Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

The Best P90 Pickups?! | TV Jones T-90 Pickups

TV Jones makes its channel debut with the T-90 — a P90-voiced pickup in Filter'Tron format, available in Filter'Tron, humbucker, and P90 soapbar sizes. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the TV Jones T-90 Pickups take center stage — installed in the Tone Ranger Guitars Sunset Rider with Bigsby B5, into the Cunningham Amps Custom 35 2x12" with Scumback H75-PVC speakers via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander with Echo Fix EF-X3 Tape Echo in the loop. R2R Electric Rangemaster OC44 and Effectrode Tube Vibe feature in the second half.

Check out the TV Jones T-90: https://tvjones.com/shop/guitar-pickups/t90/ Follow TV Jones: https://www.instagram.com/tvjonesinc/

The TV Jones T-90 is Tom Jones' answer to a specific tonal question: what happens when you take the hum-cancelling construction of a Filter'Tron and voice it to sound like a P90? The result is a pickup that has the P90's characteristic midrange aggression, bite, and snarl without the single-coil hum — and that can be ordered in Filter'Tron size, standard humbucker size, or P90 soapbar size, making it a direct drop-in for almost any guitar routing without modification.

The Filter'Tron-sized version is installed here in the Tone Ranger Guitars Sunset Rider — Jeff Mark Leavitt's latest model from his one-man LA shop, built from urban liquidambar body and headcap, urban black acacia neck, urban Indian rosewood fretboard. Bigsby B5 tailpiece, Mastery M1 bridge, CTS 500k audio taper pots. The combination of P90-voiced pickups and the Cunningham Custom 35's Plexi channel — explored from 00:00 — is explored across all three positions, with volume knob cleanup from 01:39 and the Rangemaster + Tube Vibe combination from 06:03.

Also watch: the Tone Ranger Guitars Sunset Rider full demo with TV Jones TV Classic Pickups: [LINK] Also watch: the full 6-model Tone Ranger Guitars showcase: https://youtu.be/p8X-BwI4pdw

🎸 TV Jones T-90: https://tvjones.com/shop/guitar-pickups/t90/ 🎸 Tone Ranger Guitars: https://www.tonerangerguitars.com 🔊 Cunningham Amps: https://www.cunninghamamps.co.nz

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Ohma Ribbon | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R121 & R10 | Ableton Live 12

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

The Best NOS Tone Bender MKI?! | Expresso FX Fuzz Bender MKI

Expresso FX makes its channel debut with the Fuzz Bender MKI — Sof's immaculate reproduction of the original three-transistor Tone Bender MKI circuit. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Expresso FX Fuzz Bender MKI takes center stage — featuring the Wide Sky Guitars P125C Cutaway with Curtis Novak P90s and Emerson Custom Treble Bleeds, into the Cunningham Amps Custom 35 2x12" via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander.

Reach out to Sof on Instagram DM for current inventory — he works in batches and drops small quantities at a time: https://www.instagram.com/expressofx/
Learn about the Fuzz Bender MKI: https://expressofx.com/product/fuzz-bender-mk-i/

Expresso FX is Sof, building in the UK with zero compromise on components. The Fuzz Bender MKI is his recreation of the earliest three-transistor-based fuzz circuit from the Bender family — the 1965 Sola Sound Tone Bender MKI, the circuit that predates the Fuzz Face derivations and produces the distinctive nasty, spitting, cutting, midrange-forward character that defined the earliest British fuzz tones. In Sof's own words: "an immaculate reproduction of a classic pedal, but with a few tweaks for performance and reliability improvements."

Transistors: Newmarket CV7007 in Q1, Mullard OC82D in Q2, and Mullard OC42 in Q3 — all hand-selected NOS. NOS Mullard Mustard C296 polyester capacitors. Philips electrolytic capacitors. NOS Allen Bradley carbon composition resistors. Premium Cliff UK jacks. 22 AWG solid core silver-plated copper wire with Teflon insulation. Lead-free silver-based solder. True bypass. Genuine Hammond aluminium enclosure, powder-coated. 3 years warranty.

Three controls: Level, Filter, and Attack. The Filter knob is the key addition over the original MKI two-knob layout — it controls the low-end content feeding the fuzz stage, explored from 03:03 for tightening and shaping the circuit's bottom end. The Attack knob is explored across its full range from 03:21. Lower Amp gain with the MKI level reduced produces a ragged, more open-top end character explored from 05:24.

🎛️ Expresso FX: https://expressofx.com/product/fuzz-bender-mk-i/
🎸 Wide Sky Guitars: https://www.wideskyguitars.com
🎸 Curtis Novak Pickups: https://www.curtisnovak.com
🔊 Cunningham Amps: https://www.cunninghamamps.co.nz

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Ohma Ribbon | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R121 & R10 | Ableton Live 12

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Tone Ranger Guitars Double Barrel

Tone Ranger Guitars returns with the Double Barrel — Jeff Mark Leavitt's double-cut two-pickup build with Lollar Gold Foil pickups and a Bigsby B5. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Tone Ranger Guitars Double Barrel takes center stage — Lollar Gold Foil set, into the Cunningham Amps Custom 35 2x12" via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander with the Echo Fix EF-X3 Tape Echo in the loop. R2R Electric Rangemaster OC44 and Effectrode Tube Vibe feature in the second half.

Buy this Double Barrel at Oakland Guitars: https://reverb.com/item/87629493-tone-ranger-double-barrel
Follow Tone Ranger Guitars: https://www.instagram.com/tonerangerguitars/
Order a Tone Ranger Guitar: https://www.tonerangerguitars.com
Available at Oakland Guitars: 423 40th St, Oakland CA — 510-250-9747
Also watch: the full 6-model Tone Ranger Guitars showcase: https://youtu.be/p8X-BwI4pdw

In Jeff's own words: "Tone Ranger Guitars grew from my love of the West: the culture, the environment, the music, and the history of the western American deserts and forests. Lovingly hand-crafted in my one-man shop in LA with the finest components and pickups, Tone Ranger Guitars are made entirely from sustainable, local, urban trees from Los Angeles and her surrounding counties. These trees lined our city streets, shaded our parks, and grew in our backyards — now rescued by arborists such as Street Tree Revival and Angel City Lumber who repurpose these beautiful trees and give them a second life. You're a Tone Ranger now. Keep on truckin'."

