Airline Reproduction Pickups?

[Master Flash]

Hey guys,

Anyone know a place to buy a boutique reproduction of the Airline pickups? I'm talking about the ones in the old Jack White plastic guitars.

All I know is that they are single coils in a humbucker casing. I've checked Lollar and Novak with no luck. I've heard about Eastwood's pickups but I'm rather find a different brand.

http://www.gitarrentotal.ch/files/ubercart_images/Airline59Custom2Pred.jpg

[Sweetfinger]

The Eastwoods aren't even close! I'm working on a version that fits inside a standard humbucker casing but it'll be some time before anything is ready to sell.

[Master Flash]

The Eastwoods aren't even close! I'm working on a version that fits inside a standard humbucker casing but it'll be some time before anything is ready to sell.

I heard the same thing, which is why I'm skipping over them. Do you have a link to your previous work? When do you think you'll be selling?

[vortexxxx]

The vintage ones have a unique sound.

[Lacking Talent]

The bridge pickup on the new Reverend Rick Vito Signature Model -- the Reverend Dual-Pro -- may be what you're after; it's Joe Naylor's version of a mid-'60s Supro pickup.

http://reverendguitars.com/reverend/images/guitars/set_neck_series/menu_images/vito_menu.jpg

Here's a couple dozen videos that feature its tone: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFFE5ED8221700896.

Unfortunately, I don't think the pickups are sold separately as aftermarket products.

[nmiller]

Wow, I was unaware of that Reverend pickup - looks cool.

But the big news is the Dual-Pro bridge pickup. Based on a mid 1960's Supro* pickup, it's a hot single coil with a second blade polepiece in addition to the standard screw polepieces. The blade is essential to the unique sound: imagine a P90 meets Tele with humbucker output... fat, raw and clear. And we managed to fit it all into a standard size humbucker cover, a first in the industry.

(From the Reverend website (http://www.reverendguitars.com/reverend/guitars/signature_series/rick_vito_signature.html).) It sounds like the blade is intended to raise the output. The originals were fairly hot for single coils, so that should be a blistering pickup. I'm curious to see one of the Reverends under the cover; here's a cross section (http://www.valcopages.com/Catalogs/Patents/Pickup.pdf) of an original.

[Lacking Talent]

http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy344/MangoMango_photos/New%20Vito/vito_VT_pickup_revised.jpg

[Sweetfinger]

^^^ That's getting a little closer to the Valco design ^^^
It is actually pretty easy to mod an existing pickup into that.

[vortexxxx]

http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy344/MangoMango_photos/New%20Vito/vito_VT_pickup_revised.jpg


Nice! Reverend's coming out with some cool pickups. (edit) I just noticed the date. Why haven't I tried Reverend pickups before?

[Lacking Talent]

I don't think the company sells any of its pickups as aftermarket replacements.

As to the date of that photo, I'd guess the Dual-Pro pickup pictured is from early in the design/prototyping phase of that product's development, and would imagine the innards of the production versions are neater/cleaner and more finished/polished looking, or what have you.

[Master Flash]

That's a shame. I'd sure to like to get a boutique Airline repro. Thanks for all your help. I'll try talking to Reverend anyway. Who knows!

[Sparky6string]

There are custom pickup makers that might be able to help. I'm pretty sure Pete Biltoft of Vintage Vibe pickups has a genuine custom shop, he may be able to help. Maybe others also.

[JimboMansonMB-1]

I know Curtis Novak does a repro of the Kay/Harmony Goldfoil pickups, maybe ask him?

[Master Flash]

I searched the Novak site. Would you mind linking me to them?