The New Pickups

[HANGAR18]

Having heard word of "new pickups" that Rendall Wall invented recently, I had an opportunity at the PSP-V this year to ask him directly about these new pickups, and here is what I learned.

The new pickups are called "Kalamazoo Made" pickups or "H-Kazoo" pickups and Ren Wall says they are REALLY GOOD!

So, here is my thought process. If the guy who invented the award winning and widely raved about HRW pickups says that these new H-Kazoo pickups are REALLY GOOD, then I want to be sure to have them installed on the next guitar I special order.

As for the concept guitar that I was building in my head as I walked around looking at stuff, Ren asked me for the details, grabbed a pen and paper and then proceeded to start writing out an order, kinda like a doctor writing out a prescription. Basically, I thought it would be cool to have a guitar that looked like a cherry cheesecake, but now that idea seems rather impractical and very expensive. Below is a scan of the paper that Ren Wall wrote up as we were speaking. (Note the new H-Kazoo pickups mentioned in the specs.)

[kbp810]

Interesting, very interesting!

 

I wonder what they will be based on, or if they will be similiar to the winds on HRW's just with different base components?

 

The custom order spec sheet for my 157 looks an awful lot like the prescription Ren wrote you above... and when Dr Wall or Dr Lamb writes you out a prescription, it's in your best interest to get it filled, ASAP!

[tbonesullivan]

So... who is making these pickups? Is Ren assembling them in house from components, or are they being farmed out? I know that the HRWS were modded Schaller Golden 50s.

[HANGAR18]

and when Dr Wall or Dr Lamb writes you out a prescription, it's in your best interest to get it filled, ASAP!

 

Yep, that is exactly what I was thinking. I'm currently building a new concept guitar in my head, that will be a lot more practical.

[HANGAR18]

So... who is making these pickups? Is Ren assembling them in house from components, or are they being farmed out? I know that the HRWS were modded Schaller Golden 50s.

 

I didn't ask into that much detail.

[shook494]

One day I would love to try these out on a custom order. I need to get my hands on some HRW's as well to check them out as well. I dig the H-KAZOO name too!!

[tbonesullivan]

The HRW's are great pickups. Bolero tried out my Kahuna towards the end of Saturday, and definitely was getting some great clean tones out of them.

[DetroitBlues]

Hmm, never thought to ask how to get a hold of a pair of them.. Wonder if I can send them a set of pickups and have them use their mojo on them?

[Gitfiddler]

Ren is always tinkering with new inventions and ideas. He is an amazing man. His multiple Patents bear that out!

 

Has anyone determined if his new pickups are or will be A2's or higher? If he simply developed a version of his HRW's with less output and aged magnets, they'd be a winner in my view.

[kbp810]

Ren is an amazing man - get him taking about pickups and wiring and you'll be in for a real treat (wish I had taken notes!)

 

Very interested in finding out the spceifics as well.... wonder if they would pair well in a Milli?

[HANGAR18]

Well, since the only HRW pickups anyone can get anymore are only from the used market, I wonder if all new Heritage guitars ordered will automatically come with these new pickups by default if the customer doesn't specify their preference. Or maybe that never happens and everyone always specifies what pickups they want. IDK.

[tbonesullivan]

I would think that like the HRW's, they will be limited to the "premium" guitars, with seymour duncan pickups in most. I don't know if schaller even makes the golden 50's with metal covers anymore. All I can find on their website is uncovered or covered with plastic, so I think that the days of schaller pickups in heritage guitars seems to be over.

[soybean]

A little bit off topic, but how do the old HRW pickups sound in comparison to the standard Schallers?

[H]

A little bit off topic, but how do the old HRW pickups sound in comparison to the standard Schallers?

Brighter with more clarity, greater definition and less 'colour' in the sound. The neck pickup is an amazing piece of sound engineering, producing some of the best noises I personally have ever played I didn't much like the bridge pickup.

 

I'd happily put one in the neck position of any suitable guitar.

[pro-fusion]

Ren always has something percolating, doesn't he? The HRWs are great in hollow or semi hollow guitars, but sort of clinical in solidbodies.

 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

[tulk1]

Brighter with more clarity, greater definition and less 'colour' in the sound. The neck pickup is an amazing piece of sound engineering, producing some of the best noises I personally have ever played I didn't much like the bridge pickup.

