Now available in white from Joe Barden Engineering are the HB and HB Two/ToneTM are full humbucker-sized pickups designed for players who are looking for the maximum amount of tone, sensitivity and output, without being saddled with an inherently distorted or muddy-sounding humbucker. The HB provides incredible low-end clarity and overall high sustain characteristics that make it suitable for virtually any purpose, from blues to rock to jazz.
The HB Two/ToneTM is an additional refinement of the HB pickup. The HB Two/ToneTM was designed to be the ultimate pickup for Hum/Single/Single or Hum/Single/Hum guitars, as it is literally two pickups in one: you get the HB tone when the pickup is in full mode, and when you hit the switch (a DPDT mini-switch or push/pull pot), the tone and output change to that of an S-Deluxe, so that in combination with the middle pickup, you get the perfect “in-between” sound. There is no switching noise and no hum in either mode. The HB Two/ToneTM is available for both neck and bridge positions.
The design is a complete improvement over any kind of series/parallel or split-coil wiring, as it gives you the same tone and output level as the S-Deluxe! Many musicians have told us that the HB Two/ToneTM is like a Strat pickup that turns itself into a humbucker.
Both HB models fit into standard humbucker body routs with no modifications to the instrument. The HB models use 6 conductor shielded cable and are supplied with wiring diagrams and mounting hardware to facilitate installation. Credit: Joe Barden Engineering.