Guitar Gear Review: Brandonwound Pickups JP#1 Set

Within most any vintage guitar community, you can’t throw a pick without hitting someone that knows about Brandonwound Pickups. They make vintage replica pickup lines for Fender and Gibson guitars. The T-Top bridge humbucker that comes with this set is the sort of attention to accuracy that I think of when I hear rumblings of a big pickup company feeling threatened by the boutique shops.

Just incredible craftsmanship. I mean, look at the detail in the T-Top bobbins…you will think you’re playing a pickup from the early 70s. The aging on the neck cover is a nice touch. Let’s not get anything confused with the “relic” fad…a properly aged pickup cover is the devil in the details to a PAF or vintage pickup connoisseur.

As part of the Jimmy Page series of reviews, I have been looking forward to checking out this set. They are installed in the same 2-hum guitar, using the same amp settings to ensure consistency.

The bridge has an open and lively character that lends itself to most any rock application with a nice punch in the low end that’s never too heavy, evenly-voiced mids and a sparkle in the highs that have plenty of presence to keep from being too sharp. I quickly found myself getting into classic 70s and 80s rock riffs, licks and tricks, before working into blues rock and even a little metal.

The covered neck pickup is a little warmer and laid back by comparison, with the right amount of bloom. It has a slightly throaty low end and highs with just enough bite. You’ll be right at home with your blues and blues-rock in the neck position.

It is very easy to get a full range of totally workable clean and dirty tones from both positions while in series wiring. Parallel wiring slides into a laid back vibe when dirty and warm ringing character in clean. Using a clean tone in split mode and there is chime and glass to spare. Overall, the JP#1 set has a complex voicing that features an attention to nuance.

BRIDGE
Series – 7.86k
Split – 4.10k
Split – 3.76k
Parallel – 1.98k

NECK
Series – 8.07k
Split – 3.93k
Split – 4.14k
Parallel – 2.02k

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Darth Phineas is a long time music industry insider who provides his readers with unbiased reviews on musical instrument and guitar gear. You can read more of his reviews and check out industry news on his Facebook community Darth Phineas, Twitter or his website is darthphineas.com