To make sure that you get all the info you need, I made this FAQ page that further explains the differences between Alnico magnets, wax potting, etc. This way, if you’re interested, you can dive a little deeper into the details and get a better feel for what makes each guitar unique. Feel free to explore, and if you still have questions, I’m always here to help!
If you’re in need of something that’s not currently available in the shop regarding pickups feel free to reach out via email and we’ll make it happen!
Sure we do! Most of the pickups that are available in the shop now have attached demos to them. If you’d like to compare how the pickups sound to one-another there’s also a second player to make your A/B-comparisons more streamlined.
As for the few sets that lack demos – this is being adressed asap.
Sure thing! At the moment you can try out our guitars and pickups at two physical shops: These Goes To 11 in Stockholm and Musikhuset in Karlstad. The pickups are also available directly on my webshop and @ Gitarrverket.
If you’re interested in ordering a custom guitar I’d suggest your start at our “Custom Orders” section to read about the ordering process.
What is Potting?
Potting involves submerging a pickup in a mixture of wax—usually paraffin and beeswax—to eliminate internal vibrations and seal the coil windings.
Advantages:
Reduces Microphonic Feedback: Potting prevents internal components from vibrating, helping to eliminate unwanted squeals and feedback.
Improved Durability: The wax creates a protective barrier against moisture, corrosion, and physical wear.
Stable, Consistent Tone: With everything held firmly in place, potted pickups are less likely to shift over time, maintaining a more consistent tone.
Noise Suppression: Potting also contributes to a quieter signal by reducing electromagnetic interference.
Disadvantages:
Tone Changes: Some players feel that wax can dampen the pickup’s natural resonance, making the tone slightly less open or airy.
Reduced Sensitivity: The wax can subtly limit how much the pickup responds to playing nuances.
Hard to Undo: Once a pickup is potted, reversing the process is difficult and can risk damaging the coil.
Why Leave Pickups Unpotted?
Some guitarists prefer to skip the wax entirely to retain the pickup’s raw, natural tone.
Advantages:
Open, Dynamic Sound: Unpotted pickups often feel more alive, with enhanced touch sensitivity and tonal complexity.
Greater Expressiveness: The lack of damping allows more of your playing dynamics to come through.
Easier to Modify: Since there’s no wax to remove, unpotted pickups are easier to repair or rewind.
Disadvantages:
Feedback Risk: Without potting, pickups are more prone to microphonic feedback, especially at high volumes.
Less Protection: The exposed wire can be more vulnerable to moisture and damage over time.
Tone May Drift: With no wax to stabilize the windings, the pickup’s tone can subtly change as parts shift.
What is Flash Potting?
Flash potting is a lighter, quicker version of traditional wax potting. The pickup is briefly dipped in wax just long enough to stabilize key components without fully saturating the coil.
Advantages:
Minimal Tone Impact: Because the wax doesn’t penetrate deeply, flash potting preserves much of the pickup’s natural resonance and dynamic response.
Reduced Feedback: Flash potting still helps control microphonics, especially from the cover or loose parts, offering improved noise resistance without fully damping the tone.
A Balanced Option: For players who want vintage clarity but need some added stability, flash potting offers a practical middle ground.
Disadvantages:
Less Protection Than Full Potting: The coils aren’t as well-sealed, meaning they’re still somewhat vulnerable to environmental wear and moisture.
Not as Feedback-Proof: While better than unpotted, flash-potted pickups may still exhibit microphonics under extreme gain or volume.
Ultimately, it’s a matter of taste. Potting adds reliability and noise control, but may slightly smooth out your tone. Unpotted pickups preserve vintage character and responsiveness, but introduce potential for feedback and wear. Flash potting offers a compromise—adding just enough stability to reduce issues without sacrificing too much tonal openness.
Think about your style, your gear, and the sound you’re chasing. Whether you’re going for clarity and control, vintage vibe, or something in between, the right choice is the one that gets you closer to your ideal tone.
Alnico—short for Aluminum, Nickel, and Cobalt—is a metal alloy often used in guitar pickups. Blended with iron, this combination creates magnets that are not only durable but also capable of delivering a wide range of tonal characteristics. One key advantage of Alnico is its resistance to demagnetization, making it ideal for long-term use in pickups. Different grades of Alnico magnets produce noticeably different tones. Below is a breakdown of the Alnico types we frequently use and how they shape your sound:
Alnico 2
Alnico 2 offers a low magnetic pull, which means it interacts gently with the guitar strings. This softer touch results in a warm, vintage-inspired sound with emphasized midrange and smooth, rolled-off highs. The bass response tends to be loose and “spongy,” which gives the tone a relaxed, classic feel. We typically use Alnico 2 in pickups designed for players chasing that iconic early vintage sound in Humbuckers, Charlie’s, ’58 Jazzmasters and The Moose .
