Whitaker Custom Pickups

Glitterbomb pickups are handmade from quality materials in the USA by me, Ray Whitaker, a professional luthier with 30+ years experience.  Earlier this year I made it my own personal goal to create a thin-line magnetic pickup that is equal in output, tone and clarity to a quality full size pickup.  After months of making experimental pickups, I came up with a design combination for cigar box guitars that works very well.

I decided to make these pickups available in small production numbers to builders and players who may want the same type of sound attributes that I desire for my own instruments.  I am a firm believer - that any good amplified sound needs to start with a good clear signal.  IMHO, a pickup that sounds like it has its own distortion box built in is a one trick pony - that's all it can do and its useless for anything else.  If you happen to be someone who only wants that kind heavily distorted sound, save your money and don't buy my pickup.   If you want great clean tones, or lush tone-filled effects like reverb, delay, chorus, (and tight drive/distortion) etc., then you may want to consider buying one.

These hum-cancelling single coil pickups have resistance and inductance numbers that are on par with some vintage full-size Stratocaster pickups.  They are molded in a top quality high strength epoxy that makes them both very durable and quiet - without the microphonic attributes that many inexpensive pickups have.   They work equally well with 3 or 4 strings as long as the overall width of the strings over the pickup is:  (3 string - 13/16" to 1 1/8")  ( 4 string  1" - 1 1/4").  With nickel strings and wired with the recommended 500K pots, they have a great amplified tone with a high level of clarity and string to string volume balance.  (Do not use 250K pots - you will not be happy)  A .047 uf capacitor is recommended if you use a tone control.  Unlike some thin-line pickups, they also work great with lighter gauge unwound strings - without the "ice-pick in the ear" high notes that some thin pickups have.  Sound sample video links are below.  Consider joining the Whitaker Custom Pickups Facebook group for more information and customer comments/reviews.

Mixing the epoxy with PET glitter or quality pigments/mica powders gives them a bold new look that can visually set your instrument apart.  A black mica/glitter model is available for those who prefer a more subdued look.

The 3 or 4 string model is designed for cigar box guitars, but can also be used for solid body guitar applications - even making  it possible to create a guitar with a very thin body.  With their 1/4" overall thickness, an instrument will not require a deep pickup cavity that can weaken the structure of some designs.  In most cases the 2" X 1 7/8" pickup can be glued directly to a top with a few drops of E-6000 glue, or attached with double-stick foam tape.  You can make decorative pickup rings, or mount them as-is.

I am choosing to stock four colors of Glitterbomb pickups in neck position configuration, with 7.1K resistance and 2.0 Henries inductance.   I also have a bridge position pickup available on special order with 7.6K and 2.26 Henries inductance.  A neck pickup can be used in the bridge position, but the bridge pickup does not sound good in the neck position because the treble is more muted.  Bridge pickups will be $1.00 more because they require more copper wire. 

The other colors  shown are also available on special order.  They will be priced at $1.00 more because the glitters/mica powders are not available in bulk quantities.  Please contact me directly to place special orders, so I can give you a time frame on getting your pickup made and shipped.  A $10 deposit will be required to secure your order.  If you do not complete the purchase once the pickup is made and ready to ship, the $10 will not be refunded.  Also, if you want a custom made pickup with a color of glitter, pigment or mica powder that you've seen on Amazon, etc,  I can work with you and create something special for your guitar.  Pricing will reflect the glitter/pigment cost and any special techniques that may be required when using something like colorshifting pigments.