Oily Towers: the latest from Oil City pickups

OilCityPickups · June 2015

Just completing a major site overhaul ... with tons more stuff and options available at a click :-) it's been an uphill grind, but the new Jaguar and Jazzmaster pickups will be up ... as well as a revamped humbucker range, with more bobbin colour/cover options, and some long awaited 7 and 8 string variants!. My upgrade shop will be coming on line shortly too, with push-back cloth wire, braided two conductor wire and a very special range of close tolerance CTS pots. More stuff like CTS/CRL switches and Switchmaster jack sockets will be added soon. I aim for a one stop shop for your upgrades, including capacitors, and eventually complete harnesses.

I will be making spare screws, springs, cushions and odds and sods for pickup replacement available at a click too.

I want to make it your shop too ... so any ideas (sensible please) would be great. I have considered pre-wired Strat 'plates' with SSS or HSS options.

Oh yes ... pickup covers and 'plastic' will be available separately too, so matching everything in to your project will be even easier.

ThePrettyDamned · June 2015

Yes! Matching plastics and finally sourcing your push back wire. It's so much better than any other push back I've used, I've recently resorted to plastic coated hook up wire because the usual stuff is so annoying!

Great news, I'll get some when I order my tele pickups.

monquixote · June 2015

Prewired guards are exactly what I'd like!

OilCityPickups · June 2015

Nooooooooo not plastic coated .... message me ... I can do hookup wire when you like!

OilCityPickups · June 2015

Katie is keen to get stuck in to pre wiring, so

monquixote said:

Prewired guards are exactly what I'd like!

Katie is keen to get stuck in to pre wiring, so We'll see what we can do. I have also sourced a range of much cheaper than normal PIO capswhich I may offer. Now I still remain to be convinced of their tone benefits ... but they look very cool and for only a small amount over a 'Sprague' orange drop ... some folks may fancy them ... I was minded to call them SnakeOil City caps ... due to the controversy that surrounds PIO

;-)

Mick · June 2015

Ash, your Dealers link on your main menu takes the focus away from your website, you should really make that link open a new browser page, or tab.

OilCityPickups · June 2015

Mick said:

Ash, your Dealers link on your main menu takes the focus away from your website, you should really make that link open a new browser page, or tab.

Thanks geezer, but that is all in the site upgrade

:-)

It's not been uploaded, and won't be till it's been properly proof read about a dozen times. There will still be mistakes ... but I make most of the pickups, build the site and make the Oil City coffee, so I am being easy on myself!

10thumbs · June 2015

Hi Ash

Recently acquired a honkey tonk angel , for an esquire build.

what size capacitor would you recommend to stop it being too bright?

Alan

OilCityPickups · June 2015

The Angel isn't normally over bright anyway ... the scatter winding sees to that ... I use a .033 .

ThePrettyDamned · June 2015

TheGuitarWeasel;671594" said:
Nooooooooo not plastic coated .... message me ... I can do hookup wire when you like!

I know! It's easier to use than the crappy push back I usually get... And works a treat! It's just, well, uncool. And the insulation sometimes melts, which is smelly.

My strat is wired entirely with cut pieces from the three pickups, lovely stuff!

I'll ping you a message later to buy a metre or three.

BigMonka · June 2015

How about shielding foil/paint?

OilCityPickups · June 2015

BigMonka said:

How about shielding foil/paint?

Good suggestion, I'll see what quantities and formats my usual supplier has available.

:-)

DaveMon · June 2015

What about selling a pre-bundled upgrade kit, with all the required pots/switch/caps and wire needed to upgrade LP types or strat types?

(or something like a Gibson PCB upgrade kit?)

10thumbs · June 2015

TheGuitarWeasel said:

The Angel isn't normally over bright anyway ... the scatter winding sees to that ... I use a .033 .

Thanks mate , just getting all of the parts ordered now .

Evilmags · June 2015

Re wired pick guards. If they could be made in such a way that they can be easily interchangeable that would be ace. Soldering is not for everyone and if guitars and pickups came with easy plugs I'd own a lot more pickups.

OilCityPickups · June 2015

Evilmags said:

Re wired pick guards. If they could be made in such a way that they can be easily interchangeable that would be ace. Soldering is not for everyone and if guitars and pickups came with easy plugs I'd own a lot more pickups.

