Basic Pickup Winding

There are lots of books out there on the market on Guitar repairs and Guitar Building, but I cannot think of any "How to" books on winding guitar pickups.

Well that's all changed with the release of "Basic Pickup Winding" by Jason Lollar. About half the book is devoted to the mechanical plans and the instructions on building a Pickup Winding Machine of Lollar's own design. The other half of the book takes you through the design and construction of most of the basic pickup variations; Strat Single coils, Telecaster pups, P-90's and Humbuckers are all explained in text and excellent scale technical drawings.

Jason is an amateur inventor as well as a skilled Luthier, and the concise text, photos and mechanical illustrations make it easy for you to build the Pickup Winder. His design for the Pickup Winding Machine is truly brilliant, I honestly say you could buy the book, build the machine and keep yourself in pickups for ever.

However you don't have to build his winding machine to build pickups, you could just as easily take his technical drawings for the pickups and wind them on an old sewing machine for example. I like many of you will probably never build a Pickup Winding Machine, or wind a coil myself but Jason's book is still a valuable resource.

The years of knowledge about pickups contained in this book is considerable and for anyone interested in electric guitar, essential reading. It would also be a great addition to many repair shops and open up a new profit stream for them.

The other great thing in this age of the World Wide Web is that you can now contact authors by e-mail and check out their Websites. Jason's on the net, which is how he sells the book via mail order, he's also a super approachable guy and I'm sure he'd answer your email questions on any parts of the book that require further clarification.

'Basic Pickup Winding' is written in an easy to read style with no technobable, a degree in science is NOT needed to understand this book. Jason talks "tone" not "science formulas" in explaining why pickups sound the way they do, and how construction effects tone, and I for one am glad he does.

About the Author:
Jason has been building instruments since the mid 70's and is a 1979 graduate of Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery. An accomplished musician and performer, Jason knows what players expect from their instruments. Contrary to what many people perceive, electric instruments can be much more than a piece of wood with strings attached. Lollar guitars are made to accentuate their acoustic properties and are coupled with matching hand-wound pickups to bring out complex overtones and dynamic response.

Lollar guitars makes a full line of electric archtops both deep body and thinline with various options including cutaway style, dot or block fingerboard inlay and single or multiple binding. Several solid body guitar and bass designs are also produced. Along with building his line of guitars and pickups he does selected guitar, keyboard and tube amp repair in his Vashon Island shop.

Custom made pickups to your specifications. Jason can make you just about anything you want. Price generally starts at $125. Send Jason a drawing and specifications and Jason will give you a price quote.

To order your copy of Basic Pickup Winding and Complete Guide to Making Your Own Pickup Winder go to Lollar Pickups.

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