How to buy Bill Lawrence pickups!

Jim C · #1 05-05-2009, 03:41 PM

So after 5 weeks I was finally able to order pups.

Do not plan on email or the 800 number as a way to buy; I tried these many times (probably 8 in total).

Do call 951-371-1494; if Becky answers you will find the J bass are in stock and they will ship in a couple of days ($128.50with shipping). She offered to send a paypal via email but I wanted no more delays and used a credit card. They should be here is 7 days and will post a report.

Will be taking out Fender Lace Sensors to try these but will also put flatwounds on another bass that has Model J's for comparison.

greenboy · #2 05-05-2009, 04:19 PM

I'm assuming that's for two pickups. I'm sure the price hasn't gone up that bad since I bought ONE several years ago ; }

Still love the pup!

EDIT: Meant to ask if you gave them he77 for not getting their ordering act back together.

Jim C · #3 05-05-2009, 04:59 PM

Yes $120 for the pair.
Didn't say a word about the previous inquiries and was curious if Becky would remember.
Bill turned 78 about 6 weeks ago and I am assuming that Becky may be close to his age so didn't feel it appropriate to call them out on how they choose to run their business.

Did have a nice chat with Becky though; didn't know that Bill had no formal training in electronics and was apparently a famous guitar player back in Germany after the war. He was amazed at how poorly US musicians were paid upon arriving here and sounds like pickup design was a way to keep his hand in the music business while supplementing his income. She said he doesn't play much these days but is constantly coming up with new ideas and building new prototypes.
Pretty cool that he designed the somarium cobalt noiseless pickups used on Fender American Deluxe Series guitars and basses as well as the Roscoe Beck bass pickups.
Also holds a patent for the original double blade humbucking pickup form 1982 as well as 9 other patents.

greenboy · #4 05-05-2009, 05:11 PM

Yeah, I've talked to both of them on the phone several times. Bill's maybe the last grand master around for pickup design, and a lot of guys started their own pickup businesses after learning with him. Some of them have achived fame for that, and even have passed away after handing it down. Anyway. Bill's done a lot of patents from the early days and onwards, and OEM work. He's got a lot of ideas left in him, and knows about so many things as a musician AND on a technical level.

The age is definitely a factor in things, he's had a few health setbacks in recent years. It just hurts to see how the channel to get pickups out there has become tougher to negotiate.

62bass · #5 05-05-2009, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim C

So after 5 weeks I was finally able to order pups.

Do not plan on email or the 800 number as a way to buy; I tried these many times (probably 8 in total).

Do call 951-371-1494; if Becky answers you will find the J bass are in stock and they will ship in a couple of days ($128.50with shipping). She offered to send a paypal via email but I wanted no more delays and used a credit card. They should be here is 7 days and will post a report.

Will be taking out Fender Lace Sensors to try these but will also put flatwounds on another bass that has Model J's for comparison.

Looking forward to hearing your report, particularly with flat wounds. Glad you got through..

62bass · #6 05-05-2009, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenboy

Yeah, I've talked to both of them on the phone several times. Bill's maybe the last grand master around for pickup design, and a lot of guys started their own pickup businesses after learning with him. Some of them have achived fame for that, and even have passed away after handing it down. Anyway. Bill's done a lot of patents from the early days and onwards, and OEM work. He's got a lot of ideas left in him, and knows about so many things as a musician AND on a technical level.

The age is definitely a factor in things, he's had a few health setbacks in recent years. It just hurts to see how the channel to get pickups out there has become tougher to negotiate.

Yes, he is getting on in years. Once he's gone, I doubt the business would survive for long.

lowendpurveyor · #7 05-06-2009, 05:44 AM

Makes it a bit difficult to get hold of the pickups for people living overseas when they don't respond to emails! Does anyone else know how to actually make an order without having to call from overseas? thanks.

etoncrow · #8 05-06-2009, 05:58 AM

I ordered my P-46 from Bill and Becky on April 16, 2009, received a PayPal invoice within 48 hours and was notified of shipment this morning.

LightGroove · #9 05-06-2009, 05:53 PM

Hey all,

The phone number is legit. I did have to call back after leaving a message later in the day (west coast)

Just got off the phone after about a 30min conversation with Becky. What a neat woman and their concept/philosophy is fabulous. She talked about being good friends with John Suhr which was pretty cool. I also mentioned talkbass to her and she thought it was wonderful and thanked us for our discussion about their pickups.

