Carvin H22T

Passive Humbucker
8.6k ohms

Guitar: Custom solid body guitar - mahogany/maple, maple neck
Position: Bridge
Replacing: DiMarzio, not sure what but it was *loud*. Probably ceramic.
Other Pickup: H22N
Motivation: Guitar has great mojo, custom made for Charles Smith of Kool & The Gang, but I hated the tone. Went for biggest bang for the buck upgrade, a $60 pickup H22N. It sounded so awesome I got the bridge pickup too.

Slightly hotter PAF -- probably comparable to a SD Pearly Gates. Using with a Mesa/Boogie Mark 1 Reissue. Tone is bright and clear; I guess balanced is a good description. I play a kind of jazzy blues; warm-to-overdriven tone, 9th, 13th chords. I've never had a bridge pickup that I enjoyed soloing before. Even at lower gain, this guy provides enough mid-range and fundamental. Crank it for crunchy boogie tone and its not a screamer like the DiMarzio it replaced (or the SD JB in my former #1) but it grinds and breaks up a tube input stage very sweetly. A completely new tone for me is to solo it and roll back the tone control a bit for chicken pickin'. I'm half-way to Tele-land and a little warmer. I never would have thought I could do that with a humbucker.

Would absolutely buy again. As a matter of fact its got me GAS-ing for the Holdsworth guitar now; if its as good as the pickup, oh my. Played bass for 20 years, Jazz BFA, toured, recorded, etc. Playing guitar as serious hobbyist for 3 years. I played a Schecter Blackjack C-7 and these H22s seduced me away from the 7-string.

There is absolutely no comparison with the DiMarzio I yanked out of this position originally. That guy only sounded good solo'd with a ton of gain. This guy gives me everything I liked about the SD JB in my former #1 and a lot more. Its not skronky, but it grinds; great string definition. Much easier to control overdrive. For me its best as a complement to the H22N with middle position on the 3-way selector. I can go from warm-clean, to woman tone to rawk with pick attack rather than the selector.

Not sure why I don't give 10s. They don't seem credible somehow. But this is a perfect pickup for me. My ne plus ultra had been older McCartys; I really don't think I need one now. This guitar sounds that good now.

A unique spin on the typical PAF style pickup. It has 4 conductor wiring, so you can wiring to series/parallel or coil-splits.
The bridge unit, H22T is rated at 8.6k ohms, falling in a fairly low-medium output for a PAF-type pickup.

An important note: the construction of these pickups is superlative.
For a long time I played PAF's, but they're hard to find and I switched to Seymour Duncans, (great on their own but not nearly as good.) For the past 10+ years I've been playing boutique pickups like WCR, and (especially) Jason Lollar and Lindy Fralin and have been happy with the results. I still own 1 set of PAF's, a short-magnet set from probably '60.

These Carvin pickups are much higher-quality construction than I've seen on any pickups outside of boutique pickups, which usually cost several times as much. Ironically, they're far better built than PAF's, which will set you back several grand.

The quality of the bobbins, vintage plain enamel wire, the alnico magnets and casing are all top-quality.


Carvin's pickups are designed to be adjustable from side-to-side, as well as up and down, so they have 3 screws, whereas most humbuckers have 2.

This isn't a problem, because these pickups come with a bezel (mounting ring) that fits perfectly.

You can pick the color of the ring, as well as the coils to make a custom look at no extra cost.

I've been playing professionally for over 25 years, (getting old...)
While I'm a blues player at heart, I went to Berklee and studied jazz, and play jazz, blues, rock, even country and r&b. For many years I worked as a session player, first in NYC then out in LA.
But for the past 15 years, I've mostly stuck to live playing, (much more fun, much more freedom.)

I love semi's, but with some gigs they're problematic. After meeting Holdsworth, and trying out his signature Carvin, I couldn't believe I didn't own one. They're astonishingly great-sounding, playing and versatile guitars. I ordered one the next day.


I'm a tonefreak, and an endless tweaker, (like Holdsworth himself.)
I've owned a Dumble Overdrive Special for nearly 20 years, as well as many other vintage and boutique amps and guitars.

