Reviewed By: Jac Harrison
Purchased from: Manufacturer
Street Price: $180.00 USD + shipping
About:
Mojotone® is a manufacturer
of vintage amplifier & guitar parts offering a complete line of guitar and amplifier products -- specializing in vintage (pre-1980) reproduction cabinets and exact replacement components, based in Burgaw, North Carolina.
The newest addition from the Mojo Pickup Division, the Fatback Strat guitar pickups are designed to do just that...get your fat back. Built with the goal of straddling the divide between a Fender and Gibson, these pickups give your single notes a full bloom yet still retain some of the Fender sparkle and chime.
The newest addition from the Mojo Pickup Division, the Fatback Strat guitar pickups are designed to do just that...get your fat back. Built with the goal of straddling the divide between a Fender and Gibson, these pickups give your single notes a full bloom yet still retain some of the Fender sparkle and chime.
Mojotone® Fatback Strat Pickup Set.
This
review of the Mojotone® Fatback Strat pickup set was conducted using a 2009 Fender Mexican Stratocaster, wired with the Mojotone®
Strat 5-way standard guitar wiring kit that includes (3) 2112361-
potentiometer- CTS 250k split shaft w/.25" short bushing, (1) 2112182-
oak grigsby style 5-way switch, (1) 2195111- jack- switchcraft 1/4" Mono
input jack, (1) oil filled vitamin T cap, (2) 2112005- white 22ga stranded
cloth covered wire, (2) 2112000- black 22ga stranded cloth covered wire, (1) 2113347- volume mod and (1) 2113346- ground tab.
Installation:
I
took my time as I always do and from start to finish it was 1.5 hours/3 beers . Please note that you should have a luthier
from your local music store put pickups in for you unless you really
know what you are doing. It is normally a 1 - 2 hour charge + bench fee
to have 3 pickups installed. The total
investment will be well worth it.
Sound
Amp Used:
Bogner Alchemist 2 x 12
Cable:
Intex
Just Neck:
A lush vintage Strat neck sound with a full round bottom end, almost p-90ish when rolled back to 8. Great for classic rock / Texas blues rhythm.
Neck and Middle:
An even balance between the fat neck and a thinned out middle -- very creamy.
Just Middle:
Very "sweet spot" -- an increase in the harmonic range, great for a strong blues lead and finger picking.
Middle and Bridge:
Very bold with increased attack and sustain
Just Bridge:
Just Bridge:
Full on lead -- very touch sensitive and rock ready.
Reliability & Durability:
Reliability & Durability:
They are well constructed and should last the life of the guitar.
Impression:
Impression:
This isn't the first time that I have had the pleasure of using a Mojotone® product. I
am convinced that their staff is comprised of mad scientists that have developed a time machine and a mind reading device that allowed them to travel back and enter the mind of Mr. Leo Fender himself, as I would imagine that the "Fatback Strat" pickups would be his answer to the gain in popularity of the Gibson p-90's (soap bar) in the mid to late 1960's. What I'm getting at is that these pickups are something that could have and should have been offered from the Fender factory in
the early 70's.
Most pickup manufacturers, including Mojotone®,
offer a reproduction product that will either mimic a pickup from a certain time era or are designed after a particular artist's sound. The "Fatback Strat" set is like nothing else out there -- but has the characteristics of many pickups combined from the 1970's. It is almost like Frampton's LP got it on with Clapton's Strat while BB's Lucy was watching in corner -- resulting in the birth of one bad ass, loud mouth Strat.
The only way to describe their over all tone is "Fat Strat". The guitar went from having a twang to a cry and a yell to a scream. Not only was I able to get that mean Strat sound -- but a nice warm jazz tone -- a classic rock punch-- and some southern blues. Overall these pickups have a very unique sound and will give your guitar a
new voice for many styles of play.
My advice:
If you are in the market for a pickup upgrade to beef up your Strat without going to a humbucker -- this is a great option to fill in the hole in your tone.
Mojo Musical Supply
(P) 800 927-6656
513 South Dudley St,
Burgaw, North Carolina
28425
Posted 11/2012
