THE SOUL of TONE GENERAL VINTAGE TONE

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GVT - General Vintage Tone Pickups – Handcrafted Vintage Tone, Built with Passion

At GVT, we specialize in crafting single-coil pickups that are meticulously reverse-engineered from original 1950s Pre-CBS and Holy Grail models. Each pickup is handcrafted with precision, staying true to the design and tone of the '50s and '60s to deliver an authentic vintage sound directly to your amp, all backed by a full warranty.

With years of experience working closely with Pre-CBS guitars and iconic models like the 1957-60 Les Paul, SG, and hollow bodies, we create pickups that capture the essence of vintage tone with modern craftsmanship. We also offer NOS (New Old Stock) pickups for those seeking the finest in vintage-style microphones.

A Brief History of GVT Pickups

General Vintage Tone (GVT) was founded with a passion for preserving the legendary sounds of electric guitars from their golden era. Our journey began over 20 years ago with a dedication to replicating the authentic tones of vintage pickups. The inspiration came from the founder’s early days of winding pickups on an old Singer sewing machine that once belonged to their mother, a humble beginning that would eventually evolve into the meticulous processes we use today.

Through extensive research and hands-on experience with vintage PAF and Pre-CBS pickups, we’ve refined our methods to craft pickups that honor the past while incorporating modern precision. GVT has built a reputation for producing vintage-style pickups that use only the highest-quality materials, ensuring each one captures the unique tonal characteristics sought by musicians and collectors alike.

Today, GVT is known worldwide for its commitment to vintage tone, offering pickups that stay true to the sound of the '50s and '60s while meeting the demands of today's musicians. Each pickup we make is a fusion of passion, craftsmanship, and history, reflecting our journey to create the perfect vintage sound.

The Sound of the Soul – Taking You Back in Time!

Because without soul, there is no tone. Allow us to reconnect you with the true essence of vintage sound.

The Magnetic Wire – Crafted for Authenticity

As passionate collectors of magnetic wire, we not only offer a rare NOS stock, but also custom-formulated wire made to our exact specifications. Our Heavy Formvar FW1177 wire is crafted to the same standards as the original Pre-CBS wire, and we use a vintage-style plain enamel varnish, just like in the 1950s.

This ensures a genuine, timeless sound, capturing the essence of vintage pickups with modern precision.

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Hand-Wound Pickups – The Art of Scatter Winding

At General Vintage Tone, we use three manual winders to handcraft each pickup, one coil at a time. Over the past 20 years, I’ve immersed myself in studying the classic tones of the past, learning how these vintage sounds influence every aspect of the winding process.

Our pickups are built with soul, from start to finish. From the carefully chosen fiberboard to the final magnetic pole, every detail is meticulously crafted using our time-honored "old school" formula. This approach ensures that each pickup carries the true spirit of vintage tone.

The Soul of the Magnet

The magnet is one of the most influential elements in shaping the sound of our pickups. After years of careful study, we've analyzed magnetic images from the 50s, 60s, and 70s, paying close attention to their magnetic charges and developing unique, manual charging models, one by one.

We work with a blend of old bar magnets and custom-built magnets designed specifically for us. Each magnet is carefully charged within our precise gaussed range, carefully crafted to evoke the spirit of vintage tones.

While we keep the exact selection process of our magnets a closely guarded secret, we can say that the importance of specific ferro-alloys—such as cobalt, aluminum, and others—cannot be understated. These materials play a crucial role in achieving the true essence of vintage sound, with each alloy contributing its own unique characteristics to the final tone.

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GVT RESTORERS - SERVICE

COILS REPAIRS , CONTACT : INFO@GENERALVINTAGETONE.COM

This is part of our work as builders and collectors from the 50s and 60s era. We have become a reference for the authentic vintage tone by using the best materials ever made in the American industry in our NOS pickup sets. We are proud to share this with you. Here is a small part of this charming story.

 

A little history

We have been building pickups for electric guitars for over 20 years, and we are undoubtedly among the world's foremost specialists in vintage tone. At General Vintage Tone, we began winding guitar pickups with an old Singer sewing machine that belonged to my mother—the very same machine I modified with a counter and switches to change the motor's phase. I also used a vintage foot-operated sewing machine—now that's vintage!

Through years of refinement and study, based on hundreds of repairs and measurements of vintage PAF pickups and pre-CBS guitar pickups, we have developed a solid foundation of experience and knowledge that has established GVT as a reference in the industry. Today, we work with four winding machines to craft our prized guitar pickups, including two manual winding machines where we create scatter-wound pickups, and two semi-automatic vintage machines, much like those used by renowned guitar builders in the United States.

We also use specific Meteor tensioners and other old-school technologies. Our work is grounded in the knowledge gained from our long journey, and we are proud to offer all of our expertise to our customers, allowing them to experience one of the most faithful tones for their most cherished instruments. Every one of our guitar pickups is handcrafted from start to finish, and nearly all of our components are made for us or by us, specifically tailored to meet the exacting characteristics we demand in the alloys we use and the precise parts such as vulcanized fibers, nylon covers, and acetate cellulose.

For decades, we have been collecting vintage magnetic wire, which we offer periodically to clients seeking an authentic vintage pickup, but with the reliability and precision of today’s standards. We have one of the largest stocks of antique magnetic wire, much of which we feature in our limited-edition guitar pickups.

Over the years, we have also studied the metal alloys we use, as well as the varnishes applied to our magnetic wires. We have consulted with some veteran builders in the United States who still produce small batches of magnetic wire, and all of this has helped us to gain a deep understanding of what we truly want in a guitar pickup—something that goes beyond mere resistance, inductance, or capacitance.

"With GVT, reverse technology is always guaranteed."

We have several vintage semi-automatic winding machines available for work, but we also use three manual winding machines, depending on the type of construction. We choose one technology or the other, but we always use the traditional reverse technology.

Pickup Repair Service / GVT Restorers Service

We also offer a guitar pickup repair service. You can contact us for support and all the necessary information. Here's how it works:

Send us your pickups for evaluation.

We will assess the issue and provide you with a repair estimate.

Once you approve the estimate, we will proceed with the repair and return your fully restored pickup, covered by a six-month warranty on repairs.

If you decide not to proceed with the repair, the cost for diagnostics and handling will be €30, excluding shipping fees.

Contact: info@generalvintagetone.com

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