There are many fun pickups out there, and the Hot ’59 Clone is one of them.
A prior evaluation of the Mojotone 59 Clone bridge humbucker is a primer for the DNA of the Hot ’59 Clone: “a nicely balanced tone. An open vibe that remains firmly grounded.” And then take it all up a notch.
This is the great part. There is nothing lost or sacrificed in the process. In so many instances, a hotter wind (or an over-wind) can lead to a plus in one column and a minus in the other. Not so with the Hot ’59 Clone. The balanced voice is there. The open character is there. Just more of it. We will see that reflected in the specs here in just a minute.
As with my comments on the regular ’59 Clone, the Hot ’59 has that dedicated pursuit of the real deal PAFs. You get versatility, clarity, sweetness, expressiveness, definition, and an airy brightness. Working the guitar’s volume knob can take you from a snappy quack to a authoritative snarl. Fret not (ha! a pun!) about it clocking it at about 9k. The real deal PAFs did meter anywhere between 7.5 and 9.
Loading the Hot ’59 into ye olde test guitar, I have it in place along side the Mojotone ’59 Clone neck model. Being a little more firm in the neck, the set affords a wide range of tonal options. With the right amp and cab selection, the Hot ’59 Clone bridge should meet just about any need.
How about some specs, alongside the regular ’59 Clone for easy comparison. Check out how while there’s a 10% difference in the wind, the inductance stays the same and the % of coil offset is so close. I don’t know about you, but I think that’s cool:
Hot ’59 Clone Bridge
Series – 9.027 k
Inductance – 4.631 H
Split N – 4.631 k
Split S – 4.382 k
Parallel – 2.251 k
Magnet – Alnico 4
’59 Clone Bridge
Series – 8.119 k
Inductance – 4.633 H
Split N – 4.177 k
Split S – 3.931 k
Parallel – 2.025 k
Magnet – Alnico 4
The biggest surprise to me about the Hot ’59 Clone is that it’s an easy to find and reasonably priced option that delivers a much more genuine PAF experience. My belief is that there have been easily accessible PAF-style humbuckers that would have people thinking it should be big and beefy and boomy. If that’s what people want, it’s out there. For a much more refined and purist approach without breaking the bank, check out the Mojotone Hot ’59 Clone and the rest of the ’59 Clone line.
For reference, this ’59 Hot Clone evaluation was conducted with my old trusty tube preamp, as well a Fractal Axe-Fx II XL+. Cabs are a Peavey 6505 cab and a Marshall 1960B cab using 12″ Peavey Sheffield 1200s, 12″ Celestion G12-65s and 12″ Celestion G12T-75s.
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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