The jazz pickups are in stock and she says they will ship either the end of this or beginning of next week. Looking forward to comparing these with the others.

Jim C · #10 05-15-2009, 05:06 PM

Update:
Ordered the pups the 5th; they were to ship no later than the 9th
Called the 14th to check on status; did not get a call back.
Called today (15th( and Becky said that she had a number of pups to ship and they should go out next week.
Either all who order Lawrence pups are inepet, or the quality of the part far outways the subpar customer service.
Has his bass or guitar pups been reviewed in the last year or so?

LightGroove · #11 05-15-2009, 06:18 PM

Im awaiting pickups as well. Was told they'd ship this past Mon. and nothing showed. Just talked to Becky a few moments ago this batch is going out early next week.

I'll give my take within a few days on installation.

EddieG · #12 05-16-2009, 03:49 PM

I managed to get a reply to my enquiry about a month after my initial one, and after emailing twice more, leaving an answering machine message, and then finally emailing again. I'd presume that Bill and Becky are similar in age, and so aren't really too genned up on e-business, but I'd seriously advise them to get a dedicated member of staff to deal with it for them. If I didn't already have Bill's pickups in my RBV and know the quality of his products, I'd have given up long before that and gone to a competitor.

throbgod13 · #13 05-16-2009, 11:51 PM

just a factoid.. Becky is the one who actually winds the pickups.. so, when you order your pickups, you can specify a custom wind.. she will explain what would be best for your application.. she has a deep understanding of pickup design.. (you can also have her & bill sign your pickups on the underside)

i can't endorse B&B enough.. Bill is the originator.. all others are just pale knock offs..

and.. they have a rack wiring kit.. 50 feet of cable and 10 solderless ends for 60 bucks.. this is essentially the same as the Lawrence cable from the 80's.. from which GeorgeL's came from..

62bass · #14 05-17-2009, 03:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by throbgod13

just a factoid.. Becky is the one who actually winds the pickups.. so, when you order your pickups, you can specify a custom wind.. she will explain what would be best for your application.. she has a deep understanding of pickup design.. (you can also have her & bill sign your pickups on the underside)

i can't endorse B&B enough.. Bill is the originator.. all others are just pale knock offs..

and.. they have a rack wiring kit.. 50 feet of cable and 10 solderless ends for 60 bucks.. this is essentially the same as the Lawrence cable from the 80's.. from which GeorgeL's came from..

That's an interesting bit of information. I was wondering if one could order a slightly overwound model.

Derek Kiernan · #15 05-17-2009, 09:16 AM

I don't think you can... they have a number of inductance options for some of the guitar pickups, but Bill is pretty against the +/- 10% variations other places sometimes do.

throbgod13 · #16 05-17-2009, 04:27 PM

talk directly to Becky about getting a different wind..

62bass · #17 05-18-2009, 03:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by throbgod13

talk directly to Becky about getting a different wind..

Thanks. So there is a possibility it can be done. I'd just want to tame the high end a bit. I'm not into the modern sound. I just want a nicely balanced pickup and extended top end would just get dialed out by me anyhow. Since Becky knows a lot about pickups she could advise me on how a slightly overwound version would affect the sound.

My single coil that I dropped into a Squier SCPB copy made for me by Pete Biltoft and slightly overwound with 1/4" pole pieces has been a resounding success in that bass. It brought out the mids some and got rid of some of the too bright for me top end. Hopefully a slightly overwound Bill Lawrence would be as successful.

LightGroove · #18 05-21-2009, 06:41 PM

They arrived today

...but with a wiring schematic for a passive PJ setup ..I order JJ

Just tried to call and no answer. Can anyone drop me a PM with color codes. I'm using em with an onboard pre. I'm assuming black and white ground together but wanted to be sure.

Jim C · #19 05-21-2009, 08:18 PM

Mine Jazz pups came today but with a schematic for a PJ with blend control and no suggested specs for tone / volume pots.
Do yours have white, black, and blue wires?

I really hate bad service especialy when you have to beg to buy them.

Jim C · #20 05-21-2009, 09:00 PM

Best I can find on the web:

http://jacksonfreak.free.fr/doc/bill...nce_wiring.pdf