Notes from the Workshop

We’re always working on new ideas beyond our small production line.
Here’s some highlights from the shop.

More from @woodWireVolts I never imagined I would

More from @woodWireVolts I never imagined I would be interviewing Brian about his new @kauerguitars bass with our pickups wound by @sheri_a_novak .
Wonderful meeting @arielposen and was honored to have him play our show he was mind blowing.
Then I had to say bye to my prototype of the PB-G3 I let go in a raffle
Was so RAD that my pal Jake @serek_basses flew out one of his basses with my new Grabber pickup to make the show.
#woodwirevolts2025
#woodwirevolts
#curtisnovakpickups
#bsmusicshop
#arielposen
#pbgrabberbass
#serekbasses

Another great photo at @woodwirevolts me of and my

Another great photo at @woodwirevolts me of and my pal since elementary school @michaelraypickens. The person the first introduced me to the electric guitar, sold me my first electric guitar in jr. high. I bought it with my lunch money for an entire semester. I never achieved near the success he did as a player primarily because he is a really great player and I suck. To my credit I sucked because my guitar was always apart messing with the pickups and wiring. Thank you for managing the Coffeehouse stage, playing and doing product demos
#woodwirevolts2025
#woodwirevolts
#mightymikeschermer

Wow what a great first show at @woodwirevolts. As

Wow what a great first show at @woodwirevolts. As usual I did not get a lot of picture but this is my favorite. I wanted to give a shout out to my amazing fearless partner in crime. I can not think of another soul I would rather have by my side on this wild ride. We did it brother!
You had my back and I had yours every step.
#woodwirevolts2025
#woodwirevolts
#castedosaguitars
#carloslopez
#curtisnovak
#curtisnovakpickups
#ranchomezcal

I am trying to think out some amps from my persona

I am trying to think out some amps from my personal collection. I will be selling these in my booth @woodwirevolts in you are in the Anaheim area Jan 23, 24 drop by and check them out.
They are all great 60's amps, except the Reverb Tank is a reissue that was reworked back to vintage spec. The Gretsch just the cab and speakers. I use to use it as an extension cab. They are all in great shape.
My cattle dogs are such hams when I pull out the camera
#woodwirevolts2025
#woodwirevolts

Happy New Year! My first release of 2025. This is

Happy New Year! My first release of 2025.
This is my reproduction of the vintage Gibson Grabber, G3, and SB bass bridge cover. This is an exact reproduction, true to the vintage spec in all dims and contours. I can not fully explain why I invested time and money in getting this cover reproduced. I think partially to satisfy my ODC and need for completeness. The past couple years I have wondered my way through reproducing some rare and obscure Gibson pickups such as Gibson Grabber, and G3 . During this time I got a surprising number of requests for the Grabber slider plate, and the bridge cover. I did some looking around and noticed there was no reproduction of the bridge cover. The other reason, I guess, is my years of restoring vintage cars, and guitars there is always a few impossible to find parts to complete a full restoration. Lastly back to my OCD and completeness when I started making my Squire PB-G3 and PB-Grabber mods I realized that bridge cover would look so RAD on them. So with that…. the world seems right for now.
You can see and play both my BL-Grabber and BL-G3 at the @woodwirevolts trade show Jan 23, 24 2025 in Anaheim.
#OGCustomPickupsNotButique
#curtisnovak #curtisnovakpickups #classicguitarpickups #resurectingclassicguitarpickups #handwoundpickups #fenderofinstagram #fenderprecision #fendercustomshop #fenderbass #gibsongrabber #gibsonbass #gibsonbassg3 #gibsongrabberbass #gibsunday #bassplayer #epiphonegrabber #epiphonebass #bassplayermag #PBGrabberBass
#billlawrencepickups
#woodwirevolts2025

It was great to see "My old pal Mike is happy, hea

It was great to see "My old pal Mike is happy, healthy and safe" He dropped by the shop on his annual high desert winter vacation. Had a wonderful day catching up and conspiring on future shenanigans. He is happily taking one of my BassVI 1961 bodies I painted and had been hanging in my shop ,curing for going on 5 years now, waiting for me to find a moment to build it out. Funny it blends in well with my Fiesta Red bench in the foreground and the Seafoam Green and Shell Pink benches in the background. Oh did I mention before I was a pickup nerd I use to be a vintage finish nerd?
#curtisnovak #puisheen #fenderbassvi #oldpals

Released my reproduction of the vintage Gibson Gra

Released my reproduction of the vintage Gibson Grabber sliding plate. Added it to my Pbass.
You can see and play both my BL-Grabber and BL-G3 at the @woodwirevolts trade show Jan 23, 24 2025 in Anaheim.
#OGCustomPickupsNotButique
#curtisnovak #curtisnovakpickups #classicguitarpickups #resurectingclassicguitarpickups #handwoundpickups #fenderofinstagram #fenderprecision #fendercustomshop #fenderbass #gibsongrabber #gibsonbass #gibsonbassg3 #gibsongrabberbass #gibsunday #bassplayer #epiphonegrabber #epiphonebass #bassplayermag #PBGrabberBass
#billlawrencepickups
#woodwirevolts2025

