Elysian Guitars makes some damn good looking axes. They’re a small company, and as such I’ve never gotten to hold one in my loving arms, so I can’t vouch for their quality, but everything appears to be in order, and I’ve only heard good things.
But this post isn’t about the guitars – it’s about their pickups. Specifically, their Tuned Aperture Pickups, and the Kickstarter they’ve got going on to make them more widely available.
So what’s an aperture, and why does it need to be tuned? I had to look it up myself – the aperture is how much of the string’s length interacts with the pickup’s magnetic field (thanks Sound on Sound!). This has a huge effect on the tone (apparently) and as such, changing it one way or the other can bring you closer to (or farther away from) your desired tone.
Elysian aims to take on aperture perfection with this pickup design, and although they are currently already making them, the process is extremely time consuming to do each by hand and as such they are seeking funding for the necessary equipment to mass produce them. They also have a stretch goal, which if reached will allow them to begin prototyping a solderless, modular design that would allow you to swap bobbins in your pickup yourself to achieve your desired tone.
So if you think this is a sweet idea, like I do, then get on over to Kickstarter and claim one of their many rewards, which include (of course) some of the TAP Pickups, shirts, luthiery classes, and even some of their rad guitars.
Boots-paul / March 12, 2015 3:11 pm
Got a set built by these guys before the kickstarter and I’m very pleased, I haven’t tried different configurations yet because I’m liking the tone I’m getting the way they where sent to me
. Definitely recommend a set.
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Sanvanjaro / March 12, 2015 7:59 pm
“Elysian” is a con artist living on government checks for the past 10 years. If he had anything special to add to the world of guitars he wouldn’t have been fired from Collings. The audio clips of these pickups speak for themselves. Could buy a whole recording studio and guitar that sounds better for less than the pickups.
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AdamBath / March 12, 2015 8:34 pm
I think your comment full of lies says more about you than it does about me. This is a conversation you aren’t prepared to back up.
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Sanvanjaro / March 12, 2015 9:02 pm
Get a job
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AdamBath / March 12, 2015 9:02 pm
Get some balls.
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Sanvanjaro / March 12, 2015 9:10 pm
http://www.mcstate.com/careers/jobs?stateid=42&type=all&locales%5B%5D=42%3AAustin&Search=
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AdamBath / March 12, 2015 9:12 pm
Probably pays better than being a full time luthier. I’ve got one for you.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/coward
Jealousy is really sad sometimes. And creepy.
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Sanvanjaro / March 12, 2015 9:22 pm
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/79/The_Simpsons-Jeff_Albertson.png
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AdamBath / March 12, 2015 10:16 pm
If you were an honorable person, and you truly believed the slander you’ve posted here, then you wouldn’t be posting from an anonymous account, you would be posting it from your own account, and staking your own reputation on it. You clearly know me from one of the many sites I post on, and you clearly have some undeserved reputation there that you don’t want to risk, so you stay anonymous. You know that the public backlash towards you would be significant because I have spent years trying to maintain a reputation of professionalism and honesty.
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Sanvanjaro / March 12, 2015 10:25 pm
None of my statements are lies or slander. Again, the audio clips speak for themselves,.
Some people just aren’t cut out for the rock n roll industry. Those who are don’t have to e-beg.
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AdamBath / March 12, 2015 10:31 pm
All you’ve got to do is post from your real account.
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Sanvanjaro / March 12, 2015 10:53 pm
This is it.
Haven’t honest, hardworking people given you enough through taxes?
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AdamBath / March 12, 2015 11:00 pm
Are you referring to my 4 years of honorable service in the US military?
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Sanvanjaro / March 12, 2015 11:16 pm
nope
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AdamBath / March 12, 2015 11:17 pm
Then I’m at a loss. Have a good night.
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Sanvanjaro / March 12, 2015 11:46 pm
leech
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AdamBath / March 12, 2015 11:36 pm
Infowar.
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AdamBath / March 13, 2015 9:48 am
Let’s put this to rest once and for all. It is clear to me that this poster is someone from a forum I post on who got banned years ago, and has had a chip on their shoulder against me ever since, even posting derogatory things about my business on another forum.
I served in the US Navy for 4 years, completing my obligation honorably, and moving on from there. After the Navy I went to the Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery using my GI Bill benefits, which is the “government check” this person is referring to. This person is literally denigrating me for using benefits I earned by fighting for my country. I have used my GI Bill, and I’m not ashamed of that, as it’s given me more skills than I’d ever have without it. The GI Bill is limited to 36 months, so it’s impossible for me to have been on it for 10 years.
This person is not a musician, they wouldn’t know the first thing about pickup tone. Not much more needs to be said about that.
I was fired from Collings, and I’ve been very open as to why. It was absolutely not about talent, as you don’t get 4 raises in a year and a half for being talentless. I posted too much information about a bad batch of finish from one of Collings’ suppliers online, and that got back to Collings. They had no choice but to fire me because of that. My performance at Collings was nothing shy of stellar, and anyone there would still tell you that.
I have operated my business in a way that puts honesty and integrity first and foremost. Any of my customers will vouch for that, and I have never conned a single person. I’ve seen far too many bad luthiers screw people over already. One of my builds in progress now is being built at cost because Hal Sinden (of Talanas) has been ripped off by so many luthiers I felt compelled to help him out. Go ahead and ask Hal if I’m a con man, that will be a good laugh.
When the truth comes out, it’s obvious that this person’s words have no power.
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BruceW / March 16, 2015 12:22 pm
Adam, seek mental help.
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mulletbrew / April 15, 2015 9:54 pm
If you really want to get at him why don’t you mention how his childhood friend Adam raped his sister a few years back?
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boner patrol / March 18, 2015 12:54 pm
Why not just adjust the pickup height unevenly and get the same sound for free?
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AdamBath / March 19, 2015 9:13 am
You’d never get the same response from that.
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boner patrol / March 19, 2015 1:31 pm
Do you have real data on the magnetic field these things produce?
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AdamBath / March 19, 2015 1:33 pm
They produce the same kind of field as a standard pickup, it’s the winds that pick up the field at different points than a standard pickup.
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boner patrol / March 21, 2015 9:24 am
I will have to take your word for it
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