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.

[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]

Originally Posted by 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.

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.



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.) 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 of an original.

[Lacking Talent]

[Sweetfinger]

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

[vortexxxx]

Originally Posted by Lacking Talent

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?