You say you want a set of pickups that are balanced? Something with just the right amount of EQ across the range? Almost “leveled out”? Well then, does Mojotone have something for you. I honestly, almost embarrassingly, didn’t have any idea where they came up with the “Level” Head name until I got them installed. This set of pickups really is very balanced. As such, you get a lot of very workable tonal options.
As with the previous few Mojotone models (the PW Hornet set and the Humbucker Sized P-90 set), I put the Level Head set in the same guitar, wired up so that each pickup can independently switch between series/split/parallel, controlled by the main Switchcraft 3-way toggle.
This is another set of humbuckers that Mojotone threw in some fun and interesting innovations. There are adjustable screw poles under the wound strings in all bobbins, and slug poles under all the un-wound strings. The alloys are selected to help fine tune the voicings of the lows to stay defined and the highs to deliver body. Both are wound with 43 AWG and fueled by big ceramic magnets.
On a clean amp setting, the series mode can obviously push things a little bit. I found some really nice tones in the middle position, with both pickups in parallel and with the neck position in split. The neck position in parallel is very nice, but there seemed to be a smidge more fidelity from split mode for my ears.
Switching to a dirty amp setting, and all switching combinations delivered tones that will deliver a solid range needed for a gigging player. Not to be redundant, but the engineers delivered a very well-balanced set of pickups. Neck lows are big but never loose, while highs are defined. The bridge has punchy lows with solid high end, offering well-defined riffs and in-your-face leads.
Neck
series – 7.56k
split north – 3.53k
split south – 4.03k
parallel – 1.88k
Bridge
series – 13.12k
split north – 6.26k
split south – 6.86k
parallel – 3.27k
The Level Head set is touch sensitive and responds very well to pick attack. It’s a powerful set of pickups that manages to not over-power. You can tell the guys at Mojotone are putting a thoughtful and innovative approach into what they are doing.
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
