Edge of Breakup
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Ron Ellis Pickups Signature Humbuckers
Ron Ellis Pickups makes its channel debut — and the Signature Humbuckers in the R8 Historic are something special. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
In this episode the Ron Ellis Pickups Signature Humbucker Set takes center stage — installed in the 2002 Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul R8 Historic, wired with the Emerson Custom x Edge of Breakup Les Paul Prewired Kit and Emerson Custom Treble Bleeds on both volume pots, into the Benson Amps Monarch 2x12" via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander. R2R Electric Rangemaster, Origin Effects Revival Drive Compact, Effectrode Tube Vibe, and Echo Fix EF-X3 all feature.
Get the EoB x Emerson Custom Les Paul Kit: https://emersoncustom.com/products/eob-les-paul-prewired-kit-premier-pro?sca_ref=6282128.5O9h8BhMpG
Learn more about Ron Ellis Pickups: https://www.ronellispickups.com/collections/humbuckers/products/signature-humbucker
Follow: https://www.instagram.com/ronellispickups/
Ron Ellis is an engineer by profession — over 35 years of experience in materials and mechanical design — based in Carlsbad, California. In 2004 he began using high-tech laboratory equipment, including spectrometers, to reverse-engineer the materials used in 1950s and 1960s guitar pickups at the molecular level. Rather than simply copying vintage wire types or old winding machines, Ron identifies what materials actually make a measurable difference in the final sound and selects them accordingly. Each set is hand-wound in Carlsbad.
The Signature set is Ron's own recipe rather than a PAF clone. Where his LRP set aims for a traditional old PAF sound with a stronger signal into the amp's front end, the Signature deliberately reduces midrange content — hitting the preamp less aggressively and allowing greater headroom, clarity, and note separation. Bridge 10K / Neck 9K, but they don't sound overwound in any conventional sense. The higher resistance number doesn't translate to the compressed, thick midrange of a typically overwound pickup. Historically correct nickel silver covers.
In Ron's own words: "The Signature set is the result of finding single-coil clarity in the humbucker format. It clearly articulates both high and low notes to create a clean and melodic tonal signature. It's great for articulate playing and works well in combination with Telecaster, Stratocaster, and P90 pickups."
Notable players who use Ron Ellis humbuckers: Ariel Posen, Doyle Bramhall II, Guthrie Trapp, Joey Landreth, Kirk Fletcher, Bill Frisell.
🎸 Ron Ellis Pickups: https://www.ronellispickups.com
🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers
Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.
🎸 2002 Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul R8 Historic | Ron Ellis Signature Humbuckers (Bridge 10K / Neck 9K) | Emerson Custom EoB LP Kit + 2x Treble Bleed
🎛️ R2R Electric Rangemaster | Origin Effects Revival Drive Compact | Effectrode Tube Vibe | Echo Fix EF-X3
🔊 Benson Amps Monarch 2x12" | Scumback H75-PVC 65W | Boss Waza TAE
Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Ohma Ribbon | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Ableton Live 12
Curtis Novak Strat-V Cojones Bridge & Strat-V High Wind Pickup Set — Fender Stratocaster Upgrade
Curtis Novak Pickups returns — this time with the Strat-V Cojones in the bridge, paired with Strat-V High Wind in the neck and middle. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
In this episode the Curtis Novak Strat-V Cojones Bridge + Strat-V High Wind (Neck + Middle) take center stage — installed in the Fender Custom Shop 1960 Journeyman Relic Stratocaster with Emerson Custom S5B Blender 5-Way Wiring Kit and Treble Bleed, into the Benson Amps Monarch 2x12" via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander. R2R Electric Rangemaster OC44, Origin Effects Revival Drive Compact, and Effectrode Tube Vibe all feature.
Get the Strat-V Cojones bridge: https://www.curtisnovak.com/shop/strat-v/ Get the Strat-V High Wind neck and middle: https://www.curtisnovak.com/shop/strat-v/
The Strat-V family covers three wind levels: Vintage Low, Vintage High, and Cojones — each available in any position, though the Cojones is designed specifically for the bridge. The Strat-V Vintage High Wind has been the bridge pickup in the Journeyman across previous demos on the channel. The Cojones steps above it in output — same vintage-voiced Strat-V character, same dynamic response and chimey vintage quality, but with more power to push an amp at lower volume settings and more body in the bridge position where single coils are naturally thinnest.
This is the third distinct bridge pickup configuration on the Journeyman Strat across this pickup demo series: the Strat-V High Wind (previous demo), the Strat-TB Telecaster-style bridge (previous demo), and now the Strat-V Cojones — all with the same Strat-V High Wind neck and middle. The Cojones sits between the Strat-V High Wind and the Strat-TB tonally: more thickness and output than the High Wind, but with the Strat-V's vintage single coil character rather than the Strat-TB's Telecaster-influenced midrange push.
The Emerson Custom Blender wiring is explored from 03:53 and 09:02 — blending the Cojones bridge into neck and bridge/middle combinations not available on a standard 5-way. The Rangemaster into cranked Monarch from 12:31 is where the Cojones output makes the biggest difference over the High Wind, with a fatter, more authoritative cleanup sweep and more signal available to drive the boost.
Get the Emerson Custom Strat Blender Kit: https://emersoncustom.com/products/s5b-blender-5-way-strat-prewired-kit?sca_ref=6282128.5O9h8BhMpG Treble Bleed: https://emersoncustom.com/products/2017-treble-bleed-circuit-volume-mod?sca_ref=6282128.5O9h8BhMpG
🎸 Curtis Novak Pickups: https://www.curtisnovak.com 🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers
Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.
🎸 Fender Custom Shop '60 Journeyman Relic Strat | Curtis Novak Strat-V High Wind (Neck + Middle) + Strat-V Cojones (Bridge) | Emerson Custom S5B Blender + Treble Bleed 🎛️ R2R Electric Rangemaster OC44 | Origin Effects Revival Drive Compact | Effectrode Tube Vibe 🔊 Benson Amps Monarch 2x12" | Boss Waza TAE
Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Ohma Ribbon | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Ableton Live 12
Curtis Novak Pickups Strat-V High Wind Pickup Set — Essential Fender Stratocaster Upgrade
Curtis Novak Pickups returns to the channel — this time with a full Strat-V High Wind set in all three positions. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
In this episode the Curtis Novak Strat-V High Wind Pickup Set takes center stage — all three positions, installed in the Fender Custom Shop 1960 Journeyman Relic Stratocaster with Emerson Custom S5B Blender 5-Way Wiring Kit and Treble Bleed, into the Benson Amps Monarch 2x12" via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander. Origin Effects Revival Drive Compact, R2R Electric Rangemaster OC44, and Effectrode Tube Vibe feature in the second half.
