ElectroKraft Strat Set

Pickup features: single coil, fibre bobbin, formvar copper wire, vintage cloth covered leads, wax potted for microphonic noise suppression
Impedence or other specs: neck 7.0, middle 7.5, bridge 8K ohms

Model of guitar or bass: Meticulous handmade replica of 1962 Stratocaster tm.
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Fender classic 60's set
Other pickups on guitar: none at present
Artists using this pickup: Mellencampish guitarist, some serious 1984 dude and wow ... me!
You musical style(s): 1960's & 70's ROCK, BLUES as hard as they come, and general ROCK
Reason for pickup change: The authentic Fender tm. manufacturer's pickups were plain crap. Thin, tinny, weak top end, no bass to speak of, forget about sustain! The guitar was totally unuseable.

Perceived output level: Everything from beautiful, sweet to ballsy roaring cannon fire. All within recognizable Strat tm. tones, but better
Tone: Balanced. Super bass like I've never heard. Fantastic, blew me away with clear, pronounced mids. Full bloom of notes. Where are you SRV? Jimmy, are you there? Best of all, clean, audible, glassy highs. What sparkle on top!
Sonic evaluation: This is a homemade, by-me, Strat style guitar. Licensed parts were used. It might have started as a repair of an existing guitar, but it went all the way. It's expensive, well crafted and sophisticated. I tried to stay true to Fender tm. on the pickups too, but they were completely unacceptable. The biggest challenge was I that used a super lightweight body under 4 pounds. It had little punch and no sustain. The costly project was either going to be a waste, or try get it sounding right!
My main amp is a 40 watt Blues Deluxe, also 45 watt Super Reverb, but I jam and gig with a 40 watt transtube Peavey tm. Envoy 110, because it's really light. The little pipsqueak amp has put me at a disadvantage in the band, until the day I brought an ElectroKraft-eqipped, Tele tm. to the jam. Since then I have to turn the volume down.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Blues and vintage Rock - you're gonna have to back off a little. These pickups kick axe! For Rock in general, just let 'er rip. You won't be disappointed. To be specific, if you play "House of The Rising Sun", see how long your first notes hang there and blend in & harmonize with the rest of the notes. I have never heard that tune sound as awesome as it does with these new pickups. I have been playing them for a full week now.

Comments: I will buy many sets of these, for as many of my guitars as I can. I still want some variety, so continue to use another manufacturer's which costs 3 1/2 times as much.
I've been playing and collecting Fender tm. guitars for 33 years, but have all 6 decades of electric guitars.
I like the quality of the sound; prior to buying & installing ElectroKraft I had never known such tone was possible. They are without doubt the best pickups I have ever heard, and I can roughly calculate that I have heard well over 5,000 electric guitars --- I see 10,000 every year.
I'm not in a brand wars situation, except to say that 6 decades of Fender tm. product has failed to impress me. I have pickups from 15 - 20 other manufacturers to base my opinion on.
I chose ElectroKraft because I had my own person as a pickup winder and he would not change or custom make a set. He liked it "his way". But I was the one paying for everything. Tony will make custom orders, no problem. I am a demanding Hotrodder/builder.
I am looking at changing the stagger of the poles with ElectroKraft. Until now, they've been a good, balanced flush pole, or strainght pole arrangement. Maybe, more potential can be extracted from the basic framework and materials of these pickups. I want only the best.
Actually, I'm satisfied beyond what I dreamed possible, so I have to dream some more now, to see if staggered poles make any difference with the fundamental quality & sound already in these pickups.
Other info: yes, prospective buyers should know that they will have to supply their own covers and hardware for these pickups. The prices are really good now ... a super value, but I might like to see the whole pickup, cover & hardware sold together.

Pickup features: Single Coil
Impedence or other specs: 7.0

Model of guitar or bass: 99 Cort Solo
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: mighty mights
Other pickups on guitar: Kent Armstrong Humbucker
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): blues, clean jazz, classic rock
Reason for pickup change: I decided to upgrade an old Cort Solo guitar I have had for many years. The pickups just plain sucked, as did the tuners. The angathis(?) body was nice and the neck fast so I decided to upgrade components and see what happened.

Perceived output level: Low to Mid output level-nice
Tone: well rounded and full.....balanced
Sonic evaluation: I play rock and light rock songs in a christian band and have been playing for many years. I play through a Ampeg ReverbRocket, and also have a Tele with SD pickups and a Fender Strat. I play with only 2 pedals, a Boss Blues driver and a Marshall Blues Breaker.

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

Comments: I cant state how happy I am with the sound of these pickups. I told Tony I wanted a great clean sound and that is exactly what he gave me. He wound the pickups to a 7.0. This guitar hasa H-S-S so I have these in the middle and neck positions. The sound is very balanced and a wonder clean sound. great lows mids and treble. They dont drive the distortion side, but thats not what I wanted. This guitar, which was useless before, now sounds as good as anything I have ever own for clean, blues rythm which is what I playin our band. Tonys pick ups made a useless guitar into a giggin guitar, now that is a good thing. I had some slight problems with one of the pickups from the start, but Tony was very fair and got the problem fixed. I am now working on a Strat project and these will be the pickups I go for, only this time...something a bit hotter..
These pickups are a great value...very nice

Pickup features: Passive single coils
Impedence or other specs: 7.0k, 7.0k, 8.0k

Model of guitar or bass: Homemade Custom Strat
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: none - newly built guitar
Other pickups on guitar: All Electrocraft
Artists using this pickup: Don't know
You musical style(s): Blues, Classic Rock
Reason for pickup change: I was looking for a new pickup to try for a project guitar, thought I'd give Tony's pickups a try.