The Double Barrel is Jeff's double-cut two-pickup solid body — 24 frets and a Bigsby B5 for glassy shimmer. Full specs (Serial #0103225):

Urban California redwood body with figured urban black walnut top. Urban black walnut neck. Urban Indian rosewood fretboard. Thin D neck profile. 24.75" scale. Set neck. 24 frets, 12" radius. Jescar 55090 medium/highest nickel silver frets. Bone nut. 7.4 lbs. Lollar Gold Foil set. CTS 500k audio taper volume pot with treble bleed. CTS 500k audio taper tone pot with 47nf Illinois Capacitor film cap. Centralab 3-way toggle. PureTone multi-contact jack. Tone Pros T3BP tune-o-matic. Bigsby B5. Grover Sta-tite 18:1 tuners. Nickel hardware. Black top hat knobs. No pickguard. Hand-rubbed Walrus Oil finish. Silkscreened headstock logo. Made in Los Angeles, California.

The Lollar Gold Foil is Jason Lollar's take on the DeArmond-style Gold Foil pickups from the 1950s and 1960s — chimey, articulate, with a complex midrange character that sits between a single coil and a humbucker without sounding like either. In the figured walnut and redwood Double Barrel, the Gold Foils' natural brightness and mid complexity pair beautifully with the Cunningham Custom 35's Tweed channel.

🎸 Lollar Pickups: https://www.lollarguitars.com/lollar-gold-foil-pickups
🎸 Tone Ranger Guitars: https://www.tonerangerguitars.com
🔊 Cunningham Amps: https://www.cunninghamamps.co.nz

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Ohma Ribbon | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R121 & R10 | Ableton Live 12

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

TV Jones TV Classic Pickups

TV Jones makes its channel debut — and the Tone Ranger Guitars Sunset Rider is the perfect showcase. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the TV Jones TV Classic Pickups take center stage — installed in the Tone Ranger Guitars Sunset Rider (humbucker-sized rout), into the Cunningham Amps Custom 35 2x12" via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander. The R2R Electric Rangemaster OC44 and Effectrode Tube Vibe join for the second half.

Buy this Tone Ranger Sunset Rider at Oakland Guitars: https://reverb.com/item/87631051-tone-ranger-sunset-rider Follow TV Jones: https://www.instagram.com/tvjonesinc/ TV Jones on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TVJones1 Follow Tone Ranger Guitars: https://www.instagram.com/tonerangerguitars/ Order a Tone Ranger Guitar: https://www.tonerangerguitars.com

The TV Jones TV Classic is Tom Jones' flagship Filter'Tron-style pickup — the one Brian Setzer chose in a blind sound test against multiple vintage pickups during the development of his Gretsch signature model. This version is built for standard humbucker-sized routing, making it a direct drop-in upgrade for any humbucker-routed guitar that wants brighter, tighter Filter'Tron character without any modification to the body.

The TV Classic in the Sunset Rider's liquidambar and black acacia body with Mastery MV vibrato is explored here in a compact five-chapter format — bridge pickup into the Cunningham Plexi channel, volume knob cleanup with the R2R Rangemaster, neck pickup, Univibe tones, and then Rangemaster fully cranked. The CTS 500k audio taper pots and the Mastery vibrato's tuning stability are highlighted throughout.

Also watch: the full Tone Ranger Sunset Rider demo — all tones, all pickups, full pedalboard: [LINK]

🎸 TV Jones: https://www.tvjones.com 🎸 Tone Ranger Guitars: https://www.tonerangerguitars.com 🔊 Cunningham Amps: https://www.cunninghamamps.co.nz

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Ohma Ribbon | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R121 & R10 | Ableton Live 12

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Wolfetone Pickups Meaner P90 Bridge — Feat. Grez Mendocino Jr. & Jules Leyhe, Blues Guitarist

Wolfetone Pickups makes its channel debut — and Jules Leyhe is here to show you what the Meaner P90 can do. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Wolfetone Meaner P90 Bridge Pickup takes center stage — Jules Leyhe on the Grez Guitars Mendocino Junior, into the Cunningham Amps Custom 35 2x12" with Scumback H75-PVC and S75-PVC speakers via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander. The R2R Electric Supa MKI Fuzz also features.

Get a Wolfetone Meaner P90: https://www.wolfetone.com/product/meanerp90/
Follow Grez Guitars: https://www.instagram.com/grezguitars/
Follow Cunningham Amps: https://www.instagram.com/cunninghamamps/
Follow R2R Electric: https://www.instagram.com/djlavalamp/
Follow Jules Leyhe: https://www.instagram.com/julesleyhe/
Jules Leyhe guitar courses: https://julien-leyhe-s-school.teachable.com/l/products
Jules Leyhe's LiquiSlide signature slides: https://theliquislide.com

The Wolfetone Meaner P90 is hand-wound by Wolfe Macleod with Alnico 2 magnets, wound to approximately 9K — slightly hotter than vintage output and built specifically for the bridge position. The Alnico 2 magnets give it the warm, aged character of an original P90 whose magnets have settled and de-gaussed over decades, without the harsh upper mids that Alnico 5 bridge P90s can produce. The Meaner's character: midrange raunch and nastiness with brightness and presence that cuts through without ever getting spiky. In Jules' hands and through the Cunningham Custom 35's Tweed and Plexi channels, it covers everything from clean singing tones to full-gain fuzz with the R2R Electric Supa MKI.

Also watch: the full session video featuring the Wolfetone Meaner P90 alongside four guitars and R2R Electric Supa MKI Fuzz: [LINK]

🎸 Wolfetone Pickups: https://www.wolfetone.com/product/meanerp90/
🎸 Grez Guitars: https://www.grezguitars.com
🔊 Cunningham Amps: https://www.cunninghamamps.co.nz

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Ohma Ribbon | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R121 & R10 | Ableton Live 12

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

R2R Electric Supa MKI Fuzz — Feat. Jules Leyhe

R2R Electric returns to the channel — this time with the Supa MKI Fuzz, one of only 12 ever made, and Jules Leyhe is back for another collaborative session. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the R2R Electric Supa MKI Fuzz takes center stage across four guitars — Sean on the Wide Sky Guitars Tawa (Curtis Novak Humbuckers + Emerson Custom Treble Bleeds), and Jules Leyhe on the Grez Guitars Mendocino Junior (Wolfetone Meaner P90 bridge), Prisma Guitars Dillinger Baritone (Lollar Gold Foils), and Kauer Super Chief (Lollar Firebird + Mini-Humbucker). Sean also plays the Kauer Banshee (Lollar Firebird Neck + Middle + Mini-HB Bridge). All into the Cunningham Amps Custom 35 2x12" with Scumback H75-PVC and S75-PVC speakers via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander with Echo Fix EF-X3 in the effects loop.