Get a Curtis Novak Strat-V High Wind set: https://www.curtisnovak.com/shop/strat-v/
The Strat-V is Curtis Novak's vintage-specification Stratocaster single coil — voiced for the warm, chimey, bloom-heavy character of a classic '60s Strat. The High Wind variant adds output compared to the standard Strat-V, pushing the amp harder at lower volume settings and delivering more body and fullness across all five positions. Middle pickup is reverse-wound/reverse-polarity for hum cancellation in positions 2 and 4.
This demo contrasts with the previous Curtis Novak Strat video, which featured the Strat-V High Wind neck and middle paired with the Strat-TB Telecaster-style bridge pickup. Here, the Strat-V High Wind runs in all three positions — a more consistent tonal character across the full sweep of the 5-way, with the bridge position showing what a high-wind vintage-voiced single coil sounds like against the beefier Strat-TB alternative from the previous demo.
The Emerson Custom Blender wiring is explored from 08:21 — blending the neck pickup into the bridge and bridge middle positions, giving parallel neck+bridge combinations unavailable on standard Strat wiring. The Rangemaster into pushed Monarch combination from 12:00 is where the High Wind output shines most: more input level to the boost means a wider cleanup sweep and a fatter, more authoritative fuzz character.
Grab an Emerson Custom Treble Bleed: https://emersoncustom.com/products/2017-treble-bleed-circuit-volume-mod?sca_ref=6282128.5O9h8BhMpG
Emerson Custom Strat Blender Kit: https://emersoncustom.com/products/s5b-blender-5-way-strat-prewired-kit?sca_ref=6282128.5O9h8BhMpG
🎸 Curtis Novak Pickups: https://www.curtisnovak.com
🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers
Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.
🎸 Fender Custom Shop '60 Journeyman Relic Strat | Curtis Novak Strat-V High Wind (All 3 Positions) | Emerson Custom S5B Blender + Treble Bleed
🎛️ Origin Effects Revival Drive Compact | R2R Electric Rangemaster OC44 | Effectrode Tube Vibe
🔊 Benson Amps Monarch 2x12" | Boss Waza TAE
Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Sennheiser E906 | Ableton Live 12
Lollar Pickups High Wind Imperial PAF Humbuckers // Feat. Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul R8
Lollar Pickups returns to the channel — this time with the High Wind Imperial PAF Humbuckers, the hotter sibling of the legendary Low Wind. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
In this episode the Lollar High Wind Imperial PAF Humbuckers take center stage — installed in the 2002 Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul R8 Historic, freshly wired with the Emerson Custom x Edge of Breakup Les Paul Prewired Kit and two Emerson Custom Treble Bleeds, into the Benson Amps Monarch 2x12" via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander. Origin Effects Revival Drive Compact, R2R Electric Rangemaster, and Effectrode Tube Vibe all feature.
Grab a set: https://www.lollarguitars.com/lollar-humbucker-pickups/lollar-imperial-humbucker Get the EoB x Emerson Custom Les Paul Kit: https://emersoncustom.com/products/eob-les-paul-prewired-kit-premier-pro?sca_ref=6282128.5O9h8BhMpG Treble Bleed Mod: https://emersoncustom.com/products/2017-treble-bleed-circuit-volume-mod?sca_ref=6282128.5O9h8BhMpG
The Lollar Low Wind Imperial is one of the most well-known boutique PAF humbuckers on the market — open, airy, dynamic, with a bloom and clarity that rewards touch sensitivity. The High Wind Imperial keeps the same fundamental voicing — drawn from the long-revered qualities of the original 1950s PAF — but adds winding to both the neck and bridge, pushing the output higher while staying within the vintage PAF specification range.
What this means in practice: the High Wind pushes your amp into overdrive territory at lower volume settings. The same amp that sounds clean with a Low Wind Imperial will sound fuller and more pushed with the High Wind at the same volume knob position. Clean tones have more body and girth. Cranked tones arrive earlier and with more authority. The overdrive interaction with the Revival Drive Compact is more saturated, and the R2R Electric Rangemaster stacking — explored from 11:03 — has an even broader range of cleanup tones available because there's more signal level to roll back into.
The R8 Historic platform is particularly well-suited to High Wind Imperials. The hide glue neck joint, long tenon, and solid mahogany construction are already voiced for warmth and sustain — the High Wind's added output gives the guitar's natural resonance more input signal to push the amp with, resulting in a more consistently singing, harmonically rich character even at modest volume settings.
Grab an Emerson Custom Les Paul Kit: https://emersoncustom.com/products/les-paul-prewired-kit?sca_ref=6282128.5O9h8BhMpG Emerson Custom Strat Blender Kit: https://emersoncustom.com/products/s5b-blender-5-way-strat-prewired-kit?sca_ref=6282128.5O9h8BhMpG
🎸 Lollar Pickups: https://www.lollarguitars.com/lollar-pickups 🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers
Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.
🎸 2002 Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul R8 Historic | Lollar High Wind Imperial PAF Humbuckers | Emerson Custom EoB LP Kit | 2x Treble Bleed | '50s Wiring | P/O Caps 🎛️ Origin Effects Revival Drive Compact | R2R Electric Rangemaster | Effectrode Tube Vibe 🔊 Benson Amps Monarch 2x12" | Boss Waza TAE
Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Sennheiser E906 | Ableton Live 12
Curtis Novak Pickups Strat-TB Bridge & Strat-V High Wind Pickup Set — Fender Stratocaster Upgrade
Curtis Novak Pickups returns to the channel — this time with an unconventional Stratocaster pickup configuration that I think might be the answer to the bridge pickup problem. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
In this episode the Curtis Novak Strat-V High Wind Neck and Middle pickups pair with the Curtis Novak Strat-TB Telecaster-style bridge pickup — all installed in the Fender Custom Shop 1960 Journeyman Relic Stratocaster with Emerson Custom S5B Blender 5-Way wiring, into the Benson Amps Monarch via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander. Origin Effects Revival Drive Compact, R2R Electric Rangemaster OC44, and Effectrode Tube Vibe feature in the second half.
