# Sigil Pickups - Hand Crafted Tone



## CheopisIV (Jan 27, 2016)

I'll be trying to keep most announcements and updates to this one thread instead of a new thread each time something changes. Just makes more sense for less clutter!


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## Noise Supply (May 31, 2013)

Speaking of the London 66, we just sold our last set this morning. We only have one set of Sigil pickups left - the Georgia Bootleg!

Sigil Pickups - Bluesman: Georgia Bootleg Humbucker Set (With Covers)

/ Thread Hijack!


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## CheopisIV (Jan 27, 2016)

Did someone say *Georgia Bootleg*? That last set at Noise Supply is $280 CAD.... Retail is $275 USD for a set just like it. Deal or what? 











*BLUESMAN GEORGIA BOOTLEG SET:*

Warren Haynes tone inspired by the Georgia Bootleg Live Album.
~7.8k / 9.2k Bridge
magnets specifically treated and charged in house for perfect balance.
More grit and punch in both pickups, howling ‘woman tone’ with the tone rolled back
Essential Listening: ‘_Blind Man in the Dark_‘, ‘_Temporary Saint_‘, ‘_Mule_‘




Pssst... I heard there might be coupon codes as well, something like these... Worth a try!
GEARBABY = Save 10% off any size order.
GEARPEON = Save 14% off orders $200 and up.
STOCKINGUP = Save $100 off orders $600 and up.
GEARLEADER = Save 16.5% off orders $650 and up.
GEARHOARDER = Save $200 off orders $1100 and up.
GEARMASTER = Save 18% off orders $1200 and up.
GEARGOD = Save 22% off orders $2000 and up.

Get shopping, before all the good stuff is gone: http://noisesupply.ca


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## CheopisIV (Jan 27, 2016)

New machine arrived, spent the past few days cleaning it up and checking everything out. Had to modify some parts to accommodate winding pickups on it but everything worked out! Here's a vid showing it in operation. Now I just need to get it on the bench and put to work.


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## CheopisIV (Jan 27, 2016)

Another video of the Georgia Bootlegs. Still one discounted set available at NoiseSupply! Check links 2 posts up...


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## Sanford Magnetics (Nov 22, 2015)

I'm somewhat jealous of the Geo. 

Nice find.


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## CheopisIV (Jan 27, 2016)

Sanford Magnetics said:


> I'm somewhat jealous of the Geo.
> 
> Nice find.


Thanks! It was a lucky find for sure. They're pretty hard to find in near complete condition but they pop up from time to time. The first Geo was also a lucky find and it's a toss up which I prefer. The 39AM is easier to change gears and get the wire on but the 38AML has the tailstock and is so much quicker on the bobbin swap with it. 

Here's the first machine and a quicky shop from a month ago. Things have changed with adding the second machine as they now sit on the long bench but the mess remains...


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## CheopisIV (Jan 27, 2016)

Vintage Wire. Great when it's all said and done but a major PITA to work with!


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

CheopisIV said:


> Vintage Wire. Great when it's all said and done but a major PITA to work with!


Would it not be possible to smooth the rough areas on the wooden spools by sanding. I'm sure you have thought of this...so I'm curious as to why sanding wouldn't work. Thanks.


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## CheopisIV (Jan 27, 2016)

greco said:


> Would it not be possible to smooth the rough areas on the wooden spools by sanding. I'm sure you have thought of this...so I'm curious as to why sanding wouldn't work. Thanks.


That was the first thing I tried; also tried wrapping it in smooth tape but the edges are only half the issue. The wooden spools must have shrunk over time as the upper and lower portion are slightly loose and the wire has crawled up into the recesses. It gets stuck in there when I hit an end unless I have the spool sideways and even then I have to go slower than when winding from the middle. 

I have metal (58) and plastic (60) spools that don't have that issue. Polishing up the edges just like you suggested solved the problems on those spools.


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## CheopisIV (Jan 27, 2016)

Another vid from Japan, this is the Roots '57 set. Phenomenal player here! He starts to give them a workout around 6:20.


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## CheopisIV (Jan 27, 2016)

I'm still about 2 weeks out from making the full conversion (waiting on a few parts for the _Bluesman Vintage Series_) but I want to put this out there as the Session Series is ready to roll.

I've gotten to the point that I'll be splitting into two lines of pickups; P.A.F. Accurate (Bluesman Vintage Series) and P.A.F. Style (Bluesman Session Series) Sets.

