Mini Humbucker
Mini-Humbucker, Redesigned by Lindy
Price range: $180 through $360
The Fralin Mini Humbucker is cleaner and clearer than full sized humbuckers. Our Mini Humbucker sounds more “Fendery” than other Mini’s, which are darker and muddier. We have two magnet choices – Alnico 5 is bright and clear, and Alnico 6 is loud and thick.
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Jump to Sound Clips and more info
Mini Humbuckers, Redesigned.
Want to learn more about our Mini Humbucker? Here's all the information you'll need:
Features
Lindy’s passion for the tone of vintage 50’s humbuckers led us down the road to design our Mini Humbucker. The Lindy Fralin Mini Humbucker is one amazing-sounding pickup. Lindy modified the design of the original Mini Humbuckers, experimenting with winds and magnets. The result gives you a clean vintage tone that’s more articulate than most modern humbuckers. Our Mini Humbucker is a lower output, which is more expressive than higher-output designs.
Features:
- Modified Gibson Design – Re-designed by Lindy Fralin
- Modified Gibson® specifications with attention to increased output and clarity
- Brighter and more ‘Fender-y’ tone. Smooth, late grind and a crisp attack
- USA-made Alnico Magnets for optimal tonal balance and output
- Compensated Overwound Bridge for even volume across all pickups
- Hand-wound with our “Sectioning” technique for unique, dynamic tone
- Hand-built for unrivaled quality control
- 10-Year Warranty on manufacturing defects
How It's Made:
Sound & Video
Clean, clear, and articulate. Our Mini Humbucker will stay clean as it won’t break up as early as modern humbuckers. You’ll find that it’s loud, while still remaining clear. Built with AlNicCo V or VI magnets, and 42 & 43 Gauge SPN wire, the Mini Humbuckers are a gateway to vintage tone. When playing clean, you’ll find that this pickup sings what you put into it: it’s dynamic, clear, and warm. Expect a smooth grind with distortion, with a pronounced pick attack. If you want a darker sound, choose to go with the +4% or +8% output options. More coil will thicken the midrange up more, and less will make is sound more like single coils and cleaner.
Our manufacturing process allows us to achieve unparalleled quality control. Our Mini Humbuckers consist of USA-Made bobbins, baseplates, magnets, and wire. We wind each pickup by hand, one at a time. Each pickup is wound using our proprietary “Sectioning” technique. This gives the pickup a sweet, clear tone.
We assemble each pickup one at a time, by hand. This allows us to achieve unbeatable attention to detail. Finally, we wax-pot the pickup to preserve the pickup, and prevent microphonics.
Sound Samples for Mini Humbucker:
About this Sound Clip:
All sound samples are played from Neck Position First and Bridge Position Last.
Tonal Graph For Mini Humbucker:
The tonal graph below for our Mini Humbucker features Lows, Midrange, Highs, and general Output.
Stock Output:
Attack: Bright & Sharp
+4% Output:
Attack: Dynamic & Full
+8 Output:
Attack: Soft & Round
Videos for Mini Humbucker:
Tech Specs:
See below for the estimated DCR and Polarity Information for our Mini Humbucker.
| SPECIFICATION | VALUE |
|---|---|
| Stock Ohm Reading: | 6.5K 1 |
| +4% Ohm Reading: | 10.5K 1 |
| +8% Ohm Reading: | 11.2K 1 |
| Magnet Material: | USA-Made Alnico 5 or USA-Made Alnico 6 |
| Magnet Wire Material: | USA-Made 42-Gauge / 43-Gauge Single Poly Nylon |
| Baseplate Material: | USA-Made Nickel Silver |
| Cover Material: | USA-Made Nickel Silver |
| Polarity: | Reversible with 2-Conductor Lead |
| Wax Potted: | Yes |
| Recommended Cap Value: | 0.02mfd 2 |
Additional Technical Info:
1 Ohm Readings can vary due to a multitude of factors, including ambient temperature, multimeter calibration, different wire batches, and other factors. Due to this, ohm readings are approximate. Learn more about Ohm Readings here.
