Guitar forums might seem like a great place to get information, but in reality, they are one of the worst sources for objective advice. Now that you know this you can ignore the nonsense and seek legitimate sources of reviews.

If you want real reviews from real customers you should scroll down to see testimonials from our pro clientele, or visit youtube to hear our pickups in use or visit our ebay feedback page that details the Tone Specific experience from real customers, or visit the Tone Specific Guitar Forum for honest discussion about out products.

If you find yourself on a guitar forum or chat room, remember not to share any personal info, do not disagree with consensus unless you want to be bullied and keep in mind any pickup pickups makers bashing competitors are part of the problem. Guitar forums are filled with paid marketing/biased opinions, and misinformation. Here’s why you should be skeptical when using guitar forums for research:

1. Some Companies Pay Users to Attack Competitors

We thought making the worlds best pickups would make everyone love us. Something we learned the hard way is that It’s common for businesses to pay forum members or influencers to trash competing brands. This means:

  • You’re not getting honest feedback—you’re reading false advertising disguised as user opinions.
  • People claiming to be "just another guitarist" are often paid promoters.
  • Negative posts about a certain brand might not be real criticism—they could be strategic attacks from a rival company.
  • Some users will insult or discredit anyone who speaks positively about a competitor’s product.
  • The loudest voices are often the most biased—and least knowledgeable.

2. Misinformation & Myths Spread Easily

Because forums lack accountability, myths and false information spread unchecked:

  • A small group of users controls the conversation, shutting down any differing opinions.
  • Certain brands get idolized on forums, while other superior products get trashed.
  • People regurgitate the same talking points without real experience or knowledge.
  • So called "Experts" on forums are usually just loud mouth enthusiasts, blow hards, or carnival barkers, not actual pros.
  • Amateurs make claims without any real-world testing or experience. Most of these guys can't even play cowboy chords

3. The Best Players Aren’t on Forums—They’re Playing ToneSpec Pickups

The truth is, most professional musicians, builders, and real experts don’t spend their time arguing on forums. They are too busy being experts for that sort of nonsense, Instead, they’re:

  • Gigging, recording, and actually playing the gear.
  • Developing real-world opinions based on experience, not internet hype.
  • Not wasting time debating pickups with anonymous users.

How to Get Reliable Info Instead

Instead of relying on guitar forums, get your info from:

✅ YouTube demos from real musicians (not just hype influencers).
✅ Hands-on experience—try the gear yourself just like the reviewers below!

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Tone Specific makes the best pickups. The sustain and warmth is incredible. They are very dynamic, very tubey. They destroy all other pickups. They go in all of my guitars. It's kind of like plugging into and old Neve console.

-Mike Severson, Guitarist for Robert Glasper, Phillip Bailey (Earth, Wind & Fire)

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It sounds like the have Tubes in them...almost three dimensional. They just sound really sweet. I don’t how they do it but they even feel sweet. Just like vintage pickups but with more sustain and less noise. They are just amazing

-Mike Gallaher, Guitarist - Joe Cocker, Leon Russell

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The guy behind Tone Specific is a Genius. Tone Specific Pickups make a solid state amp sound like it has Tubes in it. They have this 3-D thing going on. I’ve tried every important pickup upgrade since 1983 & the pickups are the best by far. I want these in all of my guitars.

-Mark Whitfield, Jazz Guitarist

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Tone Specific Pickups sound amazing. There’s more depth to these than the stock pickups for sure. There’s a boat load of sustain too.

-Will Brahm, Jazz Guitarist

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It's like plugging into a nice Studio Tube Compressor...you hear every nuance of every note. Tone Specific Pickups are more dynamic sounding, I'd say they're organic sounding. With other pickups you don’t get that. They sound very fat but very clear.  When you hit it harder you hear the dynamics you want to hear. I’ve been trying for years and with other pickups you don’t get that. They sound like vintage pickups

-Leo Amuedo, Jazz Guitarist

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They sound amazing. A big improvement over the other pickups I had. I use them in my #1 guitar for gigs and sessions.

