mcgraham Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 (edited) Just had a great experience with Wizard pickups and wanted to share it here. I wanted to replace the pickups in my Surfreter (for my own tonal preferences) and got in touch with Andy at Wizard last Thursday afternoon. This was because the last set I ordered are simply stunning in the instrument they are presently in - they [i]make [/i]that instrument. I sent him a reasonably long email detailing what I was after, he read all of it, and he responded to my email the same day with a real personal touch. Andy gave me great quote for a completely custom bespoke set of pickups (HSH) that he felt would fit my description - and it was only about 20 quid more than a stock HSH combo would cost from him. He then made them over the weekend for me and they are ready to ship today. Better than that, he actually reduced the quoted price (quite substantially!) to reflect the actual time taken - it totalled more or less the same as a stock set of pickups. Now that's what I call service! I can't recommend Andy and Wizard pickups highly enough, and I am sure the pickups will sound stellar once received and installed. Edited August 24, 2010 by mcgraham Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary mac Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 Impressive. I've found him to be a super helpful and knowledgeable chap. Wouldn't it be good if more businesses operated in the same fashion? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gust0o Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 Love Wizard pickups Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lozbass Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 It's great to hear of such customer service from a bespoke builder. I have nothing but good things to say about Wizard - I had a pair in a Sei J and they were remarkably good (certainly preferable to Barts for me) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 He's a top fella... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noisyjon Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 Another +1 for Andy @ Wizard from me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gafbass02 Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 (edited) Yup, me too. The wizard 'gaffer' is just an amazing pickup it's a split humbucker in a jazz sized casing and can really make a j sound like a p when in the neck and as davemuadib will attest sounds bloomin unreal in the bridge, real snap and bite, quite rayish. Exemplary service and attention to detail a great bloke to deal with and fab products at fab prices. Edited August 24, 2010 by gafbass02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 I've used him twice & would always recommend Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted August 24, 2010 Author Share Posted August 24, 2010 Really glad to hear you guys have also had positive experiences with Wizard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted August 25, 2010 Author Share Posted August 25, 2010 ... and my wife informs me that they have just arrived at the house this morning. How's that for quick service! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 Another very happy customer. I orders some 84's but was worried they might sound too dark. Andy didnt get the email until after he had posted them so said try them, and if i didn't like them i could send them back and he would have a set of 74's waiting. I did like them so did send them back and he sent out a new set of 74's the day he received my 84's back, all without any extra cost, other than postage. Ive not heard of the "gaffer" though, is that a Gem pup? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavyJay Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 [quote name='Gust0o' post='934491' date='Aug 24 2010, 09:50 AM']Love Wizard pickups [/quote] Yep, a big plus one from me too. Got some thumpers in one of mine, super helpful chap that Andy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gafbass02 Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 The gaffer is a custom build that last I heard Andy is planing to add to the standard product line. Dunno if he still is but I'm sure if you asked for one one would turn up within a few days as usual! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted August 25, 2010 Author Share Posted August 25, 2010 [quote]I'm sure if you asked for one one would turn up within a few days as usual![/quote] +1 I'm sure of this as well. I've recommended Wizard to a number of my friends that have been looking at pickups in the past, but they all get enamoured by Bare Knuckle, or Gemini, or DiMarzio, or Fender custom shops... which are all more expensive and the first two take much longer to produce pickups than Andy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 [quote name='gafbass02' post='935696' date='Aug 25 2010, 10:21 AM']The gaffer is a custom build that last I heard Andy is planing to add to the standard product line. Dunno if he still is but I'm sure if you asked for one one would turn up within a few days as usual![/quote] Cheers, ill fire off a email now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telebass Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 When I'm considering new pickups, he's one of the first I think of, just because he's given such sterling service to Basschatters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Low End Bee Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 Love the Thumper in my Precision. Nice to speak to a human involved in it's production too. Good bloke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted August 25, 2010 Author Share Posted August 25, 2010 Well they look stunning! unfortunately the pickguard has a three screw arrangement whilst the pickups are two screw. Also, the middle pickup has a bent plate design like the humbuckers, which makes it too deep for the middle position. Bugger! Should have known I'd be so lucky to have everything work just right first time Have dropped Andy a quick email just to check if it's OK or not advisable to bend the plates or anything to try and get them to fit. He's a good guy, bound to have run into this sort of thing before and have some good ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick Posted November 2, 2010 Share Posted November 2, 2010 Just sent of the pickups from a 70's Japcrap Kimbara Jazz copy to Andy for rewinding today. As you can see from the photo, the Kimbara's pickup routings are not the standard type, so replacement pickups are not possible. Love this bass, wanna keep it. Been after a Jazz that I like for a while - the neck is perfect for me, being like the old Fender 'U' profile, plus it's a nice weight. However, the pickups although not that weedy @ 7.5k, are bit too clanky sounding, and chords are a bit muzzy, not clear. Spoke to Andy with regard to what sort of tone I after, & he recommended I get the pickups rewound to Wizard '64' spec. So off they went! Looking forward to getting them back & hearing the results Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted November 3, 2010 Share Posted November 3, 2010 I ordered a Thumper from Andy last week and it arrived the very next day. There was a problem with a pole piece (or two, im not sure) being put in upside down and i was getting a very weak volume level from one string. I emailed him on Sat and got a reply back very quickly, and after checking i had wired it in right we agreed i would send it back for him to check. Before i had even posted mine he had wound me a new one and sent it out special delivery. Now both my main basses have Wizards in them and i couldn't be happier. Plus i saved quite a bit, considering i brought a Fralin for my last P and that cost me £140. I think the Thumper sounds better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroman Posted November 3, 2010 Share Posted November 3, 2010 Been wondering what to do about the pick ups on my Rickenbacker for some time, as the E string has gone a bit weak. Looks like Andy @ Wizard is the man? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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