How do I install a hexaphonic pickup in my
guitar?
There are two options
for direct installation (direct meaning wiring the pickup
straight to the jack with no added controls): Easy installation,
or manual installation. Manual installation is still pretty easy,
if you have any experience soldering.
Easy installation means that, for an extra $5, connectors are added
to the pickup and jack that you can just click together. Then you
solder the ground wire from the pickup to the jack.
Manual nstallation is just like installing a regular pickup, except
instead of one positive and one ground wire, you have six positive
wires and one ground wire. The six positive wires each go to a pin
on the 7 pin output jack (included free with purchase of a breakout
box) and the ground wire connects to the ground terminal of that
jack. One pin is left over:
For 13 pin output jacks, the pinout is as follows: high e: pin
1; B: pin 2; G: pin 3; D: pin 4; A: pin 5; low E: pin 6. Pin 7 can
be used for the remaining stock mono pickup(s). 13 pin DIN panel
mount jacks, as in the picture above, are available for $10 each.
Other options are possible, such as adding a switch that combines
the signals to mono, or to different stereo configurations, or adding
volume and/or tone controls.
What color wire goes to what string?
They go in this order: white black red green yellow blue. Which direction depends on how you orient the pickup. It should be fairly easy to tell
which side is which by looking at the wires where they enter the pickup.
What are the specs of your pickups?
Standard coils have a
DC resistance of around 7.5K ohms. Plus coils have a DC resistance
of around 3K ohms, but are more powerful than standard.
See image below for the amount of cross-talk (bleed) between strings:
Why are the humbucker versions so much more
expensive than the single-coils?
The humbucker hexaphonic
pickups require twice the materials and twice the work and time to
make, compared to the single-coil hex pickups.
Do you do custom work?
I am not accepting custom
orders at this time.
I want to install individual pan pots for each
output. How do I do that?
Email me for schematics.
How long does it take between when I order
and when you ship?
Generally about a week.
Pickups, breakout boxes, etc., are made-to-order, but sometimes I
make or start things ahead of time and they can be ready sooner. Sometimes
a lot of orders come in around the same time and it can take longer.
Do you ship overseas?
I will ship anywhere
in the world. To date, Ubertar hexaphonic pickups have been sold
to:
Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Czech Republic,
Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong
Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia,
Lithuania, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden,
USA
Do your pickups work with Roland or other guitar
synths/MIDI instruments?
Yes.
For best results, install the pickup in bridge position, and adjust
the pickup height so the pickup is as close to the strings as possible.
They may not be compatible with all older models.
Can your pickups work for an acoustic guitar?
Yes.
I also carry sound-hole adapters so you can mount the pickup on
the instrument with no permanent modifications to the instrument.
You'll still need to put the jack somewhere, though. If you're a
sit-down player, you may want to remove the strap peg on the butt
of the instrument, and use the remaining hole for the jack.
You'll need to use strings designed for use with electromagnetic
pickups. Examples of these are GHS White Bronze, and John Pearse
960L.
Adjust the height of the pickup so it is as close to the strings
as possible.
.
What does "plus" mean?
How is it different from standard?
Plus pickups are made with
HC-series coils. They are more powerful and have better tone (to my
ears) than standard. They are the best choice for guitar or bass (or
anything else that can stick to a magnet and vibrates).
How does the hex+stereo box work?
It works the
same as the standard box, except it also has six switches and two
additional outs. This video demo explains in more detail: