FAQ

Do you still make guitars?

Guitars have taken a back seat. One of the things that people love about our guitars are the pickups. With the increasing demand, we've suspended guitar orders to make our pickup designs more available. Thanks to everyone who is currently enjoying them! We work with several great guitar companies and will gladly point you in the right direction if you're looking for a new guitar.

 

Do you ship internationally?

Yup. We'll ship pretty much anywhere!

 

How do I become a dealer for McNelly Pickups?

We work with a variety of dealers. Most of them are luthiers who use McNelly pickups in their guitars, but there are also repair shops and stores. If your business fits into one of those categories, send us a message! We'll be glad to give you more info.

 

Why are your prices in USD? Aren't you in Canada?

Yup, we're Canadian and our pickups are unapologetically made in Canada. All of our prices are listed in USD because we do business worldwide and USD is the language that everyone speaks. We got tired of answering the "How much is that in USD?" emails.

*special note for fellow Canadians*: Don't feel like we're trying to hose you on the exchange rate. Our prices are competitive among quality pickup makers and if we listed in CAD, we would still account for the exchange rate. No hard feelings please.

 

I play in a band. Can I get an endorsement?

We don’t do endorsements. Everyone pays for it like everyone else. There are a few reasons for this:
First, it’s not fair to our customers who choose to save and spend their money with us rather than somewhere else (Thank you, by the way).
The second reason is that paying customers make the best brand ambassadors. If you buy something and love it, you talk about it! We want you to talk about us because you're blown away by the quality and the service.
The last thing is that artists who are truly at the point in their career that they could sway the tides in our favour by using a particular piece of gear have the cash to pay for it and actually buy and use the gear they want anyway. Think about it.
If you still feel that you have a compelling case for endorsement, you're welcome to send us an email. We'll copy and paste the statement above as a confirmation.
Obviously we’d love to have you playing and enjoying McNelly Pickups, but it’ll have to be the same way that others do it.

 

Why don't you list the DCR of your pickups?

Judging a pickup by the DCR is a bit like judging a beer by its alcohol content. Sure, it tells you something, but it doesn't tell you much about the actual tone, the quality, or the output... And it fluctuates with the temperature! It can often be more misleading than helpful so we find it better to describe what you can realistically expect to hear. We can tell you this: Our pickups sound great and are made by people who really care about the details. Seriously.

 

What makes your pickups different than others?

A great pickup isn't the result of one magical ingredient or detail. It's a combination of great design that's followed through with great quality and execution. Some of the differences are noticeable before you even hear them; they are hand made and the care that goes into them is obvious. We use high quality parts, polish every rod magnet right here in the shop, the solder joints look stunning. It's a level of detail that we're willing to take time for and feel is important; we bring sexy back to pickups. Tone: Our pickups aren't all designed to strictly emulate other pickups, but to improve in areas that will make them even more functional and enjoyable for players. The complexity, dynamics, and balance are notable - we get the emails about it. Besides, we'd rather have others trying to copy us. So that's how we roll.

 

I'd like something custom. Can you make it?

Chances are we can do it. If you don't see the right model on the site, we'll work with you to make it happen. Of course that depends on the project and what you'd like to have done. There's only one way to know for sure. Email us with you idea and let's explore it more.

 

How do I install my pickups?

We have some great info and wiring diagrams to help you get your pickups installed correctly. If your soldering skills are sketchy at best, you may want to consider having them installed by a pro.

 

Do I need to replace my pots?

Well, the short answer is no. If your guitar works, you probably don't need to replace them for your new pickups to also work. However, it's still worth keeping in mind that the electronics play an important role in the tone equation. They directly interact with the pickups, and affect how the controls function as well as how the pickups function. Our pre-wired kits use high quality parts and the pots in particular are individually tested and used in their ideal location based on their reading. They also have beautiful layouts and clean soldering. This type of quality and attention to detail just doesn't go into the wiring of most guitars, even high end ones. With relaxed tolerances of parts in new guitars, there is often inconsistency from one to the next. Upgrading to the tighter tolerance of our kits can be more of a subtle tonal change, but you'll benefit from using quality parts all around. If your new pickups recommend a different pot resistance than what's in your guitar, changing the electronics is recommended and will have a noticeable affect on the tone.