Homegrown pickup makers.....opinions

[ebenezer]

About to pull the trigger on a set of lindy fralin jazz pickups but just wondered about uk based makers, Toltec and Bloodstone etc.....anybody fitted these and if so, any good?

[kodiakblair]

I've never used Toltec but had David at Bloodstone build me a few. One was a massively overwound (29.9k ohm) split coil in a 51 single footprint, price was so reasonable I'll never consider buying pickups from outside the UK again. This is it next to his normal 51 single.

 

 

 

More 51 singles and 51 hum cancelling have come from Martin Herrick in Wales. Recently I have pickups from another Martin, surname Harmer.  He's involved with the Durham folk runningguitar building/luthier courses along with his White Label Pickups brand. Had ALNICO 2 split coil and 51 single from this Martin. He also made me a pair of 51 singles for a jazz bass arrangement. Needed a wider pole spacing for that so Martin cut me custom flatwork and the bridge  went RWRP. Again very reasonable, about 60% the price of Fralins.

[Jono Bolton]

The Creamery are UK-based. I don't have any of their Jazz pickups but I have their pickups in both my Precisions and they're very good. I'm half tempted to try their 51 P and Wide Range Bass Humbucker as well.

[ahpook]

Gemini Pickups - great pickups and very helpful.

 

https://www.geminipickups.co.uk/

[BassApprentice]

Catswhisker are another one.

[asingardenof]

I've heard some demos of Bare Knuckle bass pickups and they sounded very tasty. They're more known for their guitar pickups but worth looking into, and based in Cornwall.

[Rodders]

I have a 60's Creamery P bass pickup reversed, very pleased with it, also have a Herrick 51 P ready to go into a project still in bits.

Its great to have so many UK pickup builders and choice available.

[bloke_zero]

Not cheap: https://www.montysguitars.com/collections/bass-pickups

 

I like how well researched and how much attention to detail they pay - they get a lot of high end guitars in for re-winds etc, so they know their onions.

[ebenezer]

Cheers folks, will do more homework....quite like the thought of a UK based maker.

[TRBboy]

I highly recommend Catswhisker pickups, I used Allan on recommendation of someone from here for a PJ5 set for my build last year. Hand wound Alnico V set, and Allan was happy to make whatever my requirements were (within reason, obvs). Probably the best sounding set of pickups I've ever had, for much less then the big brands. 

[Skybone]

I've had a few guitar pickups from various UK makers, but the only bass pickups I've bought have been a pair from Gemini Pickups, as mentioned by @ahpook.

 

The process was really good, he turned them round in reasonable time, good communication, sound really good, can't fault them.

 

[LowB_FTW]

21 hours ago, ahpook said:

Gemini Pickups - great pickups and very helpful.

 

https://www.geminipickups.co.uk/

Came here to say this.

Recently bought some custom humbuckers for a self-build from Gemini and Mike was an absolute star in his information and general customer service and support. Absolute top service and I'll be using again.

 

Mark

[Owen]

6 hours ago, TRBboy said:

I highly recommend Catswhisker pickups, I used Allan on recommendation of someone from here for a PJ5 set for my build last year. Hand wound Alnico V set, and Allan was happy to make whatever my requirements were (within reason, obvs). Probably the best sounding set of pickups I've ever had, for much less then the big brands. 

What he said. Wires and magnets are just wires and magnets

 

[Rayman]

Well Fralins are absolutely awesome to begin with, definitely my favourite Jazz pups.

 

Bare Knuckle are great pickup builders and I believe Creamery are really good too.

 

I’ve tried a couple of the smaller home grown makers, but have been disappointed to be honest. If it was me, I would go Fralin, for a jazz bass. 

[Rayman]

11 hours ago, Owen said:

What he said. Wires and magnets are just wires and magnets

 

And also there’s this too. 
 

I have left “cheap” pickups in a bass more than once, and upgraded the pots etc instead. The results were fantastic. They really are just wires and magnets. It’s just the quality of the construction that can make a difference.

[Baloney Balderdash]

11 hours ago, Owen said:

What he said. Wires and magnets are just wires and magnets

 

And basses are just wood and metal.

[Owen]

41 minutes ago, Baloney Balderdash said:

And basses are just wood and metal.

Truth.

[soulstar89]

I like these conversations. 
 

I’ve not tried any of the listed English makers as yet. 
 

it would be great if people could add a sound example of the pickup so we could get a reference. 
 

I know about the American brands lollar, Lindy fralins and arcane. They are regarded the best in the field for hand built pickups. 
 

I would love to hear how uk based pickups sound from makers like creamery, bloodstone, catwhiskers, Gemini etc. 

 

The prices of the above listed are like half of what an imported arcane pickup including tax would cost. 

[Huge Hands]

On 23/01/2024 at 19:33, kodiakblair said:

I've never used Toltec but had David at Bloodstone build me a few.......

 

Woof!  That overwound split coil pickup looks immense!  did it fit under the strings, or did you have to rout the cavity deeper?

 

I would be interested to know what difference it made - all ideas for my recent Harley Benton PB-50 purchase!

[Huge Hands]

4 hours ago, Rayman said:

They really are just wires and magnets. It’s just the quality of the construction that can make a difference.

 

I would normally support statements like this but years ago I replaced a stock Squier pickup with a Wizard pickup in my P5 but kept the original pots and wiring.  (I don't think Andy at Wizard is trading any more so can't suggest this to the OP).

 

It made a world of difference to gain levels and therefore perceived sound with what I assume were more and better windings.  I guess this meets your point about quality of construction, so probably agreeing and not disagreeing with you!   

[Rayman]

It’s certainly a bit of a minefield!

[Russ]

I can recommend Herrick - https://www.herrickpickups.com/

 

Martin makes some great stuff, including some fantastic multicoils in various configurations. He's pretty quick, but, like most of these companies, he's not all that cheap. 

[kodiakblair]

3 hours ago, Huge Hands said:

 

Woof!  That overwound split coil pickup looks immense!  did it fit under the strings, or did you have to rout the cavity deeper?

 

I would be interested to know what difference it made - all ideas for my recent Harley Benton PB-50 purchase!

No problem under the strings, dropped right in.

 

If memory is correct David used 25mm slugs, that's the same as Entwistle machine screw poles. Plenty of firms aim for 19mm deep with pickup cavities, foam or springs do the lifting.  I copied "plenty of" when making the pine slab body so sunk to the floor; 6mm proud. Still had to use foam to lift it as you've generally got 12mm from the body to the underside of strings.

 

"Difference" was more lesson learned. I'd hoped the massive overwind would get me a 'mudbucker' but pickup placement is king there 🙂 

 

 

 

[The_Rodster]

I've had a set of Thunderbird pickups from Mojo pickups:

 https://www.mojopickups.co.uk/product-category/pickups/

 

I had a chat with Marc about the sound before I bought them, and he wound them slightly hotter for me. Really pleased with the sound and the service I got from him.

[Rayman]

I absolutely believe in supporting home grown businesses, but just as point of caution, I had a bad experience with one of the makers mentioned in this thread. I won’t say who, but the pickups were relatively expensive and the quality of the work did not reflect in that price. To be fair I did keep them, and the bass sounds fantastic, despite the issues I had.

 

Just a word of caution, when looking for pickups, do your research and read the reviews etc.