2 We recommend a 0.02mfd Cap Value on most guitar and bass pickups. The exception is a Magic Cap, which Lindy prefers on the Bridge Pickup of Fender® guitars only. Learn More about Caps Here.
Polarity Information:
Here's how we wind and magnetize our pickups:
If you're buying a set from us, all pickups will work together seamlessly. If you're buying a single pickup, all you need to worry about is Coil Direction.
To ensure your pickup will work, make sure you select multiple leads (2-Conductor, 3-Conductor, or 4-Conductor if available), or the 3-Wire modification so you can reverse the coil direction, if need be.
Lead Options
See below for our Lead color codes. For help with matching to other manufacturers, check out this resource here.
Gibson Braided Lead
Gibson-Style instruments
Phase Reversible
Coil Splitting
2-Conductor Lead
Phase Reversible
Pickup Dimensions
If converting a Mini Humbucker to a Soapbar, check your rout to make sure the Soapbar ring (pictured above) will fit your instrument.
Mini Humbucker FAQ's
General FAQs
Here are quick answers to common questions we get:
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What Ohm Readings does your Mini Humbucker have?
Navigate to our Tech Specs Tab for complete Ohm Readings and more useful information.
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Will this pickup fit my instrument?
Check our Sizing Tab for the size of the pickup. No Sizing tab? Check under the product image gallery for dimensions, or head to our Dimensions Page.
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Is your Lead Time of accurate?
It depends on the shop capacity at the moment, and the size of your order. Feel free to give us a call for an accurate lead time. We always try to beat our estimated Lead Times.
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What pickup height do you recommend setting your Mini Humbuckers to?
Our recommended Pickup Height is 1/8" (3.175mm) on the Bass Side and 1/16"( 1.5875mm) on the Treble Side. To measure, hold the correct side down at its highest fret. Then, measure from the bottom of the string to the top of the pole piece.
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Are your Mini Humbuckers wax potted?
Yes, all of our pickups are potted in USA-Made Parrafin Wax carefully chosen for it's transparent effect on tone.
Product FAQ's
People frequently ask these questions about our Mini Humbucker. If you have a question that you don't see listed here, click "Ask" in the Quick Links section above.
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What's the difference between Alnico 5 and Alnico 6?
Alnico 5 features more of a Fender Sparkle, and Alnico 6 sounds more like a Humbucker – softer, warmer, and thicker, but with more output. If you’re looking for a Fender tone out of your Mini, opt for Alnico 5. If you’re looking for more of a PAF tone, opt for Alnico 6.
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What is a "Stock" set of Mini Humbuckers?
There are a lot of options with this pickup. The Stock Set is close to how Gibson made them in the ’50s. It’s a Stock Neck (6.5K) and a Stock Bridge (6.5K). This set will feature a clean, fender-like Neck and a bright, spanky Bridge. If you’re looking for something with more balance, you can opt for a +4% Neck (Alnico 5), or a Stock Neck with Alnico 6. Alnico 6 gives the pickup a louder output with more of a “Gibson” feel – more midrange, less highs – more like a traditional PAF.
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Can you wire the Mini Humbucker for Coil Splitting?
We can, but we don’t recommend it – the output is very low.
Builders Love Our Mini Humbucker
These are just some of our talented builders that use our Mini Humbucker
Featured Reviews
Reviews We Worked Hard For, and Are Proud Of
Customer Reviews
59 Genuine Reviews for Mini Humbucker
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I installed the 8% overwind bridge, and 4% overwind neck, both with alnico 6 magnets in my 72 Gibson ES 325. I was also instructed to request them to be voiced like their Pure PAF humbuckers to get closer to a full sized humbucker tone. The stock pickups didn’t sound bad, but I could never get a decent balance between the two. The neck was either muddy, or the bridge was too brittle or thin, there was no happy balance in my amp settings. Lindy’s work amazing together, I’m able to switch between pickups on the fly and still get the sounds I’m after. The neck has the biggest improvement, it’s big and warm but never gets muddy. The biggest improvement on the bridge is the highs, they are still there but far more pleasing sounding and round. As someone who has typically never like a ton of high end, these pickups make me appreciate it.
