New ElectroKraft pups in my tele...review

[JohnK24]

My '02 MIM Standard with a vintage bridge and brass saddles got a new set of ElectroKraft pups and the results are very nice, just what I wanted. I initially had a Texas Special Neck and Nocaster Bridge, then replaced those with a Rio Grande Muy Grande Neck and Duncan Broadcaster Bridge.

In my quest to dump the Muy neck pup for something less powerful and "straty", I discovered ElectroKraft on ebay. A simple custom wound to order pup builder in New York. Tony Amendolare responded to several of my email inquiriers to tone and asked the right questions as to what I has looking for in terms of tone. I opted for a "vintage" wound set (6.8k on the neck and 7.9k on the bridge). These pups have alnico 5 magnets, forvar bobbins and are hand wound to order. Well, after a three week wait they arrived.

Neck - very nice, defined notes, depth with a nice smooth top end, roll of some treble and a VERY sweet jazz or western swing tone is present. Tony added a resistor of some type to the pup, don't know what it does, but this pickup is great. Not muddy or over powering like the former two "overwound" pickups.

Bridge - very much in line with the former Broadcaster I had, but with more "air", this pup gives me a noticable separation of notes and the top isn't ice pick highs. It has a steel base plate and no cotton string wrapping, just a fancy red "ribbon" wrapped around the coils. I can blend it nicely with the neck and get a full sounding middle position tone. It twangs and rocks out.

Both pups are very pick sensitive, responding well to heavy or light attacks. The neck blew me away tonight as I upped the gain on my Blues Jr. and jammed along with some Jonny Lang...fat, defined and sweety compressed.

So, I discovered you don't need to pay boutique prices for fine quality pickups that are made to your specs.

JK

[Scotland]

It's great to hear you have found someone to make the pups you like. I'm happy and lucky enough with mine, to have stopped searching and now get on with enjoying my sound. Maybe you should change out again in 6 months or so to see if you still like the new ones, I hope you do, it's great to "find" your tone.

[rockycreeker]

Does this guy have a website? I'd like to check out some of his stuff. Thanks

[JohnK24]

Originally Posted by rockycreeker

Does this guy have a website? I'd like to check out some of his stuff. Thanks

http://electrokraftpickups.com/

It's not very advanced as far as websites, send me an email, Tony responds fast.

JK

[rockycreeker]

I'll email Tony. I'm looking for pup for my MIJ 90's Tele Deluxe, that has two strat pups and a tele bridge. He may be able to design a set that is very balanced, instead of me trying to mix and match, hoping to get off the shelf stuff that will work.