Join the R2R Electric email list: https://www.r2relectric.com/
Get a Cunningham Amps Custom 35: https://www.cunninghamamps.co.nz/product-page/custom-35
Follow Jules Leyhe: https://www.instagram.com/julesleyhe/
Jules Leyhe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@julesleyhe
Jules Leyhe's Derek Trucks Slide Course: https://julien-leyhe-s-school.teachable.com/p/derek-trucks-style-slide-guitar-course

The R2R Electric Supa MKI Fuzz is a limited build of just 12 units — Chris Vincent's take on the Marshall Supa Fuzz MKI circuit, the late 1960s amp builder version of the Tone Bender MKI family. NOS 1960s Philips OC75 germanium transistors, hand-selected and matched. Vintage passive components throughout, hand-wired point-to-point. As with all R2R vintage fuzz builds: place first in signal chain before any buffered bypass pedals.

The Wolfetone Meaner P90 in Jules' Grez is a hand-wound Alnico 2 P90 wound to approximately 9K — slightly hotter than vintage output, with midrange raunch and nastiness that defines the Meaner's character. Bright and forward but not harsh, full but not muddy. The Alnico 2 magnets give it the warm, aged character of early P90s.

The Prisma Guitars Dillinger Baritone is Nick Pourfard's LP-style model built in baritone configuration — tuned to B standard. Skateboard hard rock maple top over mahogany back, maple neck, Coney Island Boardwalk Brazilian Walnut fingerboard, Lollar Gold Foils, Mastery Bridge and Tremolo, Emerson Custom wiring kit and Treble Bleeds. Every Prisma skateboard top is a unique 1/1 original deck, making each build unrepeatable. Baritone B standard and Gold Foils into the Supa MKI — explored from 13:33 — is a genuinely unusual and compelling combination.

🎛️ R2R Electric: https://www.r2relectric.com
🔊 Cunningham Amps: https://www.cunninghamamps.co.nz

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Ohma Ribbon | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R121 & R10 | Ableton Live 12

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Tone Ranger Guitars Sunset Rider

Tone Ranger Guitars returns with the Sunset Rider — this time loaded with TV Jones TV Classic Pickups and the Mastery Bridge and Vibrato. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Tone Ranger Guitars Sunset Rider takes center stage — TV Jones TV Classic set in humbucker-sized rout, Mastery M1 Bridge and MV Vibrato — into the Cunningham Amps Custom 35 2x12" via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander. The Effectrode Tube Vibe and R2R Electric Rangemaster OC44 join for the second half.

Buy this Sunset Rider: https://reverb.com/item/87631051-tone-ranger-sunset-rider
Follow Tone Ranger Guitars: https://www.instagram.com/tonerangerguitars/
Order a Tone Ranger Guitar: https://www.tonerangerguitars.com
Available at Oakland Guitars: 423 40th St, Oakland CA — 510-250-9747
Also watch: the full 6-model Tone Ranger Guitars showcase: https://youtu.be/p8X-BwI4pdw

In Jeff's own words: "Tone Ranger Guitars grew from my love of the West: the culture, the environment, the music, and the history of the western American deserts and forests. Lovingly hand-crafted in my one-man shop in LA with the finest components and pickups, Tone Ranger Guitars are made entirely from sustainable, local, urban trees from Los Angeles and her surrounding counties. These trees lined our city streets, shaded our parks, and grew in our backyards — now rescued by arborists such as Street Tree Revival and Angel City Lumber who repurpose these beautiful trees and give them a second life. You're a Tone Ranger now. Keep on truckin'."

The Sunset Rider conjures the unique guitar designs of 1960s Japan — front and rear bevels and contours for players of all body types, with a narrowed upper bout that keeps the horn away from the chest or abdomen, letting the smaller body sit closer to the player for a more intimate feel. Full specs (Serial #0501524):

Urban liquidambar body and headcap. Urban black acacia neck. Urban Indian rosewood fretboard. Soft V neck profile. 24.75" scale. Set neck. 22 frets, 12" radius. Jescar 55090 medium/highest nickel silver frets. Bone nut. 7.8 lbs. TV Jones TV Classic set. CTS 500k audio taper volume pot. CTS 500k audio taper tone pot with 22nf Orange Drop. Switchcraft 3-way toggle. PureTone multi-contact jack. Mastery M1 bridge. Mastery MV vibrato tailpiece. Grover Deluxe tuners. Nickel hardware. Witch hat knobs. No pickguard. Hand-rubbed Walrus Oil finish. Silkscreened headstock logo. Made in Los Angeles, California.

The TV Jones TV Classic is Tom Jones' flagship Filter'Tron-style pickup — the one Brian Setzer chose in his blind sound test against multiple vintage pickups during the Gretsch signature model development. Warm, full, and clear with that unmistakable Filter'Tron chime. The Mastery MV vibrato gives the Sunset Rider smooth, accurate vibrato that stays in tune where vintage floating tremolos notoriously don't. The audio taper pots contribute to one of the most musical and expressive volume knob cleanup sweeps in this demo — explored in depth from 06:17.

🎸 Tone Ranger Guitars: https://www.tonerangerguitars.com
🔊 Cunningham Amps: https://www.cunninghamamps.co.nz

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Ohma Ribbon | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Ableton Live 12

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

R2R Electric Uniform Fuzz

R2R Electric returns to the channel with the Uniform Fuzz — a limited collaboration with LA's Uniform Music, and one originally designed for low-frequency instruments. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the R2R Electric Uniform Fuzz takes center stage — featuring the Grez Guitars Mendocino Junior with P90 pickups, into the Benson Amps Monarch via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander. The Effectrode Tube Vibe and Echo Fix EF-X3 Tape Echo also feature.

Follow R2R Electric: https://www.instagram.com/djlavalamp/ R2R Electric mailing list: https://www.r2relectric.com

The Uniform Fuzz is a limited collaboration between Chris Vincent (@djlavalamp) and Uniform Music in Los Angeles. The circuit was originally conceived to work especially well with baritones, Bass VI, and electric bass — instruments that push fuzz circuits into the low frequency range where many vintage fuzz designs thin out, gate unexpectedly, or lose their character. The Uniform Fuzz is voiced to handle that low-end content without those issues, while still delivering the full NOS germanium character that defines every R2R Electric build.

That low-frequency voicing translates musically to guitar as well — demonstrated throughout this demo on the Grez Mendocino Junior's P90 pickups, which have their own natural fullness and body that benefits from a fuzz circuit that doesn't thin out in the low mids. The Bias knob's sweep is explored from 03:30 — at high bias the fuzz opens up and blooms; at lower bias the circuit becomes more gated and compressed. The Level control has substantial range above unity, explored from 01:39 and 04:21 to push the Monarch's front end harder.

All NOS vintage germanium components, hand-wired point-to-point as with every R2R Electric build. Place first in signal chain before any buffered bypass pedals.

