MasterTone Review: MasterTone AJP-N and B

History:

Purchase: I purchased these pick ups from Tony Snape of MasterTone Pickups. They retail for AUD$189 each.

What I Like About This MasterTone MasterTone AJP-N and B: These are active humbucking pickups. I was after a similar tone to Tuck Andress. I told Tony and after listening to Tuck he modified one of his standard designs. The sound is full and lively and have a woody characteristic and do not sound processed at all. They tend to bring out the subtle nuances you can hear when you put your ear against the body of the guitar. They have a very musical quality with chime like highs that are clear but not glassy. The middles are scooped a little which is helpful in a Jazz Box. The lows are deep and unmuddied. For me the real test of an instrument is "does it make me want to play and help me be creative?" The MasterTones have turned a seasoned piece of wood like my old Ibanez ES 175 copy into a very nice guitar that I am more than satisfied with.

What I Do NOT Like About The MasterTone MasterTone AJP-N and B: There nothing I don't like about these pickups. I have been playing for 30 yrs and have tried a wide variety of pickups. The search for the right pick up is over for me. I've had my strat and tele equipped with MasterTones. And they too deserve a good review.

MasterTone MasterTone AJP-N and B Quality Rating: The quality is very good. Tony is a Aircraft Technician, and works with an Avionics Technician specialising in Electronic Warfare.The pups have that kind of build quality. They came with a detailed schematic and I found the instruction very easy to follow and installed them myself. Output Voltage 1.25V, DC Resistance 13K Output Impedance 10K, Current 60 - 80uA Battery Life 5500 hrs.

Review Summary: I have tried pick ups by DiMarzio, Bartolini, Ibanez, Reflex in search of a sensitive sound that gives me some air. Because I play a finger style I like to hear the flesh against the string. I was going to put a bridge tanducer in to give me a more accoustic sound, but with the MasterTones I can control it all with a simple old 500k tone pot. Check them out: http://www.htc-sa.com.au/mastertone/index.html

Rating of this MasterTone product: 5

This MasterTone MasterTone AJP-N and B Guitar Accessories Review Submitted By: Terry Davidoson

Review Date: 2001-10-31