Samuel C. Lees Artist Choice

Samuel C. Lees has worked closely with Trev Wilkinson over the years, contributing not only to the research and development of the R Series pickups but also to road-testing Wilkinson products across a wide range of musical genres. Alongside his role as lead frontman for the rock legends Ten Years After, Samuel has collaborated with many Wilkinson artists, earning his place as a leading Wilkinson artist himself.

Samuel’s artist-choice pickup set is designed to take you from rock to jazz and beyond, drawing influence from both classic players and the Wilkinson artists he has worked closely with.

For the bridge position, Samuel has chosen a Caliber 74/84 neck pickup. This unique choice delivers extra bite—similar to Sam Wood’s tone—while still allowing for a beautifully sparkling clean sound, thanks to its 9.75k output.

In the middle position, Samuel uses a Caliber 71/79 single-coil pickup. With its 7.20k output, it perfectly complements the other pickups. When combined, it produces crisp, funky tones and that sought-after “out-of-phase” pop for standout solo sounds.

In the neck position, Samuel has selected the classic Caliber 57/61. With a 7.5k output, it delivers a smooth, bluesy tone right at your fingertips. It allows your tone to breathe and your strings to truly sing. Roll back the tone control, and a full, warm jazz sound is easily achieved.

This is a pickup set built for versatility and exploration, offering a wide range of sonic possibilities right at your fingertips.