Get the Curtis Novak Strat-TB bridge: https://www.curtisnovak.com/shop/strat-tb/
Get the Curtis Novak Strat-V High Wind: https://www.curtisnovak.com/shop/strat-v/
The Strat-V High Wind pickups in the neck and middle positions are Curtis Novak's vintage-specification Stratocaster single coil — voiced for the warm, chimey, bloom-heavy character of a classic '60s Strat. High wind for extra warmth and output. The middle is reverse-wound/reverse-polarity for hum cancellation in the middle/neck and middle/bridge positions.
The bridge position is where this configuration becomes genuinely interesting. The Strat-TB is a Telecaster-style bridge pickup installed in a Stratocaster bridge position. The Telecaster bridge pickup's tonal character is fundamentally different from a Stratocaster bridge pickup: thicker, more midrange-forward, substantially less of the brittle, glassy top end that makes Strat bridge pickups difficult to use at higher amp volumes. The coil geometry and magnets of a Tele bridge pickup produce a tone that works with humbuckers and single coils alike without requiring significant tonal compensation from the amp. The bridge/middle position (05:01, 10:47) is where this becomes most compelling — the Strat-V Middle's vintage chimey character with the Strat-TB's thickness underneath is a combination a standard Strat 5-way can't produce.
The Emerson Custom Blender wiring also allows blending the neck and bridge pickups together (explored from 13:21), giving a parallel Tele-style neck+bridge combined voice — another tone unavailable on standard Strat wiring.
🎸 Curtis Novak Pickups: https://www.curtisnovak.com
🎛️ Emerson Custom: https://emersoncustom.com
🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers
Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.
🎸 Fender Custom Shop '60 Journeyman Relic Strat | Curtis Novak Strat-V High Wind (Neck + Middle) + Strat-TB (Bridge) | Emerson Custom S5B Blender Wiring
🎛️ Origin Effects Revival Drive Compact | R2R Electric Rangemaster OC44 | Effectrode Tube Vibe
🔊 Benson Amps Monarch | Boss Waza TAE
Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Sennheiser E906 | Ableton Live 12
Sunbear Pickups 59 SB-PAF Humbuckers
Sunbear Pickups makes its channel debut — and the guitar housing them is just as special. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
In this episode the Sunbear Pickups 59 SB-PAF Humbuckers take center stage — installed in the Giordano Guitars 59 Single Cut, picked up at LA Vintage Gear during NAMM 2024, into the Benson Amps Monarch via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander. Origin Effects Revival Drive Compact, R2R Electric Rangemaster OC44, and Effectrode Tube Vibe also feature.
🎸 Sunbear Pickups: https://www.sunbearpickups.com/humbucker-pickups/humbucker-set-2
Follow: https://www.instagram.com/sunbear_pickups/
Sunbear Pickups is Stuart Robson, working in Knebworth, England. Stu has quietly built a reputation in serious pickup circles as one of the best PAF winders currently working — Guitar Player Magazine compared a set directly against vintage 1959 PAFs and came away impressed. The 59 SB-PAF is his take on the middle-output PAF character of that year.
Bridge (Alnico IV, +/- 8.3K): A rough-cast Alnico IV magnet for extra high end grit and strident punch, alongside a very even low-mid output to round things out. Wonderfully balanced mix of power and dynamics — heavy-handed rock riffs or subtle textures, it handles both. The rough-cast magnet is a period-correct detail that adds sweetness to the high-frequency character.
Neck (Alnico III, +/- 7.3K): Throaty and vocal with the Alnico III magnet keeping any muddiness completely at bay. A small coil offset adds clear low end richness and a creamy midrange character. Unpotted — true to the original PAF construction, which contributes to the harmonic openness and bloom.
The Giordano Guitars 59 Single Cut is the Giordano family's Les Paul-inspired build from Italy — the same luthiers behind Sean's Strat-style S-Model but applied to a carved-top single cut platform. Honduras Mahogany body and neck. Book-matched Eastern Maple top. Hide glue construction throughout. Madagascar Rosewood fretboard. 6/6 nylon nut. Celluloid Nitrate inlays. Dunlop 6105 frets. Paper-In-Oil caps, Switchcraft jack and switch. Kluson tuners. Faber bridge and tailpiece. Unplasticized nitrocellulose lacquer aged finish. The Sunbear 59 SB-PAF set is fitted as standard in this build — the guitar and pickup combination was designed to work together.
🎸 Giordano Guitars: https://www.instagram.com/_giordanoguitars_/
🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers
Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.
🎸 Giordano Guitars 59 Single Cut | Honduras Mahogany / Eastern Maple Top | Hide Glue | Madagascar Rosewood | Nitro | Sunbear 59 SB-PAF (AIV Bridge 8.3K / AIII Neck 7.3K)
🎛️ Origin Effects Revival Drive Compact | R2R Electric Rangemaster OC44 | Effectrode Tube Vibe
🔊 Benson Amps Monarch | Boss Waza TAE
Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Sennheiser E906 | Ableton Live 12
Seymour Duncan Antiquity Humbuckers
The Seymour Duncan Antiquity Humbuckers in the all-Korina Frank Brothers Arcade, into the Benson Earhart's top boost channel. A pickup demo that earns its runtime. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
In this episode the Seymour Duncan Antiquity Humbuckers take center stage — installed in the Frank Brothers Arcade all-Korina build with aged nitro finish, into the Benson Amps Earhart Reverb Combo 1x12" with top boost engaged via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander. The Benson Amps Stonk Box, JAM Pedals Ripply Fall, and Meris LVX join for the second half.
Check out more guitar pickup demos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLY1KzQHoiH1WyoqFxSBsbFPm_RjF3Ef_
Seymour Duncan's Antiquity series is their Custom Shop's answer to the most elusive vintage PAF question: what do those original 1950s Patent Applied For humbuckers actually sound like, and can you make them again? The answer involves going back to the same factory that built the original PAF mold for Gibson — Seymour Duncan's Custom Shop uses the same butyrate bobbin mold. Every Antiquity humbucker is wound on Seymour's original Leesona winding machine from the early Gibson factory in Kalamazoo, Michigan, using 42AWG plain enamel mag wire. Each pickup is aged both cosmetically and magnetically — the Alnico 2 bar magnet is degaussed to simulate decades of natural aging, the covers are chemically treated, and the hardware is hand-worn. Not wax potted — true to the original Gibson PAF, which takes the pickup right to the edge of harmonic breakup and keeps it there.