Aside from my PAF's, and Pat. #'s, I mainly play WCR, Fralin and Lollar pickups. I love great humbucker tone, and it's not easy to find.

The Carvin Holdsworth is an absolutely stunning pickup. After getting my Carvin guitar, I just couldn't believe how great the stock setup sounded.

I switched out the electronic components for an RS Guitar Works kit with Luxe capacitors,(highly recommended for any guitar,) and it's one of the sweetest sounding guitars I've ever heard.

I was wondering how much of the tone was the pickups, so I temporarily installed them into an older PRS I have, (never liked the stock pickups in that one.) They transformed that guitar into a sweet, vintage tone monster.

Needless to say, I've since ordered several sets of the Carvin H22's for neck and bridge positions.


Tone:

The pickups are relatively low output, and you need to "fight" a little bit to get the amp to break up. Because they have 22 polepieces, no matter how high you bend the strings, or what antics you do, you won't get any drop-out in volume.
You can perfectly balanced each string, which is something most pickups cannot do.

The tone is round, clear and defined. They're sweet and can get that liquid Holdsworth tone, but with a moderately driven amp they simply sing.

They have an astonishing clarity on the treble strings, and can really cut through, but the bass strings remain tight and defined no matter what.

The overall tone has a 3-d sound and feel that's hard to describe. If you've ever played a truly great PAF-type pickup, you'll know what I mean.

But these pickups aren't PAF clones, and they're a bit sweeter, and thicker, without losing that trademark clarity and chime.

They're shockingly versatile, (even without coil-splits,) and because of this, you can get great tones for classic rock, blues, country, r&b or jazz.

Duane Allman, Dickie Betts, B.B. King, early Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Jeff Beck, David Grissom, Holdsworth, Wes Montgomery: if you like these kinds of tones, you'll love these H22's.

I love these pickups in semis, 335's, Les Pauls, PRS's: they're one of the best kept secrets in the pickup world.

They might not replace my vintage and boutique pickups, but they offer a unique and incredible tone, that is every bit as high in quality.

Like I said, I've been playing a long time. I've seen a lot of products come and go, and when you hear truly great tone, you know it.

I honestly thought I would swap the pickups out of my Carvin Holdsworth, but instead, these pickups have become a huge part of the way I make music.

They possess a unique and inspiring tone, and anyone who appreciates classic humbucker sounds would be a fool not to try them.

Because Carvin sells direct, you can get these pickups for $60 each.
But their build quality and tone are easily in the same class as $200+ boutique pickups.

For a working player who knows good tone, the H22's are a godsend.

Order yourself a set (or two) now, and see what I'm talking about.

Pickup features: Passive humbucker, 22 pole pieces, 4 conductor wiring
Impedence or other specs: 8.6 K

Model of guitar or bass: homebrew tele routed for a bridge humbucker
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: none - just finished building the guitar
Other pickups on guitar: none yet
Artists using this pickup: Allan Holdsworth, I would assume.
You musical style(s): country, blues, classic rock, pop standards
Reason for pickup change: I've been looking for something with good vintage tone in full humbucking mode, and hoping for an acceptable single coil tone when split.

Perceived output level: About the same as a vintage-type humbucker.
Tone: Balanced, bright, but not piercing.
Sonic evaluation: My project tele has a light one-piece alder body and a big maple neck with a rosewood board. I've been auditioning bridge pickups, but now I'm done. In this guitar, the Holdsworth is clear and dimensional like a good PAF, but with more warmth. It remains clear and maintains good string definition with the moderate amount of distortion I use. It responds very well to touch and attack, and will growl and squawk if you spank it. The highs are pronounced, but are never shrill. The best surprise of all was the split coil mode. With the active coil facing the neck, I'm getting a decent single-coil tele bridge pickup tone. A little bit thin compared to a good tele, but great for a bridge humbucker with the coils split. I play through vintage Fender tube amps, or an ADA Rocket for practice, almost always straight into the amp. The only sour note was that my pickup came without a wiring diagram, and the color-coding didn't match the info on Carvin's web site. But a call on their toll-free number put me back in business.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I think this pickup would work for anything except metal.

