Vintage Telecaster pickups

User comments from happy customers:

These unsolicited emails were sent in by enthusiastic customers motivated by just one thing.....their appreciation of my efforts. Thanks guys! I love getting this stuff. My devoted staff also get a real kick out of your comments as well.

Telecaster pickups: (scroll down for Strat pickup section)

AAAAAAGGGHHHH!!!!! I am a writer. I know this to be true. I hold a degree in English from a prestigious university. I earn a professional wage for my ability to describe the indescribable, to craft perfect blends of substance, style, and spin.

WHY, FOR GOD'S SAKE, WHY, CAN'T I EXPRESS HOW INSANELY GREAT
THESE PICKUPS SOUND? For God's sake everyone should buy these
Kinman Tele pickups. All words fail to describe how beautiful they sound in my Nashville American Deluxe Power Telecaster. I am in love again.

-Matt Picone

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Hey Chris,

your Tele pickups are THE BEST. Period. You are a genius.

THANKS, THANKS, THANKS!!!!!!!!!!

I just spent the best part of a day putting nearly all of my guitars and amps through their paces, at club volumes and more. These practices are devoted to getting OD and clean tones nailed in tight and true.

Eight guitars and five amps, a lot of comparisons. A lot of tweaking to get the best out of each pickup set out of each different amp. What I call basic discipline to really know tone.

The real surprise and joy out of this exercise:

The Kinman 60's Tele pickups are just flat out AWESOME. Read my profile. Look at what I am using, both amps and guitars.

The Kinman 60's are just flat out AWESOME. I found them THE best overall pickups - Strat and Tele - for incredible response, tonal complexity, note definition, and character.

I really love my Harmonic Designs '54 Special Tele pickups, as well as my AVn Blues and Classic Strat set. But the Kinman Teles just go up another level. I took each amp to its sweet spot, and certainly all my guitars have great tone. But every time I plugged in the Kinman Tele, it was just that much more toneful.

Just telling it like I hear it.

Peace and great tone.

Geoff Brandenberg USA

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Hello Chris and every one else at Kinman. I have just
installed a set of 48 Broadcaster pickups in my Tele
Plus. Now it is more like a Tele cubed. This is my
second set of Kinmans and since putting your pups in
my Strat, my Tele has just been hanging on the wall
gathering dust, now I cannot put it down. After more
than a year I am still amazed at the sound of your
Strat pups and now I have a whole new palate of tones
to play with. I must also compliment the quality of
the entire operation. Quick replies to emails, quick
shipping, first rate packaging and first rate
workmanship. Almost forgot, top notch web site.
I reccommend these pups to anybody who truely wants
to hear what a Strat or Tele is supposed to sound
like. I am so glad I did not have to wait until I died
to find Tone Heaven. Thanks again

Joe Pompeo USA

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Chris...I had to write to tell you that I installed both sets of pickups in
my two tele deluxes this week. Man, they sound awesome.

The first set (60's) went into a blonde tele with the following string gauges
(072, 056, 020, 018, 022, 018) tuned ADGCEA ( the 3rd and 4th are higher
pitched than the others)...the low A is below normal E. So, the tonal range
is from baritone to soprano...like a grand piano. Great for Travis' pickin'
Well, it sounds unbelievable.

The second one is a black tele with maple fingerboard....with the 48's in it.
I just love the tone...the punch, the character....real Broadcaster like.

I just picked up a custom built Carr Amplifier with 4 x 10 open back 2 x 10
closed back speakers all self contained in a combo. 70 watts pentode about
35 watts triode....It sounds absolutely amazing with these Kinman pickups
going through it. I'm getting punch, bottom end, headroom, and liquid
tone...it's as though the guitar/pickups/amp are playing by themselves
without my help. It's fantastic. That's a lot of amp to haul around...but,
after hearing it...I have never heard a stage amp sound so good....and I've
tried it with other guitars, too....but, there is something special about the
way the amp sounds driven by the Kinmans.

I'm truly impressed with the pickups and they were really worth the wait.
Mucho Kudos!

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Chris,

The pickups are great! Thanks so much for your help.
Your AVn-60b and AVn-62 definitely have made my
Tele Deluxe come alive.

Justin

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G'day (I dig saying that) Chris. You shipped my pickups on the 5th and I received them yesterday (the 11th). Pretty amazing for our two Postal Services! I installed them and I must say they are the best I've heard. To my ear an idealized Telecaster tone. Without hum, no less. Very full toned from bottom to top and none of that ice-pick in the ear treble. I've had 4 different Tele's , Fender American Standard, Fernandes (it was very cheap), Tom Anderson and stock Fender '52 reissue and a set of Seymour Duncan noiseless. Yours are by far the best. My previous fave was the '52 reissue stock set. I have spent a little time with some Joe Barden's and, like the Tom Anderson, I felt they had too much sparkle on top. Too bright a guitar and you can't turn the treble on the amp enough. Bravo Chris, these are great. As a matter of fact, when I put together the dough, I'm going to have someone make me a 24-3/4" scale Tele and use a set of your pickups in it. These pickups really are all a guy needs.

Bill Irvine
Kansas - USA

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Chris,
The pickups are great! Thanks so much for your help. Your AVn-60b and AVn-62 definitely have made my Tele Deluxe come alive. Hope you have a great holiday season...
Justin

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Chris... I purchased your Avn Blues set for my Clapton Strat a few years ago and loved them so much I couldn't wait until your Tele pickups were finally released. As soon as I saw that the Broadcaster set was available on your order page, I didn't even hesitate about it. I just pulled out my credit card and submitted my order on the spot. This was the best decision I could have made. I purchased a 50's Tele with an ash body & had my local tech set it up for me. He recommended the 4 way switch for it and I couldn't be more pleased. The sound is all there. No noise, just pure fantastic sound (just like my Strat)!! And the fourth position on the switch is truly amazing! I didn't know if it would really work with your pickups, but even my guitar tech was impressed with it. He was comparing it to the other guitars the store sold, and couldn't believe the different sounds the guitar was capable of. He was playing jazz, rock, blues...etc. I can't wait until your Woodstocks come ! out. I will be there waiting. Thanks for all your hard work Chris. The sound is really worth it. God Bless. Wayne Steele

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Chris, Received and installed the pickups (AVn-60's Custom set) the day they arrived. I have not been able to put the guitar down since. The clear and ringing tone is amazing. The dynamics of playing soft and hard have opened up a new realm of playing for me. I took my guitar and amp to my local guitar shop and the assistants all abandoned their customers to come and check out the tone. Your work is truly magnificent mate. God bless you, Amauri Amat.

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Chris I recieved the set of Tele pickups (AVn-for Broadcasters) yesterday and put them in. They really sound great! A definite improvement from the brand "X" Ceramic stacked humbuckers I was using. They really do sound like good single coil pickups without the noise. Fat, full, and still clear. They don't sound thin and "stringy" or "boingy" like the others. One question/comment: the bridge pickup is a bit microphonic. I know it's not the baseplate and I used surgical tubing instead of springs. It gets a bit "squealy" when I click on my TS-808. Any suggestions? Let me know. Thanks! Billy Penn

(Ed: Kinman Tele pickups are totally immune to microphonics. Billys problem turned out to be the bridge plate, see the FAQ page for solutions)

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Finally, a noiseless Tele pu that WORKS: "I just installed a set of Kinman AVn-60's Customs Tele pickups. No compression and all the sparkle. I've tried SD Stacks and BL 280's but these by far take the prize. No offense to SD or BL but Chris Kinman has nailed it". Appeared recently on the TDPRI.

