Inspired by the iconic tones of Eric Clapton’s legendary “Blackie” Stratocaster, the Eternal Timeless 'Blackjack' Strat Pickup Set recreates the bright, sweet, and punchy character that made that guitar sing.
During the process of building our own “Blackie” tribute guitar, we uncovered a surprising truth: the original pickups weren’t mid-‘50s classics, but grey-bottomed, mid-to-late-‘60s single coils. With this discovery, we set out to capture and enhance the essence of those overlooked gems, blending authentic late-‘60s materials with carefully refined winds and custom-voiced magnets.
The result is the Timeless 'Blackjack' Set — a trio of pickups that shimmer with vintage clarity, snap with punchy presence, and sing with the sweetness and definition that made “Blackie” a legend.
Authentic Materials, Enhanced Performance
Built using grey-bottom flatwork, purple Plain Enamel coil wire, and hand-beveled Alnico 5 magnets, the Blackjack Set stays true to its late-‘60s roots — but we’ve carefully adjusted the wind pattern and magnet voicing to deliver the smoother highs and enhanced sweetness players associate with Clapton’s most famous tones.
Each pickup is scatter-wound by hand, ensuring organic harmonic complexity, and instead of traditional wax potting, we use nitrocellulose lacquer potting, a process that only partially seals the coil. This leaves the outer windings hard and brittle, while the inner windings remain fluffy and slightly microphonic — enhancing touch sensitivity, openness, and that elusive “alive under your fingers” feel.
Complete Set, Complete Story
The Blackjack Set is available exclusively as a matched set of three, ensuring perfect balance across all positions, with each pickup contributing to the bright, articulate, and responsive personality that defines the set.
Choose either aged or unaged finishes to match your guitar’s aesthetic — whether you’re building a faithful tribute or a modern player’s Strat with vintage soul.
Key Features
- Grey Bottom Flatwork – Period-correct construction for authentic late-‘60s Strat tone.
- Hand-Beveled Alnico 5 Magnets – Custom-voiced for the perfect blend of sweetness and punch.
- Purple Plain Enamel Coil Wire – Distinctive and accurate to mid-to-late ‘60s Fender pickups.
- Scatter-Wound by Hand – Each pickup is uniquely wound for organic harmonic character.
- Nitrocellulose Lacquer Potting – Preserves vintage airiness and microphonic edge for alive and responsive tone.
- Calibrated Set of Three – Balanced output and tone across all positions.
- Aged or Unaged Options – Choose a fresh or gently road-worn appearance.
- Non-RW/RP Middle Pickup – True to vintage spec for pure, open tones in all positions.
Tonal Profile
- Lows: Tight and defined, with just a hint of warmth.
- Mids: Open and articulate, never boxy.
- Highs: Sweet and bright, with just enough snub-nosed bite to cut through.
- Overall: A perfect fusion of bright chime, responsive touch sensitivity, and harmonically rich character — ideal for clean, edge-of-breakup, and overdriven playing alike.
Specifications
- DC Resistance: ~5.7kΩ - 6.0kΩ
- Magnets: Hand-Beveled Alnico 5
- Wire: 42 AWG Purple Plain Enamel
- Flatwork: Grey Bottom
- Potting: Light Nitrocellulose Lacquer
- Polarity: All pickups wound in the same direction (no RW/RP)
- Lead Wires: Vintage Cloth Push-Back
The Soul of “Blackie” in Every Note
The Eternal Timeless 'Blackjack' Strat Pickup Set captures the essence of Clapton’s legendary tone, from sparkling cleans to bold, singing lead work, all with the touch-sensitivity and organic response only hand-wound, boutique pickups can offer.
