Any experiences with Custom Shop build-your-own pickups?

[Chistopher]

I was thinking of ordering one of these from the custom shop, based around the 59/C A2 Hybrid. The only problem is that I don't really know what I can do with it. Can I tell her it's going into a strat with a Pearly Gates in the neck and ask her to rewind it to better pair with the neck pickup as well as the A2? I'm not really good at describing what makes a pickup good or bad, but I know when I think a pickup falls under either of those categories. Also, are there any little-known "secret menu items", so to speak, that I can get on a CS pickup? Feel free to share pickups you've ordered.

 

[daenius]

Re: Any experiences with Custom Shop build-your-own pickups?

I was thinking of ordering one of these from the custom shop, based around the 59/C A2 Hybrid. The only problem is that I don't really know what I can do with it. Can I tell her it's going into a strat with a Pearly Gates in the neck and ask her to rewind it to better pair with the neck pickup as well as the A2? I'm not really good at describing what makes a pickup good or bad, but I know when I think a pickup falls under either of those categories. Also, are there any little-known "secret menu items", so to speak, that I can get on a CS pickup? Feel free to share pickups you've ordered.

I had them make me custom pickups before! They are extremely helpful if you don't know what you want. What I did was I went to the custom shop page, and sent them a customer service email describing what kind of looks I want, what kind of sound I'm going for, what kind of guitar it's going into, and any additional comments like in your case the question about the A2 magnet and how you want it to be a customized version of the 59/C Hybrid. Arvin got back to me within a few hours after consulting MJ about the possibility of building the pickup and all that technical details. In the end he sent me an email saying "ok go ahead and order from the custom shop page, and put this line in the comments section". All I did was copy paste what he sent me and placed my order. Few weeks later, MJ called me to confirm that the pickup has been made and is about to ship.

The rest is happy tones history

 

[darthphineas]

Re: Any experiences with Custom Shop build-your-own pickups?

My advice when buying a custom-made Pickup is to not do the fill-out-the-form method. Speak to a life human and be certain that everyone has an understanding of the nomenclature and it's all on the same page.

MJ, for example, might very well ask you to follow up with an email for coverage. But you've spoken to her and she will have a more in-depth understanding.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Any experiences with Custom Shop build-your-own pickups?

So just email the customer service department under the "Custom Shop" option? I'll do just that. Thanks.
Edit: While I'm here, is it possible for the custom shop to make one with double ccream bobbins? Maybe hidden under a nickel cover?

 

[darthphineas]

Re: Any experiences with Custom Shop build-your-own pickups?

So just email the customer service department under the "Custom Shop" option?.

If you're asking me, I suggested talking to someone.

Edit: While I'm here, is it possible for the custom shop to make one with double ccream bobbins? Maybe hidden under a nickel cover?

I'm pretty sure you can get double cream humbucker bobbins from DiMarzio.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Any experiences with Custom Shop build-your-own pickups?

I was refering to getting SD pickups in double cream, I've seen some from before Dimarzio got the patent. Its just the idea of double cream on a non Dimarzio pickup that attracts me.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Any experiences with Custom Shop build-your-own pickups?

I was refering to getting SD pickups in double cream, I've seen some from before Dimarzio got the patent. Its just the idea of double cream on a non Dimarzio pickup that attracts me.

Not anymore. Now with the internet everyone knows everything, including the people that can stop it.

It's not a patent, it's a trademark, btw.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Any experiences with Custom Shop build-your-own pickups?

If I had it under a nickel cover would that still violate the trademark?

 

[daenius]

Re: Any experiences with Custom Shop build-your-own pickups?

If I had it under a nickel cover would that still violate the trademark?

Best to call up their Custom Shop customer service and ask about it. You can get all your questions answered and your pickup order placed through that too!

 

[Mincer]

Re: Any experiences with Custom Shop build-your-own pickups?

They will tell you a firm 'no'. If you happen to get one when ordering a covered pickup, it is luck of the draw. But you can't request one, and they won't honor those requests.

 

[LtKojak]

Re: Any experiences with Custom Shop build-your-own pickups?

If I had it under a nickel cover would that still violate the trademark?

To DMZ lawyers it does, and it's much too costly to go to court.

So, no soup for you! (Seinfeld reference)

 

[HyBr1d]

Re: Any experiences with Custom Shop build-your-own pickups?



Very happy with my "Build your own pickups!" In the first guitar, for the bridge I got a gold screw, zebra Whole Lotta Humbucker. I went for a "Build your own" in the neck. It's a 78 Model/Jazz A2 Hybrid. 78 Model screw coil and Jazz slug coil. I'm really enjoying the guitar and the neck pickup is awesome! I have a Custom Shop Pearly Gates set in another LP, and the 78/Jazz neck is definitely a bit brighter and punchier...It's definitely not too hot, even though it is 8.52k...I know that's not all that determines a pickup's sound, but the PG is 7.6k and to my ears sounds a bit muddy by comparison!

