Stan Hinesley Scorpion

Custom Scorpion bridge humbucker, spec'ed for underwound & zebra bobbins. 1 row screws + 1 row slugs, the classic PAF look.

The custom spec'ed Scorpion is installed in my USACG custom guitar, in a SSH config. Underwound slightly to match with the Hot Rails & Cool Rails in the neck & middle position respectively.

It was installed on Nov 27, i gave myself a month of using it in practice/jams/gig to properly review this wonderful pickup...unlike owning it for 1 week of honeymoon period and just rave over it unknowingly.

I consulted Stan initially on the qualities that i've always wanted in my bridge humbuckers, exactly as stated in my email which i'll list below

- clarity, punch
- Tight bass but with slight warmth
- decent but not overbearing amount of mids, e.g. of overbearing mids would be a Dimarzio Breed bridge or Tone Zone
- about 12k or 13k output, so that i can match with the 2 rail pickups in the guitar
- hopefully little compression and not too much like those high powered mainstream humbuckers
- decent cleans, not always driving the amp easily into overdrive like a Tone Zone
- harmonically rich, tried a Steve's Special before which was practically tight but a dead pickup to me

There's quite abit more, but those are the gist of it. It was to be a versatile humbucker which can be used on it's own or paralleled and not overpowering with relation to the other pickups.

It's meant to be primarily in a rock guitar but with some versatility on tap. Albeit bright probably due to the maple top, but it is never harsh on the ears. The bass end is tight while the rest of the frequencies are still very prominent across the spectrum, the clarity of it through gain is amazing too.

I would think this pickup that was made for me, is very suitable for fusion/rock. Clarity, punch and responds very well to picking dynamics.

I've been playing for about 5 years and have tried the usual Duncans/Dimarzios, Tonezone..JB..Pearly Gates...Breed...PAF Pro..most of the raved after pickups and found them quite fine but all lacking in certain qualities that i liked in one another. Stan has nailed it quite on the spot for this pickup that i had asked for.

I do own a Fender 62Reissue strat, Ibanez RG1550, Ibanez SA1260, and my USACG custom guitar. Forte in hard rock, blues & occasional funk jams...it's really not easy to find a bridge humbucker that can perform in most situations. Just fyi, most of the time i'm using the guitar into my pedalboard which usually goes into a clean amp..or if chance allows, into my JCM800 2204 or any other tube amps that is available at gigs. This pickup just sounds great with whatever you throw at it!