Once upon a time in a land far, far away...

It is a tedious three hour plus drive from where I live to Nikininja's crenellated castle in the barren wastes of the north. However, last night I discovered that it is also a very convenient one hour fast train ride (from Kings Cross station - platform 9 3/4, if younger Forum users want to read any significance into that...). So that's what I did last night.

Upon arrival we went together to his nice local guitar shop, Fox UK Music. We were there to attend a top secret by-appointment insiders-only meeting with Trevor Wilkinson to hear him talk about his own Fret-King guitar brand - amongst other things. Here's Trev:



For those as don't know, Wilkinson is sort of unique in the guitar building world. He's an international roving consultant designer and production expert who has worked with just about everyone you can think of, and is responsible for the original roller nut used on Fender's Strat Plus and to this day by Jeff Beck on his guitars (though not on Fender's Beck Sig Strat); he makes the finest vibrato bridges on the planet (IMHO); is behind designs for numerous brands from Carvin to Vintage; half of Gotoh's product; and in recent years his own Fret-Kings line.

Though he was of course there to push his gear much of the evening was spent on his behind-the-scenes stories of the guitar trade. Some of us know that Trev worked with Leo Fender from the 1970s onward on his G&L brand but I for one was unaware that he was actually with Leo the day he died on 21 March 1991 (we were wrong about that date, Nick). He had many fascinating tales about Leo's doings; for instance that regardless what we happen to actually find in them Fender single coil pickups were only ever spec'd to contain AlNiCo V magnets "back in the day", so anything else is a non-official production variance. A LOT of myth and legend around that paricular issue.

He told us the real reason Fender necks came in A, B, C and D (and E?) sizing options in the early days. He told us the non-tonewood popular consumerism reason why Fender started using alder for bodies and confirmed what some of us know about the non-musician-related reasons for many of the physical dimensions of the guitars. Also the entirely musician-related reason for the big headstocks on Fender basses (that one was new to me).

He also had some fascinating stuff to relate about getting the inside gen on humbucker winding from Seth Lover - as a result he's definitely sold me a set of Wilkinson PAFs, just so's I can check out what he says with my own ears.

And a lot of other stuff: my brain was feverishly trying to note it all down, and no doubt some of it will come back to me as we go along.

After two and half hours of that Nick took me next door to a Nepalese restaurant for some very tasty food and beer.

I want to make this clear: Trevor Wilkinson is to my mind a National Treasure of which I am very proud. He's also a very nice guy and meeting him was an important part of the evening. But spending time with our own Nick (The Ninja) was a far bigger part of the point of the day. I am aware that some Forum users like Nick a lot from what they see of him here: I want to tell you that is just a fraction of the real fella. He is one of the all time nicest guys you can ever find, with a huge soul. I love the man. Solid gold.

He is also a very naughty boy. Very naughty - you know just what I'm talking about, Nicholas Ninja! Truly, thank you very much indeed, and the same from my wife. See you soon.



Cheers - C

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Thanks for keeping us in the know Ceri!! I'm glad you two gentlemen were able to enjoy the evening together with a very distinguished man. I would have loved to have been there. If I know you like I think I do, you soaked up a lot of knowledge last night and I look forward to you sharing some more of it with the forum!!

Honestly, I thought I was well behaved. Can't please all of the people all of the time though.
In truth, I'm still buzzing with excitement concerning my evening out. And have been busy concerning myself with local history, violin accessories and Bonamassa's back catalogue. As well as trying some of the aforementioned Fret King guitars out. I'm sold, I really am. The three humbucker Ventura 60 will be mine. But that's a tale for a different time and place.

As for the pickups leave it with me. I can get my hands on a set with relative ease. I hate to dispel a myth but I wasn't overly impressed. Alas I must battle a monster much akin to those of local folklore to get my hands on em.

As a side note the guy in the Nepalese restaurant recovered ok. I went there earlier and asked. So we're in the clear on that one.

Frank, Ceri is being far too kind. He's one of those enigmatic, infectious, energetic people that you can't help but be encouraged by. The world is a far better place because he's in it. Trust me.



Incidentally Ceri, remember those people I was quite eager to move away from. One was the owner of the CS54 with the maple top in Cherryburst you like. That too is a tale for another time.
Tom the shop owner was a little disappointed in what he mistook for other brand slating. Until I put him right and told him I was scared to try the shops Supermatic after playing the Yardbird and the P90'd Junior. They really are that good!

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Oh blast, I didn't leave the CD in the player drawer did I and have inadvertently given away an empty CD case?

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DC Fontana? Nope, there's a CD present and correct with the jewel case right here in my hand this very second, thank you very much. Mrs C was out very late last night collecting her husband from the station (regardless of requests not to) and had to be up and out very early this morning. She recently got home and fell asleep to the CD - but that's not her normal reaction to it, I promise!

Personally, I think it sounds kinda cool in French...

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Regarding humbuckers: you're talking about Wilkinson's PAFs?

Just to explain to everyone else: Wilkinson told a story of how in the '70s he managed to buy an old multi-coil pickup winding machine just like the ones Gibson used to make the original PAFs. Seth Lover heard about it and came over for a chat. He told Trev how sometimes the pickup wire would break during winding and they'd put those units aside till the end of the day then rejoin the wire and finish winding them. But by then they'd lost track of how many winds had been put on a given bobbin, so they just wound them till they looked "full".

In other words, some pickups from the 1950s might have the correct spec number of winds on them, some will be significantly over wound and some under. Which is why not all vintage PAFs sound the same. So when people claim they love the tone of original '50s humbuckers, well maybe they're hearing them how they were designed to sound and maybe they're not. And either way, the magnets will have lost strength over the decades.