I am releasing my PB-Grabber pickup slider plate t

I am releasing my PB-Grabber pickup slider plate today. It is under Accessories on my website.
This plate will drop right in a vintage bass, or with my router templates, can be retrofitted to another bass.
I finally found a moment to design the router templates to convert my Squire Pbass to a PB-Grabber!!!
I created a set of nested router templates to create the slider pocket. Go through the gallery pics to see the process of converting a Pbass to a PB-Grabber. My router template design slightly differs from the original Gibson design and are not totally vintage correct. Gibson’s original design attached felt padding to the back of the plastic plate on the ends. This put extra upward pressure which causes the pickguard to bow over time and the plate to get floppy. This method also had the felt sliding across the painted body cavity, not near as smooth as felt sliding on plastic. My design puts the felt in the body route just slightly above the wood. This allows the plastic slider plate to ride on the felt just above body cavity. The felt installed at the edge of the pickup route better supports the plate making it more secure and requiring less upwards pressure. Lastly having the plastic plate sliding on felt makes for a much smoother travel.
You can omit the felt template for vintage.
You can see and play both my BL-Grabber and BL-G3 at the @woodwirevolts trade show Jan 23, 24 2025 in Anaheim.
#OGCustomPickupsNotButique
#curtisnovak #curtisnovakpickups #classicguitarpickups #resurectingclassicguitarpickups #handwoundpickups #fenderofinstagram #fenderprecision #fendercustomshop #fenderbass #gibsongrabber #gibsonbass #gibsonbassg3 #gibsongrabberbass #gibsunday #bassplayer #epiphonegrabber #epiphonebass #bassplayermag #PBGrabberBass
#billlawrencepickups
#woodwirevolts2025

My pal @wattfrompedro_ asked if I could fit the b

My pal @wattfrompedro_ asked if I could fit the business parts of my BS-DS Bisonic in a standard humbucker . Here it is.
#ogCustomPickupsNotButique
#curtisnovak
#curtisnovakpickups
#guildbisonic #guildstarfirebass
#handwoundpickups

Alright you might have to turn your Geek-O-Meter u

Alright you might have to turn your Geek-O-Meter up to 10 to get as excited as I am for this one. My early Christmas present showed up today and I am so STOKED! I just got my pre production proofs of my reproduction of the vintage correct Gibson Grabber slider plate!!!
I will be working up this badass Squire Pbass to be a PB-Grabber to be the companion to my PB-G3 bass.
Still working out the router templates but this will also work with converting the Reissue Grabber with the lame stationary Music Man style pickup.
I should have this ready for the Wood Wire Volts Trade Show along with my PB-G3.
#OGCustomPickupsNotButique
#curtisnovak #curtisnovakpickups #classicguitarpickups #resurectingclassicguitarpickups #handwoundpickups #fenderofinstagram #fenderprecision #fendercustomshop #fenderbass #gibsongrabber #gibsonbass #gibsonbassg3 #gibsongrabberbass #gibsunday #bassplayer #epiphonegrabber #epiphonebass #bassplayermag #PBGrabberBass
#billlawrencepickups
#woodwirevolts2025

Start making your plans now for your winter escape

Start making your plans now for your winter escape to sunny Southern California for the Wood Wire Volts™ Trade Show. Come hang out with some of the MOST innovative independent guitar, bass, pickup, amplifier, and pedal builders in the industry! The event is open to the public and will be dripping of tone, killer gear, live demos, raffles, live music on 2 stages, and some surprise guests! Tickets are on sale now.
Get yours before it sells out.
Link is in Bio

Rocki approves my latest creation, the PB-G3. I pi

Rocki approves my latest creation, the PB-G3. I picked up this awesome Squire Classic Vibe '70s Precision Bass specifically to morph it into a Gibson style G3. I always felt this era of Gibson Basses were pulling a lot of inspiration from Fender's basses. The G3 is a totally RAD bass but is pretty rare, rather expensive, and Gibson is not best known for bolt on necks. I thought heck they are both the same scale, the Pbass is the industry standard for the bold on neck, there are a zillion Pbasses on the new/used market. I got this one new for under $400. I designed a new pickguard that morphed The Pbass and the G3. I set the pickups in the same location as the G3. Routed the body and Boom!
This thing sounds like my vintage Gibson G3 bass. FYI, I had @wdcustompickguards cut the 5 ply pickguard and opened up my design for anyone to use if you want to make yourself one. I am so pleased with how this turned out that I decided to work up a Grabber with the sliding pickup next. Stay tuned......
#OGCustomPickupsNotButique
#curtisnovak #curtisnovakpickups #classicguitarpickups #resurectingclassicguitarpickups #handwoundpickups #fenderofinstagram #fenderprecision #fendercustomshop #fenderbass #gibsong3 #gibsonbass #gibsonbassg3 #gibsong3grabber #gibsunday #bassplayer #epiphonegrabberG3 #epiphonebassG3 #epiphoneG3 #epiphonebass #epiphonegrabber #bassplayermag #PBG3Bass
#billlawrencepickups #mikedirnt #greenday #greendaybass #dookie #greendaydookie

