have a Duncan Detonator in the bridge, still have the stock neck pickup. Honestly the reason I got it was I paid $15 for it on Ebay, and I figured that it would be pretty unique sounding as it is an Alnico 5 blade pickup, and anything was better than the awful stock pickups in my almost 20 year old Squier.

I play punk, thrash, blues and roots country...so it has got a pretty decent workout across genres. Amps are a Fender Pro Jr, Vox AC30 and a JCM800. No fx pedals in the chain.

First off, it is a hot pickup. Not the hottest I own (that would be my Dimarzio Super 2 in my Gibson Les Paul Studio, but it is up there. I was pretty surprised at how balanced it sounds, as most cheap pickups boost the high end to mask mid range mud. This is actually more mellow in the high end than I would expect an Alnico 5 pickup to be.

I am not sure how it would be in the neck-it may be a bit too mellow, but I have not tried it so I can't offer an opinion.

For the money it is a really great deal. It isn't a Duncan (it is noisier than my genuine Duncan/Dimarzio pickups, and even my Duncan Designed Dentonator), but it isn't so noisy that it is a deal breaker. It cleans up surprisingly well, is well wax potted, looks good with the zebra coil design, and is hot enough that I can go from blues to thrash with ease. It isn't a total metal pickup, and of course sounds has single coil twang due to the size and the fact it is in a strat, but for the money you won't find a better deal. If it was destroyed of course I would buy another-it costs as much as a 6 pack of import beer and sounds great for the cash.

Single Coil/Humbucker hybrid
- Cover: Black
- Pole Piece: Chrome Blade
- Bobbin: Plastic & Fiber
- Cable: 4 Conduct with shield
- Magnet: Alnico 5
- Output Resistance: 11.0 K

What model guitar or bass did you install this in? 2004 Stratocaster
What position is it in? Bridge
What pickup are you replacing? A Fender Mexican Hot Single Coil
Other pickups installed on the instrument? Fender Mexican Hot Single Coils
Any artists using this pickup? Not that I know of
Reason for changing the pickup? Less noise, more humbuckery

It is quite hot.

I am using a Crate 60 Watt amp, over all it sounds OK. I was expecting it to sound a little more like a Humbucker, I was kinda disappointed that it retains a lot of the sound of a single coil, the noise has decreased quite a bit from the old single coil it replaced, so I can drive the amp up without getting a case of the 60 cycles, though, it's not as quiet as a Humbucker.

It does good for the one half of the music I play, which is blues, classic rock and some country, though, I'd never consider using it for hard rock, or metal.

It is VERY trebly, as it is in the birdge, I can't get it muddy or midy at all, just very, very trebly

I probably wouldn't buy it again, I'd just buy a new pickguard and a humbucker instead.

I've been playing for quite a few years. I have a Les Paul (gibson) and a Stratocaster (Mexican). I am also a left handed player.

I chose this one because I only paid $13 for it.