Ever since a recent customer told me the custom humbuckers I made for him sound like Mike Bloomfield on his ’59 sunburst Les Paul, this great blues guitarist and his tone have stuck in my mind.
It’s a smooth, powerful tone. To my ears, Bloomfield is similar to Santana, but maybe a little more soulful. They both have a dynamic tone that goes on and on. If Bloomfield hadn’t been dogged by all those problems, I think he’d have become one of the best guitar players, period.
The Fervor humbuckers that come closest to Bloomfield’s sound are 8.4k in the neck and 9.0k to 9.2k in the bridge. I find the nickel covers really help, more than I’d originally thought. I tried chrome and black but nickel really just did it. Chrome looks terrific but doesn’t carry quite the tone. Nickel has a softer consistency that seems to resonate better. It brings out more intonation.
After more experimentation, I discovered a slight mod that really nails it. It’s a secret ingredient in a place you’d never guess. But it makes a definite tonal difference and completes that Bloomfield-like sound.
So—anyone else agree that Bloomfield could have been the greatest bluesman of all times? If not, who would it be?
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