My 325 was always a favourite of mine, but it never made it on to any recordings, that has changed since I installed these pickups. It now sounds how I think it was intended to. Disclaimer to anyone working with a 325, because it’s hard to find much info on them for this stuff. The pickups needed a little encouraging to fit in the stock rings and cavity. The 325 has mini HB’s with no adjustable poles like a Firebird. Years ago I tried a Firebird replacement in the bridge and it also didn’t quite fit. They will fit, but it may not be a simple as it should be, the 325 is a bit of an odd duck. Worth it though! -
I have a few sets of Fralin’s in different guitars, but this is my first set of mini-humbuckers. I’ve been wanting to re-create the red sparkle Deluxe that Gibson put out in the 1970s, so I found a candy apple red Sire guitar with P90s and ordered a pair of stock wound Minis with a Alinco 5 mag in the Neck and Alinco 6 in the bridge. These pickups are a great match for this guitar and are perfect for covering anything from Thin Lizzy to Steely Dan – just that added bit of clarity that I was looking for. Luke was a great help in picking these out and answering all my questions! I love my Tele Fralin pickups, but these Minis are the bomb!
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Absolutely fantastic! I ordered the mini-humbuckers with the A5 magnets, stock wind for the neck, and 4% overwind for the bridge. These are really really honest pickups, whatever you play it gives back to you. Nothing missing, and nothing overhyped. They sound remarkably similar to the acoustic sound of the guitar. I’ve got them installed in a mid 60’s Epiphone Olympic, I’d say the pickups pair with the all mahogany body really well! Stock wind for the neck pairs nicely with the overwound bridge, in previous guitars I always felt the bridge pickup was too thin and small sounding compared with the neck. The 4% overwind in the bridge adds a nice ammount of weight and makes the highs smooth but still present. The volume of both pickups are perfectly matched! I’m already writing new music with these pickups, that feels like the ultimate seal of approval.
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Got the alnico v, standard wound. Super clean and bright, great crunch across multiple gain stages. A great ‘tele’ like chime without the noise. Absolutely in love with this pickup.
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stock tarback mini hums in my 72 sg ii were a little hi fi and low output for my needs, the alnico 6 4% overwind in the bridge helped me get the output and thickness i needed without sacrificing too much clarity. very happy, and will be using the pickup almost exclusively in the studio and live for the foreseeable future
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Wanted to share a glowing review for the mini hum bucker set luthier Steve Morrill recently installed in my Fender Tele Jr. Lindy Fralin & his team at Fralin Pickups provide exemplary customer service & they wind a mean pickup along w/ it. I requested a mini that would share tonal aspects of the pure paf – Lindy took the time to give helpful feedback & recommendations. He & the team were very honest & forthright w/ their expertise & suggestions. It’s a Tele….& i am playing along to Live At The Regal & loving this mini humbucker set!
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Wanted to share a glowing review for the mini hum bucker set luthier Steve Morrill recently installed in my Fender Tele Jr. Lindy Fralin & his team at Fralin Pickups provide exemplary customer service & they wind a mean pickup along w/ it. I requested a mini that would share tonal aspects of the pure paf – Lindy took the time to give helpful feedback & recommendations. He & the team were very honest & forthright w/ their expertise & suggestions. It’s a Tele….& i am playing along to Live At The Regal & loving this mini humbucker set!
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Amazing! These were installed in a Guitar Mill partscaster tele and they sound absolutely amazing! I’ve never heard pickups like this. Crisp, clear, full-bodied, even, musical and beautiful all at the same time! Well worth the $$ and highly recommended! I’m going to get another Fralin set for another guitar. Well done, Mr. Fralin!
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First of, great communication and information provided by Mr.Fralin. Spent more than enough of his time helping with my decision.I also had another great experience with the gentleman who built my control plate( apologies for not remembering his name). We spoke on the phone and he wanted to be clear on what I was looking for.
