Page 110 - FLIPMAG.NET

REVIEWS
SUNBEAR BEARTRON
Sunbear Pickups is a relatively new UK pickup manufacturer that
has quietly been garnering a reputation for fine-sounding products.
These units come with full-sized alnico V magnets and are wound a
hair hotter than the vintage spec at 5k and 4.4k ohms. The magnet
wire is heavy formvar and we requested unpotted coils.
IN USE
The Sunbears have bucketloads of Filter’Tron flavour and absolutely
nail the phasey midrange character. The bridge has a wonderfully
vintage quack and the neck has a pleasing sheen with no lack of
clarity whatsoever.
Output levels are strong but they’re not too powerful, and
there’s no sense that compromises have been made to achieve such
a healthy output. This refined set is warmer and smoother than
most but doesn’t have quite as much chime or the Telecaster-type
wiriness of some of its competitors.
There’s a full and almost plummy character to the low mids
and the output level, combined with the non-scooped midrange
and total absence of grit, would make these ideal for jazzy cleans
and overdriven rock alike.
KEY FEATURES
PRICE £120 each
DESCRIPTION Humbucking pickups, made in the UK
FEATURES 1/4” alnico V magnet, unpotted (potting available on request)
DC RESISTANCE 5.25k (bridge), 4.27k (neck)
CONTACT sunbearpickups.com
A high-quality Filter’Tron replica with fuller and
8/10 warmer mids and a touch of extra output
LIKE THIS? TRY THESE…
Other pickup manufacturers offering their spin on Filter’Tron pickups include Lollar (lollarguitars.com), Seymour Duncan (seymourduncan.com) and Monty’s Guitars (montysguitars.com)
110
MCNELLY SPARKLETRON
These may look like vintage Filter’Trons from the outside, but
with vulcanised fibreboard flats and widened pole spacing, they’re
anything but. This Canadian-made set has full-sized custom-made
alnico V magnets and recessed polepieces.
IN USE
We’ve reviewed McNelly Sparkletrons before and, despite being
wowed, we felt the wax potting inhibited the upper treble. This
time, they’ve been left unpotted at our request, and we find them
even more impressive. Considering how much they deviate from
vintage Filter’Trons in component parts, it’s astonishing how much
they sound like both the vintage Filter’Trons and the TV Jones Ray
Butts pickups.
The output is a little lower on the bridge but the midrange
voicing and overall balance is almost identical. The Sparkle’Trons
have a lively and non-compressed response and feel particularly
sensitive to playing dynamics and all the subtle details of pick and
finger attack.
The short fibreboard bases make them more difficult to mount
on vintage-style Gretsch guitars but it can be done. This set is hard
to beat in a Cabronita Telecaster too.
KEY FEATURES
PRICE From £139.99 each
DESCRIPTION Humbucking pickups, made in Canada
FEATURES 1/4” alnico V magnet, unpotted (potting available on request)
DC RESISTANCE 5.25k (bridge), 4.09k (neck)
CONTACT homeoftone.co.uk, mcnellypickups.com
These are longtime favourites. Although they’re not the most vintage
9/10 correct anatomically, sonically they hold their own with the very best