My Fred Stuart Black Guard pickups arrived today.

[skiraly017]

First off, ordered on Friday 4/29 and they arrived on Thursday 5/5. How's that for customer service?

They are everything my A&F pickups were and more. More consistant, more open, more twang, more chime, more tone.

6.94 neck, 7.15 bridge and RWRP per my request.

The neck is open, clear and warm. Roll back on the tone a bit and jazz to your heart's content.

The bridge can tear your head off or sing you to sleep. Twang without the icepick and more tones can be found by rolling off the tone.

The two together are exactly what they should be.

These are well worth the money. Jason at Virtual Vintage Guitar answered all my emails, returned all my calls and kept me briefed ever step of the way. The only downside is the second degree burn I gave myself when I grabbed the shaft of the soldering iron instead of the grip. That really woke me up.

I'm done searching for pickups for my Nocaster. I could go on but I need to go play some more.

In closing, all I can say is why wait?

http://www.virtualvintageguitars.com/

[Mark Davis]

http://www.virtualvintageguitars.com...itars0005.html

There is a direct link to the pickups.

I noticed the neck pickup has 3 wires is one of them an extra ground?

Now maybe everyone that cant get their Hamels fast enough will buy these and create the same problem for Fred ???. LOL

[skiraly017]

The neck pickup comes wired for use with a 4-way switch if that's your cup of tea. I went with a 3-way and just grounded the extra wire. It's nice to know if I want to make the change the wire is already there.

[Kevin]

I'm glad that you finally got some pickups!

I hate what you had to go through, though...

[skiraly017]

Originally Posted by Kevin

I hate what you had to go through, though...

My beef was never with Fred or Jason. These guys have been top notch from the get go. Any previous posts I've made about boutique builders have nothing to do with Fred or Jason.

I called Jason at VVG and said "this is what I want". He said "okay, they'll be there on Thursday". I said "okay" and they showed up.

This is how it's supposed to be.

[Kevin]

Oh, no; I realized that. I meant the problems you had trying to get the other set of pickups!

On your good word, I've already contacted Virtual Vintage about getting a set of these. Not sure if I'll place an order, yet, but I thought I'd check 'em out. Already rec'd a response back, too!

[GuitarJonz]

So, if you can't get the "A", the "F" will have to do! They sound like gooduns from your desciption. I'm sure that both guys pups have alot in common.

[Scotland]

If both the A's and the F's sound the same. I'm going to order a set soon to compare them. I only have to wait two weeks for them !

[Mark Davis]

Well F was working at Fender long before A was. F also designed those 10k nocaster pickups everyone loves so much. My guess is F shared alot of his secrets with A while they were in business together and their pickups probably are exact clones of each other only difference being the person who sits there and holds the wire while the machine winds em.

[Scotland]

That's convinced me, I'm gonna go for a set. After all, in all honesty, there is only one "F" in Fender anyway.
I'll let you know how they differ (if any) in sound .

[Mark Davis]

Scotland when you got your Hamels did they come in a box with a logo or anything or were they just raw pickups wrapped up in something to protect them during shipping?

I sorta like the Blackguard name and the box they came in. I love the box my Fralins came in use it all the time for its small compartments to keep screws seperate while working on stuff.

[Scotland]

Originally Posted by Mark Davis

Scotland when you got your Hamels did they come in a box with a logo or anything or were they just raw pickups wrapped up in something to protect them during shipping?

I sorta like the Blackguard name and the box they came in. I love the box my Fralins came in use it all the time for its small compartments to keep screws seperate while working on stuff.

I can't remember what they came in, certainly not in a box with any sort of logo, no identification at all. I remember thinking how strange it was and that they could have been anything. Pity really, a logo'd box would have been the only identity I would have had, I'm still waiting for the receipt for them that Ron Ellis has been promising me for over a year.

[GuitarJonz]

Originally Posted by Mark Davis

Scotland when you got your Hamels did they come in a box with a logo or anything or were they just raw pickups wrapped up in something to protect them during shipping?

Mine came wrapped only in bubblewrap, no note or anything. To my surprise, no screws or tubes either, that kinda pissed me off, for that much dough.

[skiraly017]

Tightly packed in foam. I'll post a picture later on.

Second day in and still think they're fantastic. Aside from the growing blisters on my fingers (see original post), I'm still very happy with the pickups. Used the "two nickel" method to adjust the height and haven't moved them since. My Nocaster was a great guitar to begin with. The Fred Stuart pickups just pushed it over the edge.

[Mark Davis]

Skiraly do you hear the click when you switch it to the bridge pickup?

[skiraly017]

Got the "click".

[skiraly017]

Got the "click".

[Mark Davis]

If they have the click you are there!!!!

Will he sell just one or do you have to buy a set?

I feel another Esquire project coming on.

[skiraly017]

Give Jason a call or shoot him an email. He's good about responding.

[Mark Davis]

THanks pal