The mini humbucker is pleasing to look at and the sound is exactly what I was hoping for my neck pickup. Very happy and satisfied with everything all around. It paired well with my split steele pole in the bridge and it sounds amazing. Middle position in between the split Steele and mini hum is such a gorgeous tone. I will recommend the whole experience to anyone and will be back on my next build or pick up replacement. Keep it up!
Thank you -
Very happy with the pickup, using the Alnico 6 seemed to give the mini-humbucker better bottom end. Really helped smooth out the sound when compared to the ceramic based one I was using prior, which was a little sharp on the highs.
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Les Paul. Alnico 6 in the Bridge, Alnico 5 in the neck. Both 5% overwound.
After playing for 30 years, I can say it is the best sounding Les Paul I have ever played or heard. Sonically very flexible. Amazing.
Bandmates are slack jawed over how good it is.
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I’ve come to rely on the Fralin mini humbuckers for my custom builds, great full sounding pickups.
Lindy and team are exceptional at what they do, thanks guys!! -
I’m really liking the mini humbucker you made . +4% . It’s in a Baratone build in the bridge position with a Klien P-90 in the neck position . It is replacing a firebird pickup that just didn’t have volume to keep up win the P-90 . These two work so well together. Great job , thanks !!!
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A year and a half ago, I purchased a guitar loaded with a Mini Humbucker in the neck and Pure PAF in the bridge. I’m a neck guy myself, so I bought it strictly based off the sound and feel of the neck pickup. It was everything I was looking for. Over the last year I’ve tried to convince myself to swap the pickups in an effort to customize the guitar, but I can’t. Both pickups are fantastic, but the mini is something I can’t describe well. Not because it’s not good – rather because I don’t have the words. It is incredibly articulate but still has character, and when I plug in and play, I forget that time is a thing.
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Awesome as always! I have Fralin’s in all of my guitars and have owned over a dozen sets of Fralin pickups. These mini humbuckers have a much sweeter top end than my Gibson pickups that were stock on my 1980 Les Paul deluxe. I am super fussy about everything and Lindy’s pickups always deliver the goods. I have tried many other builders that everyone knows and I always come back to Fralin Pickups.
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I installed it on a Japanese-made Firebird.
It had just the right high range, tenacity, and strength, and the sound was exactly as I imagined.
The tone is comparable to the 1973 LesPaul Dulaxe.
Extremely satisfied. thank you very much. -
I ordered one of these mini humbuckers (stock winding) for a customer who wanted it installed in the neck position in a Nashville Tele. After installing and tweaking the pickup height and pole pieces to get it to match with the other pickups I was able to get a good match and was pleasantly surprised at how clear-sounding this pickup is. What struck me especially was the roundness of the unwound strings. It’s not a pushy, scooped, or muddy sounding neck pickup – just clear, balanced, and articulate. Honestly, it really got my attention and I ordered one for my own tele. Lindy’s design is probably more akin to a Johnny Smith pickup than the mini humbucker that would have come on a Les Paul Deluxe. I’d say it works absolutely great for a tele for jazz and country – maybe not what you’d be looking for in a Les Paul.
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Ordering was effortless; on review of the confirmation email I realized that I had made a mistake on my order, and I sent an email asking for a correction. It was corrected immediately and the appropriate items were shipped- and shipping was much quicker than anticipated.
This is my first purchase from this company and the product exceeds my expectations; these pickups have turned a pretty good guitar into an exceptional guitar. What a sound.
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I installed Lindy’s new mini-humbucker in a current issue MIJ Telecaster. I wanted an ‘all-around’ guitar (‘all-round’ outside of North America?) and this pickup did the job. The guitar still has its single-coil Telecaster character, but for the music I play, jazz and instrumental Americana, it’s pertfect. For single note jazz lines and comping, backing off the tone pot slightly warms up the sound without it becoming muddy, as often happens with full-sized PAF type pickups. One could argue that the same results can be achieved with single coil Tele neck pickups, but in my experience, it’s more difficult to dial in the right balance of top end and body. This mini makes it easy, and even with the tone pot wide open, the top end is not brittle. Perhaps the alnico 6 magnets help with that. An added bonus is the quiet operation; no single-coil buzz. Great job Lindy!
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