Get on the R2R Electric mailing list: https://www.r2relectric.com/how-to-order Follow Chris: https://www.instagram.com/djlavalamp/

🎸 Grez Guitars: https://www.grezguitars.com 🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Ohma Ribbon | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Ableton Live 12

Brothers AM — Chase Bliss x Analog Man

Chase Bliss returns to the channel — and Analog Man makes their first appearance. Together they've made the best thing to ever happen to the King of Tone. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Chase Bliss x Analog Man Brothers AM takes center stage — featuring the BilT Guitars DK Ultra S.S. Zaftig with Lollar La Prima Mini-Humbuckers, into the Cunningham Amps Custom 35 2x12" via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander.

Follow Chase Bliss: https://www.instagram.com/chasebliss/
Follow Analog Man: https://www.instagram.com/analogmike_piera
Buy a Brothers AM: https://www.chasebliss.com/brothers-am

The King of Tone is one of the most coveted overdrive pedals ever built. Analog Man's Mike Piera has been building them entirely by hand with near-unobtainable parts since the early 2000s — the waitlist has run as long as seven years. Five years ago, Chase Bliss founder Joel Korte sent Mike an email asking if he'd like to collaborate. The Brothers AM is the result.

The Brothers AM is not a clone of the King of Tone. It takes the coveted circuit, works closely with Mike Piera on its recreation, adds advanced control, and includes a treble boost circuit inspired by Analog Man's Beano Boost. The modes, hidden settings, and preset options from the KOT are now front-panel accessible controls that can be changed on the fly.

At its core: two identical, independent, multi-mode gain channels. Each channel selectable between Boost, Overdrive, and Distortion. Each has Gain, Volume, and Tone controls, plus a Presence control accessible by holding the footswitch and turning the Tone knob. Use Side 1 into Side 2 for stacking, or run either channel independently.

The Treble Booster is the bonus circuit — inspired by Analog Man's Beano Boost, the Rangemaster-inspired treble boost built with a vintage silicon transistor that Joel found to best capture the essential character. Three-way toggle: Yellow (Lite — softer treble boost character), Off, Red (Full — more aggressive). The Treble Booster can be positioned pre-Side 1 to slam it harder, or it can feed directly into Side 2. All the permutations explored throughout the demo from 02:40 onward.

16 dipswitches for high-gain mode per channel, linked Presence, and additional behavior options. 4 internal preset slots. Ships with Chase Bliss favorites including a recreation of Mike Piera's own preferred settings. Full MIDI, CV, and expression pedal control over every parameter.

I own two original King of Tones. They have totally nailed this.

🎛️ Chase Bliss Brothers AM: https://www.chasebliss.com/brothers-am
🎸 BilT Guitars: https://biltguitars.com
🎸 Lollar La Prima: https://www.lollarguitars.com/lollar-pickups
🔊 Cunningham Amps: https://www.cunninghamamps.co.nz

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Ohma Ribbon | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Ableton Live 12

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Lollar Pickups Lollartrons (for Humbucker)

Lollar Pickups returns to the channel with the Lollartron Humbucker — Filter'Tron character in a direct humbucker drop-in. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Lollar Lollartron Humbucker Set takes center stage — installed in the Prisma Guitars Mattsonia with Emerson Custom wiring and Treble Bleed, into the Cunningham Amps Custom 35 2x12" with Scumback H75-PVC speakers via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander. The Madsen Amplification Ge Boost and Effectrode Tube Vibe feature throughout.

Buy Lollar Lollartron Humbuckers: https://www.lollarguitars.com/lollar-humbucker-pickups/lollartron-humbucker Follow Lollar Pickups: https://www.instagram.com/lollarpickups/ More Lollar Pickups demos on the channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiDJHwC0qfA&list=PLLY1KzQHoiH1bv3cF5-4U0VSgQhj7BpNe

The Lollartron Humbucker is Jason Lollar's answer to a specific player problem: you want Filter'Tron character — the chimey, clear, tight low-end voice that defines classic Gretsch tone — but you have a guitar routed for standard humbuckers and don't want to re-rout. The Lollartron Humbucker is a direct drop-in for any standard humbucker-sized route, delivering Filter'Tron-style voice without any modification to the guitar.

Jason used a 1960s-era Gretsch Country Gentleman as the tonal benchmark — the guitar Chet Atkins made famous and the instrument that defined the classic rockabilly humbucker sound. Alnico 2 magnets. Neck: warm and buttery, clear and present top end, 4.4K. Bridge: fat, honky, rich low end with great clarity, 5.3K. Combined: the sparkle, spank, and punch synonymous with rockabilly and early rock and roll. Recommended 500K pots, 0.022μF cap — both already installed in the Prisma Mattsonia via the Emerson Custom wiring.

The Prisma Guitars Mattsonia is Nick Pourfard's skateboard maple-topped instrument from his San Francisco shop — each guitar featuring a unique 1/1 original skateboard deck top that makes every build a one-of-a-kind visual object. The Lollartron's Filter'Tron character on a skateboard maple and Spanish Cedar body is a genuinely specific and unusual tonal combination, explored across both Cunningham channels.

The Madsen Amplification Ge Boost is explored from 05:37 in three of its capacitor modes: mid boost (05:37), treble boost (06:32), and full frequency (07:25) — the three-position input cap selector changes the frequency content hitting the Cunningham's input stage, each producing a distinct tonal character from the same pickup set.

🎸 Lollar Pickups: https://www.lollarguitars.com/lollar-humbucker-pickups/lollartron-humbucker 🎸 Prisma Guitars: https://www.prismaguitars.com 🔊 Cunningham Amps: https://www.cunninghamamps.co.nz

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Ohma Ribbon | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Ableton Live 12

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Lollar Gold Foil Pickups

Lollar Pickups returns to the channel with the Gold Foil set — and the Tone Ranger Guitars Double Barrel is the perfect host. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Lollar Gold Foil Pickup Set takes center stage — installed in the Tone Ranger Guitars Double Barrel, into the Cunningham Amps Custom 35 2x12" via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander with the Echo Fix EF-X3 Tape Echo in the loop. R2R Electric Rangemaster OC44 and Effectrode Tube Vibe also feature.

Buy this Tone Ranger Guitars Double Barrel: https://reverb.com/item/87629493-tone-ranger-double-barrel Buy Lollar Gold Foils: https://www.lollarguitars.com/lollar-gold-foil-pickups Follow Lollar Pickups: https://www.instagram.com/lollarpickups/ More Lollar Pickups demos on the channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiDJHwC0qfA&list=PLLY1KzQHoiH1bv3cF5-4U0VSgQhj7BpNe Available at Oakland Guitars: 423 40th St, Oakland CA — 510-250-9747

The Tone Ranger Guitars Double Barrel is Jeff Mark Leavitt's double-cut two-pickup design — 24 frets, Bigsby B5, built from Los Angeles urban tonewoods one guitar at a time in his one-man LA shop. Full specs (Serial #0103225):

Urban California redwood body with figured urban black walnut top. Urban black walnut neck. Urban Indian rosewood fretboard. Thin D neck profile. 24.75" scale. Set neck. 24 frets, 12" radius. Jescar 55090 medium/highest nickel silver frets. Bone nut. 7.4 lbs. Lollar Gold Foil set. CTS 500k audio taper volume pot with treble bleed. CTS 500k audio taper tone pot with 47nf Illinois Capacitor film cap. Centralab 3-way toggle. PureTone multi-contact jack. Tone Pros T3BP tune-o-matic. Bigsby B5 tailpiece. Grover Sta-tite 18:1 tuners. Nickel hardware. Black top hat knobs. No pickguard. Hand-rubbed Walrus Oil finish. Silkscreened headstock logo. Made in Los Angeles, California.

