I’m not sure what to think about this, on the one hand Dean Zelinsky has proven himself quite the innovator over the years but on the other hand I can’t help but think this sounds a bit gimmicky, surely he can’t have thought of anything other pickup manufacturers have neglected to find with decades of extensive research and development?!
Ok so here are some facts about the Dean Zelinsky Sidekick Pickup, maybe I’m just being far too sceptical, you make up your own minds. Dean Zelinsky describes the Sidekick as the “world’s first pickup that is a true Humbucker and switches to an authentic Single-Coil”. Personally I have heard some great single coil tones from splitting humbuckers so what is the difference? Well switching from humbucker to single-coil the pickups match volume, virtually no volume drop-off as in conventional Humbucker coil-tapping or splitting. That sounds like a good idea but I’m not sure I’ve ever really been that bothered by the slight drop in volume? I certainly don’t agree that you lose half the volume splitting a traditional humbucker as Dean states in his press release.
SideKick Pickups are available on all Dean Zelinsky Tagliare model guitars only sold at www.deanzelinsky.com.
Having just posted my thoughts about this pickup Pete from I Heart Guitar, who is much more knowledgeable about pickups than me, has posted not 1 but 3 examples of where this idea has been done before over the years. Check his post out here.