Mini Humbucker
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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Mini Humbuckers, Redesigned.
Want to learn more about our Mini Humbucker? Here's all the information you'll need:
Mini Humbucker 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
Sound
The video above features a Stock Neck and Bridge with an Alnico 5 Magnet in the Neck and an Alnico 6 Magnet in the Bridge.
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.
Tonal Graph for Mini Humbucker:
The tone graph below for our Mini Humbucker features Lows, Midrange, Highs, and general Output.
Attack: Dynamic & Full
Tech Specs
Materials:
Wound with 42 & 43 Gauge Single Poly Nylon Wire and Alnico V and VI Bar Magnets. All USA-Made Baseplates and covers.
Ohm Readings:
The Stock Neck will read about 6.5K, and the +8% Bridge will read about 10K.
Sizing
Lead Color Codes
See below for our Lead color codes. For help with matching to other manufacturers, check out this resource here.
Gibson Braided Lead:
2-Conductor Lead:
Mini Humbucker Questions And Answers:
Notice:
Have a question about our Mini Humbucker? Ask it here. Your Question will be publically visible. If you want to ask a Private Question, please contact us through our Contact Us Form.
If you have multiple questions, please call us at (804) 358-2699.
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I picked up an Epiphone LQJ Les Paul Special. These are made in Japan with a laquer finish. Came with soapbar P90s, and I want to switch to mini humbuckers. What is the mounting suggestion?
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Q I picked up an Epiphone LQJ Les Paul Special. These are made in Japan with a laquer finish. Came ...... Read moreA Hey Neil, choose "Convert Mini to Soapbar" in the "Options & Upgrades" box. Then, you just need to select between Black and Cream, and your desired mounting option.
I’m looking for the best set of Mini humbuckers for a new guitar to get close to my Teles split blade set of High output neck and Super high output bridge. I love that combo. I was thinking Minis with A6 neck +4% and A6 bridge +8%. Or should I go stock on the neck to get a closer match that spilt blade set?
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Q I’m looking for the best set of Mini humbuckers for a new guitar to get close to my Teles split b...... Read moreA Hey BJ, thanks for your patience while we get back to you on this. I think what you've selected is perfect for the tone you're chasing after. +4% Neck and +8% Bridge with both using Alnico 6.
I love the sound of my Stratocaster with Texas Specials into my Blues Deluxe Reissue. I recently purchased a used Epiphone, '1962' Crestwood with the original mini humbuckers in it (the BHC models). I did this wanting a very similar sound as the Strat but without having the hum all the time. I play mostly rock and blues but I use both the clean and drive channels of the amp. I typically prefer the throatiness of the neck pickup but I've rewired o...
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Q I love the sound of my Stratocaster with Texas Specials into my Blues Deluxe Reissue. I recently ...... Read moreA Hey Mike, thanks for your question! There are a few different ways to do this. Personally, I like the sound of a Stock set of Mini Humbuckers, with Alnico 5 in the Neck and Alnico 6 in the Bridge. This yields a cleaner, more fender-like tone in the Neck position (similar to a "Fat Strat" sound). The bridge gets louder and warmer, balancing out the highs. If you wanted more warmth and thickness, you can go with a +4% Set, same magnet structure. Th... Read more
I purchased a Michael Kelly 55 series black ebony striped equipped with your mini humbucker for the neck position and your True PAF for the bridge. In there literature it shows your mini as being splittable. Mine came unable to do so. Were they wrong in their description (Mod 8) of the abilities of your pickups or was it some kind of wiring problem on your end. I would appreciate if you would clarify this for me. I kept the guitar because the pic...
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Q I purchased a Michael Kelly 55 series black ebony striped equipped with your mini humbucker for t...... Read moreA
Hey Neil, we don't wire our Mini Humbuckers to be splittable - that seems like a communication error on their end.
Can one of these be pickguard mounted for an archtop jazz guitar? My D'Angelico New Yorker came with what I was told was a Fralin pickup, and I love it, and would like to have one put on my Campellone as well.
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Q Can one of these be pickguard mounted for an archtop jazz guitar? My D'Angelico New Yorker came w...... Read moreA
Hey Jim, we have a limited amount of pickguard-mount covers in stock. The best way to order this is to email "[email protected]" with your cover choice of either Nickel or Gold.
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CUSTOMER REVIEWS
41 Genuine Reviews for Mini Humbucker
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These minis (A5 neck, A6 bridge) are a marriage of P90 hard clank and something really bright, like a wide-range. Jazzmaster/Jaguar-ish.
I should probably mention that I’m not a fan of either P90 clank or overly bright guitars (fu fu fu!). But, I was angling for a jazz-specific solid body, so…. When I roll off the volume and tone the tears begin to flow. Adding in some chorus or reverb only makes it worse. I get the whole P90 thing now!! How warm and sumptuous. Gah!! I can roll the tone all the way off, jack up waaay too much reverb–what a beautiful landscape!! Added the volume kit and two caps on the tone (.02 and .0022). This set up is now going into 4 other axes as we speak. The push/pulls make the sound much louder, but the notes become impressively solid. It’s like walking through a door in a mansion only to find yourself in another mansion. So much to explore! Oddly enough, the OOP-sounding middle position, when rolled down, has become my home away from home. Funny, I’ve always been a neck guy.