Perceived output level: High output singlecoils. Beefier than most OEM pickups I've used. Made with vintage type materials and carefully hand wound.
Tone: This is an overwound pick with more pronounced mids and warm, tight lows, but still retains clear highs as well.
Sonic evaluation: The guitar is a self-made custom Strat type guitar with a 2-piece alder body, maple/rosewood neck with a vintage style tremolo bridge (steel block). I play through a '65 Fender Bandmaster head and two different 2X12 cabinets (2-Weber C12N's, 2-Mojotone MP12RHD alnicos), a 1976 Ampeg V-2 head w/matching 4X12 cabinet, and a Peavey Classic 50-212.
When I E-mailed Tony I asked for a set of pickups that would deliver a "Texas" blues tone, but without sacrificing to much of the high frequency range. The pickups Tony wound for me delivered as requested. As an overwound pickup there is a pronounced and punchy mid-range that is perfect for the blues tone I was looking for. The tone is clear and articulate without the often associated muddiness of an overwound pickup. The pickups really shine in high gain/overdriven applications - including the bridge pickup, which lacks the shrill, icepick tone often associated with bridge single coils. In clean applications, the pickups are clear and articulate with much of the glassiness you'd expect from a good single coil. The "quack" in the notch positions is not as good as an underwound vintage pickup, but I expected to sacrifice this for the fat blues mid tones the pickups deliver. No one pickup can deliver all things in one package. I chose an overwind for specific reasons knowing that I would sacrifice some of the vintage sparkle. What I didn't expect was that these pickups would sound as good as they do in clean settings. There is nothing mushy or dark about these pickups.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: With this guitar I play mostly blues. I ordered these pickups for that style of music and for the blues , these pickups are great. Texas tone without the muddiness and darkness. They are what I asked for and more. The pickups are not good for vintage sparkling clean tone and quack, but they were not designed for that. If vintage tone is what you're after, Tony can wind you a set that will fit that requirement as well as these fit mine.

Comments: If lost or stolen I would buy another set without hesitation. I've been playing since the mid '60's and have played more Strat/single coil combinations than I care to remember. If you're looking for that SRV tone without the mud you'll find it with these pickups. They are as good as any pickups of their type out there and better than most. These pickups deliver what I asked for - fat, mid heavy blues tone.
Tony at Electrokraft is a good guy to work with. If you are looking for a good single coil made like they used to be made in the "vintage" era, then consider a set from Tony. A good pickup that's a good value, from a good guy.

Pickup features: Single Coil Passive
Impedence or other specs: 7, 7, 8

Model of guitar or bass: Samick guitar
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Samick
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Blues/Rock
Reason for pickup change: More sustain and presence. Cheap guitar, but with a luckily decent fretboard, ripped to parts, redone to my taste, and then made 1st rate by decent pickups.

Perceived output level: I got a nice blues sound, but with enough rasp to give life to a bit of grunge attitude, fairly hot
Tone: Good balance, not muddy and with decent sustain
Sonic evaluation: Vintage Fender Super Reverb with a half dose of reverb. Usually a touch of Kramer Delay (mostly for sustain), occasionally active Kramer overdrive (when I want to rough it up) and ocassionally active Boss multiselect to fit specific feels.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Rock, alternative, country-rock, metal and blues

Comments: I've taken $50 worth of Samick, ripped it up, refinished it, stuck %99 worth of pickups in it and set it up for perfect presence. Considering parts and time and paint, I've about $250 into what feels, plays and sounds like $600. Wouldn't trade it for my Kubicki Strat, my duel humbucker Steinburger, or even my originally owned 1973 Telecaster, if I had to pick one to walk up onto the stage with. the guitar has a sweet, old (but with a little attitude) vintage strat sound to it now. Very pleased to pick up some pickups that would have cost me $230 anywhere else for the same performance, and hey, all the fun was seeing if I got lucky. I did. ElectroKraft will even let you custom select exactly the impedance ratings and windings you want in each of your set, or sell you a single pickup for $35. Huge deal type stuff, and probably due to the one guy in a garage sort of personal interest you get.

Pickup features: Single coil, passive
Impedence or other specs: Handbuilt to SRV specifications

Model of guitar or bass: Hohner ST professional (STRAT COPY)
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Manufacturers Standard fit
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Blues/rock
Reason for pickup change: I was looking for pickups that gave me a brighter more vintage sound

Perceived output level: These pickups gave me a significant increase in output, really bright sounding but easily tweaked. They sound great
Tone: Think SRV A lively bright bluesey Tone with a real vintage FIZZ!
Sonic evaluation: Played through mainly a Peavey Rage 150 Practise amp set to the clean channel with the switch thrown to vintage. Pedals used are Marshall Edward the Compressor to Marshall Blues-Breaker 2 set to its Blues setting with a touch of drive (about 10%) also through a 120Watt Stereo Chorus reverb amp for gigging.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Blues/rock This set is stunning I have a Les Paul and a BC Rich Bich since I've fitted these pickups I Have not touched these!

Comments: If this guitar was to go missing the first thing I would do is place an order with Tony @ ElectroKraft for a replacement set! I have been playing on and off for twenty years,Starting on Bass then graduating onto 6 string. I love the Vintage tone and fizz these pickups give I feel like SRV when I plug in (except for the talent bit!) If Ihad to describe the tone in one word it would have to be EXPRESSIVE. My search for that sound is at an end I have found the HOLY GRAIL of TONE! If you like that expressive,Stevie Ray Vaughan/Buddy Guy, singing blues guitar sound get a set of these!. One other really good point the customer care Tony gives is outstanding, Excellent communication and plenty of good advice. Once again BUY A SET!