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Custom Pickups


Robert_the_damned

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Hi everyone

I'm considering starting to wind custom pickups. I was wondering if there'd be enough intrest (this would be done 'on the side' of my studies). I'd do the usual pickups but instead of only offering standard models I'd also offer a truley custom service (ie you pick your pickup spec I make it) This would include . I have a fair few 'original' ideas for pickups ( :D keeping these under my hat for now). I might also start to offer some active componets (buffers that allow non-active pickups to be used with passive pickups along with full active systems).

I'd try and keep the prices competative....obviously I wont be able to undercut mass produced pickups but I'll do my best to keep the prices sensible :D of course PG memembers would get a substansial discount.

so yeah anyone intrested or have any comments please do chime in!

Robert

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see how it goes on your own guitars first...especially with the massive amounts of gain you and i use,it is a challenge to create a quiet but toneful pickup

I have been B) supprisingly not on my 'high gain' guitars either!

Wind me some P90's and I'll write a review :D

If I were doing this I wouldn't be starting up until well into next year (I need to do a lot more research and experimentation...having access to a fully stocked physics lab helps though :D ).

I'd contemplate doing a run of pickups 'at cost' to some PG memebers so I can get a bit of reputation :D hopefully a good one!

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To be honest, I've looked into pickup winding in the past, and i decided it wasnt worth the bother. A few reasons...

I can get the sound i want with a bought pickup, or alter the sound with a bit of thought easily enough.

The cost of the parts to make a pickup adds up to almost the cost of a bought pickup anyway. Especially when you figure in costs of wire etc etc blah blah.

Give you an example, looking at the cheapest places for all the bits and bobs i came upto a good $35 per pickup. Plus shipping. Made me think i'd rather spend the extra few bucks and buy a dimarzio :D

Just my opinion. I'll probably give it a try sometime, but its just at the moment i dont have the money to throw at it :D

S

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To be honest, I've looked into pickup winding in the past, and i decided it wasnt worth the bother. A few reasons...

I can get the sound i want with a bought pickup, or alter the sound with a bit of thought easily enough.

The cost of the parts to make a pickup adds up to almost the cost of a bought pickup anyway. Especially when you figure in costs of wire etc etc blah blah.

Give you an example, looking at the cheapest places for all the bits and bobs i came upto a good $35 per pickup. Plus shipping. Made me think i'd rather spend the extra few bucks and buy a dimarzio :D

Just my opinion. I'll probably give it a try sometime, but its just at the moment i dont have the money to throw at it B)

S

I agree that it is quite expensive but I'd be offering pickups designs that arn't available from other manufacturers :D

Plus I think people would be willing to pay a bit more for the option of being able to custom order ANY spec pickup you want.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Obvious question...

Are you looking at this as a bit of a living or as a hobby,

If the former then you'd need a good collection of 'stock' designs and offer the custom work as an additional service.

if the latter then what the hell why not, just dont order too much stock.

On the is there enough interest side of things, BareKnuckle pickups are doing quite nicely and he's baced in the middle of Devon.

Next question...

Are you much of a salesman?

If your looking to make a go of this then (sad but true (I know, I work in this field)) 9 times out of 10 the better salesman will win over the better product...

So if your not one you'd better either learn or team up with someone who is.

But W T F... Get a brand name and website together and get out to some shows and hawk like hell...

And advertise.

Best of luck!!!!

Roy

PS

If 'Tone Monkey' can get you a review printed in a decent magazine then thats worth alot more than an advert.

Edited by The royal consort
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Well, I'd be willing to pay a few bucks extra above and beyond the cost of Duncans/Dimarzios for something like a Miracle Man set. Why not just go buy a Miracle Man set then? They're more than a few bucks beyond Duncans/Dimazios. Cheapest I could find was in the $130 range. I would be willing to go say, $110/$115.

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