I took this picture in 1982 when they came to play

I took this picture in 1982 when they came to play Santa Fe Downs. It was Fiesta in Santa Fe so I threw the sombrero up on stage. I was so stoked he put it on.
RIP Phil. 😢

RAD new bass day. Recently scored a vintage Gibso

RAD new bass day. Recently scored a vintage Gibson G3! It is in great shape, other than missing the original pickups. Luckily, I know someone who makes vintage correct replacement G3 pickups. This will sit nice next to my Grabber bass
#ogCustomPickupsNotButique
#curtisnovakpickups #curtisnovak #gibsonofinstagram #gibsonbass #gibsong3 #gibsong3bass #billlawrencepickups #mikedirnt #greenday #greendaybass #dookie #greendaydookie

It is the dog days of summer for our shop dogs Ric

It is the dog days of summer for our shop dogs Rico and Rocki. Or maybe the squirrels spiked their water bowl.
#curtisnovak #curtisnovakpickups #shopdog #dogdays #dogdaysofsummer #dogdaysofinstagram #crazycattledog #upsidedowncattledog

This is my MelodyMaker-Trax. It is a dual rail hu

This is my MelodyMaker-Trax. It is a dual rail humbucker made to fit the 60's vintage Gibson Melody Maker, ES-120, and Epiphone Olympic, and Granada.
#ogCustomPickupsNotButique
#curtisnovakpickups #curtisnovak #epiphonepickups #gibsonpickups #gibsonday #gibsonofinstagram #gibsonmelodymaker #gibsones120t #epiphoneolympic #epiphonegranada #handwoundpickups

At long last, my version of the vintage NY Spectru

At long last, my version of the vintage NY Spectrum pickup for the Epi USA reissue Coronet.
I am so sorry this took so long to release. This was not a simple turnkey install so I had to first source a guitar, thank you CME, then customize the pickup base and design a new pickguard to accommodate the different pickup and conceal the soapbar route.
As usual, I have quite a few different options in finishes, covers, colors, and coil types. I can do the vintage Sidewinder as well as my very popular DA/GT humbucker. I also spent some time trying to get the aged patina tint on the pickup surround right. In one of the images, you can see my tinted white surround with vintage pieces around it.
#ogCustomPickupsNotButique
#curtisnovak
#curtisnovakpickups
#epiphonepickups #gibsonpickups #gibsonday
#gibsonofinstagram #gibsoncustomshop #handwoundpickups #resurectingclassicguitarpickups
#epiphonecoronet

Repair of a very rare 1954 Rickenbacker Combo 800

Repair of a very rare 1954 Rickenbacker Combo 800 pickup it has 2 coils. One coil is wound to accentuate the treble, and the other accentuates the bass. Both the bobbins were broken as well. The plastic was pretty fragile.
#ogCustomPickupsNotButique
#curtisnovak #curtisnovakpickups #rickenbacker800 #rickenbackerpickup #rickenbackercombo #rickenbackercombo800

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"I didn't even want to say because I love them so much that I don't want everyone to have em..! For musical feedback its up in the wizard area!"

Marc Ford - (The Black Crowes, The Magpie Salute)

"I asked curtis to come up with a lipstick for the middle and a stealth neck humbucker for my missingmen guitarman tom watson's jazzmaster. both are beautiful buttloads of sonic giving more vocabulary to express himself - we both bow big time in curtis' direction."

on bass, Watt

"Last night, onstage with my dad (Randy Bachman, from BTO) in Saint Paul, Minnesota, I had my first opportunity to plug in Excalibur with Curtis's pickup inside. I do not say this lightly, but I was amazed and thrilled. So was the whole band... What I like most of all is that there is a certain 'airiness', a certain 'liveliness', there which is just awesome. This pickup has legitimately hit the sweet spot between 'hot rod excitement' and musicality. It's staying in the SG forever. Thanks, Curtis!"

Tal Bachman

"Using this pickup in my Fender it feels like every element of the tone is simply there -- clear, well-defined low end, robust mids and highs that have a wonderfully smooth presence -- all unhindered, immediate and full. Thanks Curtis for building my dream Precision pickup!"

Byron House (Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Robert Plant)

"Using this pickup in my Fender it feels like every element of the tone is simply there -- clear, well-defined low end, robust mids and highs that have a wonderfully smooth presence -- all unhindered, immediate and full. Thanks Curtis for building my dream Precision pickup!"

Byron House (Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Robert Plant)

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