I am looking at that option. It's tough to find mechanically reliable connectors that are available to us in commercially attractive quantities and prices, but if anyone knows of good options and suppliers ... I will take ideas from the floor!

ThePrettyDamned · June 2015

TheGuitarWeasel;674748" said:
Evilmags said:

Re wired pick guards. If they could be made in such a way that they can be easily interchangeable that would be ace. Soldering is not for everyone and if guitars and pickups came with easy plugs I'd own a lot more pickups.

I am looking at that option. It's tough to find mechanically reliable connectors that are available to us in commercially attractive quantities and prices, but if anyone knows of good options and suppliers ... I will take ideas from the floor!

I know an eternal debate rages on how effective these connectors can be, but @ecc83 has often spoken highly of them, assuming quality. Perhaps he could chip in?

I'd be interested. My soldering *is* okay, and reliable these days, but I'd love to make it quick and easy to swap prepared pick guards (calibre 53s versus stone tones, for example).

OilCityPickups · June 2015

Good news .... our funky clear bobbin look is being offered as an option across the whole range now, along with blue, hot pink, red, red and black zebra and blue and pink! Quantities will be limited at first ... but they look way cool.

Rowby1 · June 2015

Pre wired guards definitely. Any idea how soon you'd be able to offer that as a services as I'll be in the market for a Strat upgrade fairly soon?

Elwood · June 2015

How about wiring sets for Telecasters.

They are widely modded and all the bits for 4 way switching, parallel and series wiring might be a hit.

OilCityPickups · June 2015

Rowby1 said:

Pre wired guards definitely. Any idea how soon you'd be able to offer that as a services as I'll be in the market for a Strat upgrade fairly soon?

Hopefully shouldn't be long ...

OilCityPickups · June 2015

Right ... the re vamped site is live. Still waiting for some new top line CTS pots in ... but wire for pickup fitting is available now, and lots more pickup variations and types are up. Sprague caps will be in shortly, and coming soon will be some new Paper-in-Oil-City PIO caps in .022 and .047 ... PIO at sensible prices for those who want the traditional.

Clear bobbins are available on all the medium and high output humbuckers ... as are 'socket' pole and 'hex bolt' pole screws on selected models. There are bound to be some teething problems with such a radically re jigged site ... so if you spot a snag please shout!

Jeremiah · June 2015

Well, I've spotted a couple of typos/errors.

In the main menu, "Lutiers/makers" should presumably be "Luthiers/makers"
In the G-Style humbuckers page, the main header says "Wide Range and Brass Knuckle"
Also, the Cow-T-Ron "standard" seems to be missing, unless this has been discontinued...

OilCityPickups · June 2015

Thanks geezer, I am head cook and bottle washer ... I build the site as well as the pickups ... so eagle eyes are helpful!

Oh the Cow-T-Ron Standard is undergoing a re design itself ... into a totally conventional looking bucker ... but with that er ... retired Australian rock rhythm guitarist sound.

DrBob · June 2015

Dammit, Now I want one of the redesigned Cow T-Ron Standards as well...

samzadgan · June 2015

Ash...i have a crazy idea for my jazzmaster...will message you...

Sarge · June 2015

Hey Ash, you mentioned my superD will be in a photo story, what, when and where?

OilCityPickups · June 2015

Pics are in my camera still ... had a mad time ... but on here and soon!

OilCityPickups · June 2015

We're excited about these: most push pull pots are crappy mini-pot types ... not very nice, or hard wearing. We now have in stock CTS full size push pulls! 7% tolerance and vintage 30% taper, these will match in beautifully with our 7%/30% standard CTS pots and last a lifetime. We have them in 500k long shaft and medium shaft 250k. Still pricing up the new stock ... but we have CRL 5 way switches, Sprague caps, our own Oil City paper in oil ones ... and of course super quality vintage taper CTS pots in 500k long shaft, and 250k long and short.

frankus · June 2015

LOVE IT - WOULD YOU HAVE A REVERVE LOG 500K - if so I have money to throw at you!

OilCityPickups · June 2015

frankus said:

LOVE IT - WOULD YOU HAVE A REVERVE LOG 500K - if so I have money to throw at you!

Reverse or reserve ???

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Oily Towers: the latest from Oil City pickups

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