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Chris, on 22/12/99 you suggested your classic set of Tele pickups and I waited patiently until they were available over here in the UK. Since having them fitted a month ago and the Fender Tele 90s guitar properly set up,(finishing was awful) I am absolutely astounded with the sound.All you had described was there.Sparkle,twang and pure player response in a variety of sounds. Well worth the wait.Now I am waiting to get hold of your Broadcaster set for another guitar of mine that is in need of a new lease of life.When are they coming over? Thanks, Regards, Richie.

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Chris, got your Tele pickups last week and even though I had no doubts, you really nailed it again. Great, great work. Congratulations! Hope they sell like crazy, because you deserve it after all the hard work. You are the man!! Thanks, Max.

From Paul Brannon, Nashville Session player.

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a few days later this from Paul again.

"The fact that I can't find anything annoying about your Broadcsaters, only great tone, makes it easy to relax and play music"

"Until the Kinmans arrived his (Lawrence) was the best quiet Tele pickup in my collection IMO"

Chris, warning, I got wordy here. I'm still comparing the Broadcasters with some other stuff--I'm kind of a tweak head when it comes to tones and, as a pro session player in Nashville I can find an application for lots of different guitars, pickups and amps. The biggest deal with your pickups is they all sound authentic, --I'm 45, playing since 12-- Of hearing and playing "Leo Fender's pride and joy, electric toy" (quote from a Leon Russell song), the Broadcasters, specifically, have clarity and enough punch to be usable clean or distorted, Fender Champ or Marshall Plexi reissue. I've had a Fender "90's Tele Deluxe" loaded with various pickups to compare with the Tom Anderson Hollow T with various pickups. We're obviously talking different body wood, neck, frets, but I can get an idea of what the pickups are doing. I'll name names for you here, I hate to put anybody down, but Di Marzio's latest attempt at Tele, the Virtual T, just isn't in the same league as your stuff. OK clean to semi crunchy, but muddy with distortion, kind of like Joe Bardens with better string balance. Bill Lawrence's L-280 Tele lead pickup has good clarity and balance but the high mids seem a bit overkill. Until the Kinmans arrived his was the best quiet Tele pickup in my collection IMO. The Fender Noiseless bridge was lacking in snap or punch--whatever you want to call it. I've only played the Broadcasters maybe 3 hours since yesterday, but so far no hints of any shortcomings. I like the neck PU just fine without the filter option. Installation was a breeze. I really appreciate your attention to detail. It shows in everything from tone to packaging. The fact that I can't find anything annoying about your Broadcasters, only great tone, makes it easy to relax and play music, makes it easier to sum it up in a few words. OK, marketing department, top this: "Kinman Tele pickups, buy 'em".

Paul Brannon

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"I've always enjoyed playing that guitar. Now, I can enjoy *listening* to it"

Chris, You're a genius, and persistent. Just got the Broadcaster set today and installed them in my Tom Anderson Hollow T. I've always enjoyed playing that guitar. Now, I can enjoy *listening* to it. I'm even getting away with reverse polarity of your bridge pickup on one switch position with no hum or other wierdness. Thanks again for another great sounding, quiet set of pickups. Paul Brannon

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"These Tele pickups (AVn-'60's Custom) are total tonal magic !!!"

Without question you are a perfectionist to the smallest details and tone shaping of your pickups !! And you deserve a much needed break. These Tele pickups (AVn-'60's Custom) are so much more then you stated... total tonal magic !!! The day I installed them I couldn't put the guitar down until the wee hours of the morning. I'll finish by saying I couldn't be happier with them. Thanks so much again !!!!!!!!!! Walt

Stratocaster pickups:

Dear Chris,

I picked up a good deal on an old 60's strat over the weekend, ( don't tell
the wife, she thinks its a copy! ) and for the first time in 3 years or so,
i actually had a Strat in the house that DIDN'T have Kinman pick-ups in it
( as you know all my strats are fitted out with you AVN 62's ) So i sat
playing this old Strat for a while, and it sounded great, i then grabbed my
favourite "old faithful" strat, plugged it in, and couldn't believe the
difference, what came immediately to mind was what you told me all those
years back about your pick-ups being very "responsive" almost touch
sensitive, i found myself playing with old faithful ( no, not that! my
guitar! ) for at least another hour! Its strange having not done an A/B
comparison for some years to other pick-ups, and just how i'd almost
forgotten quite how superior your pick-ups truly are, Hanks right, they
should have a monument of you somewhere, right next to Leo's if you ask me!
I think Leo Fender would thank you if he were around today, as your pick-ups
are exactly what he would have wanted for his guitars if he had had the
knowledge, time , and money to pursue such sonic perfection as this. Pure
genius Chris. My only only dilemma now, is to either load my recently
purchased strat with Kinmans, or to sell it! either way i can't live with
those old original pick-ups!

Finest Regards,
Ty -ENGLAND

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Dear Chris,
Good morning.
Hope all`s well.
Firstly, let me express my very warmest appreciation for your pick-ups. For me they are the most
musically and harmonically rich pick-ups I have heard until now, (and really noiseless)!!!!!!!!!
In comparison to all the other brands I have stocked to date, I have never been so impressed with
a sound so much. I have installed them in various new and old Fender guitars the sound has
improved dramatically. With the result that everyone is extremely pleased.
I must admit that I never thought that a single pick-up could make such a big difference to
a guitar`s sound. I would suggest that you try to keep your patent secrets well hidden from any
would be copy-cat pick-up assembler! You deserve to be No. 1. This is not
flattery, just credit where credit`s due.

Well done. Best regards.

Panos. (Recently appointed Dealer in Greece)

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Hi Chris,

First, I would like to thank your family for their patience ! And you for making these awesome pickups.
I bought an Avn blues set and fit it on my blade RH4 classic (wonderful guitar) as follow : avn62 (neck), avn scn (middle) and let my dimarzio tone zone (bridge). This guitar have an active preamp (can bypass it) and it works very well with your pickups (even in active mode). I can achive a wide range of sound. With your pickups, this is the perfect guitar for me. If you plain to make an humbucker, I will order it.
Thank you for all.
King regards
André

P.S 1 : sorry for my english, I'm a french guy ;)

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Chris,
Just a quick note to tell you how much I love my new guitar. Actually it's my old MIJ Stratocaster with new Kinman Hank Marvin pickups in it! I'm sure you've heard it all before but thanks for making such great sounding pickups. This guitar never sounded good through my '48 Fender Pro Amp even after numerous pickup changes until now. I really am impressed by the tones. It's got that extra Hank / Duane twang thing happening but warm and jazzy.
Thanks again,
Donald Young

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Chris, no need for a reply....just thought I'd let you now that I tried lots of pickups in my favourite Start - a swamp ash body/ bid rosewood board boatneck guitar. I always found the neck pickup was so round sounding it disappeared and the bridge p/u was thin and harsh. Your AVn 62/ AVn 59 custom set solved both problems. Got me set at Songbird Music in Canada.
Cheers! Hugh Hardy

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WELL,.... I received your pickups today. I couldn't wait to get them into my
guitar and try them out. I think I broke the record for the quickest exchange of
pickups ever. (15 minutes) i had my guitar put back together and tuned up in
less then 30 minutes. plugged it into my amp and.... nothing!

i mean dead silence. first I checked to see where my 5-way switch was located.
it was on the bridge pickup. should've been humming like a banchee, but.....
nothing!

then i thought, maybe I wired it wrong???
then I decided to pluck a string and....

