Description
Sound Clips
Bode Plots
Setups
Warrenty & Returns
Specifications
Model 24 - a classic "medium output" humbucker !
We make the Hot Iron and The Wraith , which are all terrifying pickups – huge amounts of bottom end, muted tops, and plenty of outright aggression, but we didn’t have a pickup that’d perform in similar settings, but retain that crisp “bite” in the top end, regardless of what you do with them - so we designed the Model 24s - much more subtle then the truly high output stuff, but much more capable of handling gain then the vintage output offerings.
Ideal if you’re looking for an out and out rock pickup for anything from 70s classic, right through to punk, thrash and speed metal, the bridge is what you'd expect, sharp, aggressive, biting, with plenty of heat. In the neck, its a surprisingly fluidic tone, ideal for sweep picking.
Again, great for anyone who likes their Classic Rock, Hot Blues, Light Metal - anything just beyond the scope of a vintage pickup, but not as big and flubby as the high output pickups.
Gibson®, Epiphone®, Stratocaster® and Strat® are registered trademarks of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation and Gibson Musical Instruments Corporation. Axesrus® has no affiliation with FMIC
Gibson®, Epiphone®, Stratocaster® and Strat® are registered trademarks of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation and Gibson Musical Instruments Corporation. Axesrus® has no affiliation with FMIC
Between you, me and the fence post, I'm more an engineer then i am a salesman, so to scratch that itch - I’m compelled to not only write up the unavoidable "hey, this pickup great! Play Rock or Blues?! This one’s for you!", but for the sake of balance, it’s only fair that i get to write up what they're not great at too (and because this section isn't "up front" - i get to be a bit more technical about it too! Who knows, maybe I’ll be able to explain what all those lovely buzz words actually mean eh?)
Remember too - whilst I’m writing this stuff about Axesrus pickups, its true of every pickup ever made. Even if you’re not buying ours, this stuff is handy! It’s all true! all pickups have characteristics that make them good or bad... there are no perfect pickups!
Medium Output?!
Now, I've got a bit of a chip on my shoulder of the term "medium output" - mainly because it’s a term that sounds so underwhelming, that it’s difficult, if not impossible, to get excited about, but, honestly? It’s a pretty fitting description of what this style of pickup is doing.
If we think about humbuckers in 3 main "styles" - where there’s "Vintage" (Low output... an equally catchy name!), “Medium output” (I should have really pushed for something like “modern output” in retrospect) and “high output” (annoyingly accurate, because its true, high output pickups, are, always, producing higher output – no trick there!)
As a general rule – vintage humbuckers are always wound with 42 AWG, and are the brightest/lightest in the bass, high outputs (and it’s a fairly wide ranging collection) are wound with 43 (or 44 AWG would to a very high resistance!), will occasionally use larger poles in an effort to increase their inductance, and they’re the darkest, dirtiest, beefiest offerings.
And then “medium output” – kind of sits in the middle of that.
However – how it gets there, isn’t quite as clear cut as you’d expect. It’s (just) possible (if not exactly sensible) to hugely overwind a vintage humbucker (retaining that 42 AWG) to, say, 10K, which will push that idea into “medium output” as the resonant peak is pushed down into a lower register, the bass increases, and the pickup becomes considerably darker, but also, more capable of being pushed harder under gain – OR – you can under wind a high output pickup – which is actually the more common way of doing it.
So, our Model 24, usings 43 AWG, wound to just over 11K, and the Ethereal looks a monster at 17K using 44 AWG, but, really? Its not! Maybe its better to think of this style of pickup not as medium outputs, but as “underwound high outputs”? Who knows?!
Either way, the one thing that they do give you, is a huge amount of versatility – they’re capable of being kept “cleaner” than a true high output, but, equally, they’re capable of being pushed much further into distortion then a vintage pickup.
Without wanting to sound the salesman in this, I always think, when people go in for “medium” pickups – “There goes a player who’s working for a living” – the “warts and all” vintage stuff is great if you want to meet your hero’s, and the high gain, high output, high octane stuff, kind of has a “folly of youth” thing about it – and they’re great! Honestly! But one day, you’ll find something they just can’t do. Medium humbuckers don’t suffer that problem. They’ll do everything you throw at them, and keep going. And as much as that may seem like an absolutely awful selling point, and I’m pitching them as a “Jack of all trades” pickup… lets be honest! That’s not the worst thing in the world if its going to save you taking 5 very specialist guitars out on the road.
