Notes from the Workshop

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

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

If you don't already have plans to attend Winter N

If you don't already have plans to attend Winter NAMM, start making them 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.
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#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

A couple sets heading out to the amazing and tale

A couple sets heading out to the amazing and talented @bruce_guitars
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#curtisnovak #curtisnovakpickups #handwoundpickups #resurectingclassicguitarpickups #goldfoilpickups #harmonystratotone

Working on the tint for my New Yorker pickup. I m

Working on the tint for my New Yorker pickup. I made the ring the original parchment plastic so I could properly tint them to the vintage color. A lot of people thought they were originally cream and asked why I did not make them cream. I did it this way because it looks more vintage correct since the tint is not a uniform color as a solid cream would be. Be sure to check out the last Pic. You will see mine in the center of a bunch of vintage surrounds. Notice the broken piece on the right. You can see the color of the original plastic.
#ogCustomPickupsNotButique
#curtisnovak
#curtisnovakpickups
#epiphonepickups #gibsonpickups #gibsonday
#gibsonofinstagram #gibsoncustomshop #handwoundpickups #resurectingclassicguitarpickups
#epiphonecoronet

A HUGE thank you to @bargraphs and @chicagomusicex

A HUGE thank you to @bargraphs and @chicagomusicexchange for loaning this USA Epiphone Coronet to allow me to create a simple Turnkey install of my vintage correct New Yorker pickup into this guitar. Getting the pickguard patterned as we speak by @wdcustompickguards
#OGCustomPickupsNotButique
#curtisnovak #curtisnovakpickups #fenderofinstagram #epiphonepickups #gibsonpickups #gibsonday #gibsoncustomshop #handwoundpickups #resurectingclassicguitarpickups #classicguitarpickups #epiphonecoronet

Introducing my JM-Cojones. I have had this one out

Introducing my JM-Cojones. I have had this one out in limited release to get feedback before I released it to the full audience.
I was approached by someone very influential to make a Tele bridge pickup that had more “balls” and body without being overly saturated and mid heavy as most hot Fender pickups can be. They wanted something that sits somewhere between my standard V and Fat pickups and still sounds vintage. It did it all in spades and has quickly become very popular. I did not want to just call it “Balls” so I settled on the name Cojones.
The JM-Cojones sits comfortably between my very popular JM-V and JM-FAT. It has a lot more balls than the standard JM-V in the bridge but does not get shrill and thin and has more bridge attitude and less polite than my JM-FAT. From the response I have been getting I have a feeling this will quickly surpass the JM-FAT as the go to bridge pickup for Jazzmaster
#OGCustomPickupsNotButique
#curtisnovak #curtisnovakpickups
#fenderofinstadram #fendercustomshop #fenderjazzmaster #handwoundpickups

My version of the Epiphone New Yorker pickup. #ogC

My version of the Epiphone New Yorker pickup.
#ogCustomPickupsNotButique
#curtisnovakpickups
#curtisnovak
#epiphonepickups #resurectingclassicguitarpickups #epiphonecoronet

My version of the one and only Bill Lawrence desig

My version of the one and only Bill Lawrence designed , Gibson Grabber Bass pickup that was produced form the early 70s to early 80’s. As with many of the epoxied pickups of era, the epoxy cracks with age and breaks the coil rendering them a paperweight. My goal is to recreate these pickups to you do not have to route or mod your bass.
#ogCustomPickupsNotButique
#curtisnovakpickups #curtisnovak #gibsonofinstagram #gibsoncustomshop #gibsunday #gibsonbass #gibsongrabber #genesimmons #kisscoverband #godofthunder
#epiphonegrabber #genesimmonsfans #genesimmonsbass #resurectingclassicguitarpickups #handwoundpickups

My M/S Goldfoil humbucker with a patina cover, pur

My M/S Goldfoil humbucker with a patina cover, purple trip foil, and a cream ring.
#ogCustomPickupsNotButique
#curtisnovakpickups #curtisnovak #goldfoilpickups #goldfoilhumbuckers #humbucker #handwoundpickups #resurectingclassicguitarpickups

Hold on to your hats, Gibson bass fans! I just go

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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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