Silence Kid
New member
These arrived early; Rose Mariposas, RWRP in the middle, staggered. No customization, just the way they come when you click the button on the website. There was/will again be an import, budget line of Mariposas from what I understand, but these are US made.
All are 5.5k DC ohms. Stuck these in my $50 Strat (the one with all holes drilled at near-random, and a neck that arrived as a fasces of splinters.) The last set of vintage singles I had were an APS set; just too dull, TOO low output to be proper singles for me. I kind of want to revisit the APS pickups to find any way to make them work for me, but sold them off anyway. I had/have a Tex Mex neck and middle that were... Only ok. But in short the Mariposas do exactly what I want Strat singles to do; and I'm quite particular about what that means.
There's a bouncy/hollow character, and the treble feels somewhat rolled off but not in a dull way. A lot of twang, and the in-between positions are clucky and really let you know you've hit a notch. Gorgeous and harmonic clean; I haven't been able to turn up the volume on my Champ on this pleasant weekday midnight, so I'll have to report back once I have more time with them but through a pedal the driven tone is very thick and a bit garage/fuzzy sounding. I've played them only for an hour and a half, and I'm very pleased.
Ken responds to emails in seconds. I've ordered three sets of pickups from Rose; a somewhat custom Buff Beauty set which are the best high output singles I can imagine, and a Picasso (Wide Range humbucker clone in a Jazzmaster casing.) While that pickup does what it advertises, the Picasso is somewhat lacking in bass and at 10k, too low output for me. Though the overall tone is good, it doesn't balance with a vintage Jazzmaster neck pickup. It really is its own unique bird. The Buff Beauties are still the most impressive to me for what they are, but so far I really love the Mariposas; can't decide whether I like the STK-S4n or the Mariposa neck more, they are different. Might have to put them in a better guitar, but the Strat that became my number one is occupied, so at least they've made this cheap POS useable.
All are 5.5k DC ohms. Stuck these in my $50 Strat (the one with all holes drilled at near-random, and a neck that arrived as a fasces of splinters.) The last set of vintage singles I had were an APS set; just too dull, TOO low output to be proper singles for me. I kind of want to revisit the APS pickups to find any way to make them work for me, but sold them off anyway. I had/have a Tex Mex neck and middle that were... Only ok. But in short the Mariposas do exactly what I want Strat singles to do; and I'm quite particular about what that means.
There's a bouncy/hollow character, and the treble feels somewhat rolled off but not in a dull way. A lot of twang, and the in-between positions are clucky and really let you know you've hit a notch. Gorgeous and harmonic clean; I haven't been able to turn up the volume on my Champ on this pleasant weekday midnight, so I'll have to report back once I have more time with them but through a pedal the driven tone is very thick and a bit garage/fuzzy sounding. I've played them only for an hour and a half, and I'm very pleased.
Ken responds to emails in seconds. I've ordered three sets of pickups from Rose; a somewhat custom Buff Beauty set which are the best high output singles I can imagine, and a Picasso (Wide Range humbucker clone in a Jazzmaster casing.) While that pickup does what it advertises, the Picasso is somewhat lacking in bass and at 10k, too low output for me. Though the overall tone is good, it doesn't balance with a vintage Jazzmaster neck pickup. It really is its own unique bird. The Buff Beauties are still the most impressive to me for what they are, but so far I really love the Mariposas; can't decide whether I like the STK-S4n or the Mariposa neck more, they are different. Might have to put them in a better guitar, but the Strat that became my number one is occupied, so at least they've made this cheap POS useable.
