Vintage Vibe pickups rule.

[bdecorsey]

I'd just like to post another rave review for Pete Biltoft and his pickups.

 

I ordered a neck pickup for my Eastman, one of the same pickups Pete made for the Soloway Swan. Its pretty much a hum-sized P-90 with a blade magnet instead of pole-pieces. Its underwound at 6,900 turns with a ceramic magnet and 5.6k ohms resistance.

 

This is the clearest, fattest sounding single coil i've ever heard. Its an incredible rhythm pickup, every single note jumps out of the chord. It really does have a very piano-like quality to it. Close to an acoustic guitar in definition and clang, without being overly precussive. For single-note lines, it has that great single-coil bite that I wasn't hearing and really missed in the humbucker that came with this guitar (which is also a great pickup, just not what I was looking for).

 

Of course dealing with Pete was a breeze. He was extremely attentive, got the pickup out to me less than a week after I ordered it (for custom work!), and was generally great throughout. The price was also extremely reasonable, $65 for something that basically doesn't exist anywhere else.

 

In summation, great pickup great guy. I wish I had need for more pickups so I could send more buisness his way. The least I can do is sing his praises here. Pete is the man.

[jerry_picker]

[Bruce Bennett]

+1000

[Kap'n]

Just was rediscovering my VV Pete's-90's tonight after not playing them for a few months. Sweet.

[bdecorsey]

Originally posted by jerry_picker

 

I've got you to thank, jerry. You're the one who recommended VV when i posted asking about a hum-sized P-90 for jazz.

 

I feel like i'm breaking some law, this thing sounds so good for so cheap.

[jerry_picker]

 

Originally posted by bdecorsey I've got you to thank, jerry. You're the one who recommended VV when i posted asking about a hum-sized P-90 for jazz. I feel like i'm breaking some law, this thing sounds so good for so cheap.

 

 

Knock wood, Pete's amazing artistry in magnets and wire is still a bargain. He deserves recognition.

 

I still remember the first set I got from him. They were actually beautiful to look at and hold, like a precious piece of handmade jewelry. They just screamed quality. And the tone, OMG, the tone... My tech, who rarely comments on, much less compliments, aftermarket gear, went out of his way to praise these after installing them.

[bdecorsey]

I know exactly what you mean. This thing not only looks beautiful, it looks totally unique. My camera is getting worked on or I'd post a shot. Check out the soloway guitars website, he might have a picture of the blade pickups. Mine is black with a chrome case.

 

My tech is usually really aloof, very buisness like, but his eyes lit up when he saw it and when he was done he asked me to plug in there in the shop so that he could hear it. We were both pretty excited.

[espgold]

Agreed on all counts....Pete is a first rate guy who deserves much respect and success for what he's doing for us guitar nuts. Every piece I've bought from him is just awe-inspiring, and the prices!!!

 

Thanks Pete, if you're reading this. Just remember us little guys when you're rich and famous;)

[Jim_Soloway]

Here's what they look like in one of ours.

 

 

Absolutely superb pickups. I've also used Pete's humbuckers and most recently his P90 in a Strat size. I've been impressed by all of them.

[bernardo gui]

Does this cat make Tele pick-ups ?

[Mazi Bee]

Originally posted by bernardo gui Does this cat make Tele pick-ups ?

 

Yes he does. He can pretty much make you anything.

 

Here's mine. Humbucker sized overwound P90 in the bridge with a solid nickel cover. Overwound tele neck pickup. Deaf-Eddie 5 way tele switch.

 

 

 

 

[bdecorsey]

Originally posted by Jim_Soloway Here's what they look like in one of ours. Absolutely superb pickups. I've also used Pete's humbuckers and most recently his P90 in a Strat size. I've been impressed by all of them.

 

There we go. Thats just what mine looks like.

 

Jim, maybe you could talk a little bit about what you asked Pete for and what he did to meet your requests?

[jerry_picker]

Originally posted by Jim_Soloway Here's what they look like in one of ours. http://www.jimsoloway.com/CompletedSwans/E075DannyG/E075BladesPickups.jpg [/img] Absolutely superb pickups. I've also used Pete's humbuckers and most recently his P90 in a Strat size. I've been impressed by all of them.

 

Those Strat-sized P90s are outstanding. I have a set that I just love.

[Jim_Soloway]

 

Originally posted by bdecorsey There we go. Thats just what mine looks like. Jim, maybe you could talk a little bit about what you asked Pete for and what he did to meet your requests?