-Aaron Lebos, Jazz Recording Artist

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Amazing pickups. They really capture the harmonics of each instrument. I use them in as many of my builds as possible.

-Stephen Marchione, Legendary Luthier

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I’ve had over 8 different sets of pickups in my guitar…I can honestly say without a doubt…these are the best sounding pickups I have ever heard... Well done Tone Specific…thanks for ending my tone search.

-Benjamin Fargen, Legendary Amp Builder

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I noticed the difference right away. I’ve tried every pickup you can imagine and the these pickups exceed everything else. Hands down the best pickups on the market. Just pure tone…the only pickups I’ll ever use.

-Lefty Ferguson, Nashville Guitarist

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You guys are Geniuses. I can’t put my guitar down...the response is very Tube like..very 3-D sounding. I just played a gig with the Tone Specific’s and I got so many compliments. It’s really amazing what you guys are doing over there. You've made all other pickups obsolete.

-Cali Freeman, Session Guitarist in NYC

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These pickups respond just like vintage pickups. What makes them better than vintage pickups is that each set is consistent. You don’t don’t get that with vintage pickups…some are great & some are duds.  The Tone Specific’s always sound amazing. There's nothing else like these on the market.

-Dan Courtenay, Vintage Guitar Expert/Buyer in NYC

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The sustain is really amazing. They’re really easy on the hands...they just feel right. They are so dynamic...I just love them.

-Mike Machado, Blues Guitarist

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Just like vintage pickups only better. They have this dynamic thing going on kind of like a great tube amp. I imagine this is what new vintage pickups sounded like back in the 50's & 60's.

-Dani Robinson, Blues Guitarist Performs Jimi parts w/Billy Cox Experience 

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You are a Tone Wizard. My guitar has never sounded or felt so good. They respond to my playing in such an incredible way. It's just like playing an incredible tube amp. These pickups are so much better than everything else out there.

-Breck Phillip, Guitarist

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They bloom just like a vintage tube amplifier. There are just really vintage sounding pickups. Super warm, dynamic & they sustain forever. They just agree with all of my amps. There's nothing else like them. I put them in all of my guitars, even my vintage guitars. 

-Ford Thurston, Guitarist for Randy Houser based in Nashville, TN

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Very present, warm & fat. Big improvement over thin sounding stock pickups. They just sound huge.

-Alexander Flock, Session Guitarist

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They sound great & complement each other very well. They play just like butter & sustain forever. Other pickups seem very stiff compared to these.

-Rob Phillips, Guitarist

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These are the quintessential sounding P.A.F. style pickups. They give you all of that warmth, bloom & sustain you’d expect in a vintage pickups without being overly wound.

-Jay Leonard, Session & Touring Pro

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These pickups sound absolutely fantastic. Perfectly matched and more versatile than my vintage pickups”.  

-Steve Ouimette, Session Guitarist - Alice Cooper, Guitar Hero, Public Enemy

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Tone Specific always delivers a masterpiece. These responsive pickups catch the essence of my guitars & enables the musician to create the sounds he wants.

-Vincent Cleroux, Luthier

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Super warm & articulate with great sustain. The best pickups you can get

-Pete Mroz, Nashville Musician

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Your pickups sound superb….they sound great in every guitar I’ve put them in…lots of sustain…clear.

-Dean Gordon, Guitar Builder

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Your pickups are killer. I've played a lot of guitar in my life but these pickups are the best I've played. I know you've worked hard at your craft but you should be very proud. You deserve all the kudos you get. Thank you very much".

-Lightnin Willie, Blues Recording Artist

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Tone Specific Guitar Forum 2025 -

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/tone-specific-pickups-country-tele-set.1738836/

https://www.kompoz.com/music/group/guitar/a/852935

https://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/showthread.php?208140-Has-anyone-tried-the-new-TS-Bloombucker-PAF

https://www.tdpri.com/threads/tone-specific-guitar-pickups-tdpri-forum-post.844343/