Genesis Fairfield Pickup Set – Precision “Black One” Stratocaster® Reproduction

Named after the hometown of our favorite guitar hero, the “Fairfield” pickup set is a loyal reproduction of the 2010 limited release of the Masterbuilt BLK1 (aka “Black One” or “BLK-1”) Stratocaster®, only 83 pieces in existence. Genesis used advanced metering techniques and applied a rigorous physics framework to reverse-engineer the pickups from our reference guitar, serial #JC1593.

Unlike many “Black One spec” or “BLK1-style” pickups on the market, which often rely on general listening impressions and generic components, this set corrects two critical oversights common in previous attempts.

• First, many use Alnico V magnets that do not match the original’s measured magnetic profile. This difference directly alters the pickup’s inductance (due to incorrect magnet permeability), and thus frequency response, making accurate replication impossible. We use proper magnets precisely matched to the reference guitar’s readings to ensure the authentic tonal characters.
• Second, most versions ignore the original’s copper shielding, which isn’t just cosmetic. The shielding shapes treble response and subtly sculpts the midrange contour. Without replicating it, even a pickup with accurate windings cannot deliver the true sound, as the parasitic capacitance of the coils would be incorrect, altering the frequency responses.

The Fairfield pickup set faithfully reproduces all these essential details: identical magnet composition, coil parameters, advanced shielding, and even the authentic wiring schematic from the limited-edition guitar. It’s designed to give players a true 1:1 experience of the rare and sought-after BLK1 tone with no guesswork, no compromises, and no approximations.