The other guitar is a tribute Rampage with a build your own JB. Tried for a cross between the 35th Anniversary JB and the Antiquity JB. It's a great sounding pickup for the guitar! Anyways, I love them. If you can describe the kind of tone you want, MJ can work her magic!!

 

[YeRedHouseOverYonder]

Re: Any experiences with Custom Shop build-your-own pickups?

The build your custom cart system works well. Just be detailed and to the point. In any case, MJ or Derek will contact you to make sure the details are correct and your order is built to spec. I had a S Deco rail built with the form method. Shipped out in 3 weeks and sat well in the guitar it was made for.

Recently ordered a custom set. I asked for double cream under the cover. They pushed for aged parchment to achieve "a darker color". We'll see how it comes out. Should be shipped out soon.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SJ318]

Re: Any experiences with Custom Shop build-your-own pickups?

Hi,
It's late,did not read others, so: I had CS make me an unpotted double white 59/ Custom, no cover, but include if I case my mind. Also CS made me a WLHumbucker zebra, unpotted include nickel cover, if I wanted later, got it in 2 weeks, love it. Had CS make a Seth Lover zebra (came unpotted) with a A5. I love it, got it in 2 weeks. Had a another SethL. zebra with an A4, love it - 2 weeks.
These were my ideas, but on the first Seth's I had done, I spoke at length with the CS about what I wanted, (Clapton/fiery PAF sound) the A5 was Ok, but I talked to them some more, they were helpful, said send it back, we'll switch mags, I said naw, I liked this one pretty well, I'l just order a new one w/ A4, which all those years ago was my first foray into mag changing. I
Liked the A4 really well too. Lately, I am doing better, for me, for now, with Rough Cast A5's. From listening to the forum guys
talk about them and my experience with the RC A5 mag. Might try UnOriented A5, per pickup forum talk.
So, they talked at length about what they could do, and asked no questions when I told them what I wanted.
Hope that helps somehow.
Steve Buffington

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Any experiences with Custom Shop build-your-own pickups?

Hey Hybrid, how do you like that Jazz/78 hybrid? I've been thinking about doing that with a 59 and a 78 with an A2, which would probably be very similar, except with IMO a cooler name.

 

[HyBr1d]

Re: Any experiences with Custom Shop build-your-own pickups?

Hey Christopher, I'm very happy with the 78/Jazz pickup! It has great punch and doesn't muddy up/stays articulate with a lot of gain. It's kinda hard for me to describe the tone, but to me it just feels better than a Custom Shop Pearly Gates that I have in another LP...It seems bigger, fuller, like it has more "life" to it. A 78/59 I think could be really cool too, I almost went with a 78/Pearly Gates, though I ended up going with the Jazz slug coil since I wanted to maximize the amount of treble the pickup would have. I definitely think it was a success, though I wonder how it would be with a Full Shred slug coil since that's technically the brightest pickup they make. But that's just the tinkerer in me, and I'll definitely have another 78/Jazz(or Full Shred) combo made at some point to put in the neck of another guitar! The reason I stayed away from the 59 was reading it had a tendency to possibly get "boomy" or really base heavy in the neck.

I don't think the hybrid coil pickups are an exact science, would anyone with technical knowledge care to weigh in on how to determine what kind of tone you'd get by combining two different pickup coils? I would tend to think that the screw coil(or whatever your hotter coil is) would be most prominent, with the slug coil kind of adding a smaller amount of tone...But I could be(haha and probably am) totally wrong as far as that's concerned! Sorry, thinking about that should probably go in another thread��

I'd say go for it, Christopher! I think it important to describe the kind of tone you want from the pickup as much as you can, to MJ, in the space provided when you build the pickup. I described how I wanted the tone as "vintage with attitude.Enough treble and mids to not be muddy, but not harsh." And I would say that MJ nailed what I asked for! Good luck with your pickup, I hope you'll go for it, and definitely let everyone know how it turns out!

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Any experiences with Custom Shop build-your-own pickups?

Yeah, I thought it might be a bit too bright, so I was thinking of going for a degaussed magnet as well to ease off the highs. I also might experiment with a bridge model to match it, but that might be a bit tricky given I don't care much for Paf-y bridge type pickups. I might order it overwound and possibly with a different magnet, depending what MJ recommends.

 

[Silver]

Re: Any experiences with Custom Shop build-your-own pickups?

I've got a guitar with two Custom Shop pickups in there. Besides the double-creme colour, they can do pretty much whatever you want.

I found calling them to be most helpful. I spoke to MJ. I originally wanted a 10% overwound STK-T1n with a gold cover (they only come with Nickel covers usually)... speaking to MJ helped because she explained that it was not possible to overwind it by 10% because there was not enough space given that the pickup is hum-cancelling. So I settled for 5% overwound. I love it.

For the bridge pickup, I had a very vague idea of what I wanted. So I basically said, "MJ... it's going into a 24.75" scale, Telecaster style guitar that is made entirely of maple (maple body, neck and fingerboard) so its bright. I need it to be hum-cancelling, and I want it to sound like Brian May". Now given that Brian May's guitar is completely different to mine, that's quite a difficult request. But she went ahead and cooked me up a pickup that I love.