The Lollar Gold Foil is Jason Lollar's take on the DeArmond Gold Foil pickups from the 1950s and 1960s — the pickups originally found in budget Japanese and American guitars that became sought-after for their unique voice: chimey, articulate, with a complex midrange character that sits between a single coil and a humbucker without sounding exactly like either. In the figured walnut and redwood Double Barrel, the Gold Foils' natural brightness and mid complexity pair beautifully with the Cunningham Custom 35's Plexi channel — explored from the very first chapter, with the R2R Rangemaster OC44 slamming the amp for a particularly expressive volume knob cleanup sweep.

Also watch: the full 6-model Tone Ranger Guitars showcase: https://youtu.be/p8X-BwI4pdw

🎸 Lollar Pickups: https://www.lollarguitars.com/lollar-gold-foil-pickups 🎸 Tone Ranger Guitars: https://www.tonerangerguitars.com 🔊 Cunningham Amps: https://www.cunninghamamps.co.nz

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Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Ohma Ribbon | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Ableton Live 12

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Ron Ellis Pickups '50s LRP Humbuckers

Ron Ellis Pickups returns to the channel — this time with the '50s LRP Set, the most historically significant pickup in the Ron Ellis lineup. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Ron Ellis Pickups '50s LRP 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 Cunningham Amps Custom 35 2x12" with Scumback H75-PVC speakers via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander. The Madsen Amplification Ge Boost, 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 the '50s LRP Set: https://www.ronellispickups.com/products/lrp-humbucker Follow Ron Ellis Pickups: https://www.instagram.com/ronellispickups/

In Ron Ellis' own words:

"The '50s LRP set was the first humbucker produced for the 2012 Gibson Lee Roy Parnell Signature Les Paul. Ron worked with Lee Roy, vintage collectors and the Gibson Custom Shop to design a replica set of the Patent Applied For pickups that were in Duane Allman's original '57 Goldtop Les Paul. The '50s LRP is a vintage accurate replica of the earliest Patent Applied For humbuckers. All components were selected to faithfully recreate the famous sound heard in early humbuckers. The '50s LRP have the classic, clear, articulate and harmonically rich authentic sound of Duane's original Patent Applied For's. For vintage accuracy, the '50s LRP is top of its class."

The provenance here is significant. Duane Allman's 1957 Goldtop is one of the most storied electric guitars in blues rock history — the instrument on the Allman Brothers' Fillmore East recordings and the Layla sessions. The pickups in that specific guitar are the target. Ron Ellis used high-tech laboratory equipment to identify the exact materials used in the original PAFs and replicate them component by component. The result is the most historically specific set in the Ron Ellis lineup.

The Cunningham Custom 35's Tweed (Bite) and Plexi (Body) channels are both explored extensively — and the dual-channel stacking at 14:02 is the highlight of the second half.

The Madsen Amplification Ge Boost is Maynard Madsen's point-to-point replica of the Dallas Rangemaster, built by hand in Camdenton, Missouri. Originally a numbered limited run of 30 units. NOS germanium transistors, auditioned and tested per build. Three-way input capacitor selector for treble, mid-range, and full-range boost. Pull-down resistors to eliminate footswitch pop. Center positive power (reverse polarity adapter included). Explored slamming the Cunningham Tweed channel from 03:49 and the Plexi channel from 11:30.

🎸 Ron Ellis Pickups: https://www.ronellispickups.com 🔊 Cunningham Amps: https://www.cunninghamamps.co.nz

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Ohma Ribbon | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Ableton Live 12

#ronellispickups #guitarpickups #gibsonlespaul #gibson #gibsonguitars #gibsonguitar #lespaul #guitartone #bluesguitar #bluesguitarist #bluesguitarlicks #bensonamps #scumbackspeakers #boutiqueguitars #boutiqueguitar

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Prisma Guitars Sunset

The Prisma Guitars Sunset is one of the coolest guitars I've ever played — and today it's paired with the Fish Circuits Lunatique for dirt and fuzz tones that prove this guitar isn't just a clean tone machine. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Prisma Guitars Sunset takes center stage — custom Lollar Gold Foil neck and Lollar Low Wind Imperial bridge pickups with Prisma's reclaimed hard rock maple skateboard veneers as inserts, Mastery Trem and Bridge, into the Benson Amps Monarch 2x12" via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander. The Fish Circuits Lunatique Fuzz runs throughout.

Check out more Prisma Guitars: https://www.prismaguitars.com/ Follow Prisma Guitars: https://www.instagram.com/prismaguitars/ More Prisma Guitars videos on the channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLY1KzQHoiH2j7bOfKS9tgYWMpCA9a2jU Follow Fish Circuits: https://www.instagram.com/fishcircuits/

The Prisma Guitars Sunset is Nick Pourfard's reverse offset design — an undeniably cool silhouette that immediately sets it apart from anything else in the room. What makes every Prisma genuinely one-of-a-kind is the reclaimed skateboard hard rock maple used as decorative and structural inlays — and on this build, Nick has taken that further by using the skateboard maple as inserts in the custom Lollar pickups themselves. The Gold Foil neck pickup and Low Wind Imperial bridge are both fitted with Prisma's reclaimed hard rock maple veneer inserts, making the pickups a physical part of the guitar's artistic identity. No two Prisma guitars share the same maple, so no two will ever look alike. Surf Green finish. Mastery Trem and Bridge for impeccable intonation and tuning stability under tremolo use.

Also watch: Prisma Guitars Mattsonia demo on the channel.

The Fish Circuits Lunatique is a dual-circuit fuzz with a Chaos knob that blends continuously between a Tone Bender-style gated fuzz (counterclockwise from noon) and an octave-up ring modulation fuzz (clockwise from noon) — with a low-pass filter simultaneously operating on the same control. Both extremes and everything between are explored throughout this demo, with the Gold Foil neck pickup and Low Wind Imperial bridge giving two very different input characters to the Lunatique's Chaos control. The Emerson Custom Treble Bleed on the volume pot is explored at 04:43 — essential for maintaining the Gold Foil's inherent brightness and clarity through the full cleanup sweep.