WOW!!!! about blew me off my feet. Everything worked perfect. Sounded great and
very clean. No hummmmm

I almost couldn't believe that I had the volume up. Very well rounded sound
between lows and highs. I tried it in my peavey classic 30, my fender blues
junior, and even through my digital recorder direct with the onboard effects (
roland vs880). this was about 4pm.

so i decided to take it up to the music store and listen to it through some of
their amps. marshalls, vox, deluxe reverb amps. I could play any style i set the
amp for and the pickups did their part. I chicken picked and they twanged. I
played some blues riffs with alittle overdrive and they responded great. They
even sounded great through the marshall playing heavy distortion. (though not my
favorite) they sounded hot and completely noiseless.

the pickguard that came with this guitar had a foil sheild covering the entire
inside of the pickguard. I'm sure that helped alittle since you mention that you
should use some sheilding foil on the inside of the pickguard.

Very happy to say that I turned on about 15 people in the music store that never
heard of your pickups. They were very impressed at the sound and lack of hum. I
hope they all buy a set. they now know what kinman pickups are.

After having 2 sets of Bardens deluxe pups, one for strat, and one for tele,
they have their own sound and they are priced at $120 a pickup. Your set really
woke me up as far as the original vintage sound that was missing with those
bardens. I'm sure there is a place in my music style that will always like the
sound of bardens, but they aren't close to the original sound of a set of strat
pups.

i'm getting off here and play these alittle more.
thanks alot,
Jay Smith , Florida

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I recently installed a set of Avn Blues in one of my strats (two weeks ago) and have now practiced and gigged with the guitar. I use a Rivera R 100-212 combo. THESE PICKUPS ARE THE ABSOLUTE HOLY GRAIL OF GUITAR PICKUPS!!!!!!!....I have Duncans, Laces, Dimarzios, Fender noisless and NONE can compare!!!As soon as I can ($) I'll be replacing ALL of my strat pickups with your products!!!YOU ARE THE MAN CHRIS!!!!!!!!!!!!
William de Gruchy

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Chris, I’ve just had a religious experience. I fitted a set of AVn-Blues to a Strat that previously had Lace Sensors, and the magic just exploded. I can’t believe that pickups can sound so musical and balanced. And I’m just the install tech, the customer hasn’t collected his guitar yet so that’ll be interesting. Experiencing these AVn’s has spoiled me forever, I simply have to have a set of Kinman’s of my own now.

Mark Roper, Guitar Tuning Service (Melbourne, Australia).

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Dear Mr. Kinman,

I just wanted to inform you that I received
the set of AVn-Traditional Stratocaster pickups you suggested to me and I love them!

Thank you so much for suggesting them to me. They are just what I needed and
was looking for. I will go so far as to say that they are by far, the best
sounding replacement pickups I have ever had the delight of hearing.

In fact, I like them so much, I plan on putting some more of your pickups in
another Strat of mine.

The recommendation of your AVn-Traditional set of pickups was perfect for
what I was looking for.

Again, thanks for making such a quality (and most underrated!) product. Your
pickups have inspired me to play the guitar again with the same enthusiasm
and joy I had when I first started playing. I can't thank you enough.

Sincerely,
David Henry

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Chris you are the man mate. I received my pickups today Jan 1 (a Holiday) 2 hrs later they were in the guitar. I have been playing for over 35yrs and I have
never had tone this good, and that is saying something since I own a BB King Gibson Lucille. I also have an 84 Strat Elite and was thinking of getting a
new pickguard and pots. This guitar is a prototype Clapton model early lace sensors, battery. Has noisy pots and is to noisy to play out. worse then the
deltas. I may purchase some more pickups in the future. I did not do any of the other mod's because I like to do 1 project at a time this way you are
not trying figure which one may have went wrong if there was a problem. Thank you for the quick sevice during the holidays. Happy new Year to you. PS I will probablly have the cops here tonight because I can't put this Strat down. Thank you once again Harry Chapman aka Captain Harry

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Chris,
Received & installed your pickups (mon the 17th) FAST SHIPPING!!
These Replaced my Fender "Vintage Voiceless" pickups.
These are every bit as quiet as my fenders were.
But, WOW! What a MAJOR improvement in TONE! Especially the bridge
pickup-AVn-62. So much warmer and bigger sounding!
Right now all I have played them throught is a TECH21 TRADEMARK 60. With
the bridge pickup I can easily "nail" your demo "jimi" sound.
Cant wait to try them in some other good "tube" amps!
Thank You Very Much
Bruce Holton

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Morning Chris!

Thanks for such a speedy reply! I fitted the pickups last night after checking them, and indeed as you said they all work perfectly! They sound and look fantastic! It's very obvious you guys really care about what you are doing, the packaging material you mentioned was included, so I dont know whether this may help you in future, but they looked very secure in their excellently packaged box. By the way, what a simple but fantastically clever idea to included covers that you can age yourself to whatever shade! It was almost as much fun putting them in a cup of coffee as playing through them!-well sort of! Thanks again guys, I wouldn't hesistate to recommend your pickups or your service and will definately fit them again to my other guitars! Great stuff, hope you make millions!
My strat has been elevated to a 'super-strat', and all without a floyd-rose unit or hint of humbucker anywhere!
Thanx, Rob

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Hi Chris and the gang at Kinman (I assume there is a gang!) --

I would like to take a moment to let you know how happy I am with your
products and your service.

I bought an AVn-56 pickup shortly before Christmas, despite that I had never
heard a Kinman. I basically went on the good reviews that I had read and
heard from people who were familiar with your products. I received my new
toy remarkably quickly, given that it came here to California all the way
from Australia, and I thought it was cool that it was packed it
environmentally friendly packing materials (and a sense of humor about
eating them!). Also, I received prompt notice regarding the status of my
order throughout the process. Thanks!

Now for the sound. Well, it is exactly what I was looking for. I was
hoping to find a pickup that sounded like a real single coil, but without
the annoying noise, and that is exactly what I found in the Kinmans. I
haven't had much experience with real vintage fender pickups, so I can't
really compare with those, but I'll tell you that these sure sound better
and more realistically like single coils than stacked humbuckers! Anyhow, I
am pleased with my pickup, and I very well may be buying another for the
middle position, too.

Thanks,
Scott Barkowski

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G'day Chris,
The special installation went smoothly and the pickups sound Great!. I've
been playing them through a Boss GT-6 floor effects unit using headphones
(not getting much sleep). It sure is nice to finally hear a clean, clear,
open (un-compressed), authentic Strat sound using your pickups. I'll be
testing it on an MusicMan amp soon.

You've done a great job. Thanks for doing all the hard work figuring out how
to make such good sounding and well-designed pickups. I feel inspired to
play more!

Now that my Strat is sounding so good, I'm thinking about implementing the
modified wiring for neck pickup mix control and master tone control to see
how that sounds.

Again, thanks in advance.
Mark

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Hello Chris!

I had a lot of time to play with my AVn-T Set during the Xmas holidays, and after I changed some settings of my setup, I am quiet satisfied with the sound. Thank you for giving me the chance to exchance my AVn-T set, but I felt in love with it (it took some time, but this time I think it's true love ;-), and so I am not able to send them away, probably I will buy a AVN-Blues set in addition.

Sincerly Sebastian

Hello Chris!

I had a lot of time to play with my AVn-T Set during the Xmas holidays, and after I changed some settings of my setup, I am quiet satisfied with the sound. Thank you for giving me the chance to exchance my AVn-Traditional set, but I felt in love with it (it took some time, but this time I think it's true love ;-), and so I am not able to send them away, probably I will buy a AVn-Blues set in addition.

Sincerly Sebastian

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Hi Chris,

the pickups arrived a week after I ordered them from you-fast!