 

 

I met Pete at the Marin County guitar show last year and he had a pair of blades in one of his demo guitars. He didn't really have to do a lot. They sounded great, but a bit hotter than I like. I just had him lower the output a bit.

 

I also had him change the pickup form a bit so it didn't ride quite so deep in the route. That was really the big thing. His original blade pickup was so bulky that we ended up with no ability to adjust the height once it was installed. After the fist prototype, he modified that so we ended up with better clearance.

 

More recently, I also had him change the radius of the blade to make it a bit flatter. Some people loved the original blade, but there was definitely some volume drop off on the two E strings. Most players compensated for that without even realizing it, but there were a few who didn't like it. The flatter radius on the blade made the output much more uniform.

[redeyejedi75]

What pickups are these we are speaking of again. I need some pu's for a custom guitar I'm getting. It's a hollowbody and I need a pickup that will capture the guitar as well as cover different genres of music. Could these work for me?

[Bloozcat]

Another happy VV customer here. I have a set of his P-90's and a chrome covered Tele neck pickup.

 

The P-90's come standard with Alnico and ceramic magnets, so you can tailor your tone. The Tele neck I got from Pete is wound with 43ga wire at my request. Even though I asked for the custom wind, Pete had it completed and at my doorstep in 3 1/2 days...from Cali to Florida. Pretty impressive.

 

The quality of construction is absolutely superb and is surpassed only by the tone of these pickups - which IMHO, is better than any of the commercial aftermarket pickups I've tried. They are easily on a par with the best of the boutique pickups by the big name custom winders.

 

You can pay more, but you won't find better quality.

 

http://www.vintagevibeguitars.com/

[bernardo gui]

Originally posted by Mazi Bee Yes he does. He can pretty much make you anything. Here's mine. Humbucker sized overwound P90 in the bridge with a solid nickel cover. Overwound tele neck pickup. Deaf-Eddie 5 way tele switch.

 

 

 

I'm talking about SINGLE COIL Tele pickups.

Does he make them ?

[jerry_picker]

 

Originally posted by bernardo gui I'm talking about SINGLE COIL Tele pickups. Does he make them ?

 

 

Pete will basically work with you to wind just about any pickup you can think of in order to meet your needs. He is one of the most customer-oriented businessmen I have ever encountered. To have that service mentality coupled to his stratospheric level of artisanship and product quality is rare.

 

The kudos and accolades he gets from this forum are not exaggerations. We are all actual paying customers who have experienced the same high level of satisfaction.

 

Pete is listing a set of his Tele single coils on Ebay right now:

Item number: 7412045047

[Mazi Bee]

 

Originally posted by bernardo gui I'm talking about SINGLE COIL Tele pickups. Does he make them ?

 

 

Originally posted by Mazi Bee Yes he does. He can pretty much make you anything.

 

Yes

[CrackerD]

Mazi, that Charvel tele always gives me a boner. :love:

 

Pete is cool as hell. I am lucky in that he lives very close. I got a set of hum-sized p9o's from him. He took time to educate me a little, too. His shop is clean and he is very professional. I think he makes a little money on these pickups, but I really got the impression he does it for fun. He's definately got a nice spread, and I think he worked/works for a major lab as an engineer or something. So he's not some Jonny come lately working out of his mom's house!! He's got his own ideas about stuff, rather than just parroting what everyone else does.

I really love my pickups. The detail is tits. I like the braided steel stuff he uses, as it reminds me of high-quality motorcycle braided lines! SICK!!! :eek:

 

 

I've been using the ceramic magnets and like them alot. I might switch to the alnico just for the heck of it, but it will be sometime before I take these out.

[Mazi Bee]

Here's some upclose photos of his superior craftsmanship:

 

 

 

 

[CrackerD]

 

 

They are creamier in person. Not as white.

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

Originally posted by Mazi Bee

 

Where would a chapo get a bridge akin to that there one that takes a P90?

[Mazi Bee]

 

Originally posted by Fosse Fox Where would a chapo get a bridge akin to that there one that takes a P90?

 

 

I believe a standard P90 is wider than a standard tele bridge, so they probably don't make one that accomodates a P90.

 

Most tele's with P90s I've seen have a standard strat type hardtail bridge.

[Bloozcat]

 

Originally posted by CrackerD I think he worked/works for a major lab as an engineer or something. So he's not some Jonny come lately working out of his mom's house!!

 

 

Hmmm....let's see....he is located in Livermore....Livermore Laboritories is close by.....maybe that's where he works or worked? I don't really know, but I've always wondered given his proximity to the Lab.