🎸 Prisma Guitars: https://www.prismaguitars.com 🎛️ Fish Circuits Lunatique: https://fishcircuits.com/products/lunatique-fuzz 🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Ohma Ribbon | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Ableton Live 12

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Tone Ranger Guitars Sunset Rider

Tone Ranger Guitars returns to the channel with a brand new model — the Sunset Rider. Great to hang at Wood Wire Volts and NAMM 2025, Jeff. More Tone Ranger demos coming. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Tone Ranger Guitars Sunset Rider takes center stage — TV Jones T-90 pickups, into the Cunningham Amps Custom 35 2x12" via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander. The R2R Electric Rangemaster OC44 and Effectrode Tube Vibe join for the second half.

Follow Tone Ranger Guitars: https://www.instagram.com/tonerangerguitars/
Order a Tone Ranger Guitar: https://www.tonerangerguitars.com
Also at: https://reverb.com/shop/oaklandguitars510 | https://www.lightningjoes.com/tone-ranger-guitars | https://malibumusic.com/search?q=tone+ranger | https://thunderroadguitars.com/store/?s=tone+ranger+guitars
Also watch: the full 6-model Tone Ranger Guitars showcase: https://youtu.be/p8X-BwI4pdw

In Jeff's own words: "Tone Ranger Guitars grew from my love of the West: the culture, the environment, the music, and the history of the western American deserts and forests. Lovingly hand-crafted in my one-man shop in LA with the finest components and pickups, Tone Ranger Guitars are made entirely from sustainable, local, urban trees from Los Angeles and her surrounding counties. These trees lined our city streets, shaded our parks, and grew in our backyards — now rescued by arborists such as Street Tree Revival and Angel City Lumber who repurpose these beautiful trees and give them a second life. You're a Tone Ranger now. Keep on truckin'."

The Sunset Rider is Jeff's newest model — conjuring the unique guitar designs of 1960s Japan, with body bevels that accommodate players of all body types and let the smaller body sit closer to the player for a more intimate feel. Full specs (Serial #0501424):

Urban liquidambar body and headcap. Urban black acacia neck. Urban Indian rosewood fretboard. Soft V neck profile. 24.75" scale. Set neck. 22 frets, 12" radius. Jescar 55090 medium/highest nickel silver frets. Bone nut. 7.6 lbs. TV Jones T-90 set. CTS 500k audio taper volume pot. CTS 500k audio taper tone pot with 22nf Orange Drop. Switchcraft 3-way toggle. PureTone multi-contact jack. Tone Pros T3BP tune-o-matic. Bigsby B5 tailpiece. Grover Sta-tite 18:1 tuners. Nickel hardware. Witch hat knobs. No pickguard. Hand-rubbed Walrus Oil finish. Silkscreened headstock logo. Made in Los Angeles, California.

The TV Jones T-90 is a P90-voiced pickup in Filter'Tron format — the hum-cancelling construction of a Filter'Tron with the P90's characteristic midrange aggression and bite. In the liquidambar and acacia body of the Sunset Rider, it delivers snappy, vocal tones with more body and girth than a conventional Filter'Tron.

🎸 Tone Ranger Guitars: https://www.tonerangerguitars.com
🔊 Cunningham Amps: https://www.cunninghamamps.co.nz

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Ohma Ribbon | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R121 & R10 | Ableton Live 12

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Cunningham Amps Zonk MKI Fuzz & Custom 35 2x12" — Feat. Jules Leyhe

Cunningham Amps returns to the channel — this time with Jules Leyhe back on slide guitar, the Cunningham Zonk MKI fuzz, and the Giordano Guitars Veloce making its collab debut. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Cunningham Amps Custom 35 2x12" and Cunningham Zonk MKI Fuzz take center stage — Jules Leyhe on his Gibson SG in Open E tuning for slide, and Sean on the Giordano Guitars Veloce with Sunbear '62 SB-PAT# Humbuckers. Effectrode Tube Vibe and Echo Fix EF-X3 Tape Delay in the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander effects loop throughout.

Get a Cunningham Amps Custom 35: https://www.cunninghamamps.co.nz/product-page/custom-35
Cunningham Amps NOS transistor fuzzes: https://www.cunninghamamps.co.nz/effect-pedals
Follow Jules Leyhe: https://www.instagram.com/julesleyhe/
Jules Leyhe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@julesleyhe
Jules Leyhe's Derek Trucks Slide Course: https://julien-leyhe-s-school.teachable.com/p/derek-trucks-style-slide-guitar-course

In Tim Cunningham's own words:

"The Custom 35 is an all tube guitar amplifier available in both head and combo configurations. Two channels are foot switchable for running independently, in parallel or cascaded modes providing a diverse tonal palette ranging from crystalline cleans to high gain tube saturation.

Channel 1 — Bite — Tweed style: big juicy cleans through to 'dimed on 12' overdrive. Channel 2 — Body — British style: classic Plexi tones for crunchy rhythm and singing leads.

In parallel mode, Channel 2 blends on top of Channel 1 — similar to jumpering channels on a dual channel amp with a huge range of tonal possibilities. In cascade mode, Channel 2 borrows an additional gain stage from Channel 1 for modern high gain tones. Cathode biased output stage — fitted with EL34s as standard, try 6L6 or KT66 for a unique tonal signature. Tube driven spring reverb standard."

The Cunningham Amps Custom 35 is loaded with Scumback H75-PVC and S75-PVC 12" speakers, 8 ohm, 25W each.

The Cunningham Zonk MKI Pedalboard Edition is Tim's dual-fuzz housing both the Hornby Skewes Zonk Machine and Sola Sound Tone Bender MKI circuits — NOS hand-matched germanium transistors, vintage components throughout. The two circuits are compared extensively across both Jules and Sean's sections, with the Zonk's more angular, gnarly mid character contrasted against the MKI's fuller, more blooming character.

The Giordano Guitars Veloce (Serial #001) is the Italian family's new model — all-mahogany body and neck, Malaysian Blackwood fretboard, Sunbear '62 SB-PAT# Humbuckers. The SB-PAT# set references the brief era when Gibson swapped from the PAF decal to the Patent Number decal — construction unchanged, short-length Alnico V magnets, Bridge 7.7K / Neck 6.8K. Bright, spanky, and vocal like the best vintage SG pickups.

🔊 Cunningham Amps: https://www.cunninghamamps.co.nz
🎸 Giordano Guitars: https://www.instagram.com/_giordanoguitars_/
🎸 Sunbear Pickups: https://www.sunbearpickups.com

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Ohma Ribbon | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R121 & R10 | Ableton Live 12

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Electric Machine Fuzz — R2R Electric Zonk Machine

R2R Electric returns to the channel with the Electric Machine — Chris Vincent's NOS Zonk Machine-style fuzz, dialed in to his own exacting tastes. He nailed it. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the R2R Electric Electric Machine Fuzz takes center stage — featuring the Josh Williams Guitars Mockingbird with Tone Specific Bloombucker Humbuckers, into the Benson Amps Monarch 2x12" via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander. The Effectrode Tube Vibe joins from 07:45.