The result: airy openness in the top end, Alnico 2 warmth and bloom in the low mids, clear single-note singing quality with just the right amount of treble emphasis. The bridge is wound slightly hotter than the neck for balance and added warmth. Not over-wound, not aggressive — this is the pickup that rewards picking dynamics and guitar volume knob position.
The Korina Frank Brothers Arcade is a specific test. Korina (Spanish cedar) is the wood Gibson used in the late 1950s Flying V and Explorer — tonally similar to mahogany but lighter and more open in the midrange. The Antiquities' Alnico 2 character and the Korina's natural warmth and resonance interact in a very particular way, especially into the Earhart's top boost circuit.
🎸 Seymour Duncan Antiquity Humbucker: https://www.seymourduncan.com/single-product/antiquity-humbucker
🎸 Frank Brothers Guitar Company: https://www.frankbrothersguitars.com
🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers
Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.
🎸 Frank Brothers Arcade | All-Korina | Seymour Duncan Antiquity Humbuckers | Aged Nitro Checking
🎛️ Benson Amps Stonk Box | JAM Pedals Ripply Fall | Meris LVX
🔊 Benson Earhart Reverb Combo 1x12 | Top Boost | Boss Waza TAE
Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Sennheiser E906 | Ableton Live 11
Righteous Sound Monte P90 Pickups
P90s and a top boost amp — one of the great guitar combinations. The Benson Earhart Reverb Combo returns with the Righteous Sound Monte P90s and the Stonk Box. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
In this episode the Benson Amps Earhart Reverb Combo returns with the Frank Brothers Arcade Goldtop and Righteous Sound Monte P90s — alongside the Benson Amps Stonk Box, JAM Pedals Ripply Fall, and Meris LVX, through the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander and Benson 2x12" cabinet.
Watch the first Earhart demo with the Frank Brothers Arcade Thinline and Righteous Sound RAF Humbuckers here: https://youtu.be/bhI30yG8jao
Watch the first demo on Righteous Sound Monte P90s here: https://youtu.be/S6kuUolmZ54
The Earhart Reverb Combo's two core features explored in depth here: the top boost switch and its interaction with P90s specifically. The Earhart's top boost circuit adds shimmer and three-dimensional clarity in the upper midrange — a voicing that responds to P90 pickups differently than it does to humbuckers. The Monte P90's aggressive, raw upper-mid character and tight chunky low end meet the Earhart's top boost presence control in a way that feels made for each other. Bridge pickup with top boost on and the Monarch pushed is the rhythm tone that makes this combination so compelling.
The Benson Stonk Box entering the chain at 06:44 adds the other key dynamic: the Automatic Thermal Bias germanium fuzz pushing the Earhart's input stage, with the top boost shaping how the amp responds to that fuzz signal. The Stonk Box's Filter control changes the amount of signal feeding the germanium transistors, which interacts with the Earhart's top boost and the Monte P90's natural character — lots of tonal variables all working together musically.
The Ripply Fall's chorus and phaser sides are explored both independently and stacked from 05:02, and the Meris LVX adds ambient space from 09:10.
🔊 Benson Amps Earhart Reverb Combo: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers
🎸 Righteous Sound Monte P90: https://www.righteoussoundpickups.com
🎸 Frank Brothers Guitar Company: https://www.frankbrothersguitars.com
Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.
🎸 Frank Brothers Arcade Goldtop | Righteous Sound Monte P90s
🎛️ Benson Amps Stonk Box | JAM Pedals Ripply Fall | Meris LVX
🔊 Benson Earhart Reverb Combo 1x12 | Top Boost | Tube Reverb | Boss Waza TAE | Benson 2x12"
Lollar Pickups DC-90 — Hum-Canceling P-90
The P90 for players who need silence on stage. Lollar's brand new DC-90 makes its channel debut. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
In this episode the Lollar DC-90 Hum-Cancelling P-90 takes center stage — in the Frank Brothers Arcade, into the Benson Amps Monarch 2x12", with the R2R Electric MKI Tone Bender Wedge System Circuit, Lollar Overdrive, and Caroline Guitar Company Arigato Phaser in the second half.
Get on the Lollar Pickups mailing list: https://www.lollarguitars.com/lollar-pickups
Jason Lollar's P-90 was one of the pickups that first put Lollar Pickups on the map. For years, the most common request from P-90 players has been the same: keep the character, eliminate the hum. Lollar designer Kevin Moe went through numerous iterations over a lengthy period of trial and error — stacked designs and sidewinders were explored and set aside because they changed the voice too fundamentally. What they landed on is the DC-90: a genuinely new dual-coil design in a soapbar-size P-90 enclosure that shares the tonal profile of the Lollar '50s Wind P-90 while eliminating 60-cycle hum, hiss, and noise.
The name tells the story: DC = Dual-Coil. 90 = P-90 tonal inspiration.
Voicing is midrange-forward, articulate, with the snap and natural grind that defines P-90 character. DC resistance: Neck 11K / Bridge 12.3K. Recommended pots: 250K or 500K (250K gives a warmer tone). Recommended capacitor: 0.022μF.
One mounting note: the DC-90 fits any guitar routed for a standard P-90 soapbar, but mounts differently. The dual-coil layout means mounting screws are at the outer edges of the pickup rather than between pole pieces as on a standard P-90. Lollar offers an acrylic mounting template to align new holes. Available in black, cream, or white covers.
🎸 Lollar DC-90: https://www.lollarguitars.com/dc-90
🎸 Frank Brothers Guitar Company: https://www.frankbrothersguitars.com
🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers
Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.
🎸 Frank Brothers Arcade | Lollar DC-90 Hum-Cancelling P-90 (Neck 11K / Bridge 12.3K)
🎛️ R2R Electric MKI Tone Bender Wedge | Lollar Overdrive (KGR Harmony Effects) | Caroline Arigato Phaser
🔊 Benson Amps Monarch 2x12"
Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Sennheiser E906 | Ableton Live 11
Lollar Pickups Mini Humbuckers
The P90 rout is more versatile than most people realize — and this demo proves it. The Lollar Mini Humbuckers in the Frank Brothers Arcade Goldtop, through the Benson Monarch cranked with the R2R Electric Rangemaster. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
In this episode the Lollar Mini Humbucker Pickups take center stage — installed in the Frank Brothers Arcade Goldtop via P90 soapbar conversion rings, into the Benson Amps Monarch and Benson 2x12" cabinet via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander with the Benson Tall Bird for reverb, and the R2R Electric Rangemaster treble booster in the second half.
