Unbucker
Unbalanced Coils For Coil Splitting
$160 – $320
The Lindy Fralin Unbucker gives you great split-coil and humbucking tones – all in one. The unbalanced Unbucker’s coils give you a stronger single coil tone when split.
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Jump to Sound Clips and more Info:
Unique Humbucker Design For Coil Splitting
Want to learn more about our Unbucker? Here's all the information you'll need:
Features:
The Lindy Fralin Unbucker is one of our best-selling pickups. We’re known all over the world for incredible-sounding Single-Coil and Humbucker pickups. Why not combine them both and get the best of both worlds? The Unbucker provides fantastic Humbucker tones as well as Single-Coil tones. We purposely unbalance the coils to give you a stronger coil when the Unbucker is Split.
Our Stock Set includes a 7.5K Neck and 8.5K Bridge.
Features:
- Unbalanced coil turns for a stronger single-coil tone (Screw Coil)
- Scooped midrange with an emphasis on top-end clarity
- AlNiCo IV Magnets for a smooth, rich sound
- Fits any Standard Humbucker or F-Spaced Humbucker routing
- Assembled by hand, one at a time, for impeccable attention to detail
- 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
Bright and clear, with just the right amount of chime and an open midrange. Our Unbucker features a stronger wound screw coil that gives this pickup a unique tone. Our Unbucker has a similar vibe to our Pure P.A.F. with a more open and airy midrange and top end. Expect outstanding clarity and articulation. When you tap the slug coil, you still achieve a robust single-coil tone. When playing dirty, you’ll get a nice, sharp pick attack and excellent clarity, and a tight and punchy low end. Due to the unbalanced coils, Unbuckers won’t be 100% hum-canceling.
Our manufacturing process allows us to achieve unparalleled quality control. We wind each pickup by hand, one at a time. Each pickup is wound using our proprietary “Sectioning” technique. Doing this gives the pickup a sweet, clear tone. Finally, we assemble each pickup one at a time, by hand. Hand assembling pickups allows us to achieve unbeatable attention to detail. After assembly, we wax-pot the pickup to preserve the pickup and prevent microphonics.
Sound Samples for Unbucker:
About this Sound Clip:
All sound samples are played from Neck Position First and Bridge Position Last.
This is out Stock Output of Unbuckers played on an Epiphone Les Paul. Sound Clips recorded by Phil Heesen III.
Tonal Graph For Unbucker:
The tonal graph below for our Unbucker features Lows, Midrange, Highs, and general Output.
Attack: Dynamic & Full
Videos for Unbucker:
Humbucker Lead Color Codes
See below for our Humbucker 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
3-Conductor Lead:
Phase Reversible
Coil Splitting
4-Conductor Lead:
Phase Reversible
Series Parallel Wiring
Coil Splitting
Tech Specs:
See below for the estimated DCR and Polarity Information for our Unbucker.
| SPECIFICATION | VALUE |
|---|---|
| Neck Ohm Reading: | 7.5K 1 |
| Bridge Ohm Reading: | 8.5K 1 |
| Neck Polarity: | Reversible with 3-Conductor Lead |
| Bridge Polarity: | Reversible with 3-Conductor Lead |
| Magnet: | USA-Made Alnico 4 |
| Wire: | USA-Made 42-Gauge Single Poly Nylon |
| Baseplate Material: | USA-Made Nickel Silver |
| Cover Material: | USA-Made Nickel Silver |
| Pole Piece Material: | USA-Made Steel |
| Bobbin Material: | ABS Plastic |
| Baseplate Leg Depth: | 6mm |
| Recommended Pot Value: | 500K |
| Recommended Cap Value: | 0.02mfd 2 |
More Information:
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.
Covered Humbucker
Uncovered Humbucker
Unbucker FAQ's
General FAQs
Here are quick answers to common questions we get:
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What Ohm Readings does your Unbucker 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.
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Is your Lead Time of 3-4 Weeks accurate?
It really 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 underpromise and overdeliver.
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What pickup height do you recommend setting your Unbuckers to?