Follow R2R Electric: https://www.instagram.com/djlavalamp/ R2R Electric mailing list: https://www.r2relectric.com

The Hornby Skewes Zonk Machine is one of the rarest and most sought-after British fuzz circuits of the 1960s — a close relative of the Tone Bender MKI, but with a distinct input capacitor value that rolls off low end before the fuzz stage, producing a more angular, midrange-forward, and characteristically gnarly character. The Zonk was made in extremely limited quantities and commands significant prices when originals surface.

The Electric Machine is Chris's take on the Zonk Machine circuit, built in his Professional format — the same full-size wedge enclosure and construction standard used across the R2R lineup. In Chris's own words: "This guy is spot on to my full size wedge Electric Machine fuzz." Transistors are Texas Instruments, OC75, and OC44 — the same NOS transistor set as the full-size version. Mustard caps throughout. Hand-wired point-to-point with NOS vintage components as with every R2R Electric build.

Two controls: Attack (gain) and Level (output). Low Attack settings with Level pushed well above unity produce a particularly compressed, angular fuzz character explored in depth from 09:40. High Attack into a pushed amp from 04:08. The Level has substantial output range — more than enough to slam the Monarch's front end hard.

As with all R2R vintage fuzz builds: place first in signal chain before any buffered bypass pedals.

Get on the R2R Electric mailing list: https://www.r2relectric.com/how-to-order Follow Chris: https://www.instagram.com/djlavalamp/

🎸 Josh Williams Guitars: https://joshwilliamsguitars.com 🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Ohma Ribbon | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Ableton Live 12

Ron Ellis Pickups Frisell Humbuckers

Ron Ellis Pickups returns to the channel — this time with the Frisell Set, one of Ron's own favorite combinations. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Ron Ellis Pickups Frisell 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 Cunningham Amps Custom 35 2x12" with Scumback H75-PVC speakers via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander. The R2R Electric x Wood Wire Volts Germanium Boost, 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 the Frisell Set: https://www.ronellispickups.com/collections/humbuckers/products/frisell-humbucker
Follow Ron Ellis Pickups: https://www.instagram.com/ronellispickups/

In Ron Ellis' own words:

"Frisell set is a lower output neck pickup combined with a Signature bridge pickup to match the neck. This custom set was originally made for Bill Frisell's two Collings guitars. The Frisell neck has superb clarity, balanced EQ and note separation. Combining the Signature bridge with our custom Frisell neck delivers a blend of tone that is both clear and articulate while retaining hair, bloom, and PAF character on the neck. Between the two, there are many different tonalities to discover either alone or together. This is one of Ron's favorite sets to play due to the balance and range the two pickups provide."

The Frisell Set is an asymmetric pairing — the neck pickup is a custom lower-output winding unique to this set, and the bridge is the same Signature pickup featured in the previous Ron Ellis demo on the channel. The neck pickup's superb clarity and note separation make it particularly well-suited to the Cunningham Custom 35's Tweed (Body) channel, explored from 00:00 — the channel's natural bloom and compression interacting with the Frisell neck's inherent openness. The Plexi (Bite) channel from 04:21 gives the Signature bridge more authority and grit while the Frisell neck retains its vocal, clear character.

The R2R Electric x Wood Wire Volts Germanium Boost is a very special build — a limited collaboration between Chris Vincent (@djlavalamp) and Wood Wire Volts, produced exclusively for the show in a run of just 10 units, available in person only. In Chris's own words: "It's not a treble boost but it's not full range either." The transistors are Philips OC58/OC59 germanium devices from 1962-64 — originally manufactured for hearing aids, about the size of a match head, and by Chris's description they "sound absolutely gigantic." NOS vintage components throughout, hand-wired point-to-point as with all R2R Electric builds. Explored from 07:43 into the Cunningham Plexi channel with the Effectrode Tube Vibe.

Ron Ellis is an engineer by profession, based in Carlsbad, California, using high-tech laboratory equipment to reverse-engineer the materials used in original 1950s and 1960s PAF pickups at the molecular level. Every set is hand-wound in Carlsbad.

The Cunningham Amps Custom 35 — hand-wired by Tim Cunningham in Auckland, New Zealand — provides both the Tweed (Body) and British Plexi (Bite) channels explored throughout. Cathode biased EL34 output stage, tube-driven spring reverb, parallel and cascade channel modes.

🎸 Ron Ellis Pickups: https://www.ronellispickups.com
🔊 Cunningham Amps: https://www.cunninghamamps.co.nz

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Ohma Ribbon | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Ableton Live 12

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Giordano Guitars Veloce

📝 Video Description

Giordano Guitars returns to the channel with the Veloce — serial number 001 — and the Sunbear '62 SB-PAT# Humbuckers are a match made in heaven. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Giordano Guitars Veloce (Serial #001) takes center stage — all-mahogany body and neck, Malaysian Blackwood fretboard, medium jumbo frets, Kluson tuners, vintage repro bridge and tailpiece, CTS pots, nitrocellulose lacquer with finish checking, Sunbear '62 SB-PAT# Humbuckers — into the Benson Amps Earhart head and Benson 2x12" cabinet with Scumback H75-PVC 65W speakers via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander. The Echo Fix EF-X3 Chorus Echo, Effectrode Tube Vibe, and Expresso FX Ge Boost feature throughout.

Follow Giordano Guitars: https://www.instagram.com/_giordanoguitars_/
Follow Sunbear Pickups: https://www.instagram.com/sunbear_pickups/

The Veloce is a new model from the Giordano family in Italy — all-mahogany construction, lightweight with excellent upper fret access, nitrocellulose lacquer checking that makes it look like it's been played for decades from the moment it left the workshop. Serial number 001. This is the very first one.

The Sunbear '62 SB-PAT# (now the '62 Archive) is Stuart Robson's deep dive into a brief, often-overlooked transitional era of Gibson humbucker history. When Gibson swapped from the "Patent Applied For" decal on their humbucker baseplates to the Patent Number decal around 1962, that was the only change — the construction and build process remained PAF spec for a brief period. These late PAFs feature short-length Alnico V magnets and have their own specific magic. The set Stu referenced for this model remains untouched and original, with an unusually low-wind neck unit and a particularly sweet balance.