But Wilkinson says he and Seth Lover got on very well and Seth told him the exact authentic spec to which Gibson pickups were meant to be built, regardless what actually came off the line. Wilkinson wrote all the details down and says that his own branded PAFs today exactly recreate that spec sheet. So regardless whether we like them or not what we are hearing is as close as you can get to what the originals were designed to be like (he says).

And that's what I'm curious to hear. I have no belief that I'm going to discover a holy grail of tone, or that I'll even necessarily like it. But at least my ears will learn what an original PAF was meant to be (according to Trev Wilkinson, at least).

It's a bonny life if you don't weaken!

And as Wilkinson also said several times last night; "It's all smoke and mirrors".

Cheers - C

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Hi Hop: Wilkinson may have been there to push his own product. But he is so admiring of Fender and especially of Leo himself (given that he was friends with him for 20 years) half the talk was of this company - and Fender have nothing to worry about what Trev is saying about them behind closed doors!

It was excellent, friendly fun.

And yes, I tried to take in as much of it as I could, so I've a horrible feeling I might be boring you with Wilkinson aphorisms for sometime to come, now.

"Trevor Wilkinson told us that..."

Cheers - C

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Getting information like that (first hand) could never bore me Ceri! I enjoy everything about the musical past. I am not bound to any given company either. I do have my favorites but admire all of them. I see that Nick is still fired up from last night! That's great y'all got to meet and greet the man! Keep your mind open I always say!!

Ah-ha.

Nick, regarding Bonamassa, the tickets I've got are for Friday 21 October, at the Hammersmith Apollo. If you're up for it, we can collect you off a train at Kings Cross and maybe get something to eat somewhere nice - Mrs C is bustin' to meet you.

And she says if timing is tight after the show for catching the last train home you are of course welcome to stay over, if you'd like. Easy peasy.

Wotchathink?

Cheers - C

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Yep, the Wilkinson PAF's are in this guitar.



And please don't worry that guitar was stored in the back yard for a very short amount of time. About the length of time it took to take that picture and provoke someones anger for blaspheming his golden calf. Remember?

I did in fact get that guitar stage worthy and gave it to a local lad with learning difficulties. He just doesn't want to know about it any more though. So I'll get it back and whip the pickups out of it. As I remember the guitar was let down by the electronics. Whether that was pots (I suspect) or pickups (sounded ok with everything on 10) I don't know. I do remember them being quite underpowered and clear sounding. Perhaps they'll do better for having decent electronics coupled with them.
Also despite that guitar being wired out of phase. Should you wish I'll flip the magnet on the neck pickup, so you can get to try first hand how good that middle position of a LP can be. Wire the pickups as normal, no need to worry about funny wiring and let the magnet do the work. I distinctly remember them being nickel/silver bases and covers. The Wilkinson logo is a lot less noticeable than on their replacement pickups.
I just need a little time on this though.

Anyways for budding pickup builders out there, Mr Wilkinson kindly let some gems of information out, regarding pickup design. Well worth going to one of these demo's just for that. And privately told me the secret of Pete Green's sound. Who he shared a stage with and was present later on for the rewiring of that guitar for Gary Moore. Wild stuff if anyone wants to build me a pickup to match.

Oh Ceri, how delightful a evening that sounds. I can't wait. Though I'm scared that after seeing my snoring keep the looters and rioters away from the door. You'd kidnap me and keep me enslaved as a home protection system. When people ask the missus if the dog bites. She generally responds with, "no the dogs fine, but if him on the sofa sees your hand come over the fence, he'll likely bite it". Worst of all, they don't laugh at her.

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Sounds like you folks had what most would call the opertunity of a life time. I'm hoping you will continue to share some of the most beneficial information with the forum members. So far it's a most informative account of your night out. except for one thing. Did someone get there head thumped? Thanks for sharing.
----Danny,

Howdy Chaps!

Trevor Wilkinson = LEDGE! All that stuff about pickups, hanging out with Leo Fender and Seth Lover is intriguing! Thanks for sharing!

I too am a big fan of Wilkinson trems...



Best whammy action on the planet as far as this user is concerned.


Hehehe!

I remember that thread. I was one of the few times Mrs Bighair came to find out why I was laughing so hard! (still funny!)

Good stuff!

Andy

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Pending Greatness

No Danny, not at all. Some poor fellow had a seizure or something in the restaurant. Paramedics arrived, but the food was so tasty and conversation so good, that I couldn't prize my attention away to find out what had happened to him.

He was OK though, I checked with the manager this morning.

Andy, the rascal in me can't help it sometimes. Glad to cause guffaws.

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Hey, just glancing through I noticed that bit again.

I didn't take many photos because it kind of wasn't that sort of occasion. But here's one including the guitar in question. We were treated to demos of the guitars by this gentleman (of who's name Nick will remind me):



If I'm understanding the nomenclature correctly that must be a Ventura 60 HB3 guitar he's squeezing. It is set up with three Jazzmaster-ish wide range humbuckers with offset bass and treble exposed poles. The Wilkinson twist on the harness is that you can select between full humbucker and single coils not with a switch but by turning the third knob down the bottom of the pickguard, so you can sweep between the two sounds.

Personally, I find myself liking guitars ever simpler with just three or four distinct sounds, but I had to admit this setup gave a whole array of fascinating and highly useable tones. Everything from Knopfleresque Straty in-between voicings to full on humbucker drive. And those wide 'buckers had amazing clarity across the strings: seriously impressive.

Nick seemed to like it...

Cheers - C

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Gav Coulson a very very capable player. Very fast and very accurate.
http://www.myspace.com/gavincoulson

I do indeed want that Ventura model. However my tastes run into the one off build range. FretKing don't make one with a maple fretboard. But will ....

Oh the torture of marketing

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You guys told of several answers he gave you, but you forgot to tell us what he said. Such as why alder?