The P90 hunt on this guitar has covered the Fralin Stock P90, Fralin Hum-Cancelling P90, Righteous Sound Monte P90, Lollar '50s Wind, Standard Wind, and High Wind P90s. This episode takes a deliberate detour into a different pickup format entirely. Lollar's own soapbar conversion rings allow their Mini-Humbucker, La Prima, Firebird, and MiniBroiler pickups to drop directly into any standard P90 soapbar rout — no routing required. The P90 rout turns out to be one of the most versatile formats available, and the Mini Humbucker is one of its best applications.
The Lollar Mini Humbucker's internal architecture is what makes it distinctive. Steel cores rather than alnico rod magnets — this gives the pickup higher inductance, more bass, more output, and a smoother attack than an alnico-core mini humbucker. When you push the amp, the steel core produces more of a grind and sustain character than alnico. The result sits tonally between a full-size humbucker and a P90 — tighter, brighter, and more defined than a full humbucker, with more warmth and sustain than a true single coil. Hum-cancelling by design.
DC resistance: Neck 6.6K / Middle 6.7K / Bridge 7.2K. Recommended pots: 500K. The middle position on this guitar — Mini Humbucker neck and bridge blended in parallel — is a genuinely new sound for the Arcade Goldtop, not available with any P90 configuration.
The R2R Electric Rangemaster enters at 17:03 — pushing the Mini Humbuckers' already tight transient attack into the Monarch's preamp for the treble-boosted British lead tone these pickups are extremely well-suited for.
Coming up on the channel: Lollar La Prima Mini Humbuckers, Lollar Gold Foil Soapbars, and Lollar Firebird.
🎸 Lollar Mini Humbucker: https://www.lollarguitars.com/lollar-pickups
🎸 Frank Brothers Guitar Company: https://www.frankbrothersguitars.com
🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers
Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.
🎸 Frank Brothers Arcade Goldtop | Lollar Mini Humbuckers (P90 Conversion Rings) | B5 Bigsby
🎛️ R2R Electric Rangemaster (second half)
🔊 Benson Amps Monarch | Benson Tall Bird | Boss Waza TAE | Benson 2x12"
Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Sennheiser E906
Fralin Hum-Canceling P90 Pickups
All the P90 tone. None of the hum. The Fralin Hum-Cancelling P90 is the solution that actually works. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
In this episode the Lindy Fralin Hum-Cancelling P90 Soapbar Pickups take center stage in the Frank Brothers Arcade Goldtop, into the Benson Amps Monarch across three gain levels, followed by an extended pedalboard section covering the R2R Electric Supa MKII Fuzz, Origin Effects M-EQ Driver, Cornerstone Gladio SC, Meris LVX, and Walrus Audio M1 Vibrato/Vibe.
Other Fralin P90 demos on the channel:
Fralin Stock P90s: https://youtu.be/tR2uTQPap6Q
Fralin Pure PAF Humbuckers: https://youtu.be/lPHmESPyyxs
The P90 hum problem is real and well-documented. In a live or recording environment, single-coil hum is manageable. In a high-gain context into a pushed amp, it becomes a practical obstacle — and most "solutions" make the tone worse than the hum. Stacked coil designs cancel hum by placing two coils one on top of the other, which Fralin believes leads to a lifeless, dull tone that lacks character. Lindy's approach is different: a side-by-side dual-coil design that achieves hum cancellation without stacking, attaining a more accurate P90 tone that actually sounds like a P90.
The result is a vintage-voiced P90 tone with a slightly thicker midrange and rounder highs — the snarly midrange bark and top-end push of a real P90, with over 20dB of noise reduction. Dual-coil hum-cancelling design. Stock output for balanced response and versatility. Standard 50mm pole spacing for bridge and neck positions. Thick low end, round top end, and punchy midrange presence. Adjustable pole pieces for string-to-string volume balance.
This is the Stock output version — same wind spec as the Fralin Stock P90, applied to the hum-cancelling architecture. For a maple-top mahogany Arcade Goldtop into a Benson Monarch, the character comparison against the Stock P90s in the same guitar is the listening exercise this demo enables.
🎸 Fralin Hum-Cancelling P90: https://www.fralinpickups.com/product/p90-hum-cancelling/
🎸 Frank Brothers Arcade: https://www.frankbrothersguitars.com
🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers
Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.
🎸 Frank Brothers Arcade Goldtop | Fralin Hum-Cancelling P90 Soapbars | B5 Bigsby
🎛️ R2R Supa MKII | Origin M-EQ Driver | Cornerstone Gladio SC | Meris LVX | Walrus M1
🔊 Benson Amps Monarch
Recording: UA Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R-121 & R10 | Sennheiser E906 | Ableton Live 11
Lollar Pickups High Wind P90
Episode three of the Lollar P90 series — this time with a mixed-wind configuration that solves one of the great P90 balancing challenges. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
In this episode the Lollar High Wind P90 (bridge) paired with the Lollar Standard Wind P90 (neck) take center stage in the Frank Brothers Arcade Goldtop, into the Benson Amps Monarch with Benson 2x12" Celestion G12H cabinet.
Check out the other Lollar P90 demos in this series:
Standard Wind P90s: https://youtu.be/5TbV5Rpt4Uk
'50s Wind P90s: https://youtu.be/QxMUNq2VIjw
Full Lollar Pickups Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLY1KzQHoiH1bv3cF5-4U0VSgQhj7BpNe
The entire Low/Standard/High Wind family shares the same Alnico 5 magnets and the same wire. The only variable is wind count — fewer turns for the Low Wind (cleaner, brighter, more articulate), more turns for the High Wind (hotter, more aggressive, more compressed). The Low/Standard/High Winds are all more midrange-forward with more of the characteristic P90 growl compared to the '50s Wind, which is brighter with more chime.
