HowTo Pickup Manufacturing

[antares]

Good video. A very lucid presenter with no hemming and hawing, and he can clearly back up any theory he's presenting.

youtu.be/2_qOVluyPeA

My guess is that such a meticulous approach wouldn't pass muster on a production line, but hey- that's why we happily pay these guys a premium.

でつ e&oe ...

[dnic]

Good video! Very clean work.

[Deleted]

Pretty interesting video. At one time I was going to buy everything to start making pickups. Maybe if I had been a whole lot younger, I may have done it. For me at the time I was thinking of making my own I could not justify the cost. Then there would be the learning curve.

 Well, my thinking was... Leave it to the people that know a thing or two. HA!

 This does remind me when I would wire up motors for slot cars. I did them by hand. But I was like 12 to 14 years old then. Had good eyes to see with. They used somewhat the same kind of wire hair like in pickups.

EB

[GuitarAttack Forum]

I’ve used these pickups, and this site has some good information on old PAFs from Gibson.

www.throbak.com/the-throbak-story.html

I’ve repaired a number of original Gibson PAFs and I know one thing for sure - the originals were all different. The hallmarks of hand- made!

John

[dnic]

Thanks for this info John. I read it all and looked at their product line.

I'm very satisfied with my current pickup manufacturer. He always builds a very quality product for me. And in America!

[antares]

I confess it's some years since I bought that 1970s Gibson P90, just prior to becoming aware of the magic John can / does weave, so I don't have any grasp of the current prices in what is a frankly heavily competitive market (if not actually saturated) but those asking prices kind of basically exclude me. It is what it is I guess and you get what you pay for. I just can't help feeling that some folks expend the majority of effort in cultivating perceived notions.

でつ e&oe ...

[GuitarAttack Forum]

Feb 17, 2023 17:44:50 GMT -6 antares said:

I confess it's some years since I bought that 1970s Gibson P90, just prior to becoming aware of the magic John can / does weave, so I don't have any grasp of the current prices in what is a frankly heavily competitive market (if not actually saturated) but those asking prices kind of basically exclude me. It is what it is I guess and you get what you pay for. I just can't help feeling that some folks expend the majority of effort in cultivating perceived notions.

でつ e&oe ...

Steve -- Thanks for that. Concerning "perceived notions", that is about 90% of the pickup game right now! Maybe I exaggerated a little, but not much. Also, these guys dumping $40 "boutique" pickups on eBay are really confusing everyone.

What is tough to cut through is the "pre-conceived notions" out there concerning pickups and their affect on the performance, particularly as a newer player.

Over the years I've gotten a number of emails along the lines of, "I want a humbucker with a warm Eric Johnson tone, but I also want an Eric Clapton Cream-era "woman tone", but also want to be able to morph into Ozzy-era Zakk Wylde, but also want it to clean up with the volume knob...and I only want to pay $50, shipping included."

First, shipping is not included unless I roll it into the price. Packing the package, driving to the Post Office, dropping-off the package, and paying for postage must account for a little something. Unlike some of those "you know who" shippers, my shipping is not subsidized by the US Postal Service - I have to pay for it.

Second, if you are dissatisfied with your guitar, I always recommend getting a pro setup prior to changing anything. Sometimes a good adjustment and fresh strings is the thing we all need.

Finally, take a good look at your disappointing signal chain, and make sure everything from your fingers to the sound finally coming out of the speakers is well-maintained, working properly, and fits in your "wants" for that guitar sound.

Pickups are part of the system, and I recommend a "whole approach" to getting a good guitar sound. Don't put too much pressure on that little AC-current generating device we call a "pickup". It will not be able to overcome a bad signal chain.

One point - In my part of the world, a pickup is made by Ford Motor Company and is known as an F-150!

Good Luck!
John

[dnic]

It would be really cute if you, John, could make a set of pups that look like an F-150. Adorable! The square body would be my choice. You know a vintage pick up.