don mare vs. fender custom shop...

[vanguard]

so i'm in the market for a pickup for an esquire project i'm starting. i'm one of those guys that buys into the idea that larger companies (ie, fender, boss, EHX, etc...), can generally do a better job than some guy in his garage because of resources, and engineers.

fender CS pickups seem great, but they don't have a bridge pickup with the specs i want. is don mare's quality up there with the CS?

i hope this doesn't offend anyone, i'm just always skeptical of small/boutique operations. they often seem to be the rage for a bit, and then everyone's on to something else.

[RatherBeFishing]

Don Mare is definitely not a guy in his garage. He has made pickups for major pickup manufacturers including fender I believe. I think his pickups would be far and beyond what you could get from Fender if you are willing to drop the $$$ for them. I'm not... sorry.

[Don Mare]

Hi, all good points and well put..

My only concern is this:

I'm friends with the guys in the custom shop -
attending NAMM's / local jams and private parties / gigs...etc..

just hope this thread stays nice to all involved - Pretty Please -

good thread & good points - I just have a habit of Loving my friends and doing everything I can to keep all my friends..

I may be in business - but some things are far more important to me then $$$

Play Nice!
Don

[vanguard]

Originally Posted by Don Mare

Hi, all good points and well put..

My only concern is this:

I'm friends with the guys in the custom shop -
attending NAMM's / local jams and private parties / gigs...etc..

just hope this thread stays nice to all involved - Pretty Please -

good thread & good points - I just have a habit of Loving my friends and doing everything I can to keep all my friends..

I may be in business - but some things are far more important to me then $$$

Play Nice!
Don

great points. thanks, don! i just sent you an email about specifics...

[surfoverb]

I like the idea of a guy in his garage making pickups like they used to but that's just me I guess...I don't think one can go wrong with any of the guys in their garages like DM or Fralin or Novak or Lollar. Novak works with the CS on special orders I've read if that makes you feel any better.

[Don Mare]

Originally Posted by surfoverb

I like the idea of a guy in his garage making pickups like they used to but that's just me I guess...I don't think one can go wrong with any of the guys in their garages like DM or Fralin or Novak or Lollar. Novak works with the CS on special orders I've read if that makes you feel any better.

a long long time ago - there was a very small shop the size of a garage - inside was a gent named Leo - the rest is history

all huge company's with long history's in the music biz started somewhere - and usually in very small areas and alone or with a partner.

I'm staying small - I'm retired & not wanting to go corporate - "I did my time - now I do it my way" -
Frank Sinatra

[Danocaster]

In my experience - you will usually get BETTER product and support from "the guy in the garage " - not the other way around.

I feel like I've used them all and Don Mare make as good a pickup as you will find... If you want something with a specific spec in mind - he's your man

there are LOTS of other pickups I love - Voodoo and Lollar among others - but if you want something wound FOR YOU - stop your search and call Don Mare

I just stuck a set in a build I completed today and they are utterly amazing

[gmann]

I currently have 3 of Don's pups in various Esquires. I have a Super Sport, a Green Onions and a Graf Airship ll. All different and all excellent. I've had great results with Fender Custom shop pups but to me, Don's pups seem to have somethng extra. I quite imagine that Fender has some talented winders on their staff but for the most part they are winding to a spec and it's an 8 hr. job for them. With a boutique winder like Don my guess is it's a passion. In a factory you have to make production or it's your ass, not so with boutique winders. You can call Don on the phone, tell him what kind of guitar /amp you have and what kind of stuff you play and he'll recommend something for you if you're not sure what you want. I've read many accts on this forum and others where guys have called him up wanting one thing and then after some discussion they find out they really wanted/needed something else and in all cases were more than pleased with the results. You can't do this with a big company, you pretty much get what they have and that's it.

[jumpnblues]

I have Don's Super Sports in one of my Teles and in the other Tele (my current #1) I have Don's Rick Holmstrom model in the bridge and S-Telly in the neck. I highly recommend his pu's. You can hear Don's pu's in my #1 Tele below.


Tom

[rdchapman]

I have not dealt with a small supplier that didn't provide a high quality product and I use quite a few. Don wound me a set and they are very well made, delivered as promised and have beautiful tone. That being said, I have found Custom Shop products to be fine quality also, and I own many. Read this forum, and you will soon see what suppliers are good at their craft. I have nothing but respect for all the craftsmen that make these products. For the most part, they are gentlemen of their word and love what they do. Sure some are in vogue for a time, but you watch, the best products will keep a devoted following. Don will, I'm sure.

[Chewy]

As someone who worked in a small company that got bought by a big mega-company, I can also attest to the merits of small businesses. Sure, the big guys have more money to throw around, but they also have more bozo's throwing that money in the wrong places and trying to please everybody for a fraction of the cost of doing it right!


...I hope they're not scanning my computer right now.