I put them in both my Melancons (did the neck pickup swap as discussed before) and I have now logged in a few hours' practice and 3 gigs with these sets. What can I say Chris, your p'ups are just awesome. My high E string sounds much louder more even with the others- the narrower pole spacing makes a world of difference. I was worried that somehow the tone would be a little different, but no- it's the same, only more even across the strings.

Thanks for a superior product- I have been following the pickup thread at the FDP and have also tried a set of Bill Lawrence 280s. My findings are very similar to yours. The BLs have a nice sheen to them, an almost hi-fi squeeky clean vibe, like someone turned on the loudness on a stereo. But they don't have the midrange character of your pickups (or an old set of Fender p'ups). Stick to your guns!

All the best, Steph

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Chris
I'm new to the Fender FDP forum, but I figured that was the place to find out about your pickups. I went back to the thread I started, and read a post from someone in there that told me he dropped his p/u's to about 1/8 " from the pickguard. I thought that was a bit strange, but i was ready to pull them out any way. I've been going a mm up or down, based on the instructions on your istallation page, trying to get some kind of balance with no result. I finally said the hell with it, and dropped them right to the pickguard, then brought them up slowly. At about 3/16" from the p/g the sound suddenly kicked in. I was amazed. I did a couple of tests on my hard disk recorder with head phones on and no effects, to be sure. The sound I was looking for was there. I still have a tiny bit of tweaking to do, but I'm about 90-95% there. I'll keep a phillips screwdriver with me for the next few days, but I realize now there's no contest between the AVN's and my alnico II's. If you go to the Kinman thread at the Pup Tent in the forum the details are there. Let me just say that I'm amazed at what starting from the p/g can produce. Like you said it could have been the ultra light body playing a part. Where I've got them now, the sound is just beautiful. That's the only way I can describe it. Fat, with lots of sustain and chime, and quiet. Maybe your instructions should add that in some cases it's best to start at the pickguard and work your way up. I was up till about 3:30 am playing quietly, so as not to wake the wife, and I tried them again this morning just to make sure my ears weren't playing tricks on me, and sure enough they sounded just as good. I'm still going over to my friend's to compare notes, but I am definitely sold on these pickups, and will be purchasing another set for one of my other strats. I'm phonong a store here in town this morning to put a hold on a second set till after Christmas. I'd like to thank you for responding so quickly as well, without my even trying to contact you. That's really backing up your product. I'm sure I'll have the odd question now and then, so I hope you don't mind me asking. Thanks again Chris, and I hope you and your family have a great Christmas and New Year.
Mike

ED: As a result of Mikes message I revised my fitting instructions to ensure players will be aware of the benefits of exploring all possibilities of the adjustment range.

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Hello Chris,
Mark here from Song Bird Music in Toronto. First off let me say how impressed we all are by the pickups!!!! They are the best selling pickups at the moment, and we'll probably have to re-order very soon. In fact, I'm down to my last set of AVN Blues, and they're pretty much sold. I am getting another order together now. Thanks again.... I can't tell you how much we love the pickups.
Cheers
MARK Song Bird Music Toronto

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Hi Chris!
After living with your pickups awhile, all I can say is WOW! What a major improvement in tone with zero noise! It took me a little while to find the spot that I liked the best , i.e. the distance from the strings, but I liked them the best set a little lower than suggested. I found them to still have ample output and have a clearer tone. I love these pickups! I also tried out your mod for the master tone/neck pickup blend control and it's wild---now I can get some great new tones from my strat! I especially like the middle/bridge position with a little neck pickup thrown in the mix. I've tried Dimarzio's virtual vintage noiseless pickups (not to mention toneless), and I've also tried Lace holy grails, which were better than the Dimarzio's, but neither of them come close to your pickups! Anyway, thanks for making such a great product and keep winding those coils! Happy holidays to you and yours!
Sincerely,
Louis

Thank you Chris. I want you to know that this is my first Credit Card internet purchase. I usually use a Money Order cause I'm a bit fearful that some hacker might get my number somehow. But I figured...what the hell. If Chris Kinman says it's secure then, it's gotta be. And I've come to that conclusion after playing through and hearing how good these pickups really are. Happy Thanksgiving, Ara

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Hey Chris, My name is David Kolker and I'm a guitar player, singer/songwriter from New York City. Eric Miller at Hands on Guitars in Olympia, Washington, USA was doing a refret on my Stratocaster and suggested that I try your pickups. This particular guitar is a Fender Stratocaster made of parts from the late 50's (57 body/58 neck). At the time I had original pickups in the guitar and they sounded as good as anything I had heard...until I heard it with the Kinman AVn Traditionals. The only reason I was willing to consider changing pickups was to deal with the issue of buzz that I was experiencing in many of the clubs that I'm playing in around NYC. Not only is the guitar dead quiet, but it sounds better than it did before with the original 40+ year old pickups. The guitar is more versatile than ever, where I find the neck/middle and middle/bridge positions useful now, where before I felt that they lacked a certain quality that you're pickups provide. I was worried that a replacement set of pickups would sound too aggressive and not quite "real." These pickups achieve all the subtlety that my old pickups got at and provide a shimmer and sparkle that I didn't have before. I also have a set of AVn Blues pickups in another of my Strats, but I haven't been able to put down my main guitar with the AVn Traditionals long enough to make a decent evaluation. I'm sure that's just another gift in a gigbag. Also, I recommended a set of AVn Traditionals to a friend and he just received a set from Eric Miller. I'll be spreading the word. Thanks for the great pickups! Regards, David Kolker (NYC).

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Hello Chris! First of all I would like to thank you for making the transaction so smooth and quick. I was positively surprised to see the box of pickups in my mailbox only a few days after I placed my order. I bought a set of AVn-Warm Classic pickups from you and I must say that they are the most amazing pickups I have ever heard, even with a critical ear. Installation was a breeze even though I am a novice at soldering and electronics. After fine-tuning the pickup height I was ready to go. The first thing I did was to turn off the noise gate of my effects and turned on the metal distortion. I also switched my amp to the distortion channel. Then I placed my Strat centimeters away from my computer screen. It was totally quiet until I move the cable nearer. Apparently the noise was picked up by the cable, not the guitar. The sound was bright, but not brittle. If the traditional single-coil is a hard and sharp icepick, this is a cold glass of latte. Sweet, smooth and cool, but yet not freezing. I took it to the studio the next day for practice, and I was only one to two meters away from the half stack. It was quiet and sounded even better at high volumes. In clean setting, it is the best single-coil pickup you can hope for with shimmering high end and tight bottom. When distorted it is edgy but yet slightly creamy - perfect for the instrumental rock I play. Then a few days later I brought it to a major ballroom gig. It was noiseless, with the bite to cut through the mix. Controlled feedbacking was easy, and amazing-sounding. Harmonic response was good and so were the dynamics. I had installed the high-pass circuit provided with the pickups and it was very useful when I rolled off the volume for rhythm work. My Strat sounded great when I played Satriani's "Love Thing", and even better when we broke into a fast blues funk jam. We were by far the best band on that night, and Kinman pickups were part of this success! My search for the ultimate single-coil Strat pickups is over. Thanks Chris and the team at Kinman! James Leung

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Chris, I thought since you had to put up with my whining over order delays, I should take a moment to praise your product. The order arrived 4 wks ago @2:00p.m. we close @4:30 and I was jamming/recording @6:00. I couldn't resist, I went home, got my Strat and installed them in 1 hour. I chose the Blues set and they live up to everthing I read. I replaced the original Lace Sensors and the difference is astounding; as if cotton balls had been removed from my ears. Even my drummer could here the difference. I'm using my guitar to demo them to select customers and they're jazzed too. Thank you,Thank you,Thank you. Happy Straty Reed (Indoor Storm- new Kinman Dealer)

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Chris, on 22/12/99 you suggested your classic set of Tele pickups and I waited patiently until they were available over here in the UK. Since having them fitted a month ago and the Fender Tele 90s guitar properly set up, I am absolutely astounded with the sound. All you described was there. Sparkle, twang and pure player response in a variety of sounds. Well worth the wait. Now I am waiting to get hold of your Broadcaster set for another guitar of mine that is in need of a new lease of life. When are they coming over? Thanks, Regards, Richie.

