Everything about the .strandberg* MF pickups
We spent several years working together with the legendary pickup designer Michael Frank-Braun to develop a line of pickups that were voiced to work specifically with our construction and material selections, to provide an end result better than anything else out there.
In addition to voicing the Original, Metal, Prog, Fusion, and Classic pickups, we also worked with Plini and Alex Machacek to develop signature pickups for them.
Sadly, Michael passed away in 2023, and it was not possible to continue running the MFB Pickups business.
This impacted select .strandberg* guitar models, and we chose to replace the MF pickups with Suhr pickups. This was a natural solution as we have a great working relationship with Suhr and their pickups have been our go-to for many years.
On this page, we have consolidated all information about the .strandberg* MF pickups, used between 2020 and 2023. Wiring diagrams are available here and additional information about the HSX tone circuit can be found here.
| .strandberg* Original Humbuckers | Based on the popular and versatile setup of a hot-rodded bridge humbucker and a vintage-style neck humbucker, the aim was to create a superbly balanced set of pickups for any style imaginable with enough output and thrust for heavier sounds but also enough clarity and dynamics to handle everything else with ease. If you need pickups that can be a trusted companion wherever your music takes you, these will most likely fit the bill. |
| .strandberg* Prog Humbuckers | Decidedly more modern compared to the Original humbuckers, the Prog humbucker set is characterized by its superb balance, hi-fi clarity, and tight low-end. These pickups have a stronger upper midrange response compared to the Original models which helps to retain clarity and control under heavy gain. |
| .strandberg* Fusion Humbuckers | With two rows of screws instead of the usual row of slugs on the inside coils of the humbuckers, the Fusion humbuckers provide more mid-mids with a smoother pick attack than any of our other humbucker models. This makes for a bigger and wider sound with excellent sustain that also retains a full-bodied tone in split-mode. |
| .strandberg* Metal Humbuckers | Designed and voiced for pulverizing power with crystal clear articulation, the Metal humbuckers not only provide that extra kick to the input stage but also feature excellent touch-sensitivity, responsiveness, and organic tone. These are the bigger and stronger siblings of the Prog pickups with a more pronounced low midrange presence and additional drive. |
| .strandberg* Classic Humbuckers | The Classic humbucker set was painstakingly modeled after a genuine ’59 PAF set that Michael Frank has in his possession and it certainly delivers that glorious vintage tone – a complex mix of richness, warmth, chime, bite, punch, and a singing character. These are not thick sounding pickups but instead emphasizes the upper midrange and treble for a truly open character with brilliant overtones. If you've ever heard about vintage humbucking pickups boasting an almost single-coil like clarity, this applies to our Classic humbuckers as well. |
All wiring diagrams can be found here.
The following is an overview of the technical properties and voicing for the different versions:
For custom projects or general wiring where the connections of the pickups need to be altered, please see the picture below for information about the connections on our .strandberg* MF pickups.
More information and tips
- Magnet pole spacing: 1 15/16" or 49,2mm (humbuckers) and 2 1/16" or 52,5mm (single-coils).
- Pickup height: 29/32" or 23mm (humbucker including legs), 45/64" or 18mm (humbucker bobbins to base), and 5/8" or 16mm (single-coils).
- Mounting screws (with pickguard or frame mount): 3-48 thread (standard imperial) for humbuckers and 6-32 thread (standard imperial) for single-coils.