The Pickups We Use: Built Around Tone, Quality, and Player Preference

When building or customizing a guitar or bass, one of the most important components influencing its sound is the pickup. Pickups capture the vibration of the strings and convert that energy into the electrical signal you hear through an amplifier.

Because of this, your pickup selection can significantly influence the instrument’s tone, output, dynamics, clarity, attack, and overall character.

At Custom Guitar Atelier, we offer a range of pickup options to suit different playing styles, musical genres, and tonal preferences. Depending on the model and selected configuration, customers may choose from respected pickup manufacturers including Wilkinson, EMG, Seymour Duncan, DiMarzio, Fishman Fluence, TV Jones, and MEC.

Our Standard Pickup Choice: Wilkinson

For many of our custom guitars and basses, Wilkinson pickups are offered as our standard option.

Wilkinson provides an excellent balance of musical tone, clarity, reliability, versatility, and value. Their pickups work well for a wide range of applications, from clean and articulate sounds to blues, rock, pop, and general performance use.

For customers looking for a dependable pickup configuration without requiring a specialized premium upgrade, Wilkinson is an excellent starting point.

Premium Pickup Upgrades

Every player has different tonal requirements. Some musicians prefer higher output and tighter response, while others are looking for vintage warmth, exceptional clarity, lower noise, enhanced dynamics, or a particular pickup brand they already know and trust.

For this reason, we offer several premium pickup upgrade options.

EMG

EMG pickups are popular with players looking for powerful output, clarity, consistency, and low-noise performance.

They are especially popular for rock, metal, progressive music, and other high-gain applications, although EMG also offers pickup systems suitable for basses and more traditional styles.

For players who want a strong, precise, modern response, EMG is an excellent option.

Seymour Duncan

Seymour Duncan is one of the most established pickup manufacturers in the guitar industry and offers an extensive selection ranging from vintage-inspired pickups to modern high-output designs.

Their pickups can accommodate blues, classic rock, jazz, country, metal, and many other styles.

Seymour Duncan is an excellent option for players who want a professional pickup set closely matched to their individual tonal preferences.

DiMarzio

DiMarzio pickups are widely used by professional guitarists and are known for their broad range of tonal characteristics.

Depending on the model, DiMarzio pickups can provide everything from warm vintage-style response to powerful modern output, enhanced sustain, articulation, and clarity.

They are particularly suitable for customers seeking a more specialized pickup configuration for lead playing, rock, metal, fusion, or technically demanding styles.

Fishman Fluence

Fishman Fluence pickups offer a modern approach to guitar electronics, with many models providing multiple selectable voicings within a single pickup system.

This makes them particularly appealing to players who want versatility without changing pickups.

Fishman Fluence systems are known for their clarity, consistency, low noise, and modern response, making them a strong option for contemporary rock, metal, progressive, and high-performance applications.

TV Jones

TV Jones pickups are especially well known for their vintage-inspired clarity, sparkle, warmth, and dynamic response.

They are an excellent choice for guitars influenced by classic hollow-body and semi-hollow designs and are popular among players looking for tones associated with rockabilly, country, blues, classic rock, and clean expressive playing.

For customers seeking a distinctive vintage character, TV Jones is an excellent upgrade option.

MEC

MEC pickups and electronics, manufactured in Germany, are particularly well suited to premium bass configurations.

MEC is known for producing clear, articulate, powerful bass tone with excellent definition across the frequency range. They are frequently associated with professional bass instruments and work particularly well in custom builds requiring sophisticated bass electronics.

Depending on the model, MEC pickups may be combined with standard passive electronics or compatible active preamp systems.

Other Pickup Configurations

In addition to the brands listed above, customers may request other pickup models or configurations depending on compatibility, availability, and the technical requirements of the instrument.

Pickup configurations may include:

• Humbuckers
• Single-coil pickups
• P-style bass pickups
• J-style bass pickups
• Soapbar bass pickups
• Active pickups
• Passive pickups
• Multi-pickup configurations
• Specialized pickup layouts

Not every pickup or pickup configuration is compatible with every instrument. Our Master Guitar Luthier and Production Team reviews custom specifications before production to confirm proper routing, spacing, electronics, bridge compatibility, and overall instrument design.

Choosing the Right Pickup for Your Instrument

There is no single pickup that is best for every musician.

Your ideal pickup depends on your preferred:

• Tone
• Output level
• Playing style
• Music genre
• Guitar or bass construction
• Scale length
• String configuration
• Electronics
• Amplification and effects
• Personal playing technique

Some players prefer warm and smooth vintage tones, while others want high output, tighter bass response, brighter articulation, lower noise, or greater dynamic range.

That is why Custom Guitar Atelier provides customers with the flexibility to choose between our standard pickup configurations and premium upgrade options.

Specify Your Pickup Preference When Ordering

If you already know which pickup brand or model you would like, please select the appropriate pickup option when configuring your guitar or bass.

For any specific pickup model, unusual configuration, or special wiring requirement, please also enter the exact details in the Customization Requirements field when placing your order.

Our Master Guitar Luthier and Production Team will review the requested configuration before production and contact you if any technical adjustment or clarification is required.

Contact Us for Pickup Options

If you are unsure which pickup is best suited to your guitar or bass, our Guitar Specialists can help you review the available options.

For inquiries:

admin@customguitaratelier.com

At Custom Guitar Atelier, every instrument is built with attention to tone, materials, components, playability, and the individual preferences of the player.

Whether you choose Wilkinson, EMG, Seymour Duncan, DiMarzio, Fishman Fluence, TV Jones, MEC, or another approved pickup configuration, our goal is to help create an instrument that delivers the sound and performance you are looking for.

Premium Hardware and Components We Use

In addition to pickup selection, the quality of the bridge, tuning machines, electronics, controls, and other hardware plays an important role in the performance, reliability, tuning stability, and overall feel of a custom instrument.

At Custom Guitar Atelier, hardware and components are selected according to the model, customer specifications, compatibility, and availability. Depending on the configuration, we use components from respected international manufacturers.

Gotoh – Japan

Gotoh is one of our premium hardware upgrade options and is manufactured in Japan.

Depending on the instrument, Gotoh components may include:

• Guitar and bass tuning machines
• Bridges
• Tremolo systems
• Locking hardware
• Bass bridges
• Potentiometers and related components

Gotoh hardware is known for its precision manufacturing, durability, smooth operation, tuning stability, and professional-quality construction.

Customers looking for a premium Japanese hardware upgrade may select Gotoh where compatible with their chosen instrument.

Wilkinson – Korea

Wilkinson is one of our primary hardware and pickup brands and provides an excellent balance of quality, reliability, performance, and value.

Depending on the model, Wilkinson components may include:

• Pickups
• Bridges
• Tremolo systems
• Machine heads / tuners
• Other guitar and bass hardware

Wilkinson hardware is used on many of our standard configurations and provides dependable performance for a wide range of guitar and bass designs.

Schaller – Germany

Schaller hardware is manufactured in Germany and is available for selected custom configurations.

Schaller is known for precision-engineered components such as:

• Tuning machines
• Bridges
• Strap-lock systems
• Guitar and bass hardware

For customers seeking premium German-made hardware, Schaller may be available depending on the instrument design and compatibility.

Electronics and Control Components

The electronics inside an instrument are just as important as the visible hardware.

Depending on the model and selected configuration, we may use:

CTS potentiometers for customers looking for a premium control upgrade.

Alpha potentiometers are also used as a dependable standard option on many models.

MEC electronics from Germany may be used for selected bass configurations, particularly when a customer requests MEC pickups, controls, or compatible active electronics.

The exact potentiometers, switches, capacitors, wiring configuration, and preamp system depend on the instrument and customer-selected specifications.

Strings

Depending on the instrument and configuration, we also use D’Addario strings from the USA.

String gauge may be adjusted according to:

• Scale length
• Tuning
• Number of strings
• Bridge and nut configuration
• Customer preference

Customers may specify their preferred string gauge and tuning in the Customization Requirements field when ordering.

Premium Materials From Around the World

Our custom instruments combine specialized production with globally sourced materials and components.

Depending on the model and selected specifications, our builds may feature:

• Premium tonewoods sourced from Japan and Korea
• Gotoh hardware – Japan
• Wilkinson pickups and hardware – Korea
• Schaller hardware – Germany
• EMG pickups – USA
• Seymour Duncan pickups – USA
• DiMarzio pickups – USA
• Fishman Fluence pickups/electronics – USA
• TV Jones pickups – USA
• MEC pickups/electronics – Germany
• D’Addario strings – USA

Not every instrument includes every brand. The exact combination of pickups, electronics, hardware, tonewoods, bridge, tuners, and other components depends on the model, technical compatibility, availability, and customer-selected specifications.

Build Your Instrument Around Your Preferred Components

One of the advantages of ordering from Custom Guitar Atelier is the ability to personalize much more than the appearance of the instrument.

Customers may specify preferences for:

• Body, neck, and fretboard woods
• Pickup brand and model
• Bridge or tremolo system
• Tuners
• Potentiometers
• Active or passive electronics
• Hardware color
• String gauge
• Tuning
• Scale length
• Number of frets
• Finish and color
• Inlays
• Headstock name or logo

For any specific component, model number, or unusual configuration, please enter the details in the Customization Requirements field when placing your order.

Our Master Guitar Luthier and Production Team will review the requested combination before production to confirm compatibility and proper installation.

Contact Custom Guitar Atelier

If you are unsure which pickups or hardware would best suit your custom guitar or bass, our Guitar Specialists will be happy to assist you.

Email: admin@customguitaratelier.com

At Custom Guitar Atelier, our goal is to combine carefully selected materials, respected international components, customization, professional setup, and comprehensive quality inspection to create an instrument built around the individual player’s preferences.