The High Wind in the bridge position specifically addresses one of the core P90 challenge: the neck position P90 naturally produces more output and warmth than the bridge, creating volume and tonal imbalance between positions. Pairing a Standard Wind neck with a High Wind bridge compensates — the High Wind's additional output brings the bridge closer to the neck in overall level, while the added upper-mid presence keeps the bridge cutting without sounding thin. The middle position parallel blend of both becomes a genuinely useful third voice.
The middle pickup position — High Wind Bridge and Standard Wind Neck blended in parallel — is explored in significant detail in this demo. The tonal variation from picking over the fretboard versus near the bridge while keeping the knobs set the same is explored at 05:50.
🎸 Lollar High Wind P90: https://www.lollarguitars.com/lollar-pickups
🎸 Frank Brothers Arcade: https://www.frankbrothersguitars.com
🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers
Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.
🎸 Frank Brothers Arcade Goldtop | Lollar High Wind P90 (Bridge) + Standard Wind P90 (Neck)
🔊 Benson Amps Monarch | Celestion G12H 2x12"
Recording: UA Apollo x4 | Royer R121 & R10 + SM57 + Sennheiser E906 | Ableton Live 11
Lollar Pickups Low Wind Imperial Humbuckers
A new Frank Brothers Arcade — gorgeous aging, nitro checking, tortoise pickguard, multi-ply binding — and the Lollar Low Wind Imperial Humbuckers to match. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
In this episode the Lollar Low Wind Imperial Humbuckers take center stage in a dedicated guitar pickup demo — in a new Frank Brothers Arcade with a stunning aged aesthetic, into the Benson Amps Monarch and Benson 2x12" cabinet via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander.
The Low Wind Imperial is based on the lower-output PAFs often found in vintage semi-hollow guitars — 335s, 345s, and ES-175s. It boasts a brighter overall tone compared with the standard Lollar Imperial, resulting in exceptional definition for any chord voicing and great presence for cutting through the mix. The bottom strings hold together noticeably longer without distorting than most humbuckers.
Alnico 2 magnets in the neck, Alnico 5 in the bridge, both degaussed to specific levels unique to their positions. Neck: 7.0K DC resistance. Bridge: 7.9K DC resistance. Wax-potted to control microphonic feedback while preserving harmonic complexity. The Low Wind is ideal for guitars with darker tones in general, or for amps heavy in the mid-range — ideal for a clear, tight bass response and a brighter top end than a standard Imperial provides.
The maple-top mahogany Frank Brothers Arcade with 25" scale is precisely the guitar this pickup was designed for. The maple contributes brightness and articulation, the mahogany body contributes warmth and sustain — the Low Wind Imperial lets both elements speak without the added output of a hotter humbucker compressing the character away.
The aged nickel covers on this set match the guitar's nitro finish checking and aged hardware throughout — a remarkable pairing aesthetically and tonally.
🎸 Lollar Low Wind Imperial: https://www.lollarguitars.com/lollar-pickups
🎸 Frank Brothers Guitar Company: https://www.frankbrothersguitars.com
🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers
Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.
🎸 Frank Brothers Arcade | Lollar Low Wind Imperial Humbuckers (Aged Nickel) | Maple Top
🔊 Benson Amps Monarch | Boss Waza TAE | Benson 2x12"
Recording: UA Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Sennheiser E906 | Royer R121 & R10 | Ableton Live 11
Fralin Pickups P90s
A dedicated guitar pickup demo with the Fralin Stock P90s — clean through cranked, then a killer pedalboard. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
In this episode the Lindy Fralin Stock P90 Soapbar Pickups take center stage in the Frank Brothers Arcade Goldtop, into the Benson Amps Monarch across four gain levels, followed by an extended pedalboard section covering the Origin Effects M-EQ Driver, R2R Electric Supa MKII Fuzz, Meris LVX, Cornerstone Gladio SC, and Walrus Audio M1 Vibrato/Vibe.
This is the first video in a Fralin P90 series — the Fralin Noiseless Stock P90s are coming in a future episode.
The Fralin Stock P90 uses USA-made Alnico 4 magnets for aggressive tone and output. Strong and bold — lots of midrange and snarl. Bridge wound to approximately 10,000 turns, neck wound to approximately 9,000 turns using vintage-style dark enamel coil wire. Hand-wound with Fralin's Sectioning technique — a proprietary scatter-winding method that spaces turns across the bobbin in sections rather than layer by layer, producing a more three-dimensional tone with complex harmonic content. RW/RP on the neck pickup for hum-canceling in the middle position.
Single notes are punchy and clear without sounding tinny. Chords break up with a tight compression that pushes an amp. The Fralin Stock P90 is all Gibson in character — full, thick, warm midrange with percussive treble string response. Not the Fender sparkle of the Alnico model — this is the snarly, grinding P90 that a maple-top goldtop with a Benson Monarch wants.
Recording rig update: The Lauten Audio LS-208 Condenser has replaced the SM-57 as the primary close mic — spectacular clarity and off-axis rejection. Running alongside the Royer R-121 and R10 on front and back of cab, plus the Sennheiser E906 for air and grit. Universal Audio Apollo x4, Ableton Live 11.
🎸 Fralin P90 Soapbar: https://www.fralinpickups.com/product/p90/
🎸 Frank Brothers Arcade: https://www.frankbrothersguitars.com
🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers
Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.
🎸 Frank Brothers Arcade Goldtop | Fralin Stock P90 Soapbars | B5 Bigsby
🎛️ Origin Effects M-EQ Driver | R2R Supa MKII | Meris LVX | Cornerstone Gladio SC | Walrus M1
🔊 Benson Amps Monarch
Recording: UA Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R-121 & R10 | Sennheiser E906 | Ableton Live 11
Righteous Sound Monte P90s
The EoB debut of Righteous Sound Pickups — and some of my favorite pickups ever. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
In this episode the Righteous Sound Pickups Monte P90s take center stage in the Frank Brothers Arcade Goldtop, alongside an extensive pedalboard demo covering the JAM Pedals Rooster Treble Booster, Chase Bliss Habit, Strymon Deco, Boss RE-202, Greer Lightspeed, LPD Seventy4 Deluxe, and JAM Pedals Ripply Fall — into the Benson Amps Monarch and Benson Tall Bird, Benson 2x12" cabinet via the Boss Waza TAE.