From my page on the Session Series;

*Bluesman Session Series*

plastic bobbins instead of butyrate, available in cream and black in any combo.
poly wire instead of plain enamel (red color)
adjusted coil geometry to compensate tonal differences from PE
no frills packaging ie: no pickup rings, felt bags or COA
plastic spacer instead of maple
high quality keeper, but not P.A.F. specs
paper or cloth tape on coils
polished or rough cast magnets (still USA sourced and hand charged in house, but not my special order mags)
Some of my winds still need more testing and tweaking to be added to the lineup, but the pickups available are definitely within my acceptable range for tone.

*Similarities between the Session and Vintage Series.*

High quality nickel baseplates modeled after a 1957 P.A.F. There are cheaper options available but they look terrible and are questionable material. This may change but for now I can’t find anything else worth using and don’t really care to keep looking.
Slugs and Screws. Again, I’ve tested cheaper options but was not impressed.
Hookup wire options of vintage braided or 4 conductor
Wax potting available on request
Cover options. All my covers are stamped in the USA out of nickel silver and available as add ons; Standard raw or polished nickel and Vintage P.A.F. Premium in raw German nickel.
Same winding machines and techniques
Magnets hand picked and charged in house to specs
Hand built one set at a time
Same guarantee and 30 day exchange policy


Currently available in Bluesman Session Series:  Chicago ’68 , London ’66 and Georgia Bootlegs

All legacy Sigil Pickups prior to October 2016 are considered part of the Vintage Series and were wound with Plain Enamel wire and used the best parts I had access to at the time of winding. Future sets will be easy to distinguish by the labels and packaging.


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## CheopisIV (Jan 27, 2016)

I've finalized the three Sessions sets, they'll be the Chicago '68, London '66 and Bootlegs as per previous post as well as a new Sessions Only set with no Vintage counterpart as of yet. Name and specs to come soon!

Oh yeah, I'm also planning a giveaway of the first three Sessions Prototype sets so watch this space and my Facebook page for details!


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## Kerry Brown (Mar 31, 2014)

I'll definitely be watching for the giveaway. I'm still rocking the two sets I got from you. Awesome pickups, although I've recently started playing through a Mesa and I wish I would have got them wax potted. Then again I'm learning to use palm muting much more than I used to so maybe the wax potting isn't needed.


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## bzrkrage (Mar 20, 2011)

Oh, yeah.
Btw, what bluesy PU would you recommend in a 339 (Epi)?


Sent from my other brain.


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## CheopisIV (Jan 27, 2016)

Wax Potting!!! Gross! If you do want them potted, send them back and I can get it done. There's no charge on it aside from shipping both ways but I may whine a little about dousing them so there's that to deal with.


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## CheopisIV (Jan 27, 2016)

bzrkrage said:


> Oh, yeah.
> Btw, what bluesy PU would you recommend in a 339 (Epi)?
> 
> 
> Sent from my other brain.


I'm using the Bootlegs in my Epi Dot with much pleasure.


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## Kerry Brown (Mar 31, 2014)

CheopisIV said:


> Wax Potting!!! Gross! If you do want them potted, send them back and I can get it done. There's no charge on it aside from shipping both ways but I may whine a little about dousing them so there's that to deal with.


On the red Hi2 channel when I kick on the Green Rhino the Lips Kudlow set could use wax potting  or someone better at palm muting than me. Just kidding actually. They are easily controlled with a bit of palm muting. Amazing pickups when you add a lot of gain and they clean up very nice as well.


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## CheopisIV (Jan 27, 2016)

Lips had issues as well with his high gain stuff. If you want to get authentic, his preferred method of potting involved opening them up and pouring wax directly into the cover then squishing the pickup in! Sounds messy to me but he says it works every time


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## CheopisIV (Jan 27, 2016)

Vintage 1959 Plain Enamel wire.


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## CheopisIV (Jan 27, 2016)

New packaging on a set of Vintage Series pickups for 2017!


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## CheopisIV (Jan 27, 2016)

Awesome vid of the '51 Nocaster Tele pickups!!


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

CheopisIV said:


> I'm using the Bootlegs in my Epi Dot with much pleasure.


My London 66 set is sublime in my Epi Dot. I've never had so many compliments on my tone. The neck pickup is just phenomenal in particular.


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## CheopisIV (Jan 27, 2016)

cboutilier said:


> My London 66 set is sublime in my Epi Dot. I've never had so many compliments on my tone. The neck pickup is just phenomenal in particular.


Good to hear  That's always the goal!!