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Hello Chris, greetings from South Carolina. I recieved your pickups (AVn-62's and SCn) and without a doubt this is one venture I am glad I decided to take! You are clearly a man of your word, your pickups are unbelieveable!!!!! I do not know how you did it, but your hard work has definately paid off and I am so glad you have shared your vision of beautiful tone with me. I feel like I have a one of a kind tone in my Stratocaster now thanks to you. I pretty much installed your pickups in the usual fashion, except that I put a push/pull switch on the volume pot to add the neck/bridge and all three pickup combinations. After I adjusted the height of your pickups I was so overwhelmed by their beautiful sound! I had shielded my guitar a few years ago and it was already fairly quiet, but your pickups bring a whole new meaning to that word. I play through a Marshall JTM 30 tube combo and a Music Man 65 head with a four/12 Fender cabinet. I run them through a splitter AB/both box so I can run them together or separately if needed. I was astounded when, after playing for a while and already noticing no unwanted noise, I cranked both amps up all the way and heard absolutely no noise, hum, or anything! NOTHING! It was so beautiful! Your pickups allow for everything good to pass through them and absolutely nothing bad! Totally amazing! And their tone is just remarkable. I really feel that I now have the best sounding and most versatile Stratocaster in the world, and it is all mine, ha ha!!! I mean, crisp, bell like crystal clear clean tone, fantastic Texas blues tone, and if needed, any hard core metal and anything in between! I mainly record my own music and am currently putting together a group to play covers, mainly to have fun and make a few bucks, and although I am truly in love with AVn sound, I guess I will promote you as much as I can when people ask me what I am playing through, even though I would love to keep your pickups all to myself. I am the only person I know that has Kinman pickups; why, I will never know, for you have an absolutely awesome weapon "down under". You truly have nailed it, Chris, and I feel honored to have your pickups, I truly love them!!! I look forward to shaking your hand one day if the opportunity arises, for you have done for single coil tone what Seth Lover did for "that other sound"! Sincerely, G'Day. George Lint

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Hi Chris, Well, after 5 days of anticipation, I finally received my AVn Blues set (I was anxious to try the most recommended pickups on harmony-central). I can't think of enough good things to say about these pickups. The guitar that I placed them in is a custom Paul Chandler strat. It's got a chambered alder body, and a maple/ebony neck with graphite rods for stability. Since it was a custom job, I've had a wide variety of pickups in it trying to nail down the sound of the thing. Pickup changes have always left me either underwhelmed, or noncommittal. This has just changed. It is like someone took all the great stratocaster sounds that I ever loved on record and gave them to me in a little plastic box! I always wondered why all the single coils I tried never hit the mark. It's because back then, I needed a "good" '54 stratocaster to nail it. It's all changed now, however. These things give me all the fantastic sounds, with amazing articulation and stunning variety. Dare I say it?, they also offer zero noise and amazing resistance to microphonics. They're fat, but twangy; articulate, but not shrieking. More sustain that I have ever gotten out of an electric guitar. All the positions are not only convincing, but delightfully useable. I'm thinking "oh, this is how SRV got that sound, or this is the setting that EJ uses for this." The whole time, just smiling and listening. These HX series pickups are the best upgrade I've ever seen. I can't wait to show them to my buddy that manages the local guitar store so that I can watch his jaw drop. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Brandon, Tucson, AZ - USA

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Chris: This is to let you know that you have another satisfied customer. The pickups were easy to install. I bought my Stratocaster new in 1975, and I've always been disappointed with the noise and therefore played it 95% of the time on the inbetween position (middle/bridge). Wow! What a difference your pickups make. It's almost eerie how quiet they are; however, even more than that, I love the rich tones throughout the 5 positions. Thanks again. Martin Egan

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Well, Chris, here is my written testament. It's been three months, and I still smile every time I play. Post it. Hopefully, it will woo weary customers past the outrageous claim of a true noiseless single coil. Dear Potential Kinman Consumer, I have purchased at least eight-hundred dollars worth of noiseless pickups from manufacturers such as Fender, AGI-Lace, DiMarzio, and Seymour Duncan. However, none of the pickups by such manufacturers live up to the claim of a true single coil sound without the noise. Having frivolously wasted money on such rampant corporate lies and propaganda, I was disenfranchised with the noiseless arena altogether, especially when I saw Chris Kinman's claims. I immediately thought, "look, another snake-oil salesman who says he's found the noiseless Holy Grail." (Sorry AGI, but your HG's are anything but sacred.) When I saw the price, I was even more reluctant, but I figured if I'd already dumped eight hundred dollars in the trash, why not $260 more, especially to an underdog down under. (And yes, tone conscious players will sacrifice all common sense for the chance of finding the true noiseless single coil.) What I am about to say is not a paid advertisement by Kinman, but a personal testament written under my own volition: Kinman's pickups are the best noiseless pickups because they sound exactly like great vintage single coils. Every claim Kinman makes is truth. There is no B.S. and he is great with customer service, ensuring 100% customer satisfaction. I purchased the Traditional AVn set--and I must say it sparkles like cotton candy. The set is bright and sweet, and most importantly, it is responsive. Think of Mark Knopfler's tone on "Sultans of Swing." They are incredible. From my experience, Kinman's AVn's are the absolute and divine answer to the age-old problem of single coils. Finally, there is salvation. Kinman even ensures that there are no big business runarounds associated with his name or company. That means no time wasting with incompetent stoner techs who's sole mission in life is to say: "No, dude, like faulty manufacturer claims are not like covered under the warranty, man." Kinman believes in quality and satisfaction. Take it from a fool who has eight hundred dollars worth of installed, and now, uninstalled pickups sitting in a tool box. Take it from a fool who wishes he found Kinman eight hundred dollars earlier. Just take it from a discerning fool who knows. Sincerely, Matthew E. Holcomb (Los Angeles)

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Hi Chris- I finally got a chance to try my new set of AVn Traditionals and WOW! The hype is completely true--my 62 reissue Strat has come alive! And, ZERO hum! I knew something packed so lovingly into a quality case had to be special--yup! My DiMarzio VV pickups are going on Ebay tonight! Boy do they suck in comparision! I can't use enough exclamation points to describe how happy I am with my purchase! All the quack and bell-like tones come through (even on my Marshall), noise free! And, the best distorted Strat sounds too! Now that there is no hum at all, I can turn up the gain without wincing at the usually present buzzzzz! If Jimi were alive today, he would be wearing a Kinman t-shirt! Hope you can make enough pickups for the inevitable onslaught of orders! Anyone who owns a Strat will be wanting these babies! I would also like to thank your brain for coming up with the solution to a 46-year-old problem! You rule!! Take care, Andy

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Hi Chris, You are a Genius ! Charlie at Chandlers in Kew, Surrey has just fitted the pickups you sent me to my '62 RI Tele. The difference is phenomenal - they have turned a so-so sounding guitar into something great. I love the fat, clear sound on the neck pickup and great honk when I roll off the tone on the bridge pickup. The middle position is amazing too ! Plus no noise ! We will be in Edinburgh again next week and will have a drink in your honour at The Witchery. Now that you've conquered Strats and Teles, what's next ? - Jazz Bass ? Charlie sends his regards. -- Chris Palmer (England)

