Conrad Pickups Wanted

[Heit Conrad, MD]

Good aftermorning, everybody! This is my first post. I've been a Heit Deluxe partisan ever since buying a 4-pickup Heit in 1980, but since I found this great Conrad guitar (Model 1275) on eBay, my life is...changed... . It was being parted out! I had to intercede! I snagged the neck and the body, and placed bids on both pickups, but I was outbid on one and THE USPS LOST THE OTHER! What are the chances?? Now I've got squat. These are not your usual Teisco single coils: I've never seen anything like them, and I need two of them. (sigh) . They're sort of like chrome p-90s, with 4 mounting screws (2 north, 2 south). I saw a Conrad/Arai on this site that's a lot like mine only it has 4 of these pickups. (Lucky dog!). I have JPEGS but am not sure how to implement them. ANYWAY, I'd love to score a pair of these so I can make an honest guitar of my Conrad. (I am NOT going to rout it for DiMarzios!) As they say on "Monty Python and teh Holy Grail," any help you could give would be most...helpful!
Thanks!

[Spud1950]

Are they like this one?



This picture is out of a Conrad catalog in the VintAxe collection. Couldn't find your model in any of the Conrad catalogs.

[Heit Conrad, MD]

"You got the right one baby, uh-huh!" That is exactly it.
Do you (or anyone you know) have any ya wanna sell?

[Spud1950]

Sorry,I can't help you out ,but maybe someone else can now that there's a picture.

[Michael Ambrose]

Keep an eye on this fella's auctions...

http://instruments.shop.ebay.com/Guitar ... 11.c0.m282

He usually keeps a stock of oddball pickups listed. (I myself have nabbed a number of parts from him in the past.)

[Spud1950]

Thanks for the heads up, Michael. He's got some intersting stuff!

[Heit Conrad, MD]

Thanks. I'll check it out. (Crazed at work right now.) I just realized I also need the two things that usually suck on vintage MIJ axes: the tuners and the bridge. My current plans are for Sperzels and a tuneomatic bridge, as I intend to PLAY this thing, but if the original parts are good quality, I could see hunting for the old stuff and staying "OEM." Anybody have any experience with the tuners and bridge on these Matsumoto/Aria/Conrad axes?

[Michael Ambrose]

The tuners are almost always junk. If you're going to play the thing and have money for Sperzels, get 'em!

The bridges are hit or miss... but as long as you're springing for Sperzels, you may as well get a nice roller bridge or TOM. I'm a HUGE fan of Tone Pros bridges, personally.

[Heit Conrad, MD]

I like the idea of function over authenticity! I mean, I have the original body, neck, mother-of-tortoise pickguard and pots, and the finish is in like-new condition, PLUS I scored the correct whammy tailpiece and I am holding out for the correct pickups, AND I may even keep the rocker switches even though they feel iffy. THEREFORE, with all that OEM goodness, I won't feel guilty for insisting on modern-quality intonation!

[cheepaxes]

I feel like a one-note guy when it comes to discussions of Japanese bridges but...

I have to wonder whether the Conrad bridge is going to be the same as the Tone Pros bridge in width. I guess the Matsumoku stuff doesn't suffer from the thin neck issue quite as much as the Teico/Kent/Kay Japanese guitars (true?) but I'd check before buying a replacement bridge for a US guitar and expect it to be the correct width for a Japanese neck.

-Scott

[Heit Conrad, MD]

Cheepaxes, big thanks for your valid concern, but the Conrad's fretboard is no narrower than the one on my old Firebird, and that thing worked fine with a tuneomatic. The Conrad is in the hands of one of Boston's best luthiers: I'm lettin' him pick out the bridge so I don't eff it up: he's not gonna let me do anything stupid.
As forn the ebay seller, I bought a super-weird Italian pickup from him even though I have no use for it just because it looks so cool. (LOL) He's a real pro and a great communicator.
I'll get some pix of everything up as soon as is practical. I'm kind of a Luddite.

[Heit Conrad, MD]

EARTH-SHAKING NEWS! After 3 weeks in limbo (I checked the postmark), the long-lost pickup arrives! I suppose I should thank the USPS for not destroying it. Now I only need one pickup instead of a pair, although I'd gladly buy a pair if the seller won't break the set .

I remain hopeful.