Another vid from Mike, check out the Black Magic set in living color! (Sorry...no Fly girls)


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## CheopisIV (Jan 27, 2016)

First vid of the Bluesman Midnight Specials; these are the Session Series flagship pickups.



> BLUESMAN MIDNIGHT SPECIAL SET:
> 
> - The Signature design specific to the Session Series pickups.
> - Designed to take advantage of the Poly wire properties
> ...


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## CheopisIV (Jan 27, 2016)

Some of these are old pics and date back to 2015, but the project is now finally underway. More details as I go. 






































Stay tuned...


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

Uh oh! Looks like my bank account is gonna take another hit. Exciting!


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## CheopisIV (Jan 27, 2016)

*Part 2: Flatwork*
Previously, I'd done some Strat builds and the bobbin building was a chore. Link here for those old pics. I looked into how other people were doing it and splurged on an Arbor Press. 










Smallest to tallest, this makes things much easier (and quieter)



















Then the top. Tallest to smallest. Have to move the magnets around into position a bit.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

fogdart said:


> Uh oh! Looks like my bank account is gonna take another hit. Exciting!


Exciting indeed. I'm debating a set of his Tele pickups for my bender guitar.


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## CheopisIV (Jan 27, 2016)

Things get a little crookedy on pressing the top plate so I go back to the spacers and wooden block to adjust to square. Good ol'Andy Boy does a bang up job!































And onto the pile they go.


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## CheopisIV (Jan 27, 2016)

Progress!


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## CheopisIV (Jan 27, 2016)

Broke out the old lathe winder; hasn't seen much use since I added the Geo Stevens machines a couple years ago. Proper Vintage Strat pickups demand hand winding though so after a quick dusting, here she is! 









Sanding through the insulation... tedious process. 









Back and forth, feeling the tension


















This one is still hot so should settle down to ~6.2 - 6.3. Perfect!


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## CheopisIV (Jan 27, 2016)

The picture journey will continue, but the pickups are now listed in limited numbers. More will be added as I complete boxes; current availability is 7 sets.

Check them out here!
http://sigilpickups.com/product/1960-formvar-stratocaster-ltd/


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## CheopisIV (Jan 27, 2016)

More Cowbell... er.. Box! 























Laser etching the baseplates turned out nice too!









And the overall package









*Now Available! * 
1960 True Vintage Stratocaster LTD | Sigil Pickups


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## CheopisIV (Jan 27, 2016)

Another video hot off the camera featuring some killer Slide licks by forum member Roknfnrol






Sigil Bluesman Fillmore '71 Duane Allman set.


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## CheopisIV (Jan 27, 2016)

*VS *







​​
Working together with Jacob (VisualGuy on Youtube), we're running a poll for the next Demo vid for Sigil Pickups. This time, it's Kossoff VS Page. 

Cast your vote on Facebook 
or if you don't have Facebook, you can also vote on the Sigil Pickups Website, bottom of main page. The poll ends on Thursday. 

*Cast Your Vote! *​


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## CheopisIV (Jan 27, 2016)

It came down to the wire...

In the last half hour, Jacob tells me it was tied, then in the final minutes Kossoff got a single vote to take the win! Incoming Kossoff demo video...just have to wind them and get them sent off now. 











Anybody wanting to be notified when it's done, be sure to subscribe to VisualGuy on Youtube. 
Thanks to all who participated!
-Dave


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## CheopisIV (Jan 27, 2016)

Payment Plan Details:

I first started the Payment Plan with the Holy Grail sets to ease the burden of purchase but I want to let people know it's an option for* ALL* Sigil Pickups and products.

*Terms:*





Get in touch and put a deposit on ANY Sigil product. Minimum $50.

Make further payments at your convenience in amounts suitable to your capabilities. Life happens and if you can't make a payment for a few months, it won't affect the purchase. I'm easy.

Pay off the balance within one year of onset. Or if that's not going to work, get in touch and we can extend the period. As per point 2 above; I'm easy.

If you're a previous customer, you get a discount for additional purchases so get in touch to check that out if you already own some Sigil Pickups. If we're doing a payment plan, I'll calculate the discount for you and keep it in my records.


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## CheopisIV (Jan 27, 2016)




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## CheopisIV (Jan 27, 2016)

The Kossoff Fire&Water'70 set demo has been completed, I'd like to thank everyone who was part of the poll and took interest in the set. For your viewing and listening pleasure, here's Jacob doing some amazing work as usual. Enjoy!

Link to the Set:
Kossoff Fire&Water'70 Pickups Set









​


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