Bridge: Alnico V (short) / 7.7K — clear, open with extra directness and lower midrange cut, responsive to volume and tone pot adjustments. Neck: Alnico V (short) / 6.8K — mellow and sweetly vocal in the top end with classic PAF low-end richness. The short Alnico V magnets give this set a bright, spanky character that calls to mind the best vintage SG pickups — snappy, present, and cutting without ever getting harsh, with the kind of chime in the neck position that makes chords ring like a bell. An ideal set for an all-mahogany guitar that needs clarity and top-end life without artificial brightness.

The Expresso FX Ge Boost (Philips OC141) takes the spotlight from 10:05 — Rangemaster-style germanium boost slamming the Earhart's top boost input, with volume knob cleanup explored from 11:47 and the mid boost character from 13:39.

🎸 Giordano Guitars: https://www.instagram.com/_giordanoguitars_/
🎸 Sunbear Pickups: https://www.sunbearpickups.com
🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Ohma Ribbon | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Ableton Live 12

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Best Vintage Guitar Mods! '67 Gibson ES-330 Gets Stainless Steel Re-Fret & Emerson Treble Bleeds

Absolutely — here's the updated description with the sibling video callout added right after the intro paragraph:

📝 Video Description

The 1967 Gibson ES-330 is back from the shop — Jescar stainless steel refret and Emerson Custom Treble Bleeds on both volume pots. Would you mod a vintage guitar? Let me know in the comments. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the 1967 Gibson ES-330 takes center stage — freshly refretted with Jescar stainless steel and fitted with Emerson Custom Treble Bleeds on both volume potentiometers, into the Benson Amps Earhart 2x12" with Scumback speakers via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander. The Echo Fix EF-X3 Chorus Echo, Effectrode Tube Vibe, and Expresso FX Ge Fuzz, Octave Fuzz, and Ge Boost feature from 06:17 onward.

Also watch: the sibling video — 1967 Gibson ES-335 Refret + Emerson Treble Bleeds, same rig, same mods: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcQQLCxqbKo&t=109s

Grab Emerson Custom Treble Bleeds: https://emersoncustom.com/products/2017-treble-bleed-circuit-volume-mod?sca_ref=6282128.5O9h8BhMpG

The ES-330 is often mistaken for the ES-335 — the two are close siblings in the Gibson thinline lineup, but with a fundamental difference: the 330 is fully hollow with no centerblock, where the 335 has a solid maple centerblock running down its length. The full hollow construction gives the 330 a more acoustic-like resonance, sensitivity to feedback at high volumes, and a distinctly different midrange character that interacts with the P90 pickups differently than a 335 would. The 1967 dating also places this guitar in the period of the 16th fret neck joint, significant for upper register access and neck feel.

The P90 pickups in the 330 are the original 1967 Gibson units — the same raw, aggressive, midrange-forward single coil in soapbar packaging that defined Chicago blues. Pairing them with the fully hollow ES-330 body produces a particularly reactive, open tone that responds dramatically to volume knob position — which is exactly why the Treble Bleed mod matters here more than in most guitars.

I went a few years without treble bleeds in my vintage instruments, but it just grinds my gears when guitars go to mud by 9 on the volume knob. The Treble Bleed is an easily reversible mod — it preserves the high-frequency content through the full volume sweep so the guitar actually cleans up rather than just going dark. Both volume pots have independent Treble Bleeds. The difference is explored from 04:05 onward across neck and bridge P90 positions.

The Jescar stainless steel refret: harder than nickel silver, the frets will outlast any conventional refret by a significant margin with a consistent, smooth playing feel across the entire neck.

The Expresso FX triple stack from 06:46 — all three built by Sof in the UK with NOS components: Ge Fuzz (dual CV7005 Newmarket germanium transistors, Fuzz Face-style), stacked into the Octave Fuzz (Ge diodes up / Si diodes down) from 08:09, and Ge Boost (AC107, Rangemaster-style) from 08:34.

🎸 Emerson Custom: https://emersoncustom.com
🎛️ Expresso FX: https://expressofx.com
🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Ohma Ribbon | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Ableton Live 12

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Cunningham Amps Custom 35 2x12" Amplifier — Jules Leyhe on Slide Guitar

A very special episode — Cunningham Amps debuts on the channel with the Custom 35, and Jules Leyhe joins for the first time with his Mule Resophonic Mulecaster for slide guitar. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Cunningham Amps Custom 35 2x12" Tube Amplifier takes center stage — Jules Leyhe on his Mule Resophonic Mulecaster with Mule Tomthumbucker Mini-Humbuckers in Open E, and Sean on the BilT Guitars DK Ultra S.S. Zaftig with Lollar La Prima Mini-Humbuckers in E Standard. The R2R Electric Rangemaster OC44 Germanium, Effectrode Tube Vibe, and Echo Fix EF-X3 Analog Tape Delay also feature.

Get a Cunningham Amps Custom 35 Head and/or Cab: https://www.cunninghamamps.co.nz/product-page/custom-35
Cunningham Amps NOS transistor fuzzes: https://www.cunninghamamps.co.nz/effect-pedals
Follow Jules Leyhe: https://www.instagram.com/julesleyhe/
Jules Leyhe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@julesleyhe
Jules Leyhe's Derek Trucks Slide Course: https://julien-leyhe-s-school.teachable.com/p/derek-trucks-style-slide-guitar-course

In Tim Cunningham's own words:

"The Custom 35 is an all tube guitar amplifier available in both head and combo configurations. Two channels are foot switchable for running independently, in parallel or cascaded modes providing a diverse tonal palette ranging from crystalline cleans to high gain tube saturation.

Channel 1 — Bite — Tweed style: big juicy cleans through to 'dimed on 12' overdrive. Channel 2 — Body — British style: classic Plexi tones for crunchy rhythm and singing leads.

Independent/Parallel: in independent mode, the channel switch selects either Channel 1 or Channel 2. In parallel mode, Channel 2 blends on top of Channel 1 — similar to jumpering channels on a dual channel amp with a huge range of tonal possibilities when blending.

Cascaded mode: Channel 2 borrows an additional gain stage from Channel 1 to produce modern high gain tones.

The Custom 35 utilises a cathode biased output stage which adds to the organic, singing quality of the amp. It also allows different output tube types to be installed without needing to re-bias. Fitted with EL34s as standard — try 6L6 or KT66 output tubes for a unique tonal signature. Tube driven spring reverb standard."

The Cunningham Amps Custom 35 is loaded with Scumback H75-PVC and S75-PVC 12" speakers at 8 ohm, 25W rated each. The Echo Fix EF-X3 runs in the effects loop of the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander.

🔊 Cunningham Amps: https://www.cunninghamamps.co.nz
🎸 Mule Resophonic Guitars: https://www.muleresophonic.com
🎸 BilT Guitars: https://biltguitars.com
🎸 Lollar Pickups: https://www.lollarguitars.com/lollar-pickups

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Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Ohma Ribbon | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R121 & R10 | Ableton Live 12

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