Johnny Smith Style Humbucker

Count me as another Emperor Regent owner who has chosen to upgrade the guitar with this fabulous pickup. Whereas the stock pickup sounded more like a generic humbucker, this pickup really sounds as a floater should. The acoustic qualities of the guitar come out in the amplified sound more than ever before. Tight low end, crisp high end, and greatly responsive to both the tone pot and to right hand articulation. Great purchase.

My Hagstrom Hl550 is a relatively inexpensive jazz box but it’s the most playable neck I’ve ever had... it’s a wonder then that it took 8 years to upgrade the pup! The dealer here in Budapest had one in stock and wow, what a transformation! You can shred jazz and rock with absolute clarity and complex finger style is also very very clear. I use an Xotic SP, EP and RC with very low output settings. It’s great. I would say the midrange is a little strong on this maple body instrument and the top E doesn’t ring as well , but it’s a massive improvement and makes the Hag a daily practice axe. I use EB power slinky 11-48! Stunning playability and tone! Vox AC30.

My client came to me with this Howard Roberts guitar. It needed a fret level and then the owner said he wanted a better pickup. I recommended the Lollar Neck (with bracket). Just installed. What a wonderful, dimensional, clear, fantastic tone! The old pickup sounded like there was a blanket over it. Thank you Lollar Pickups for making this wonderful product!

Wow! The Lollar Johnny Smith is a pickup befitting an Emperor (pun intended), and well worth the cost. It's like having a new guitar, and I am beyond ecstatic with the new sound of my Regent. The Lollar provides a tone that is high fidelity, rich, and articulate, with thick low notes and punchy highs. I like to play it full volume with the tone rolled about half way down - that gives me the "Benson" bluesy sound I like best (Listen to Thunder Walk, or any of the tunes from Giblet Gravy or other early Benson albums). While there are some online examples of the sound these pickups produce, including those on the Lollar website, I think this video by Tim Lerch is truest to the sound I hear with my set up. Johnny Smith would be proud of this rendition of the pickup he made famous.

The gold Johnny Smith floating Humbucker pick up was fitted to the pickguard on my Ibanez AF 105F NT. I didn't know about the availability of the neck mounted one when I ordered but it didn't matter. I'm pleased with the fit and the accessories included in the mailed package were perfect. The pick up has totally lifted the sound of my guitar. It sounds a million dollars like a top of the line axe now. Every time I pick it up and play I'm smiling. I play through a Fender Princeton 65 reissue amp. The Humbucker is amazing and does justice to every note I play, coming to my ears exactly how I want that note to sound. Every string rings beautifully.