HEADSMASHER Soulsmasher

This is a passive Humbucker
DC resistance 8.2K
Alnico magnet
Hand made and hand wound

Fitted into bridge position of a 1978 Les Paul Deluxe.
Replacing a Seymour Duncan, Pearly Gate.

On the neck i have a Headsmasher Grinder90, P90 style pick up at 7.9k DC resistance. The outputs balance very well - a very good compliment of pick-ups.

I needed a new pick-up after destroying the old one with sweat, blood and bits of dropped off finger. I wanted a big, warm, analogue tone. I don't like a digital, compressed full shred sound, I'm not a purist but i am old school when it comes to tone. So i was looking for that big fat brown warm tone that you get with traditional 50's and 60's pick-ups. When i found out about these guys i gave them a ring and had a good old chat and they convinced me to spend some of my hard earned money.

I'm playing this through a old Marshall 100w superbass head (also refurbed my Headsmasher and now working as a twin channel master volume with a few added voicing controls - thats a whole different review).

The only pedal i use is an overdrive just to fill in the sound a bit and give a bit more sustain.

This pick-up has a very warm, wide tone which varies quite subtly as you roll the volume or the treble off. At its root you have a very 50's rock'n'roll sound but at full volume its that and some, turning into a very bluesy not too wuffy lead pick up. Particularly toneful with the treble rolled off a notch or two.

I like heavy stoner rock and this gives me a very big warm sound without having to push gains on the amp too high and loosing that width and presence of tone.

I'm really happy with this pick up. It does everything i wanted of it and the tone really is exceptional. It is easily as good as the Pealy Gate it replaced and it just feels that much warmer and more versitile.