{{Short description|Pickup for electric guitars}} [[File:1972_Gibson_Les_Paul_Deluxe.jpg | thumb | right | 1972 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe]]The '''mini-humbucker''' is a [[humbucker|humbucking]] guitar [[Pick up (music technology)|pickup]] (used in [[electric guitar]]s). It was originally created by [[Epiphone|the Epiphone company]]. The mini-humbucker resembles a [[Gibson Guitar Corporation|Gibson]] [[P.A.F. (pickup)|P.A.F. humbucker]], but is narrower in size and senses a shorter length of string vibration.<ref>{{cite journal |first=Jason |last=Lollar |title=Humbuckers and Mini-Humbuckers |journal=Premier Guitar |volume=14 |issue=5 |date=May 2009 |page=60|url=http://digital.premierguitar.com/premierguitar/200905_1/?fm=2#pg65}}</ref> This produces clearer, brighter tones that are quite unlike typical Gibson sounds.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Divisions/Gibson%20Gear/Pickups/Mini-Humbucker/ |title=Mini-Humbucker |publisher=[[Gibson Guitar Corporation]]}} *</ref> It fits in between single-coils and full-sized humbuckers in the tonal spectrum. It is frequently used in jazz guitars in a 'floating' arrangement, where it's mounted at the end of the [[fingerboard]], or on the [[pickguard]] not into the body of the instrument.
The mini-humbucker technology was acquired by Gibson when they purchased Epiphone in the late 1950s. After this acquisition, Gibson began using mini-humbuckers in various guitar models. They continued to use them on many Epiphone electric guitars (now manufactured under license for Gibson) and several of Gibson's archtop jazz guitars. A slightly different variation of the mini-humbuckers was used on [[Gibson Firebird]] guitars, thus giving them a very distinctive tone.
The Firebird pickup uses a pair of long 'rail' magnets whereas the Les Paul Deluxe mini-humbucker uses a single bar magnet below one ferrous rail and six threaded ferrous pole pieces. The Deluxe mini-humbucker has adjustment screws for the pole pieces; the Firebird mini-humbucker does not.
In the 1970s, mini-humbuckers replaced Gibson's original [[P-90]] single-coil pickups on several of Gibson's budget guitar models, as well as the Les Paul Deluxe: the size and shape meant that it could fit very comfortably into the space occupied by the P-90, so no extra routing was required in the solid body guitars. Only select re-issue Gibson models are still made with mini-humbuckers, as they are less popular than standard humbuckers. In 2011, Gibson released a '70s Tribute line of guitars, offering inexpensive mini-humbucker variants of the [[Gibson Les Paul Studio|Les Paul Studio]], Firebird,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Firebird/Gibson-USA/Firebird-V-2010.aspx |title=Firebird V 2010 |publisher=[[Gibson Guitar Corporation]]}}</ref> and [[Gibson SG|SG Special]]; these use the Firebird style of mini-humbucker pickup. Mini-humbuckers were also used in some models of the [[Gibson Nighthawk|Nighthawk]].
A mini-humbucker pickup design is also used for the pickups in [[Rickenbacker]] 650 guitars and 4004 basses.
Many third-party pickup manufacturers make mini-humbuckers.
==Notable users== * Johnny Winter used an [[Epiphone Wilshire]] equipped with mini-humbuckers early in his career. He later moved to the very different Gibson Firebird which also features mini-humbucking pickups * [[Pete Townshend]] of [[The Who]] used a number of Gibson Les Paul Deluxe guitars in the 1970s that featured the mini-humbucker.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thewho.net/whotabs/gear/guitar/lpdeluxe.html |title=Pete's Gear: Gibson Les Paul Deluxe |work=Whotabs}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thegibsonshop.com/guitars/les-paul/gibson-pete-townshend-les-paul-deluxe-1 |title=Gibson Pete Townshend Les Paul Deluxe #1 |publisher=Gibson Shop |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110903003427/http://www.thegibsonshop.com/guitars/les-paul/gibson-pete-townshend-les-paul-deluxe-1 |archivedate=2011-09-03 }}</ref> * Scott Gorham ([[Thin Lizzy]]) and Barry Bailey ([[Atlanta Rhythm Section]]) are users of the mini-humbucker. * Caleb Followill from [[Kings of Leon]] uses a Gibson ES 325 with mini-humbucker, which he only uses when playing live. * Jeff Carlisi of [[38 Special (band)|38 Special]] used a 1969 Gibson Les Paul with mini-humbuckers as his primary studio guitar.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jeffcarlisi.com/guitarsandstuff/lespauls.html|title=The Official Jeff Carlisi Web Site|accessdate=26 June 2014}}</ref> * [[Neil Young]] is also a user of the Firebird mini-humbucker fitted in his “[[Old Black]]” guitar. * Clarence Gatemouth Brown switched to the Gibson Firebird shortly after it was introduced in 1963 and used its mini-humbuckers and his finger-picking style to create a signature tone for his swing blues. * As part of Motown's original, 3-guitar, Funk Brothers rhythm section, Eddie "Chank" Willis used a Gibson Firebird with mini-humbuckers to complement the tones of Robert White's Gibson L-5 and ES 335 and Joe Messina's modified Fender Telecaster. * [[Paul Gilbert]] uses the PG-13 mini-humbucker pickups designed for him by DiMarzio, in his signature model Ibanez Fireman guitars.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-X2pANKyh14&feature=share |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/-X2pANKyh14 |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|title=Paul Gilbert for DiMarzio PG-13 Mini Humbuckers|website=[[YouTube]] }}{{cbignore}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mini-Humbucker}} [[Category:Guitar pickups]]