 

I'd happily put one in the neck position of any suitable guitar.

That would be my opinion as well. I've had two sets of them. Thought the neck pup in both was stellar. The bridge ...meh.

 

Wonder if the new ones will be Seymour Duncan based, as the HRWs were Schaller based.

[kbp810]

 

Wonder if the new ones will be Seymour Duncan based, as the HRWs were Schaller based.

That's my initial assumption as well

 

I'm going to be in Kalamazoo on Wednesday and making a stop by the factory - hope to get more information/clarification while there

[Guest HRB853370]

That's my initial assumption as well

 

I'm going to be in Kalamazoo on Wednesday and making a stop by the factory - hope to get more information/clarification while there

 

Picking up a new custom order now aren't ya!?

[kbp810]

 

Picking up a new custom order now aren't ya!?

Nope, just getting a prescription written up that I can take over to my pharmacist to get filled

[HANGAR18]

I'm going to be in Kalamazoo on Wednesday and making a stop by the factory - hope to get more information/clarification while there

 

In that case, I'm hoping that you update us all here with more details about the new Kazoo pickups.

And perhaps, you could also directly inquire about the performance of them in the bridge position of a solid body guitar.

If they are more ideally suited to hollow bodies than solid bodies, that would be good to know but I would be surprised if that were the case.

[HANGAR18]

Well, it's been a while since the original post. Do we know anything more about these new Kazoo pickups that Ren invented?

Anyone bought a new guitar from the factory with these pickups? Test drives? Sound demos? Comparisons to the HRW pickups?

Bueller?... Bueller?... Bueller?...

[DavesNotHere]

Well, it's been a while since the original post. Do we know anything more about these new Kazoo pickups that Ren invented?

Anyone bought a new guitar from the factory with these pickups? Test drives? Sound demos? Comparisons to the HRW pickups?

Bueller?... Bueller?... Bueller?...

 

I have a custom sitting there ready for me to pickup next week (pun intended).

When Marv and I were talking pickups several months ago I told him that I had heard Ren had something cooking in the way of custom pickups and he said "Let me let you talk to Rendall, but I'm going to be standing next to the phone just in case he tells you something way out there, I'll cut his nuts off if he trys to tell you anything crazy"

Which, I thought that was hilarious, but when I point blank asked Ren if he had a new pickup ready he said "No" Short and to the point, just like his emails.

But we did talk pickups and he he made some recommendations based on the guitar I was having built and the sound I wanted to get.

Maybe they just are not ready yet, or he didn't like the yield he was getting, or maybe they are just available through a certain high volume Heritage dealer????

[HANGAR18]

 

I have a custom sitting there ready for me to pickup next week (pun intended).

When Marv and I were talking pickups several months ago I told him that I had heard Ren had something cooking in the way of custom pickups and he said "Let me let you talk to Rendall, but I'm going to be standing next to the phone just in case he tells you something way out there, I'll cut his nuts off if he trys to tell you anything crazy"

Which, I thought that was hilarious, but when I point blank asked Ren if he had a new pickup ready he said "No" Short and to the point, just like his emails.

But we did talk pickups and he he made some recommendations based on the guitar I was having built and the sound I wanted to get.

Maybe they just are not ready yet, or he didn't like the yield he was getting, or maybe they are just available through a certain high volume Heritage dealer????

Do you feel pretty confident that he understood you to be speaking of the H-Kazoo pickups and not something even newer than that which might be still on the proverbial drawing board?

[DavesNotHere]

Do you feel pretty confident that he understood you to be speaking of the H-Kazoo pickups and not something even newer than that which might be still on the proverbial drawing board?

Yea, I mentioned that Jay Wolfe was touting a new Heritge pickup. But, you know since Jay is their biggest dealer maybe he just wanted it to be exclusive. But I don't know

Has Wolfe's been advertising the new pickups. I haven't looked at their site in a while. I used to get some good gossip when I stopped in at the Nashville shop before it closed.

[PunkKitty]

What's with the Golden Age pickups made for Heritage? Or is this something completely different? I thought Heritage used Duncans for their stock pickup.

 

http://www.heritageownersclub.com/forums/topic/22485-which-pickups-on-my-h535/