ElysianGuitars
Well-Known Member
Hey everyone, just re-upped my vendor subscription, as I've been busy working on a rebrand, as well as a ton of pickups for the upcoming Dallas International Guitar Festival, and just wanted to check in and show everyone what I've been up to.
My Tuned Aperture patent is basically complete now, just waiting for the final piece of paper that says I have been granted a patent. It was a long process and cost me several thousand of my own money, but I believe is a worthwhile endeavor. With that being said, I decided over the last year that I need to shift my focus at the present away from my guitars, and hone in on pickups as my main business. This last year I have expanded my pickup making capabilities significantly, while still keeping things hand made. That means a laser cutter for any fiberboard I may need to cut, as well as to etch my logo, a CNC for any baseplates or custom bobbins necessary, and a 3D printer for my Tuned Aperture bit.
About that last part, the Tuned Aperture bit... I've come up with a way to make my asymmetrical bobbins without having to actually make the bobbins, and that is to 3D print a small insert that just clips into a standard bobbin, achieving the desired asymmetrical result. I basically tune the shape of the spool of wire around the pickup to accentuate certain frequencies by default, all depending on what the customer needs. Here's a 3D render of the bit:
And a 2D representation of how it is installed in the bobbin:
This small bit physically puts more wire around the low or high string, changes the resistance per wind of the pickup, and allows the bobbin to pick up a wider range of the magnetic field in the pickup.
Using this bit can allow for dual tones in single coils, where in one orientation you can get more bass, and in the opposite orientation, rotated 180 degrees, you get richer, louder treble. In humbuckers, there are several different configurations, as well as asymmetrically wound coils (one coil has more winds than the other). My standard bridge pickup configuration gives you punchier, more present low end with richer, thicker treble on the high strings. Some other configurations in the bridge can go from thick, almost sludgy bass to cutting mids and treble. These configurations are all tailored to what the player is looking for.
My pickups have 4 standard winds, ranging from a PAF style vintage wind using thicker 42AWG wire and low resistance, to a hot modern wind, using 44AWG wire and lots of resistance. When I take an order, my priority is matching the voicing of the pickup with the sound the customer is after.
Another option for increasing output is the magnet configuration. My options are all the commercially available options of AlNiCo and ceramic, and on some models I also do a bar magnet underneath and charged magnetic poles in one or both of the bobbins. I've not had an order for neodynium yet, but that is an option as well.
Here is a recent set, and some clips comparing it to a Kiesel Lithium bridge pickup:
http://soundcloud.com/kennygerbick/elysian-obsidian-bridge-pickup-vs-kiesel-lithium-bridge-pickup
Here are some pictures of recent work, starting with an EMG sized set I sent to Donny Burbage of Aether Realm:
The set on the left in this picture is a multiscale set, matching the angle of the bridge (~21 degrees) and the neck, and the set on the right is the set I sent to Knightro Guitars for his multiscale Pioneer.
Here's a few sets that went to Goliath Guitars:
This cocobolo set went to Caton Guitars out of Chicago:
I've been working for the past couple months on Dallas International Guitar Festival stock, here's some of that:
This pale moon ebony set went to Reichardt Guitars (who will also be my booth mate at the Dallas Int. Guitar Fest):
Here's a basic zebra 7 string set:
And here's an example of my retail packaging:
I've also recently been working on two guitars to bring with me to the Dallas International Guitar Festival, here's one:
Here's the body after finish:
Headstock:
The other guitar will be the same body style/type, but with a roasted maple fretboard and a six string Hipshot Contour tremolo. Both guitars will be available for sale at/after the show.
We've also got t-shirts, if anyone is interested these are $20 shipped in the US:
And guitar picks, which are included with any purchase:
I think that covers it for now, you can check my stuff out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or the web (though the pickups website is still very much in progress):
http://www.facebook.com/elysian.pickups
http://twitter.com/elysianpickups
http://www.instagram.com/elysian.pickups/
http://elysian.guitars
http://www.elysianpickups.com
Let me know if you have any questions! I have a lot of in stock pickups right now, so if you're interested in a set it mostly can ship immediately.