Our recommended Pickup Height is 1/8" (3.175mm) on the Bass Side and 1/16"( 1.5875mm) on the Treble Side. Measure by holding the corresponding side down at its highest fret and measure from the bottom of the string to the top of the pole piece.
Get It Prewired
Get our Unbucker prewired into a Prewired Pickguard!:
Featured Reviews
Reviews We Worked Hard For, and Are Proud Of
Customer Reviews
63 Genuine Reviews for Unbucker
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The only pickups that have remained in my les paul for more than 15 years, and much more to come. There are no compromises in both modes. My personal recomendation is to mount the bridge reversed for a even fuller single coil sound.
Soon I will get another pair and I doubt I will ever buy other brand or model. Im married to these. Perfect -
The Unbucker Set is perfect. I wanted tonal versatility from a classic P.A.F.-like Humbucker. These deliver on both. They provide better clarity and are marginally brighter than a P.A.F. Humbucker, but are very close. The mis-matched coils are where the magic lies. Volume/Output doesn’t drop off a cliff when could are split and these get the closest I’ve ever heard to true single coil tone. The bridge sounds very similar to a Telecaster bridge when split and the neck falls closer to Strat tones in my opinion. I chose the Raw Nickel covers and love the look. These are the best Humbuckers for coil-splitting, by far. Fralin team was helpful, answered my questions before I ordered and the Pickups shipped quickly. I couldn’t be happier with the quality of both the sound and construction.
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I installed the unbucker in a Fender performer series with the neck humbucker. I like the way it sounds either split or not but there is a little volume difference between full humbucker and the split. I didn’t hear any hum though so the litlle difference in volume is not a bad thing. I really like the unbucker pickup split (selector switch in the middle position with tone pulled up) with the blues special I installed in the bridge. Thats my favorite combo on this guitar and it is my first tele. Jon at Sims music in columbia sc did a fantastic job and I am happy all around.
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Please edit typo in second to last line. ‘know’ should be ‘knob’…
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Swapped out the fine, but two-wire Gibson Classic ’57 pups in a 2010 ES-339 Custom Shop for a set of Lindy’s Unbuckers. The asymmetrical windings nearly balance the split/full output with no noticeable hum. Replaced toggle with FreeWay 3×3. It’s a pleasure to instantly go from rhythm to lead. I jump from neck Humbucker to single coil bridge with a flick, not having to toggle and mess with push/pull pots. The 60/40 output of single/dual coils eliminates the need to boost when I solo. I cut through with just a volume know twist. Shout out to the best in the business: Installed by James Hood Guitar Repair in Escondido, CA.
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Impressed
I haven’t been playing very long, so I’m not a tone connoisseur, but I’m very happy with my Unbucker pickup. I built a short-scale tele-style guitar with a single pickup, but the Unbucker basically gives me two pickups: a great sounding single coil in coil-split mode, and a great sounding humbucker. I’m also impressed with Fralin’s customer service. They kept me informed of progress on the pickup built, and the “tips and tricks” emails they sent were informative and made me feel like a valued customer. Overall 5 stars, couldn’t be happier.
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Great Pups
I’m not a professional or even good player, I do like guitars though. So, I have two Arias from early 80s one LP Standard and another LP Custom replicas, with 70s Dimarzio and 90s ? PRS McCarty pickups in them. The unbuckers went into 70s Ibanez ES 355 replica converted to mono. I play mainly through 1965 Fender Deluxe Reverb essentially all original with JBL D130. In short, I love these pickups they are very articulate, the bass is not muddy like some other humbuckers that I have to lower to get something useful. One of the positions on the Varitone circuit splits the coils and these sound absolutely great with split coils. I have not tried it but I have a feeling that it would work exceptionally well with mild overdrive and a bit of chorus. Totally worth it in my opinion. Thank you, Lindy.
