United States · Est. 1989
Fralin
Richmond boutique reference for Stratocaster and Telecaster single-coils. Favourites of the most demanding session guitarists.
About the brand
Lindy Fralin founded his company in Richmond, Virginia, in 1989. Fralin first became known as a pickup modifier — he took Fender production-line pickups and rewound them by hand to improve their response and sound. In time he began manufacturing his own pickups from scratch.
The Blues Special Strat is the most respected boutique Stratocaster replacement pickup on the market: 5% more copper turns than a Vintage '54, producing more output and more body in the midrange without losing the single-coil character. The Steel Pole 42, with a steel rod magnet instead of alnico, has a different, more uniform string-to-string response.
Fralin is the choice of numerous Nashville and New York session guitarists seeking the most authentic possible Strat tone. His Split Blade pickups split a single blade magnet into separate pole pieces, creating a unique magnetic field pattern with its own tonal character.
Key facts
- Blues Special: the most respected boutique Strat replacement pickup
- Started by rewinding production Fender pickups before creating originals
- Steel Pole 42: more uniform string-to-string response than conventional alnico
- Favourite of Nashville and New York session guitarists
Iconic pickups
Blues Special Strat
5% more copper turns than a Vintage '54. More output and more midrange body without losing single-coil character. The most respected boutique Strat pickup.
Vintage Hot Strat
10% more turns than a '54. The next step beyond the Blues Special for players who want more bite and sustain from a Strat.
Steel Pole 42
Steel rod magnet instead of alnico. More uniform string-to-string response without the typical alnico dips on middle strings. Preferred in studio environments.
Vintage T
Reproduction of the original Telecaster design with hand-selected copper gauge and alnico 5. The reference for authentic vintage twang.
Notable musicians
- Tom Bukovac · Blues Special Strat
- Joe Bonamassa · varios modelos vintage
- Albert Lee · Vintage Hot T
- Arlen Roth · varios single-coil