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Hi Chris I've had your AVN Blues pickups in for 3 days now and in case you're wondering why you haven't heard from me yet, it's because I cannot put my guitar down. I simply can hardly believe my ears! To start with I did an A/B switch test using an American Fender Stratocaster against my new Kinman equiped strat copy. As I work daily near a computer with guitar in hand (Guitar tutoring) I am well aware of the noise problem associated with single coils pickups. The A/B test was amazing. You already know what happened right? The Fender made a lot of noise, far too much to record with but the Kinmans were just silent. (Notice the careful use of the word "silent") I thought I might be getting a bit too carried away, so decided to take my new guitar to our local music shop (where I would find other musically discerning ears). There I played it thru a peavey classic 30. We all agreed, your pickups have the authentic classic Strat sound. My old pickups were DiMarzio's which were OK except for the noise, but the noise aside, the tone that is in your pickups left the DiMarzio's for dead. Added to that, I have to tell you that I had no idea what was ahead of me in the sutain department when I bought the Kinmans. Using just the distortion on the amp with a medium volume I found that the Kinmans sustain infinitely on any note and on any string. That's right, I literally played every chromatic note on each string, and found the sustain/feedback to be readily available and very controllable using just the volume pot of the guitar. (By the way, I wired up your treble bypass switch which I think I'm going to grow to love) Previously with my old setup this sustain phenominon would occur just on certain notes/strings, but with the Kinmans installed, I now have equal sustain across the board, any note in any position .................. without the noise! I think it's going to take me a while to fully realize what your pickups will do, so I'm really looking forward to experimenting more with both clean and distorted settings. Words cannot express my hearfelt thanks that you have come up with such a no compromise solution to the problems normally associated with single coil pickups. Once again thanking you for your brilliant invention. Kind Regards Colin Blakely. (New Zealand)

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Hiya Chris, I've had your pickups in my strat for 7 hours now,and I must have put the guitar down for about an hour! I'm finding all the shadings and nuances I need, simply put: you're a GENIUS! Love the pickups! Stewart hooked me up earlier today, I couldn't wait any longer. Looks like I'll be up all night playing, my wife will surely send you a thank you-note! Back to my new sound, Best Reagrds, J-C Doo Kingue (Germany)

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Hi Chris. It is hard to know where to start. These pickups are just so unbelievably good that I am almost speechless. I was beginnig to think that the famous fender sound was unattainable without a true vintage strat. Thankfully, You have proved me wrong. My american standard is now the best sounding guitar I have ever heard. Every single thing you said the pick ups would do, they have done. Tight but fat bottom end, shimmering mids and highs, but without the brain piercing highs you get from the delta tones. The sound is so rich and full, I find it hard to believe it is the same guitar. My distortions are now thick and creamy instead of thin and harsh, yet I seem to spend more time playing clean than before because it just sounds so good. All 5 positions on the guitar have that unmistakeable strat tone and all 5 positions are now totally useable. I will be telling all fellow strat platers what I know about your pick ups. Your adjustable screw system makes all the difference. my guitar is now totally customised to suit me. Thanks to you, my endless search for tone is over. This brings me to the obvious question......Why don't Fender put your pickups into their guitars? I also need to mention your fantastic customer service. Your willingness to answer my questions by email and phone and the fact that I ordered them on Friday morning and had them on Monday arvo. Incredible!! As a side issue, the pickups are presented superbly and packaged very professionally. You obviously take great pride in your work. Keep up the great work. I will be sure to contact you next time i need some pick ups. Thanks, Steve Wood. Melbourne, Australia.

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Dear Chris, Once again I am amazed of your prompt and courteous reply. I troubleshot the problem I was having and found that it was merely a loose solder joint. The mix control works well now along with the TBX pot which is acting as the master tone control. Your treble bleed schematic was also a lot better sounding than the others I've tried. Amazing tones and versatility... thanks a million for the suggestions. The sounds I am getting from this schematic is starting to get a buzz in Manhattan now since everyone, from audience members, crewmen , soundmen and technicians , managers and even usually tone deaf record label suits, to well known professional musicians who have heard your pickups are hounding me for information on where to buy them.

To cut to the chase, the guitar sounds heavenly now and trumps all my other expensive guitars including PRS's, Gibsons and pricier strats. There is a richness in the midrange, a more prominent yet rounder attack, enchanced fundamental tone and "acousticness" and a little bit more complexity to the high end. The Strat spank is still there and the traditional tones are still strong as ever. Further, with the tone rolled off, the Archtop sounds are astounding my jazz friends who happen to own some museum quality New York Archtops. To tell you the truth, only the Kinmans tell the truth. They breathe, smile, cluck, chuckle, grin , smirk, cry, laugh, scream, wail, lament and due to your pickup innovations, rest quietly like good little pups should. These pickups are a blessing to those that respect and love classic strat tones (and dirt cheap if you consider the price of real vintage fender pups) but also show their reverance to the players before them by not only keeping the faith but additionally contributing to the massive tonal vocabulary that already exists with some fresh new flavors for everyone to borrow when needed. Your excellent sounding and brilliantly constructed pickups are a welcome new addition to the Stratocaster lexicon. Will try your Tele pups next. Aloha from this island to yours. Zul A. New York City.

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Chris, Darn they're good! I've had the Avn Blues set in my Sadowsky strat since May '01 and wanted to let you know how extremely happy I am with them. Now when I record in high gain settings with my Soldano near computer CRT monitors....well, now I can! And they sound incredible. These pickups with Sadowsky's electronics and wood have made my strat the #1 axe for me and it gets 98% of my playing time. Great job! Jim

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Chris, Just thought I would drop you a line to let you know that I received my pickups on Wednesday, August 8th. They arrived beautifully packaged and in mint condition. I installed them on Thursday night. I shielded the guitar and did the mod that you recommended to get all seven positions. It took me about three hours. Then I played the guitar - and played, and played, and played. The guitar is a new Strat and it sounds so warm (vintage) and full of life that I couldn't put it down. Every position sounds great. All of the good reviews on Harmony Central are true and much, much more. I've been playing the guitar since 1964 and currently play in an eight piece band. We play mid 60's through 70's music. The name of our band is The In Transit Band and we have been together for 10 years now. Yesterday we played a Noon Time Concert in down town Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in conjunction with a local radio station for all of the workers. This was the first time I used the new pickups. Our keyboard player stands beside me and he made a comment within the first few songs about how great my guitar sounded. I didn't even tell him I got new pickups. It feels so good to be able to cut through the mix (with horns in the band) and finally get the sound I've been dreaming of. It has been a pleasure dealing with you and real cool corresponding with a person half way around the world. Thanks again, Dave Stroyne

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Hey Chris, I received the pickups and slapped 'em in my strat. WOW!! Finally my tone search is over. Quiet with no loss in tone. Can't wait to use them this weekend. Our soundman probably won't appreciate it as I am ready to crank it! Now unfortunately I am tempted to hear your tele pickups and may be ordering a set soon. Which set do you recommend if I am looking for the Roy Buchanan/ Pete Anderson (Dwight Yoakum) tone. Thanks, Glen

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Dear Chris, Today is July 31, 2001. Yesterday I bought and installed a set of Traditional Aged Vintage pickups in my '60's reissue strat. I plugged it into my 15 watt Trace Elliotte Velocette class A amp fitted with a Vox Alnico Blue 12" speaker- no reverb. This is my main 'reference' amp. It always "tells the truth". Holy Moly!!! What amazing sounding pickups! I have five strats - some with 'regular' single coils for when I don't mind a little hum - or for clean, low-gain applications. These AVn's sound noticably better than the Fender "54's in one of my other strats! I installed your pickups in my main ax; the one I use most which I need to be quiet. After a year with 'Virtuals' I was getting tired of the flatness and lack of sparkle - especially in the 'in-between' settings. After reading the testimonials on your web site I took the plunge. Thank you for solving this age-old problem of 60 cycle hum without losing that great strat tone. I bought my first strat in 1968 and used on my first album. I toured and recorded for many years and have played stats all the while. What I want to tell folks is: Run out and grab these Kinman AVn pickups. It's not just about lack of hum - it's the round, full, present tone of these pickups. They transformed my "#1" more radically than any tone upgrade I have ever tried in a strat. When I started playing yesterday I couldn't put my guitar down for hours! You can bet I'll be recommending them to everybody who will listen. Brilliant work Chris - I'll be buying more of your pickup sets for different applications. Many thanks. Phil Dubuque - Massachusetts.

