The LB Strat Pickup

I’ve collaborated with guitarist Luke Bullard to design a pickup set that aims to be as versatile as possible for the professional musician without the need to completely overhaul your guitar. It aims to cover a multitude of styles and settings without compromising on tone.

Luke is a phenomenal session player who has worked with numerous artists over the years but currently resides as guitarist for James Bay. His wealth of experience playing venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, plus numerous TV and festival appearances means he’s no slouch when it comes to knowing what he wants from his instrument.

“I was looking for a set of strat pickups that were more usable and versatile than a standard set, with a bridge pickup that was hotter without going for a humbucker in that position. I wanted the out of phase sounds to have as little of a volume drop as possible. I wanted the pickups to have a bit more of a lower resonant peak and for the pickups to have a bit more “oomph” to them so they occupy a bit more space in the mix as a strat can traditionally get a bit “lost” sometimes depending on the genre.”

Luke’s model is a mixed Alnico III&IV set and are wound with Plain Enamel. The hot, larger than usual bridge pup is also fitted with a steel baseplate for extra grunt. The pickups are potted in lamp black paraffin wax like the good old days to seal the coil to prevent moisture and help with microphonics.

This year he’s been putting these pickups through their paces with James Bay at the Royal Albert Hall, supporting Bruce Springsteen, various Summer festivals including the Isle of White (check out the video below) and he’s currently on a US tour. Check out his verdict on each position…

Neck pickup: Glassy and sweet. Pairs really well with a tubescreamer for a classic sound

N&M: Has that classic scooped sound but slightly less pronounced than expected that helps with the level balance

Middle: has slightly more mid-range than usual that makes it great for chordal parts

M&B: classic funk sound. More scooped than the N&M

Bridge: Like a strat bridge on steroids, or a more tame tele bridge. Gives you that classic Stones rhythm sound and takes high gain well as it is not too shrill

The blend of the magnets help give the pickups a sweet top end meaning they’re as not stiff sounding as some Alnico V sets but still offer enough output to level out with your other guitars.

Head on over to his instagram page to see what he’s up to.

Specs:

Pole Spacing: 52mm

Wiring: Black- Ground, White- Live

Resistance: Bridge 8.7k, Neck & Middle- 6.4k (+/- 5%)

Inductance: 3 Henries (+/- 5%)

Magnets: Alnico III&IV

Pole Style: Staggered

Wire: 43 AWG PE (Bridge) 42 AWG PE (Neck & Middle)

Handmade in Manchester UK