Pete Biltoft Vintage Vibe Pickups

[Jazzandmore]

Hey Everyone,

 

Couldn't find a recent post regarding Pete Biltoft's custom pickup designs so I thought I'd go ahead and give you my experience with him in case you are looking for something unique.

 

I first read about him on a different forum and the individual mentioned that Pete can custom design pickups to give you the sound you want based on your description. I have an 80's Fender Flame that is wonderful to play physically, but the original pickups (Schallers) just weren't giving me everything I wanted.

 

I contacted Pete and told him I wanted a humbucker in the neck pickup, but wanted a sound that would be a cross between a humbucker and a Charlie Christian single coil. In the bridge I asked for something bluesy and fat. Pete had me send one of the original pickups and give him specific measurements of the pickup cavities because on this guitar neither was standard.

 

I'll cut right to the chase: I did not want the bridge and neck pickups to sound similar and indeed they do not. The neck pickup sounds great with a very tight warm sound that stays clear even when the tone knob is rolled all the way down. The bridge can do anything from mellow to a little twang just by adjusting the tone knob. I often forget I'm in the bridge setting because the bridge pickup has body and doesn't sound thin at all. The pickups are very well balanced so mixing them gives great results. These pickups sound fantastic and I couldn't believe the price for a custom design.

 

If you are looking for great pickups, contact Pete and tell him what sound you are looking for. He's great to talk to and will deliver a great pickup that you will love.

[vintage clubber]

Pete's gotten a lot of love here over the years. Never heard anything but props for his pickups...