Comments: I absolutely would (and will) but this pickup again. Don't judge these by some of the other Carvin pickups, most notably some of the C22's they had out a while back which had a weird spike in the midrange. The Holdsworths are great pickups. If you're looking for a cool variation on a humbucker with vintage-type output, they're a steal.

Pickup features: Humbucking Bridge
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Ibanez RG421
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Ibanez V7
Other pickups on guitar: Carvin H22N
Artists using this pickup: Alan Holdsworth
You musical style(s): Pop, Rock, little Country, Blues
Reason for pickup change: The Ibanez V7 pickup didn't have much definition. This is my main axe and it needs to sound at least as good as it plays.

Perceived output level: Kinda hot - when cranked on a dirty channel, it provides creamy distortion. ...More than one would expect from a pickup bearing the name of a Jazz artist.
Tone: Surprisingly well balanced.
Sonic evaluation: I use a Fender Blues Junior amp. For blues, I either plug straight in to the amp or throw a tubscreamer in the mix. For my band, (which does all original songs similar to Sarah McGlaughlin, Aimee Mann, etc...) I run a Korg AX1500G processor between the guitar and amp.
This pickup has really made me re-evaluate each note I play because every string WILL be heard. There is no muddification here - even when played dirty - each note played will ring with definition. In contrast, with the Ibanez V7 pickup, I could use a sloppy playing technique on fast runs and get away with it because it that pickup didn't provide clarity. This pickup captures the nuance of every note so that it is accurately transferred to your amp. This is not to say that the V7 is a terrible pickup. The V7 is a fair to good pickup. But, the Holdsworth pickup is phenominal in comparison.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: For any guitarist that seeks definition - even when playing distorted and overdriven - this pickup is a great match.

Comments: I will upgrade my other guitars (excepy my strat) with Holdsworth pickups in the future as $$$ permits. I am sold! I love the fact that each note I play rings true. I put this pickup on a sub $300 made in japan ibanez guitar and it sounds like a dream. If it were lost or stolen I would buy another pickup and put it on a good playing guitar.
I have never listened to Alan Holdsworth's guitar playing. I purchased this pickup simply because of word of mouth and excellent reviews. I hope Alan Holdworth made some $ from my purchase becuase he deserves it. This pickup is a phenominal product.

Pickup features: Humbucking with coil tap capability
Impedence or other specs: Per Carvin 8.6K

Model of guitar or bass: Carvin DC 127T
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Carvin C22T
Other pickups on guitar: H22N
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Rock, Blues, Jazz
Reason for pickup change: I didn't like the stock C22T, it was too bright and brittle sounding.

Perceived output level: At 8.6K it's about the same output as a PAF
Tone: Outstanding tone. Very balanced with a slight bass bump yet still enough treble for great overall tone.
Sonic evaluation: I primarily play through an Allen Old Flame 2-10 all tube combo (similiar to a Fender Super Reverb). You get a very smooth PAF sound from this pickup. It growls when pushed and has tremendous sutain. With the slight bass bump, there is also just the right amount of mid cut. I've played and owned many great guitars and this pickup is as fine a pickup as I have used.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Rock, Blues, Jazz covers them all.

Comments: I've been playing over 25 years. I've owned my Carvin DC127 since 1998 and was never enamered with the way it sounded.In fact, I tried to sell it several times. I recently decided to change the pickups and now I definately have a keeper. I highly recommend these pickups for classic rock and blues. Metal heads though need not apply.

Pickup features: Humbucking
Impedence or other specs: Unknown

Model of guitar or bass: Carvin DC400
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Carvin M22
Other pickups on guitar: Carvin M22 SD
Artists using this pickup: Holdsworth and me
You musical style(s): Christian praise & worship - i.e., rock, blues, country, R&B
Reason for pickup change: Curiosity

Perceived output level: My guess is this is a lower output pickup - don't quote me
Tone: Balanced
Sonic evaluation: Guitar is a Carvin DC400 with active electronics. However, I leave the knobs at the detent, so the actives aren't doing much.
I most often play direct into the PA, using a Boss GT-6 and Tech21 active DI (acoustic). But at times, I use my Mesa/Boogie 22+, Peavey Prowler (with Class A EL84 adapters), and Peavey Studio Pro (solid state). This pickup sounds incredible through all of them.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Christian praise & worship includes rock, country, blues, and R&B styles at times. This pickup covers them all with style.