So, yeah, “medium output”? Terrible name, absolutely inspiring frankly, and probably not the best tone you’ll ever hear, but they cover so much ground, and they’ll do it all pretty well, that having a set of them in the locker, isn’t a bad place to be what so ever
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Bode Plots
Swap Graphs?
Pickup #1
Humbucker
Single Coil
Telecaster
P90
Offets
Bass
Other
Model 24 Wraith
Ethereal Classic Bourbon City True 50s Heretic Bourbon City Devestator Hot Iron
Pickup #2
Humbucker
Single Coil
Wraith Classic Bourbon City Devestator Ethereal Heretic Hot Iron Model 24 True 50s
500k pots work perfectly (thats what was used on the recordings for reference) and a 0.022 or a 0.047 cap on the tone will see you absolutely fine - you can try a 300k tone pot if you like, but i've never felt it made much of a difference myself.
Honesty & Transparency
In an ideal world, I wouldn’t have to write this section. But since pickups are complex, custom-made instruments — it’s only fair to be upfront about how they’re made, your consumer rights, and what you can expect from us.
How We Build Your Pickup
Every Axesrus pickup is made to order . When you click “Add to Cart,” there’s no pre-made stock waiting on the shelf — your pickup is crafted entirely from scratch using parts we have available.
That means:
Your pickup is wound, assembled, soldered, tested, polished, wax potted, and retested by hand.
The process happens in-house, at a small scale — typically around 6 pickups per day .
Because we build carefully and meticulously, your pickup is made just for you, to the exact specifications you selected.
Realistically, this means a lead time of about 2 weeks , though it can vary depending on order volume. Pickups will never ship same-day .
Returns Policy
Since your pickup is a one-of-a-kind, custom-made product, it cannot be returned or refunded once production has begun. This aligns with UK distance selling regulations around custom work.
No “try it and see if you like it” or “return if the colour’s not right” — once a pickup is wound for you, it’s yours.
Warranty Coverage
We stand behind our pickups with a relaxed lifetime warranty — no registration required, and no arbitrary time limits on support.
Free repairs or replacements may be offered if a manufacturing fault appears within a reasonable timeframe.
We assess warranty claims on a case-by-case basis, considering the age and condition of the pickup.
Early, low-cost pickups (like our first £20 ones!) may not be eligible for free repairs after many years of use, but we’ll always offer repair services at a fair price.
For higher-end pickups, like a £200 humbucker, you can expect us to do our best to get you back up and running.
Important: We are happy to extend warranty coverage to new owners within 24 months of the original purchase , as long as we can verify the initial sale.
Damage vs Fault
Pickups are delicate. Faults can result from:
We generally approach warranty claims with the benefit of the doubt, assuming a manufacturing fault unless damage is obvious or severe.
Minor damage or installation mishaps are often repaired just like manufacturing faults.
Heavily damaged or intentionally broken pickups will not be repaired or replaced under warranty , free or paid.
Lead Times & Cancellations
Once you place an order and production begins, there’s no cancellation or backing out . Your pickup enters the production queue immediately.
Modifications After Purchase
Want a different magnet, cover, or wiring after you’ve received your pickup? Usually, we can help — for the cost of parts and postage.
More complex modifications are evaluated case-by-case and aren’t covered by warranty.
Variations & Specifications
Pickup specs may vary slightly due to:
Such normal variations are not grounds for warranty claims .
Warranty Postage
Shipping costs for repairs or replacements after the initial 14-day period are the customer’s responsibility.
If you ever have questions, concerns, or just want to talk pickups, we’re here to help — no matter how long it’s been since your purchase.
Now, full disclosure - there's an awful lot that can be written about pickups! There's an awful lot about electronics, and science and psychology, and consumerism and style and taste and music and... well - honestly? There's probably more to be said about pickups then I'll ever be able to write, at least on a product page - not without it snowballing into a huge "thing" that no ones ever going to be able to navigate.
So - with that in mind, if your interested in this sort of stuff, or your just looking to trawl through a bit more information on "pickups in general" - heres a few links to the knowledge base that might come in handy.
Sound Clips Explained - How we do it and why. Customisation Options - Real Photos Why are the specs the same for neck and bridge? - Matched sets explain!