Hand-Wound 4 & 5 Pole Pickups
At Fanner Guitar Works, we don’t just build electric ukuleles and tenor guitars — we also wind the pickups that bring them to life. Each pickup is scatter-wound by hand, wax-potted in beeswax, and voiced specifically for the shorter scales, lighter string gauges, and unique tunings of 4- and 5-string instruments.
Whether you’re building a cigar box guitar, upgrading a factory uke, or creating a custom instrument, our pickups deliver clarity, punch, and the right pole spacing where generic 6-pole guitar pickups fall short.
Options Available
4-Pole Single Coils
Classic chime and articulation with lots of zing. Perfect for players who want bright highs and cutting mids without losing definition on the low end. Ideal for steel-strung electric ukuleles and cigar box guitars.
4-Pole P90-Style
Our P90 variant balances warmth and grit, with fatter mids and a touch of growl. Great for players chasing vintage bite or who want to push their amp into overdrive while keeping note separation.
4-Pole Humbuckers
Noise-free performance with a fuller, rounder voice. Delivers sustain and punch while taming high-frequency harshness. Excellent choice for players wanting versatility from clean jazz to rock crunch.
5-Pole Single Coils
Designed for 5-string builds (including baritone ukes or extended-range cigar box guitars). These bring the same clarity and hand-wound dynamics as our 4-poles, but with the extra reach you need.
Balanced Output by Design
Not all strings vibrate the same — and not all pickup positions “hear” them the same way. At the neck position, strings vibrate with a much larger amplitude, which naturally makes the neck pickup louder. Closer to the bridge, string vibration is tighter and smaller, producing a lower raw output.
To keep your instrument balanced across all positions, we carefully tailor each pickup. Our bridge pickups receive extra windings to increase their output and match the naturally stronger neck pickup. This ensures consistent volume and tone, whether you’re switching between pickups or blending them together.
Every pickup set is hand-selected and wound to deliver a smooth, even response — so your playing dynamics, not your hardware, decide how your sound comes across.
Custom Spacing
Every builder’s project is different. That’s why we also offer custom pole spacing to match your exact string spread and scale. Whether you’re working with re-entrant tuning, wider necks, or non-standard string spacing, we’ll wind to your spec for perfect pole alignment and balanced output across the strings.
Features
- Hand-wound coils, scatter-wound for dynamic response
- Alnico magnets for warmth, clarity, and vintage feel
- Wax-potted with natural beeswax to prevent microphonic feedback
- True 4-pole or 5-pole alignment — no more “missing” strings or mis-matched output
- Available in single-coil, P90, or humbucker formats
- Carefully selected and balanced sets.
- Custom finishes and spacing available on request
Why Choose FGW Pickups?
Unlike generic 6-pole guitar pickups or blade/rail pickups that “just fit,” FGW pickups are purpose-built for 4- and 5-string instruments. That means:
- Correct pole spacing
- Optimised winding specs for shorter scales
- Better balance and clarity string-to-string
- A pickup that matches the look and soul of a handmade instrument
Ordering & Pricing
- 4-Pole Single Coil: From $35
- 4-Pole P90 Style: From $35
- 4-Pole Humbucker: From $75
- 5-Pole Single Coil: From $45
- Custom Spacing: +$20 surcharge
