Anybody here recently receive their SGD Lutherie pickups order?

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by The old guy

3. You are on forums and sites all over the internet. They are social and they are addicting. Reduce your participation by 25% and only up your participation after you have achieved the service level targets you set for yourself. Let it be one of your rewards, along with increased profits and reduced stress levels.

I end up on here when I'm answering messages from people (my in box is currently 99% full) and answering emails. My computer is in the same room I wind pickups in. So I'm often going back and forth across the room. Looks like I'm spending a lot of time here reading stuff, but I'm not. Often people ask me to read a question in a thread and see if I have an answer for a problem.

Time to get back to winding.

As far as reducing orders... I don't get as many orders as you are probably thinking. I need to increase orders. I'm sure I talked about this already.

I think my prices are fair. I raised them once not too long ago.

[Febs]

Originally Posted by SGD Lutherie

my in box is currently 99% full)

You can download your PMs to a text, XML, or CSV file and then delete them from your inbox so that you don't have to worry about missing messages from people.

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by Febs

You can download your PMs to a text, XML, or CSV file and then delete them from your inbox so that you don't have to worry about missing messages from people.

That's exactly what I do every couple of days.

[edwinhurwitz]

Originally Posted by PilbaraBass

Just so everyone knows... Making handmade pickups takes time and often relying on suppliers can put huge shock waves in the production process ..

I know of one person who had to wait a VERY long time for a Nordie MM5.2 because Nordstrand was having much difficulty with a supplier of their covers...we're talking more than several months wait

This is true. I have a set of Bartolini triple coil GB (Guild Bass) pickups that took 18 months to get from the original order. The last 14 of which consisted of me calling and them telling me they were on the shipping bench waiting to go out. They are great pickups, but the customer service was appalling.

I've also had Alembic service take a long time, but some of that was on me because I asked them to put an omega cut into a 70s Series I bass and no one wanted to do the cut until a former employee returned to work for them and went for it (well, went for it is a bit of a misnomer, given the amount of time that went into planning exactly how it went and the care given along the way). Then it required a complete refinish, which isn't quick with the amount of attention to detail they give. Got to say he did a stellar job and it was worth the wait. I miss that bass....

I'm thinking about getting some of David's pickups for my new to me Modulus TBX, but am not sure which model might be best. I'm looking for something that is in between an EMG 45DC set and 45P/J set tonally. Waiting doesn't scare me because I'll be playing the bass for a long time and it sounds great already.

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by edwinhurwitz

I'm looking for something that is in between an EMG 45DC set and 45P/J set tonally. Waiting doesn't scare me because I'll be playing the bass for a long time and it sounds great already.

I'd say go with the ND3 neo pickups. I used to use a 40P5/40J set in my basses. I also used DCs when they first came out. I'm not crazy about those. But you will find the ND3s have the active EMG clarity with Bart warmth.

[edwinhurwitz]

Originally Posted by SGD Lutherie

I'd say go with the ND3 neo pickups. I used to use a 40P5/40J set in my basses. I also used DCs when they first came out. I'm not crazy about those. But you will find the ND3s have the active EMG clarity with Bart warmth.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking, but then option anxiety about wide vs. narrow kicks in. I'm also a fan of Lane Poor pickups, so the Sidewinder is attractive (I had a set of LPs in a Q6 in the 90s, which sounded wonderful but were noisy and sent them back to Lane. Talk about a long wait. He told me he'd send a new set out to me. After two years he went out of business and I thought that was the end of it. Then out of the blue, I get an email from Henry, who found that I was owed a pair of pickups and he said he'd make good on it. That was a couple of years ago, still no pickups. So, that's what, 15 year wait time?).

I agree about the DCs. They're OK but a little cloudy in the low mids and highs are a little abrasive. I like the P/J setup a little better. Neither is really perfect. I've also got some Duncans around here that were in my Q6 for a while but they didn't do a whole lot for me.