So weird…. You can almost get Strat and Tele tones, almost. They’ll take you right up to brittle, then stop. You can get close to an SRV tone, almost. Every tone is affected by the mini, but I can’t really tell you what the mini’s tone really sounds like, just what it does. Strange.
You can see how I fashioned my pick up mounting ring to accept the mini. Still struggling with string spacing and bridge issues, so only get these for the proper mini application.
5/9/2019 I just had my luthier install a Lindy “Mini Humbucker” in the neck position and a PAF Series in the bridge position to replace the proprietary, “Rockfield” pups ( which had no soul, no life, no range ) in my new Michael Kelly “1955” series Tele. This is an amazing instrument for the price point but blah sound…I have several high end guitars and this was an experiment. I also installed a “920D” new switchplate with dual vol and tone knobs and coil taps, nice pots and toggles…and a pro set up. I did a lot of research before I chose Lindy’s…Seymour’s, Barden’s ,Lollar, D’marzio…and weird brands…all the blogs said: “…Yeah, those are all great but get the Fralin’s…” So I did..
WOW !!! I cannot describe the amazing tone, range, articulation, voicing, depth, and definition I get from this set up…MAGIC! Very cool with any combination: front, back, tapped, split…Now, I am not a “musician”. I’m a bedroom, hobby player who is halfway decent and I own good gear.
My cute, inexpensive Tele now sounds like a big dollar custom…Thank you
A Lindy thanks a lot for the mini humbucker you overwind for me for my Firebird one think that thing soundsfantastic just what the doctor ordered. Thanks again
My favorite pickup! Creamy, clear, good with overdrive – great pickup.
Great Crisp, Clean Humbucker Tones!
As with all of Lindy’s pickups i’ve Had through the years, these are great! If you’re looking for 60% humbucker bloom and grind, but 40% single coil clarity and chime, these are your pickups. I was looking for that 70’s LP Deluxe tone and these delivered. Thanks again Lindy!
Mini Humbuckers (Stock Neck, 8% Bridge)
Installed these pickups in a 2004 Epiphone Riviera. The sound improvement from the stock pickups is very noticable and beyond my expecations. This is my first set of pickups from Fralin….but will definitely not be my last. The manufacturing quality is excellent and the pickups were delivered earlier than expected.
Great pickups !!! I cover a lot of styles of music and all types of gigs. Rock, RnB, Funk, Gospel, Standards, Blues, Country etc… Your pickups do it all. Great Bell Like tone when playing clean. When I push them in the Hot Channel works great too. I use different combo amps depending on size of room and I can depend on my Les Paul with your mini humbuckers. Thanks for your great service fast turnaround etc!
I was looking for a more balanced set of humbuckers for my Gibson Deluxe 1976 as the neck position was sweet but the neck was too weak. Fortunately, I found this one. I had never tried Alnico 6 and I´`´’m really happy with the result a lot more clarity and balance. Both pickups sound sweet on this guitar.
I just installed a Fralin Mini Humbucker in my Custom Telecaster to replace a neck pickup that was a little too shrill & aggressive for the guitar & my playing style. I also wired in a Fralin volume kit in the wiring circuit, and the result was heaven – just what I was hoping for. The new mini in the neck slot provides the perfect balance for the Barden Soapbar rail pickup I have in the bridge spot, and the blend of the two in the middle position gives me all the tone I need for everything from country to classic rock to soul and R&B. What a sweet sounding Pickup! I was worried that the Barden rails in the bridge slot would overpower the mini in the middle “blend” position, but not so. The blend is a perfect blend & balance of both pickups. And when I go to the Neck pickup only, what beautiful tone – clear, artiulate, and responsive to touch. I can get anything from creamy smooth blues tones with just the right amount of crunch, to nice clean highs, with just a slight adjustment on the tone knob. Thanks Lindy!
I just had a Fralin min humbucker installed on my Michael Kelly “1958” guitar. This is the most amazing humbucker I have ever heard. I am typically a single coil player, but this guitar already had humbuckers (with a mini at the neck). Since totally falling in love with Fralin pickups recently (I have a G&L Legacy with Strat-style Blues Specials and a Tele with Tele-style Blues Specials……), I knew this would be good…But I had no idea it would be THIS good! Really open and airy while still having some punch and snarl. And since the stock pickup was a split coil on the push-pull volume knob, at Lindy’s suggestion, I had the pot wired to be what he calls the “bright switch” (removes pickups from the tone knob circuitry, thus brightening the tone). Super versatile and awesome!
I own 7 other guitars that will eventually be transformed with Fralin pickups….Thanks Lindy and crew!