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Chris, you've really done it!!! I can stop grinning! Wow!!! Seriously these are the best single coil pickups I have ever heard. And they are Dead quiet!!!! I have mine about 3-4 mm away and I have no shortage of brightness and sparkle. They beat the Fender Delta-tones they replaced in every way, and they are much more articulate than the Tex Mex pickups in my Jimmy Vaughan Strat. I was planning on leaving those in for a more true single coil tone when needed, but there is no point now, yours has that covered in every way. I will be buying more of your pickups in the future, that is a gurantee. I can't wait for the Tele sets. All hail Chris Kinman and his fine AVn pickups!!!! Matt Pofahl in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.

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Before I met you Chris. I was told by a few people that you were a bit arrogant etc. I gotta say, I was a bit worried about the prospect of meeting you. But after shaking your hand. i soon realised that here was a man that was passionate about his work & his product and a real gentleman. it was a pleasure to meet the man behind the pickups that i use. As far as those "other people". well let's not go there. I've had an argument with one of 'em. A bit of jelously me thinks. No need for a reply Chris, I know you are busy. thank you for giving me your time and showing me around your workshop. Keep up the great work. Jon Aleman

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Hello Chris! Unfortunatly my english is not good enough to come even close to what I would like to say about your AVn62...they're just mindblowing!!!!! Despite the fact that 90% of your tone is in your fingers and in the way you attack the guitar it was a really surprising experience to find out that a lot of what was actually there didn't find his way through my old pickups... Thanks a lot for this amazing pair of magnets!!!!!! kindest regards, Jochen Interthal

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I ordered my pickups on the afternoon of April 20th. I received them on the morning of April 23rd. I am located on the east coast of USA! That's too fast. I haven't had time to take my guitar apart yet. Tom Baldwin Richmond, VA

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Take 'im down for the death roll, mate! (...as Croc Dundee says) Not only do you have a brand new website (with minor help form a picky dude in Virginia), but you got fans to go with it. Every review or comment I have found over the past weeks is clear that you are the man when it comes to Strat pickups. Just hurry up on those Telecaster pickups! I have an '83 Robin hybrid Strat/Tele that needs a Blue Lace Sensor in the neck replaced with a real pickup! Doug Henninger

Have just purchased and fitted a set of standard Hank Marvin's. Whilst I am not a huge Hank fan I thought they would sound great played clean. I was not disappointed. They sound terrific. I currently use a Paul Rivera Quiana 1x12 valve amp, itself a real gem, but the combination of strat and your pickups with the Rivera is noiseless pure sound. I did not change the bridge on the strat following our previous exchange of mail. The sound is good enough for me! I have yet to try a set of 10 to 46's as I normally use 9.5's. The output and tone are just fine. I am delighted to have seen your advert and even more pleased that I spent the £sterling.

john davidson UK

Hi Chris, although I bought the AVn Traditional Strat about 6 months ago, I am only now playing them. The delay was due to my failed attempts at luthiermanship. No matter. The pickups are FABULOUS!!! They're in a Warmoth hollow-body swamp ash body with a Warmoth maple neck. Can't put the thing down. Thank you for them AND for all that useful setup info on your website! - Patrick, California.

Hi Chris, I purchased a set AVn-Blues pick up off you a couple of months ago, retro fitted into my Levinson Blade. After the installation I was impressed with the quietness, and versatile range of tones available that I found pleasing to my ears. I was a bit of a front pickup/back pickup only person. The other thing that caught my attention was the harmonics which surrounded each note/chord, that can be accentuated or released just with picking technique. But the thing that totally blew me away the first time I played live at stage volumes was the shear dynamics of the pickups. Using hi gain settings I was able to clean up the sound heaps just by playing lightly, then wham rip into it and it just about bites your head off. I was a real humbucker man, reluctantly play a strat for the superior clean sound. This has change my whole philosophy of playing, and the use of the dynamics of the guitar, without even touching my amp settings. Thankyou, I'm so glad I didn't buckle and choose EMG's Your product certainly exceeded all expectations. The only thing I don't understand is why guitar manufacturers haven't gobbled you up, with Kinman pickups being fitted as standard to any reputable Strat. Keep up the good work. Pete Rowlands.

Chris, Gosh the sound is incredible. I know you've heard all this before. But to me is so musical, so alive, and full. I took out a good set of Lindy Fralins to put yours in. I did that hesitantly. But boy what a surprise! Is possible to have pickup covers in the aged white with the Kinman logo, I would love that. Thanks for your help and you dedication to TONE! ----- Rod Scroggins, Florida.

Dear Chris, after using your pickups for more than 4 months now I have become accustomed with the immense sound palette they offer. I have been using EMG pickups through 100W and 50W Marshalls for years putting up with the brick wall feel of the strings against the neck that these pickups gave me. Then I changed to your pickups. Man alive they are guaranteed to make a dead blues legend get up and boogie!!! I've got even less noise than the EMG's but now have the most amazing hi-fidelity Strat sound there is. From raging, screaming, superfeedback full tilt overload Hendrix at Woodstock sound to sweet tradition clean tones that are brittle, supple and transparent all at your fingertips by just turning the volume up or down. These pickups let your brain and fingers connect without putting any obstacles in the way. You can feel the strings like the guitar is part of you again-rainbow tone, effortless attack and the widest dynamic range of any pickup I have ever played. When I die I want a Strat with Kinman pickups sent over to the other side so I can jam with Jimi. (I think he'll want a set too). Thank you Chris -an amazing achievement!!!!!!! ray floyd -alias ray lloyd-jones.

WOW! I just played my first gig with my Kinmans just after getting them installed. It was as if suddenly, right there was the tone I have ALWAYS wanted. I have had Lace Sensors, Fender Vintage Noiseless, Texas Specials, etc, and have never had THE tone I wanted. In my current Strat I started to wonder if it was just the guitar itself. I thought that just perhaps the body and neck, etc, just weren't capable of giving me the tight punchy bottom end I wanted. I'm glad I didn't ditch my guitar, because with the Kinman AVn-Traditionals in it, it's the sweetest instrument I've ever owned. For the first time in my 17 years of playing guitar, I no longer feel the need to "seek out" the next step in honing my tone, that's it, I'm done. i'm not real sure what to do with myself now! I play all styles of music, and I never once found myself having everything I wanted in tones. With the Kinmans every pickup position is absolutely usable and incredible, and I have it wired for all 7 possible pickup combinations. Incredible. Every member of the band noticed my improved sound, and I mean EVERY member. The real story of these pickups is the tone; the fact that they're noiseless is just icing on the cake and second to the tone. I am totally blown away. I can not say enough about how happy I am with these pickups. Absolutely unbelievable. Heath Allyn USA

Chris, I am sure my story is a familiar one (to guitarists, anyway !) - A lot of money wasted on more guitars than most people can name - all in the search of "tone". Then I venture to your website - What do I have to lose ? I get a set of FV-HMS fitted and discover the meaning of life. My '54 JV Strat is now a "treasure chest of tones" and no noise. Only problem is, I now have no reason to buy another guitar, what a bummer ! Seriously though, thanks for all your efforts and thanks also to the folks at Chandlers for the quick fit ! I forgot to mention sustain - I put the guitar away, go to bed, get up, plug in and the notes are still hanging from the night before !
Jon Isaacs, LONDON.

