Lindy Fralin High Output

This is a review of the high output HUMBUCKER version. Which sits somewhere between 12.5 and 13.5k in output. I think this is a great pickup for almost any style of music! The cleans are very good as a bridge pickup it has headroom and doesn't have any unwanted break up. Where it shines of course is the distortion which is moderly high gain, I've played hotter pickups but this is quite hot for a PAF-type of pickup. Lindy says it taps well, I don't doubt that but I haven't had the chance to coil tap it myself. The distortion is very very organic sounding to me. I wouldn't say too thick either, it's got an almost neutral sound mixed in with some PAF persona in it. It's clear, and it's very dynamic. Cleans up quite well when you roll the volume down which is what I like in a pickup! I would say it's basically a hotter PAF type pickup that's clear, and coil tap well and also cleans up if need be. It doesn't have maximum output and doesn't shred your face off either. It's more like a well controlled high gain pickup with just enough output to be versatile. It is not too thick and not too bright. If I had to compare it to something else that's already out there, maybe.. if one can imagine..a perfected JB. Not so sterile, but clear, dynamic. Good cleans. All around good and gainy if you want it to be but not noisy.

I was able to get some really nice metal or hard rock sounds depending of course on the amp. I also had the unbucker in the neck which was a good contrast to this high gain pickup.

I give it a 9 strictly because it doesn't sound good in EVERY guitar, I've had this in a few guitars and it seems to favor more of the neutral or darker tone woods like mahogany. Of course this is just an observation I've made myself. It could've been the guitar I heard it in also. Fralin pickups are of high quality, nearly all of them are dynamic and can be used for a wide variety of music. If i were to get any humbucker replacements I would definitely look into Fralins again.