Comments: If lost or stolen, I'd instantly order another.
I've been playing for almost 35 years, and own too much gear to count. This includes about 8 Carvin electric guitars, the abovementioned amps (and some others besides), and many other items.
This pickup really surprised me. If you look at the graph in the catalog, the response is all over the place, not balanced at all. But in actual practice, the sound is wonderfully balanced. I suspect Carvin knew exactly what they were doing by voicing it like this.
At low volumes or running clean, the pickup has chime without being too bright. At higher volumes, it gets very thick and sustains forever. It reminds me of a great Les Paul I used to hear (belonged to a friend) - an awesome "woman" tone, but with more clarity from top to bottom. It's hard to describe. I will say this - it's very addictive, and unlike any other neck pickup I've ever owned. It's also very distinct from my other Carvin pickups.
Running split coil also sounds excellent and is pretty quiet, considering the loss of hum cancelling. However, if you're looking for Strat tones, they aren't here, at least not to my ears. I'm not a huge proponent of trying to get one guitar to sound like 2 or 3 other kinds - there will always be a tradeoff. This pickup sounds great on its own without trying to classify it.
My first impression was that I loved the bridge Holdsworth, but had concerns about the neck version. That quickly passed when I had a chance to play with the band. I find myself playing just that pickup for many things - clean, dirty, dry, wet, compressed - it's a great sound.
My favorite clean rhythm sound is this pickup full coil and the bridge Holdsworth in split mode. Reversing these settings gets a similar effect, but not quite as bright.
I plan on trying this setup with a non-active guitar, like a DC127, just to see if I have the same impressions. In the meantime, I'm pleased beyond words with this pickup, and that after going through a good-sized pile of Seymour Duncans and other full-size humbuckings.

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: Low Output

Model of guitar or bass: the carvin mentioned abovie
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: N/A
Other pickups on guitar: H22N
Artists using this pickup: Allan Holdsworth
You musical style(s): Progressive rock, Blues
Reason for pickup change: Stock Pickup

Perceived output level: Low output, very musical midrange
Tone: Very balenced
Sonic evaluation: The guitar is a blend of maple/alder plus maple top, with a tremolo, and a active pickup module. Its going into a Peavey 5150 with a Carvin Cab.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Very good setup, nice singing quality.

Comments: I love this pickup. I would never replace this pickup no matter what. Take a Gibson pickup, make it warmer, and sweeter and you have this pickup

Pickup features: Humbucking-Passive
Impedence or other specs: I don't know

Model of guitar or bass: Steinberger
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: EMGs
Other pickups on guitar: Bill Lawrence L-280
Artists using this pickup: Allan Holdsworth, I hope
You musical style(s): Rock/Fusion
Reason for pickup change: I wanted every nuance to come out. EMGs were not the right choice.

Perceived output level: Same as or maybe slightly more than SD 59'
Tone: Clean, responsive, smooth low, nice mid, singing high
Sonic evaluation: Yamaha DG-112

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Rock/Fusion. Not for metal or anything hard. Good for bridge and neck

Comments: Very nice pickups! I like them mostly because they are very responsive. At medium distortion, I can adjust the amount of gain with the pressure of the strokes. Allan Holdsworth describes it as "Spongy feeling," and I think it's appropriate. The idea of 22 all adjustable pole pieces is great. It's like a blade type but adjustable. I use them both in bridge and neck positions. They some how sound different. Bridge is punchy and neck is mellow. They both have great definitions, though. And most of all, they are inexpensive. They deserve more attention and reputation.

Pickup features: Humbucking-Passive
Impedence or other specs: I don't know

Model of guitar or bass: Steinberger
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: EMGs
Other pickups on guitar: Bill Lawrence L-280
Artists using this pickup: Allan Holdsworth, I hope
You musical style(s): Rock/Fusion
Reason for pickup change: I wanted every nuance to come out. EMGs were not the right choice.

Perceived output level: Same as or maybe slightly more than SD 59'
Tone: Clean, responsive, smooth low, nice mid, singing high
Sonic evaluation: Yamaha DG-112

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Rock/Fusion

Comments: