MEET OUR MAKER: PICKUPS

written by Kenny Prochazka

We at Mojotone have always been proud of the fact that our guitar pickups and wiring harnesses are hand-built in the USA, carrying on an American tradition that began almost 100 years ago with Stromberg, Beauchamp and Rickenbacker. Like us, their inspiration came from the problems that faced players of their time, and they bent their experience and creativity to making guitars sound louder and better. Approaching a century of electric guitar history, with Mojotone building, repairing and improving pickups and components for about a quarter of it, we wanted to pull back the curtain a bit and let you into the mind, method and madness of our pickup designer and manufacturing supervisor: Nick Eldred.

Nick has been with us for over 15 years, bringing his expertise on winding and wiring techniques, magnet alloys, and even cosmetic alterations to the table, so that Mojotone can continue to bring you the best and most practically innovative products possible - fixing tone and performance issues with each step. So how did our pickup maven get here, and what does he have in store for the future?

"I CAN DO THAT"

Nick was always a problem solver. His first experience with guitar repair came as a young rocker when his bass needed a new output jack. He took it to a local music shop, who allowed him to watch them go through the process. After seeing them work, and paying them, he thought to himself, "Well, I can do that." From that point on, he began repairing and modifying his own instruments, and rapidly became the go-to repair guy and solution finder for friends and any other musicians that he ran across in his travels.

"I FIGURED I WOULD JUST WIND IT MYSELF"

Beginning at Mojotone in 2010, Nick had the privilege of studying under two well-respected pickup building minds from different generations: one who was older and always trying to advance what was possible, and one who was younger with more of a focus on recreating the classics. His experience working under these opposing philosophies has shaped his vision and given him unique perspectives on what can and cannot be done.

In the Mojotone way, Nick sees things differently than most, and is constantly focused on making products that help our customers solve whatever issues they come across. Early on in his career, he began toying with the idea of an adjustable-pole bass pickup, which would allow the player to dial in the balance and presence of each string to get the best possible sound out of their instrument. Surprisingly, both of his mentors advised him that it was a waste of time, and that "nobody would buy it anyway." Not to be deterred, in his words, "I figured I would just wind it myself." Those pickups went on to become best-sellers for Mojotone until supply chain woes dried up the stock of a vital component. This would have stopped some people, but it only added fuel to the fire of Nick's creativity.'

"HAVE YOUR PARENTS HEARD THIS STORY?"

One of Nick's favorite products that he has developed for Mojotone are our Bill Kelliher Signature Hellbender humbuckers. For one, because Bill's need for note definition combined with crushing power gave Nick the opportunity to really push the envelope with blended AlNiCo 2, 5 and ceramic magnets, differing coil wire gauges and a brutal sense of clarity. For two, because Mastodon has long been one of his favorite bands. With a grin, he recounts the evening that he snuck out of his parents house to meet his friends and go catch a Mastodon show halfway across the state. Years later, when working with Bill on the Hellbenders, he got to tell his story to the man himself, who actually remembered the venue and the particular show, which is one of those full-circle moments that we all hope for in life.

"ARTICULATION & QUALITY"

So what makes a great pickup? In Nick's mind, it comes down to one simple thing: Articulation. All of the magnets, bobbins and winding patterns in the world mean nothing if the end result is a muddy mess. "I like to be able to hear each note of a chord as clearly as the others," he says, and that clarity is always front and center when he designs new products and tests existing ones. After all, we guitar players spend enough money on strings - we should be able to hear them. He will be among the first to admit that most of the great 'discoveries' in guitar pickups have already been made, but that there is always room for improvement, so he thoroughly enjoys discovering what players are missing from their tone or their response, and then figuring out how to give it to them.

Which brings us to our Mojotone pickups. What makes them so special? For this, Nick has a quick answer and then a clarification. "Quality," he says, and then adds, "Not that other builders don't make good products, but I see every one of the people in this shop come in with passion and skill, and try to make the best products that we can. This comes through in our pickups and wiring harnesses, that we love what we do and want you to be able to tell that from the first note." He has developed an excellent team with a wide variety of abilities, and they pour their hearts and souls into each pickup and harness that comes out of the shop. "We don't simply build things that look cool and hope that people like them." he adds, "We start by asking 'What do guitar players need, or what problems have we run into ourselves?' and then go from there."

"WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?"

When asked, Nick says that he simply wants to "continue attacking problems that guitarists face with their pickups" - of course, this vague answer indicates more going on under the surface, as still waters run deep. Of late, he has been fine-tuning artist pickups for more and more well-known players, as well as developing several new design ideas that will continue to keep Mojotone at the forefront of the 'quest for tone' for many years to come. Nick has spent his career advancing the science of pickup making, and making players' ears happier, and the future promises much more of the same for him and for Mojotone.