We have been hand-winding our pickups since we first started as luthiers: the ones we install in our basses, the ones we have (re)wound while repairing vintage instruments, and, even before that, the ones we used to cut our teeth on.
After thousands upon thousands of coils, the time has finally come to make this activity "official": we have decided to start producing single-coil pickups under the Jacaranda brand. Just like the instruments we craft, our pickups are completely handmade: if you are unaware of it, the difference between a pickup with a hand-wound coil and one produced industrially, combined with the quality of the magnets we choose, is impressive in terms of character, tone, clarity, and dynamics. Once you have taken the step of installing a handmade pickup on your instrument, there is no going back.
The Jacaranda sound
When choosing what personality to give our first "official" bass pickup, we did not want it to be an exact replica of a 1950s or 60s pickup: instead, we looked for something that, while starting from the excellent characteristics of the production of those years, would add an even more unmistakable tone to our instruments.
The first bass pickup model to pave the way for others, which are already ready and will soon be presented for sale, is the J-Pre. Fitted as standard on our Classic 4-string, it uses 1/4-inch AlNiCo 5 magnets: it thus develops the ideal timbre for fingerstyle or plectrum playing and has a dynamic and powerful sound.
Our research was aimed at a sound that provided full-bodied yet clear bass frequencies: it was therefore natural to opt for a single coil – which ensures the brilliant clarity that "cuts through" the mix – but dutifully tempered so as not to sound harsh or piercing: a result we arrived at after many attempts by working on the number of turns – and therefore on the final impedance – as well as on the materials.
The J-Pre can also be requested in a staggered version, ideal for necks with a large radius.
The J-Pre, like the other pickups to come, can be requested from us for installation on any of your instruments.