-Adam
My Tuned Aperture patent is basically complete now, just waiting for the final piece of paper that says I have been granted a patent. It was a long process and cost me several thousand of my own money, but I believe is a worthwhile endeavor. With that being said, I decided over the last year that I need to shift my focus at the present away from my guitars, and hone in on pickups as my main business. This last year I have expanded my pickup making capabilities significantly, while still keeping things hand made. That means a laser cutter for any fiberboard I may need to cut, as well as to etch my logo, a CNC for any baseplates or custom bobbins necessary, and a 3D printer for my Tuned Aperture bit.
About that last part, the Tuned Aperture bit... I've come up with a way to make my asymmetrical bobbins without having to actually make the bobbins, and that is to 3D print a small insert that just clips into a standard bobbin, achieving the desired asymmetrical result. I basically tune the shape of the spool of wire around the pickup to accentuate certain frequencies by default, all depending on what the customer needs. Here's a 3D render of the bit:
And a 2D representation of how it is installed in the bobbin:
This small bit physically puts more wire around the low or high string, changes the resistance per wind of the pickup, and allows the bobbin to pick up a wider range of the magnetic field in the pickup.
Using this bit can allow for dual tones in single coils, where in one orientation you can get more bass, and in the opposite orientation, rotated 180 degrees, you get richer, louder treble. In humbuckers, there are several different configurations, as well as asymmetrically wound coils (one coil has more winds than the other). My standard bridge pickup configuration gives you punchier, more present low end with richer, thicker treble on the high strings. Some other configurations in the bridge can go from thick, almost sludgy bass to cutting mids and treble. These configurations are all tailored to what the player is looking for.
My pickups have 4 standard winds, ranging from a PAF style vintage wind using thicker 42AWG wire and low resistance, to a hot modern wind, using 44AWG wire and lots of resistance. When I take an order, my priority is matching the voicing of the pickup with the sound the customer is after.
Another option for increasing output is the magnet configuration. My options are all the commercially available options of AlNiCo and ceramic, and on some models I also do a bar magnet underneath and charged magnetic poles in one or both of the bobbins. I've not had an order for neodynium yet, but that is an option as well.
Here is a recent set, and some clips comparing it to a Kiesel Lithium bridge pickup:
http://soundcloud.com/kennygerbick/elysian-obsidian-bridge-pickup-vs-kiesel-lithium-bridge-pickup
Here are some pictures of recent work, starting with an EMG sized set I sent to Donny Burbage of Aether Realm:
The set on the left in this picture is a multiscale set, matching the angle of the bridge (~21 degrees) and the neck, and the set on the right is the set I sent to Knightro Guitars for his multiscale Pioneer.
Here's a few sets that went to Goliath Guitars:
This cocobolo set went to Caton Guitars out of Chicago:
I've been working for the past couple months on Dallas International Guitar Festival stock, here's some of that:
This pale moon ebony set went to Reichardt Guitars (who will also be my booth mate at the Dallas Int. Guitar Fest):
Here's a basic zebra 7 string set:
And here's an example of my retail packaging:
I've also recently been working on two guitars to bring with me to the Dallas International Guitar Festival, here's one:
Here's the body after finish:
Headstock:
The other guitar will be the same body style/type, but with a roasted maple fretboard and a six string Hipshot Contour tremolo. Both guitars will be available for sale at/after the show.
We've also got t-shirts, if anyone is interested these are $20 shipped in the US:
And guitar picks, which are included with any purchase:
I think that covers it for now, you can check my stuff out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or the web (though the pickups website is still very much in progress):
http://www.facebook.com/elysian.pickups
http://twitter.com/elysianpickups
http://www.instagram.com/elysian.pickups/
http://elysian.guitars
http://www.elysianpickups.com
Let me know if you have any questions! I have a lot of in stock pickups right now, so if you're interested in a set it mostly can ship immediately.
-Adam
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