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I ordered some custom Unbuckers. A 9k bridge comprised of a 5/4k and an 8k neck 4.5/3.5k. Nickel covers wiyh gold pole pieces;) They came in a little hotter at 9.25k and 8.25k and sound friggin incredible. I got them unpotted. They are in an s2 mccarty 594 thinline. Man these guys can build a great pickup! Lindy was pleasure to speak with on the phone and very helpful. I am curious to someday try out the sunbucker blues…
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Great pickups. Very nice sound. Very little volume drop when split. It’s the closest you can get to a single coil. Very impressed.
I have them on a fender lead iii and it does a wonderful job.
I just wish they promoted this pickups better, maybe more videos on you tube. It took me a lot of research to know about this pickups! -
Unbucker = Unbelievable! Excellent tone and strong output for both hum and split settings. Definitely the best split tone in a hum I’ve tried, a Perfect upgrade for the Fender duo-sonic HS.
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All-time Favorite. I have been using Lindys Unbuckers for over a decade, in three different guitars and they always deliver the goods. Fat sweet humbucker tones and true sweet single-coil tone when split. Awesome job!
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Wow I’m in love
Please pickups are absolutely perfect I wish I would have found them earlier the only problem I’m having is the Raw nickel covers are starting to get rust spots. I’m going to try to replace them with some black pickup covers but the pickups are amazing with coil-splitting knobs
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Great with 1992 PRS EG
I got this to install my 1992 HSS PRS EG which had the old Fralin “domino” pickups. It balances much better than the original PRS HFS pickup in both humbucker and split configurations. Improved clarity and string definition in the humbucker mode.
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Just what the doctor ordered! I got a bridge unit to replace a well-known hot humbucker in the bridge of my HSH strat.
Typically with humbuckers it’s either a) get one that sounds good in full power and doesn’t split well or b) get a hot one that splits well but is one dimensional/muffled/overly compressed. The Unbucker gives you both amazing full and split sounds.
I’m a die hard strat guy, and the split unbucker + a middle single coil quacks with the best of them. In full mode, you get a nice balanced humbucker sound. I typically never use bridge humbuckers on their own clean, but this one is totally useable. It doesn’t have any particular spikes in the EQ and gives a smooth fundamental and pleasant harmonics. With gain, you get way more clarity than other units meant to be split. It doesn’t impart a strong character of its own; rather, it lets the natural sound of your guitar come through.
My only regret is not getting a neck unit to match!
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Very happy with the single coil and humbucker sounds. Had an issue where the neck pickup lead wasn’t long enough in my custom guitar (Thank You David!), sent it back, no charge, they installed a longer one for me.
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I installed the Unbucker in the bridge position, with the screws toward the neck of my Music Man Game Changer (my #1). I didn’t hate the Dimarzio that came with the guitar, but the split sound was weak and anemic (like all regular humbuckers).
In series humbucker mode, the Unbucker sounds richer and fuller with gain, which is an unexpected bonus. The single coil was the big shocker. I actually use it a lot in tunes where I would normally never use the bridge. It’s great for skanky rhythms and even clean leads. It doesn’t really sound like a strat. It has a unique sound: mid scooped, and not shrill, maybe partially because I mounted it reversed. I’ll be using this pickup in other guitars for sure!
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Amazing
I really like these pickups in a fender mustang. Very versatile. Favorite position is the neck single coil but all are really good. Some of my favorite pickups I’ve ever used.
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Can’t do better.
My 2016 PRS S2 is a great guitar, except the stock pickups, were lifeless, with no sparkle. With the pandemic keeping me home, I thought I’d try something else. Being totally pleased with a Fralin Stock Hybrid Tele bridge pickup, I thought I’d go with them again. Their Unbucker description fit the bill, with the bonus of being designed for coil splitting, which the PRS is wired for. I took the plunge and could not be happier. Both are clear with sparkle and mud-free, and the single-coil tones are great and not just weak versions of the full pickup. Fralin’s customer service and advice were first rate as well.
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Customer added no additional comments
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Blending this in a strat with the lower would be tone knob. Unfreaking real. The only pickup I’m buying when I plan to coil split from now on. And get this! The split actually SOUNDS like a strat single coil. Whodathought? Finally, someone did it right. Will buy it again. And again. And again.
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