Righteous Sound Pickups is built by Josh out of Texas — boutique, hand-wound, built to order. The Monte is their late-1950s-inspired P90 design. Inspired by late '50s P90 designs, the tone is aggressive and raw. High frequencies sing with sustain. Mids are thick with presence and grind. The lows stay tight and chunky — a perfect combination of humbucker and single coil tones.
For a maple-top mahogany Arcade with a Bigsby — a guitar that can tend toward brightness — the Monte's tight, chunky low end and grind-forward mids is a genuinely ideal pairing. The combination of warmth and brightness the Monte brings to this specific guitar is unlike anything that's been in this guitar before. Clean through fully cranked Monarch, these pickups respond with something new at every gain level.
The pedalboard in this demo is extensive and exploratory — this is what the Righteous Sound Montes sound like through a full range of gain and modulation contexts. The treble booster stacking, Chase Bliss Habit tape echo, Strymon Deco saturation and doubletracking, and LPD Seventy4 are each explored in context and combination.
We will be doing much more with Righteous Sound Pickups on this channel.
🎸 Righteous Sound Pickups Monte: https://www.righteoussoundpickups.com
🎸 Frank Brothers Guitar Company: https://www.frankbrothersguitars.com
🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers
Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.
🎸 Frank Brothers Arcade Goldtop | Righteous Sound Monte P90 (Neck & Bridge) | B5 Bigsby
🔊 Benson Amps Monarch | Benson Tall Bird | Boss Waza TAE | Benson 2x12"
Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Royer R121 + SM57 + Royer R10 + Sennheiser E906 | Ableton Live 11
Kingtone Bluebird J1 Pickups — Jesse Davey
The best Stratocaster pickups I've ever played — and a full demo of the KingTone ecosystem in one video. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
In this episode the KingTone Blue Bird J1 Pickups take center stage in the Nash S63, alongside the KingTone SRV Switch installed in the secondary tone position and a dedicated mini pedalboard of KingTone pedals — Vintage Fuzz, Vibe 1968, and The Duellist v1 — all into the Benson Amps Monarch.
KingTone Guitar is the work of Jesse Davey out of Canada. Jesse has devoted his career to designing the ultimate vintage Stratocaster pickup and the boutique pedals that complement it. The BlueBird J1s were designed in 2006 and have maintained precise, exacting specifications throughout production — meticulously designed to get as close to the Stevie Ray Vaughan tone as possible.
Specs: Neck 5.8k / Middle 5.7k / Bridge 5.6k. Staggered Alnico V magnets. Vintage spec Heavy Formvar 42 AWG wire. Scatter wound on custom winding machines. Hand-bevelled pole pieces. The bridge pickup is voiced specifically to deliver full, playable tone without the harshness associated with overwound pickups — bright without ice-pick, extended in the low end without mud.
The Vintage Fuzz features four transistors — both AC128 and NKT275 Germanium transistors accessible via two switches, selectable and mix-and-matchable across the two gain stages. AC128 for smooth, softer fuzz with lower gain; NKT275 for brighter, more aggressive fuzz. External bias adjustment. Battery simulator for DC power supply.
The Vibe 1968 is a dual-channel Uni-Vibe with independent Rate and Depth on each side, switchable between Chorus and Vibrato modes, with an A/B channel footswitch.
The Duellist v1 is Jesse's two-channel overdrive — one side is String Singer (Dumble-voiced), the other is Heavy Hand (Bluesbreaker-voiced) — explored here both independently and stacked.
The KingTone SRV Switch replaces the secondary tone control and provides six additional tonal positions for treble bleed and filter configurations voiced specifically for the BlueBird J1 pickups.
🎸 KingTone BlueBird J1 Pickups: https://www.kingtoneguitar.com/product/bluebird-j1-guitar-pickups/
🎸 Nash Guitars S63: https://nashguitarsusa.com
🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers
Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.
🎸 Nash S63 | KingTone BlueBird J1 Pickups | KingTone SRV Switch
🎛️ KingTone Vintage Fuzz (NKT275/AC128) → KingTone Vibe 1968 → KingTone Duellist v1
🔊 Benson Amps Monarch
Lollar Pickups Standard Wind P90s
The Frank Brothers Arcade Goldtop is getting a pickup upgrade — and this time, more heft. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
In this episode the Lollar Standard Wind P90 Soapbar pickups take center stage in a dedicated guitar pickup demo — installed in the Frank Brothers Arcade Goldtop, into the Benson Amps Monarch at three different gain levels: clean (around 3), broken up (around 6), and cranked.
The Frank Brothers Arcade originally came with Lollar '50s Wind P90s installed by Frank Brothers as part of the build. The '50s Wind is a specific voicing — based on copies of Sean Costello's '53 Goldtop, with de-gaussed Alnico 2 magnets producing lower output, a delicate attack, and a brighter, more balanced frequency response. It's an excellent pickup for clean clarity and chime.
The Standard Wind P90 uses Alnico 5 magnets and is more midrange-forward, with more of the characteristic growl that players tend to associate with P-90s. More wind means more output, warmer attack, and more immediate saturation when you push an amp. For a maple-top / mahogany-body guitar into a Benson Monarch — where the maple is already contributing brightness and articulation — the Standard Wind's added midrange warmth and heft is the better pairing. The tone knob capacitor interaction in the middle position holds some especially good sounds in this configuration.
This is a direct A/B in the same guitar, same amp — the sonic difference between Alnico 2 lighter output and Alnico 5 midrange heft, in a guitar and amp combination that shows both clearly.
🎸 Lollar Standard Wind P90: https://www.lollarguitars.com/lollar-pickups
🎸 Frank Brothers Guitar Company: https://www.frankbrothersguitars.com
🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers
Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.
🎸 Frank Brothers Arcade Goldtop | Lollar Standard Wind P90 Soapbars | B5 Bigsby
🔊 Benson Amps Monarch
Total Gravy Guitarworks Early PAFs
2,024 characters — under 5,000. Here's the full package:
📝 Video Description
Episode 5 of the Gibson SG Humbucker Hunt — Total Gravy Guitarworks Early PAF, clean tones and cranked amp tones into the Benson Monarch. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
Total Gravy Guitarworks Early PAF set: https://www.totalgravy.com/store/p8/Early_P.A.F._Set.html
The hunt so far:
Ep. 1 — Stock Gibson Burstbuckers: https://youtu.be/xcC6wLci1DY
Ep. 2 — Seymour Duncan Antiquities: https://youtu.be/ntlHT09FXxA
Ep. 3 — Fralin Pure PAF: https://youtu.be/lPHmESPyyxs
Ep. 4 — Lollar El Rayo: https://youtu.be/RoC8PYLQI6c
Total Gravy Guitarworks is built around one mission: recreate the vintage pickup tones that made players fall in love with the guitar. Every pickup handmade to order in Fullerton, CA using period-correct materials and NOS coil wire. The Early PAF targets the original 1957-1959 Patent Applied For humbucker character — Seth Lover's original design, scatter-wound, pre-wax-potted, with the open top-end and complex harmonic response that defines the real vintage PAF sound. In this demo the focus is on the pickup's full tonal range: clean brightness and articulation at lower amp volumes, then the bloom and sag at cranked Monarch levels. Both ends of that spectrum matter.
