Pickups for humans from Crash Magnetic Transducers

CMT

Hey Fretpeople

Allow me to introduce myself- My name's Mark and I spend my days winding very thin wire around braces of magnets for fun, profit and the good of mankind. I've done this for friends and family for some years, but a little over a year ago I started Crash Magnetic Transducers in an old lace factory in Nottingham and I thought you fine axe slingers would like to know about it.

The emphasis on good original design. While these aren't crazy, laser-guided space pickups they're not quite like anyone else's. We do pickups for all the normal guitar holes and don't sell based on technical specification. Instead, our pickups are available in distinct 'flavours' - Sweet (thick, syrupy lows, glorious chiming highs, gnarly when driven), Salt (punchy mids, tight bass, gritty attack) and the about-to-be-released Original (clear and balanced, articulate and detailed - a more savvy marketeer might use the 'V' word). I've worked pretty intensively to produce the usual Tele/P90/PAF/Jazzmaster pickups with these tonal characteristics and I think this approach makes for a simple yet well-rounded product range. I'd love to hear what you guys think.

Lots of the coils I make aren't up on the website yet - Jazzmaster, WRHB, Mini hums are included in that. Additionally I also do a lot of custom work for people with crazy ideas and top-quality wiring harnesses for people who don't have top-quality wiring.

I'd love to help out in any way I can - this seems like a pretty healthy community of guitarists who like to share knowledge. Anything I can do, just ask. Thanks a bunch for a cool platform for UK builders!

Mark
crashpickups.com

OilCityPickups

Hi Mark and welcome, Ash from Oil City Pickups/ASL here ... glad to see another UK winder on board ... you will find Hayden  from Bulldog, Mark from Mojo, the guys from Hotrod pickups pop in here too :-) 

CMT

Hey Ash - thanks for the warm welcome. You all make really cool stuff - I like this forum!

mart

CMT said:

... in an old lace factory ...

Hmm, that's an auspicious place if you're making noiseless pickups.

ThePrettyDamned

Welcome aboard!

I like the voicing descriptions - people can get very wound up in technical specs and will agonise over resistance when there is just so much more going on. 

I only know this, mind, because of the other pickup winders present on this here forum. You're in good company!

digitalscream

Welcome, Mark

I fixed the link in your post, by the way (well, turned it into a link). I should probably explain that I'm one of the admins here, along with @TTony and @monquixote. Unfortunately, I don't make any cool stuff (only computer-y stuff, which can't really be described as "cool" any more...), but it's always good when someone who does finds our little corner of t'Interweb.

TTony

And to make it 2 out of 3, welcome from me too!

Declan from Deacci is also on here from time to time.  We have a wealth of talented UK based pickup manufacturers nowadays - excellent!

Jez6345789

Good we are seeing more uk made choice 

Almost enough winders to make a flock if thats the right word. 

welcome

Jez

OilCityPickups

I have the utmost respect for US winders ... after all they started it ... but for every product from Seymour, Kent or Larry we have top quality UK made alternatives that give you not only originality, but often superb value for money. I'm proud of my/our little industry :-)

CMT

You guys are awesome. Thanks for such a warm welcome.

@mart I hadn't spotted that! The building my workshop is in is called the Oldknow's Factory (after a man named William Oldknow). Mostly on post this gets written as The Old Nose Factory, which I like to read in Tom Waits' husk.

@digitalscream - Many thanks. Computers aren't my strong spot. The only real job I had before winding coils was recording music, and tape is king. I couldn't make the records I make on a computer.

I definitely agree with Ash - the UK is cool right now for builders. Who else is good?

timhulio

I'll vouch for Catswhisker pickups. They've been going for a good while now and don't blow their own trumpet as much as they should. I've one of their vintage tele bridge and a mini humbucker pickups in a Tele thinline for about six years and couldn't ask for better. They also repaired an oddball Simeto pickup from my Musima Elgita. Odd in that the magnets are outside the coil.

http://www.catswhiskerpickups.co.uk/

Look forward to trying some Crash Pickups when a project next presents itself.

JudasVigilante

Welcome aboard Mark. I'm fairly new around here myself and don't make anything to sell. Just a guitar enthusiast for 22 years. I'm always modding cheapo guitars into something more rockin' so will stop by and maybe do business. Good luck with your venture. Can't wait to hear some and love too, the way you describe your pups! A refreshing alternative. All the very best. Paul.

GuyBoden

I've ordered a sweet P90.

CMT

@GuyBoden Hey Guy - you should have an email about your order - I'll re-send it, but your pickup's on it's way. Looking forward to seeing what you do with it!

GuyBoden

CMT said:

@GuyBoden Hey Guy - you should have an email about your order - I'll re-send it, but your pickup's on it's way. Looking forward to seeing what you do with it!

Ok, I'll let you know when the pickup arrives.

GuyBoden

CMT said:

@GuyBoden Hey Guy - you should have an email about your order - I'll re-send it, but your pickup's on it's way. Looking forward to seeing what you do with it!

I've received the Sweet P90 pickup.
Many thanks.
Guy