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by edwinhurwitz

Yeah, that's what I was thinking, but then option anxiety about wide vs. narrow kicks in. I'm also a fan of Lane Poor pickups, so the Sidewinder is attractive (I had a set of LPs in a Q6 in the 90s, which sounded wonderful but were noisy and sent them back to Lane. Talk about a long wait. He told me he'd send a new set out to me. After two years he went out of business and I thought that was the end of it. Then out of the blue, I get an email from Henry, who found that I was owed a pair of pickups and he said he'd make good on it. That was a couple of years ago, still no pickups. So, that's what, 15 year wait time?).

From what I have heard, that noisy pickup problem is likely what ran him out of business. Apparently it was mistakes make by one of his workers.

I like the wide neos more than the narrows, but I do use the neo Jazz pickups in my Ibanez.

I plan on having the narrow Sidewinders back soon too.

[BassGyver]

Originally Posted by The old guy

2. Immediately restate your lead time to “3 to 6 months, depending upon degree of customization.” Afraid you’ll lose business? You will, but not much. A bigger concern should be those who decide to take a pass because of the bad press. So listen to your customers and supporters here and have a little more faith in your own product. It is not a commodity and some one cannot go somewhere else to get it. Set their expectations honestly and then live up to them.

THAT is the right idea! If the stated lead time is 6 month and people get their order after 4 months wait, it will be 2 months in advance... ==> happy customer garanteed

[Calexia13]

Yes, I think that would be a good idea. Although realistically he should say there is a 12 month wait, then when people got their pickups after 9 months (here's to hoping!!), they they would actually feel good about the delivery time. It's all about perception. I was on a 5 year wait list to get a delay a Tonezcar Echozcar and didn't feel like I was being jerked around because I knew going in that it was going to take that long, actually I felt good that my number came in at 4 years 3 months. By contrast in late June of 2012 I was quoted a lead time of 3 weeks by David, that has for what ever varied and many reasons, turned into an 8 month and counting wait. What can I do but wait and hope. Anyway my point is be honest about lead time and avoid a bunch of disgruntled customers.

Cheers!

[selassie1]

Originally Posted by SGD Lutherie

To everyone else, I just dropped off five orders to the post office today... I'm still chugging along.

What's the word on this shipment? Let's hear some good news from those on the receiving end...

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by selassie1

What's the word on this shipment? Let's hear some good news from those on the receiving end...

Not all my customers are on TalkBass, but some of them from that batch are.

[Musiclogic]

I can say I have talked to a lot of people, and I own a couple sets of HB's myself, and 1 thing I can say for sure is that I very much like the sound of these pickups, and you rarely hear anyone that is not happy with their sound.

[Calexia13]

Hey Guys,

Just wanted to let you know that I finally received my pickup. I have not had a chance to wire it up as I just got it. Wanted to thank David for finally getting the pickup out to me. Cheers!

[HypersoulRocks]

From order to receipt, how long did it take?

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by HypersoulRocks

From order to receipt, how long did it take?

His order was placed on Jun 29th. That's admittedly a long time. As a reminder I moved the shop on May 1st, and was probably not up and running until June, so I was still getting caught up on orders from before the move.

[Calexia13]

Yes I will corroborate what David said. I ordered late in June 2012. One more month and it could have been a baby, I wonder if David somehow feels like he gave a sort of birth...

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by Calexia13

Yes I will corroborate what David said. I ordered late in June 2012. One more month and it could have been a baby, I wonder if David somehow feels like he gave a sort of birth...

Last year certainly had its growing pains.

[zeusij]

Originally Posted by Calexia13

Hey Guys,

Just wanted to let you know that I finally received my pickup. I have not had a chance to wire it up as I just got it. Wanted to thank David for finally getting the pickup out to me. Cheers!

Awesome! Post some clips once you get it in

Still waiting on mine.

[Calexia13]

I will guys,

Dave, one question. Is the pickup narrow or wide apperature? All it says on the back is "neck". Thanks! This is the mini humbucker.

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by Calexia13

I will guys,

Dave, one question. Is the pickup narrow or wide apperature? All it says on the back is "neck". Thanks! This is the mini humbucker.

It's a wide aperture pickup. Not quite as wide as the larger ones, but it's not a narrow. Narrows are single coil size on the inside.