Alnico 3
The weakest of the Alnico magnet family in bar form, Alnico 3 has even less magnetic pull than Alnico 2, making it especially responsive and dynamic. It produces soft, open lows, warm mids, and clear, shimmering highs—perfect for bright, articulate tones. Interestingly, in rod form, Alnico 3 actually exhibits a bit more strength than Alnico 2. We often use Alnico 3 in vintage-style Broadcaster and IV58-humbucker pickups to deliver a crisp, glassy character.
Alnico 4
Sitting between Alnico 2 and Alnico 5 in terms of strength, Alnico 4 provides one of the most balanced tonal profiles. It tightens up the bass and treble compared to Alnico 2, while offering a more even and neutral midrange. The highs are smoother than those produced by Alnico 5, making it a great choice for humbuckers and P90s where clarity and control are key. Alnico 4 is excellent for taming overwound pickups without losing definition. We currently offer Alnico 4-magnets in our PAF– and HSS sets
Alnico 5
The most commonly used magnet in our pickups, Alnico 5 is known for its punchy, dynamic character. In rod form, it’s a staple of the classic Fender sound, offering extended lows, chimey highs, and balanced mids. It provides that signature sparkle and openness that defines many Strat, Tele, and Bass tones. In humbuckers, Alnico 5 tends to brighten the overall response, which is why we use it in our high-output models and most of our F-style pickups to retain clarity and articulation.
Some of the pickups we offer in Alnico 5 is the P90‘s, Stratocaster, The Moose, Chunky T & ’63 Jazzmasters
Alright, this one’s a confusing topic.
You can read about the DC-resistance of a PAF-pickup that has around 8k in resistance whilst the Broadcaster bridge has 8.7k dc. However, as guitarist we know that the PAF-humbucker will be a louder and stronger pickup.
So, why is this?
Well, the PAF first of all is wound with a thicker wire (AWG 42) in comparison to the Broadcaster bridge (AWG 43). A thicker wire will give a lower DC-resistance value in opposition to the thinner wire. This example is perfectly illustrated by our “The Charlie” (AWG 38) pickup that sports a 3.2k DC resistance whilst being just as hot as the P90 (AWG 42) at 8k. Secondly the type of magnet and it’s dimensions also affects the tone of the pickup. While the Broadcaster has six individual Alnico 3 pole-piece magnets the PAF has a larger, long bar magnet that has a larger magnetic force – resulting in a stronger (hotter) sound.
In summary, the DC-resistance can be a guide for you to understand how hot the pickup is, but it’s far from a perfect one. If you have any questions about the “loudless level” of your pickup before buying it, feel free to send me an email.
Alright, here goes.
A baseplate for your pickup – lets say for your strat or tele can possibly have three different functions. Let’s call this A, B and C.
A: Ferromagnetic functions – which essentially means that the metal will amplify and stabilize the magnets total force, resulting in a stronger output giving the effect of a hotter wound pickup.
In our current offering, this would be the steel baseplates used in the TSS– and Vintage Tele Broadcaster sets.
B: Electrodynamic functions – Baseplates made from steel, copper, brass, or aluminum can introduce eddy current interference. These eddy currents tend to shift the pickup’s resonant frequencies downward, producing a fuller, warmer tone—particularly noticeable in the bridge position. If you’re aiming to adjust the tone of a single coil pickup without increasing the coil’s inductance or the magnets’ magnetic pull, our brass baseplates are excellent choices. While these materials can be highly effective with traditional single coil pickups that use Alnico slugs, their impact on other pickup designs can be unpredictable and, in some cases, detrimental.
This would apply to the bridge of our TSS– , Vintage Broadcaster, Vintage Hot Strats and Chunky T sets.
C: Additional shielding – Having a baseplate on your telecaster or stratocaster bridge pickup will provide additional shielding – producing less unwanted noise.
In conclusion – The steel plates exhibit A, B and C whilst the brass – only B and C.
A quick rundown of the baseplates characteristics:
Brass Plates
Highs: Brass smooths out high frequencies, helping to tame brightness and deliver a more balanced top-end.
Mids: Enhances warmth in the midrange, complementing the Telecaster’s signature twang.
Lows: Adds fullness to the low end, balancing sharper highs—ideal for rhythm work.
Zinc-Plated Steel Plates
Highs: Increases brightness for a sparkling, lively top-end.
Mids: Offers a well-balanced midrange, keeping the guitar’s twang clear and consistent.
Lows: Provides a stable low-end foundation, contributing to an overall well-rounded tone.
Copper-Plated Steel Plates
Highs: Softens harsh high frequencies, reducing excessive brightness.
Mids: Adds warmth and resonance to the mids, resulting in a fuller, richer sound.
Lows: Enhances low-frequency response, adding depth and dimension to the tone.
– designed to make you play and sound better –
If you didn’t find the answers you we’re looking for in the FAQ-section feel free to reach out with you’re question and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
