Why Don't More Guitar Players Know About This Crazy Pickup?

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Lace Aluma 90 P 90 pickup

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3 Picks In One, But Why?

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[harmonicaster]

Phil, people sometimes say the Alumitones sound "sterile" but from a technical standpoint, an argument can be made that the Alumitone (the official term is "current transformer") is a better pickup than traditional designs. It has a broader and flatter frequency response, which is what you'd typically want from some kind of sensor. It's also a lot quieter. People, though, have spent the last 70 years listening to guitar and bass pickups that have limited frequency responses and typically a midrange bump. I don't know if people actually find that more pleasant or more exciting, but it is what people are used to. It's a bit like treble bleed circuits. On paper, using a treble bleed circuit yields a more consistent frequency response no matter the position of the volume control but people got used to the sound of Leo and Ted's electric guitars without them.
One of the things that's cool about the Alumitones is that because they have primary and secondary coils, they have an additional factor that can be manipulated for voicing. You can change gain by altering the primary, but also the secondary. I think the reason why they are quieter than even humbuckers is twofold. The primary is inductively linked to the secondary by the small steel core, but it is electrically connected to ground, bleeding off RFI. Also, the secondary, copper wire coils are tiny compared to a conventional pickups, so essentially they are less sensitive antennas than the massive coils in a conventional pickup, so they pick up less interference.
Also, the folks at Lace are really good people. I've worked with Jeff Lace on a purpose designed Alumitone for the Harmonicaster electric guitar that I recently launched (harmonicaster.com) and I can't speak highly enough about the whole crew there. Good folks with great musical taste.

[stevenpipes]

I love all pickups. I think there is a charm to be found in any one of them. The Alumatone and the Fralin both sound great to me.

[davidbetts]

I love alumatone pickups. Lace are criminally underrated imo.
I love your playing in this as well!

[nickagervasi]

One of my buddies was just saying he was gonna put some of these (humbuckers though) in a Fender Meteora. Fantastic sounding. Very clear.

[omen]

Aluma 90 sounds like a finished product, post processing where other sounded more raw. Both sounds I like. thanks for sharing

[rickpilger]

I love lace pickups. Some of the best starts ever made we’re back in 90s with Lace sensor pickups. The alumitone on the neck of a tele is pretty darn nice as well

[HalfpennyTerwilliger]

I kinda like the last configuration with the Alumitone in the bridge and the Lindy Fralin in the neck. Both seem to be awesome pickups.

[B_Wolfen]

I have three guitars equipped with Alumitones. A Squier Strat which got a Lace fully loaded pickguard swap, and two forgotten brand Shaman JPMs, one with SSH and one with a HH configuration. They all sound great, best described as modern (flatter, more even response), yet very dynamic, and quite a bit on the hot side. Especially the Strat is a go too when I am after less traditional Strat tones, but still seek that flexibility. A great thing of its own, a hidden gem in the tone arsenal.

[JimMcD]

I love the clarity of the Aluma. The string definition. It gives one a perfect clean canvas to build on.

[allanflippin]

The Lace Aluma 90 has almost an acoustic sound about it. It's not really a P90, but it is real good! Thanks for sharing with us!

[claudevieaul]

The Alumitone has a huge range, and it's pretty much lineair. I've seen a guy who had one in his guitar, and he then moved it to his bass - sounded amazing either way!

Quite expensive, though.

[Lepp]

Have a Deathbucker, in one of my 6 strings, always loved it.

[livewireblanco]

Fralin in bridge, Alumitone in the neck. Perfection!

[pvillez]

I have a Lace Alumitone on the neck position. It has the most beautiful crystal clear Jazz bell like tone I've heard in 50 years of playing electric. Huge tone and that sustain....the sustain is unreal. Nothing quiet about them at all, in terms of volume. I alway hated the mid bump in multiwound pickups, this is on another level.

[mark.guitar]

I have a pair of these in an electric (tuned down). They are really chimey and clear when clean and the breakup is lovely. They are their own thing and personally I love them.

[ronpopeil]

Sounds really good. Definitely enjoy these types of videos.

[davidwalter]

I’d like to see more on the Alumatone, including a humbucker size version. There is very little out there on this pickup, so we need your review!

[ferdberfle]

I'm putting together a partscaster Tele Thinline semi hollow body that's routed for a mini humbucker/P90 sized pickup in the neck position. This just might be the right fit I need for that! Thanks Phil!

[strat]

Love the sound, its clarity with warmness, plus it's noiseless and much more lightweight compared to classic pickups construction !

[BCarpenter]

I think the Fralin had a perfect P90 tone!