Hello, I just wanted to say, "Damn!" How come more people in the States can't do business like you? I ordered my pickups on 5th January and received them in less than a week (and didn't have to pay Customs Duty or anything), better service than I could probably have done ordering something domestically. I have to say Kinman is very much a class act. From the web site, through the easy online order process, and even the detail in shipping and packaging I can tell that quality and workmanship are what's going on at Kinman. I had encouraged a friend to install Kinmans in his strat (as my guinea pig), and it was quite a successful experiment. Previously he was a die-hard and dedicated ES-335 player, but he hasn't taken his Gibson out of the case since installing his AVn Blues. I really wanted to thank you for the work you are doing and wish you all the best and I hope for your continuing success. Steve Rathmann USA.

Chris, I can't get over how good my Strat sounds with the Kinmans in the neck & middle. It's a '57 Reissue with an SRV neck. Your pickups have absolutely transformed this guitar! Jeff Keller USA

Hi Chris! Sorry it took so long to get back in touch but I had to give you the update! MAN!, your p/u's are magic! The many reviews are certainly not hype. You scored a 10! HUGE tone, no noise. While the Fernandes had OK sounding stock p/u's, a quick listen now provides the evidence. The tone is of course nowhere near the heavenly sound of your AVn's, but the noise difference! What once seemed liked pretty quiet single coils are quite noisey next to the Kinmans. I really thought I'd miss my favorite #2 and neck positions but the full, rich, balanced tone of the middle p/u is, well, perfect. The bridge p/u is excellent as well, a position I rarely used in the past. Even old preamps in the closet (never sounded right) sound great with the AVns. And my main amp (Egnator TOL100) sounds awesome. Also, with a leftover neck p/u I'll need just two more now for my favorite Fender Strat (yes, I admit. I can't wait to here those other pickup positions!). Anyway, thanks for your AMAZING pickups. -Greg

Chris, I got the pu's and installed them the day I got them. I left all the original volume and tone pots as well as the no-load tone pot since it came with the guitar. The guitar sounds incredible now. I plugged it into my 68 Vibrolux and couldn't believe the clarity of each pickup and all of it without any noise of course. I find myself using all the positions rather than just the 1st, 4th and 5th positions because they all sound good. I can't wait to plug it into my 68 Plexi as well as my friend's Carmen Ghia. Thanks for making such great products and keep up the good work. Michael

Hello Chris, how are you? Just wanted to tell you that I've now had your pickups in my Strat for about a month now and I'm still amazed at the sound. These pickups have given me the sound I've been seaching for for a long time now. You not only inspired me to install the pickups my self, I did the set up myself and the guitar plays beautifully. I do have one complaint though, my Telecaster with the Lace Sensors and my ES-35 don't sound nearly as good as they used to . Once again thanks, take care Joe Pompeo.

Chris: Thanks for fitting the AVn pickups to my Pacifica. I am delighted with the results; a tremendous, full sound, balanced and with no background noise. Keith Erskine.

hi chris, just installed my new pickups. very articulate and sweet. the tone is so smooth with no shrill! i'm very satisfied with your pickups and doing business with you. i liked getting the new wires from pot to jack, nice touch... thank you, sincerely john brady

One really pleased customer from Oakland (USA, August '00).

Chris, Recently, I built a Warmoth "hollow-bodied" Strat and fitted a set of your AVn-Traditionals, I have been in guitar heaven ever since. The sound of these pickups is nothing short of phenomenal. They give every switch position an incredibly unique sound. I have a friend who also just built a Warmoth guitar and had Fralins installed. Sounds good but nothing like the AVn's. Talk about synergy, the combination of your pickups and the hollow body give me a Strat sound that is beyond anything I've ever heard. The highs are bright and full, the mids are clean and evenly balanced, the lows are thick yet distinct. The hollow 2 and 4 position are amazing. Your attention to detail is great, the pickups were a cinch to install, the directions very clear, the adjustment recommendations were spot on. What I really notice the most is, I hardly use any effects pedals with these pickups. I really like the sound of the instrument played clean. Occasionally, I'll use a Tube-Screamer set with all the controls on minimum, just to give a little overdrive. Most of the time it's just the guitar and my '68 Fender Twin. A prime example of "less is more".

I have shown my guitar to a number of my musician friends as well as some of the better guitar builders and shops in the area. All were more than impressed with the sound of your pickups. They could tell these were definitely not stacked humbuckers on first impression; they simply sounded too good. They also couldn't believe the absence of the 60 cycle hum. I was at first reluctant to tell too many people about the AVn's because I didn't want to deplete your supply of pickups, especially now that I have decided to build another Strat with your AVn Blues set, but, something this good should be shared by one and all. I've posted my evaluations of your AVn's on Harmony Central's Guitar Pickup Review Section as well. I hope people read my comments and find as I did, that there are no better single coil pickups available anywhere, anytime...period. Thanks for taking the AVn's from concept to reality, Russ in Oakland, CA., USA

From NY (USA, May '00)

1492 - Columbus discovers America

1969 - Man sets foot on the Moon

2000 - Nilsen installs Kinmans in '57 Strat reissue

2000 - Nilsen has nervous breakdown trying to figure out how to tell his wife he has to replace Di*&6%zio pickups in his OTHER Strat! Now I see what all the kudos is about - but tell me - how do I get rid of this hard-on?!!!!!!???? Ya really did it - I'm gonna spread the good tidings!!!!!

John Nilsen

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Forwarded by a customer in New York City, 25th Sept '00.

Hey Drew, Wally here. We "spoke" back in July about Kinman pickups, I was thinking about trying them in a Fender Deluxe Strat Plus. I ended up putting Joe Barden pickups in that guitar because of my concern over the bridge string spacing with the Fender Floyd-Rose tremolo on that guitar. I`m real happy with the way it turned out, but still couldn`t get the Kinmans out of my mind....HAD to try them. I recently bought one of the new American Series Strats and ordered a set of AVn Blues pickups to put in it. I`m extremely happy with them and I`m certain I won`t be looking for any other pickups for this guitar. In fact, dealing with Chris Kinman was a real pleasure, ordering was easy, they arrived in less than a week, and installing them was a piece of cake for me (I don`t have a lot of experience working inside guitars). Sound-wise they are fantastic. I took the guitar to a guy I know who is a custom guitar builder, let him play it, he told me "those are the best sounding noiseless Strat pickups I`ve EVER heard". As far as the magnet pole-piece mis-alignment concern goes, I don`t believe it is a problem, the guitar sounds great. I`m trying to turn my guitar teacher on to them, hoping he ends up ordering a set for himself. BTW, this guitar has the American Standard 2 post type bridge. Anyway, I just thought I`d let you know how things turned out. Thanks again for your help/advice. Wally

The City of Angels (USA, May '00)

Yo Chris!