Shlabotnik!

[JGravelin]

I've completed all the pickups for The Ultimates and stayed true to everything I said previously regarding my original specs and vision for them, with one exception: Alnico 2 in both neck and bridge. A certain batch of long and very funky rough cast AL2 that I had a line on really seemed to stand out tonally as well as with the feel of the notes. These magnets charge up to a higher gauss than the other AL2s I had and even though I did degauss slightly, there's still plenty of push and kungfu fighting power in them.

The wind for each pickup is optimized and tuned to work within the resistance values of the pots Mikes using, which fall into the 390-420K range across 6 random examples that he provided me with. Not quite a 500K or 300K! You'll find you've got usable tone through a huge portion of the 'travel' of the Volume pots and can slightly massage the treble that way too with small adjustments. The Tone control is also usable all the way down, which makes for a myriad of available sounds between both Volume and Tone pot settings.

These pickups are also very dynamic and sensitive to height adjustment. A little can go a long way in dialing them in, adjustable screw poles included. I encourage everyone to experiment with this and find what makes your ears happy.

It was a real pleasure working with Mike and creating these pickups for all of you! The pictures of the guitars I've seen so far look absolutely stunning. You lucky devils!!

Speaking of pictures, I took a bunch while I was building:

http://s1303.photobucket.com/user/joshgrav/library/Shishkov%201

[cmatthes]

Thanks for checking in Josh!

I couldn't be happier with the pickups - just a perfect match for my guitar. You guys made some serious magic there.

Hamm's to ya!

[crunchee]

Oh YEAH! Very cool indeed, love the details, and love Alnico 2 magnets!

[gorch]

What a killing gallery!

[sixesandsevens]

Thanks Josh!

Will the aftermarket Shlabotniks be tuned differently for more typical pot values or will you be keeping the "recipe" the same?

[Jakeboy]

The pickups are just perfect. They can almost sound like single coils yet provide the full meat of a classic bucker.

Only guitar I own with original pickups that will not be swapped out.

[serial]

I am beyond pleased with the pickups. They are spectacular!

[JGravelin]

Thanks for the positive feedback guys! Pickups are a highly personal and subjective thing and I knew I wouldn't be able to satisfy everyone 100% so I designed them to be able to cover as much sonic ground as possible and work across multiple musical genres, different string gauges, and as many amps as possible. I'm pleased beyond words that my work is appreciated.

Sixes:. No, I won't adjust the wind any further on the Enola and Grace but I'd be more than happy to wind to your specs as a Custom Order - no problem there. It's what I do!

I've tested them with standard issue 500k and while the difference is audible, turning the Volume control down a tiny bit will bleed more treble off and thats all it takes get the original sound. Whats the difference? Slightly more clarity, ala a perfectly transparent "Clean Boost" pedal. For those that play with a very saturated and distorted sound (metal, grindcore, etc.), you might appreciate the extra note definition a 500K pot would bring, as well as the extended tonal range on tap. With 300K pots, the pickups sound slightly less open and dynamic - more of a hot vintage PAF vibe. All good sounds! With the current pots, it's the best of both worlds. Again, small adjustments make a big difference and I encourage everyone to tweak them. There's a load of classic sounds lurking in those buckers!

[JGravelin]

A quick thought regarding magnets:

If you want to experiment with changing them out, go for it! I've made magnet swapping very easy and nearly worry-free by slightly altering how the coils are wired internally, creating a clear pathway on both ends for you to slide that AL2 right out if you want and/or are curious. You still need to be careful of course, but I've made it as easy and trouble-free as possible. AL3, 4, and 5 all worked great in both positions, lending different styles of PAF flavor and feel to the corresponding pickup. The AL2 I chose, at the gauss I adjusted them to, provides the most cohesive and immediately recognizable and familiar sound and really brings out the most in what the guitar can do but if you want to play with magnets, these pickups are great platforms for that.

There's a layer of protective cloth tape on the outside of the pickups, but if you carefully peel that off you'll see this:

Loosen the 4 bottom screws, warm up the bottom of the pickup to loosen the wax, and then gently and carefully push on one side of the magnet until it starts to scoot itself out the other side. At that point you should be able to grab it with your fingers and slide it out. Easy as pie. North polarity to the slug side, unless you're going for that out-of-phase thing in the middle position.

** Edited for clarity and accuracy, added 4/23

With the neck pickup, the North polarity goes toward the screws.

The easiest way to never, ever screw it up is north polarity always toward the headstock.

[The Shark]

Thanks, Josh. The thought process behind the pickups specifically and their interaction with the pots is such an added value in the process. I'm always using the tone control(s) on my guitars. If I find myself never touching them, that guitar is in for a change or on the way out. Great stuff.

[Jakeboy]

What the Shark said +1

[DBraz]

Wow this is seriously impressive stuff. The boutique experience!

Edit: spelling...

[velorush]

I for one am really excited to get to try these out. Because:

I love modestly powered humbuckers.

The guru Murkat espouses the A2 - I have an abiding respect for his ears!

I have had only one experience with A2's and didn't care for them, but the pickups were ill suited to the guitar and not a great wind (stock Gibson) to begin with

This is going to be great!

[hamerhead]

If Mike and Josh ever join forces under one roof, the marquee will be a 1/4 mile long.

[BTMN]

Yeah.