Product: Wolfetone Alnico Soapbar
Price Paid: US $90
Submitted
07/12/1999
at
01:22pm
by
Michael Nocera
Email: nocera123 at netscape<dot>net
Features
:
Pickup features: passive single coil
Impedence or other specs: 9K ohms, alnico polepieces
Instrument
:
Model of guitar or bass: custom bolt-on - mahogany neck & body, cocobolo top, Gotoh 1-pc stoptail
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: new install
Other pickups on guitar: Wolfetone Grey Wolf humbucker (bridge)
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): alternahippieblues ?
Reason for pickup change:
Sound
:
No Opinion
Perceived output level: close to a vintage style soapbar
Tone: strong lower mids, not too bright
Sonic evaluation: I'm using a custom guitar I built played into a 71 Fender Twin, ocassional Dunlop Wah and Ibanez flanger. The tone is deep, warm, and round, cleaner than a vintage P-90 - Subtle chord voicings like major 7ths or 9ths are not lost in the mud like they can be on a P-90. It has driving volume, but not the dirt or grind I'm used to from a P-90. With my Twin's volume at 5, there is minimal break up vs. only about 3.5 for an Antiquity P-90 (on a different guitar). It also produces a smooth, buttery lead tone, similar to a neck humbucker, but not as thick on the treble strings. It is bright and open, not compressed like a humbucker, but not as shimmering as a Strat pickup. Overall, it sounds a little fatter than a Jazzmaster pickup, and quite like the oldstyle Gibson soapbar Black Beauty pickup (with the rectangular polepieces)...
For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Anything including Hendrix, Smashing Pumpkins, Sea & Cake, BB King, Grateful Dead...I think this pickup could work for any style depending on the amp/effects you used.
Overall Rating
:
9
Comments: I've been playing 5+ years and currently own 3 guitars I built. I would definitely buy this pickup again or replace it if necessary. This pickup was a custom request - It's built with Alnico polepieces like a Fender pickup, so it's more like Jazzmmaster pickup in a P-90 cover. I wanted a warm open sound for rhythm (which I couldn't get from a P-90 or humbucker) that would balance with a bridge humbucker, and this pickup delivers it. As for "that sound", there are many highly varied guitar tones which I love, so I find it pointless to try and rate one better than the other.