The Gibson SG Standard '61 Reissue has been substantially modified. StewMac Locking Kluson tuners and StewMac bone nut resolved the original tuning stability issues. Emerson Custom SG Wiring Kit throughout, with Emerson Custom Treble Bleed on both volume knobs. TonePros ABR-1 replacement saddle with nylon saddles.
🎸 Total Gravy Guitarworks: https://www.totalgravy.com
🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers
Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.
🎸 Gibson SG Standard '61 Reissue | Total Gravy Guitarworks Early PAF | Emerson Custom Wiring
🔊 Benson Amps Monarch
Lollar Pickups ‘50s Wind P90s
A dedicated demo for the guitar that started everything on this channel. The Frank Brothers Arcade is the finest solidbody electric guitar I've played. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
In this episode the Frank Brothers Arcade Model takes center stage — with Lollar '50s Wind P90 Soapbar pickups, through the Benson Amps Monarch at varying gain levels from clean to pushed.
Frank Brothers Guitar Company was founded in Toronto by twin brothers Tim and Nick Frank alongside their brother Jon. Tim and Nick run the bench — lifelong builders with an obsession with quality that runs through the family. Players including Trey Anastasio, Clay Cook of the Zac Brown Band, and David Ryan Harris (who tours and records with John Mayer) have made Frank Brothers guitars part of their working rigs.
The Arcade is Frank Brothers' signature model — a double-arched solid body noted for its eye-catching look, comfortable playability, and warmth, sustain, and openness. The construction details that make it distinctive: a carved top and back, extra-deep neck tenon, blended heel, and 25" scale with a 12" radius fretboard. Set-neck construction. The combination of maple top over genuine mahogany body and neck gives the Arcade a voice that sits between a Les Paul and something much more open — the maple brings the articulation and brightness, the mahogany brings the warmth and sustain, and the architecture lets both breathe.
This specific build: Goldtop finish. Maple top / mahogany core and neck. Macassar ebony fretboard with split parallelogram Italian pearloid inlays. Piano black headstock. Solid bone binding throughout — top, fretboard, and headstock. Bone nut. Jescar 51108 frets. Classic Medium C neck shape (0.860"–0.940"). B5 Bigsby. Kluson Deluxe nickel tuners. Gold bell knobs. Cream bone pickguard with clear acrylic cavity cover. Lollar '50s Wind P90 Soapbars at neck and bridge. Single volume (with Emerson Treble Bleed) and single tone, 3-way toggle. The tone cap holds some genuinely great sounds in the middle position — explored in this demo.
🎸 Frank Brothers Guitar Company: https://www.frankbrothersguitars.com
🎸 Lollar '50s Wind P90: https://www.lollarguitars.com/lollar-pickups
🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers
Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.
🎸 Frank Brothers Arcade | Goldtop | Lollar '50s Wind P90 Soapbars | B5 Bigsby | Bone Nut
🔊 Benson Amps Monarch
Lollar Pickups El Rayo Humbuckers
The humbucker hunt may be over. Episode 4 — the Lollar El Rayo Humbuckers in the Gibson SG Standard '61 Reissue, and they might just be the best humbucker I've ever played. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
Catch the full series here:
Stock Gibson Burstbuckers: https://youtu.be/xcC6wLci1DY
Seymour Duncan Antiquities: https://youtu.be/ntlHT09FXxA
Fralin Pure PAF: https://youtu.be/lPHmESPyyxs
The Lollar El Rayo is unlike any humbucker in Jason Lollar's lineup — designed specifically for single-coil players who want humbucker real estate without the humbucker compromises. The numbers tell the story: 3.5K DC at neck, 4.0K at bridge. These are extraordinarily low output figures for a humbucker — and they produce a percussive, articulate quality that sits closer to a single-coil pickup than any traditional PAF-style humbucker.
The design is deliberately unusual. Alnico 5 in the neck, Alnico 8 in the bridge — two completely different magnet materials creating two distinct voices within the same aesthetic. Specially formulated copper wire. A flat frequency response without the heavy mid-range bump that makes most humbuckers feel compressed and thick compared to single coils. Don't be fooled by the low DC numbers — the El Rayo has strong output and a meaty growl when pushed. It just doesn't compress and flatten when you dig in. Instead, you get clear distortion that stays articulate under high gain — exactly what a Gibson SG on a pushed amp wants from its pickups.
Premier Guitar called it a design that "effectively bridges single-coil and humbucker voices." That's exactly right. If you've spent your guitar life in Strat territory and always found humbuckers too dark, too compressed, or too lacking in note separation — this is the pickup that changes that.
The Gibson SG Standard '61 Reissue is now fully modded: Emerson Custom SG Wiring Kit, Emerson Custom Treble Bleeds on both volume knobs, StewMac bone nut and Locking Kluson Tuners, Callaham stainless steel stop tail, saddle, and bridge kit. The platform is sorted. Now the pickups are too.
🎸 Lollar El Rayo Humbuckers: https://www.lollarguitars.com/lollar-humbucker-pickups/el-rayo-humbucker
🔧 Emerson Custom SG Wiring Kit: https://emersoncustom.com
🔧 Callaham Stainless Steel Hardware: https://callahamguitars.com
🔧 StewMac Bone Nut & Locking Kluson Tuners: https://www.stewmac.com
Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.
🎸 Gibson SG Standard '61 Reissue | Lollar El Rayo Humbuckers | Emerson Custom SG Wiring Kit & Treble Bleeds | Callaham Stainless Steel Hardware | StewMac Bone Nut & Locking Kluson Tuners
🔊 Benson Amps Vincent