Home of Tone Blog

Filter +
McNelly Black Friday new model release!

McNelly Black Friday new model release!

For this year's black Friday, we have officially launched a range of pickups which have always been available, but upon special request previously, making them part of the main line-up!
23 November, 2018 by James P Gascoigne
Tags: McNelly McNelly bass pickups McNelly jazzmaster McNelly jazzmaster pickups McNelly pickup McNelly Pickups McNelly Pickups UK McNelly Sparkletron McNelly Stagger Swagger V2
Read more
An insight into the McNelly Custom Pickups process

An insight into the McNelly Custom Pickups process

Tim McNelly recently shared a series of posts over on his social media pages featuring a brilliant insight into his methods behind a custom pickup idea/build. A huge percentage of the work McNelly carries out is custom based, be it for guitar makers or players alike who are looking for something unique for their instrument. Tim has a natural eye for making a design work, but luckily for us, an incredible attention to detail and knowledge of his craft. So these few posts I found incredibly interesting, and felt the need to share it on here! I'll quote the captions to each image exactly as he posted them, as no one can say it better than Tim when it comes to his work!
31 July, 2018 by James P Gascoigne
Tags: Custom Guitar Pickups Custom Guitar Pickups UK Guitar Pickups Guitar Pickups UK McNelly custom pickups McNelly Pickups McNelly Pickups UK McNelly UK
Read more
McNelly Charlie Christian Soapbar Pickup demo!

McNelly Charlie Christian Soapbar Pickup demo!

Using traditional components, true to the original CC Pickup design but of course in typical McNelly fashion, trying to further improve on it too. This pickup is beautifully clear and very transparent, whilst also being incredibly responsive to touch and tone/volume settings. I recorded this clean demo (which also shows it mixed with a T-Bar bridge pickup for example purposes) to hopefully show what a beautiful sounding and versatile pickup this is. Charlie Christian by name and design, but a whole lot more than just a swing/jazz sound!
20 April, 2017 by James P Gascoigne
Tags: Charlie Christian Pickup Charlie Christian Pickup Demo Charlie Christian Pickup UK Charlie Christian Pickups UK Guitar Pickups Guitar Pickups UK Handmade Pickups Home of Tone Blog McNelly McNelly Charlie Christian McNelly Charlie Christian Pickup McNelly Charlie Christian Pickup demo McNelly Charlie Christian Soapbar McNelly Pickups McNelly Pickups for sale McNelly Pickups UK McNelly UK Partscaster Partscaster for sale Partscaster for sale UK Telecaster Telecaster demo
Read more
Thinking of swapping your pickups? - A handy guide for new tone hunters!

Thinking of swapping your pickups? - A handy guide for new tone hunters!

Changing your guitar's pickups can prove to be a brilliantly cost effective way of transforming the sound of your guitar, and also a way of bringing out the best in your instrument. For so many it has been the first port of call in modifying their guitar and changing their sound. Perhaps you're planning on tweaking a more entry level Squier for example, chances are that you love how the guitar feels and plays but it's low quality pickups just don't quite do the job. This can sometimes even be the case with higher value instruments and it's existing pickups just simply don't fit the bill for you, be it personal tastes etc.
06 March, 2017 by James P Gascoigne
Tags: Beginners guide to guitar pickups Blog filterton Pickups UK Fitting Guide gearnerds Geartalk gearwire Gold Foil Guitar Blog Guitar magazine Guitar Pickup Guitar Pickups handmade Handmade Filterton Pickups Handmade pickups Home of Tone Blog Humbucker Humbuckers James' Home of Tone James' Home of Tone Blog McNelly McNelly Bass Pickups McNelly Pickups McNelly Pickups Review McNelly Pickups UK McNelly UK P90 P90 Pickups PAF Single Coil Single Coils Soapbar Pickups Upgrading my guitar pickups Upgrading pickups
Read more
Project Offset Phase two - Modding & tackling common Import obstacles.

Project Offset Phase two - Modding & tackling common Import obstacles.

If you have a guitar you're planning on modifying, chances are that it will be an import instrument. There's good reason for that, they offer great quality bang for buck resulting in a great base for tweaks here and there than perhaps a more premium, pricier American made equivalent would. Let's face it, not everyone who's just spend £1500+ on a USA made instrument wants to go at it replacing bridges or pickups, so the import market offers great scope for DIY tweaking.
02 October, 2016 by James P Gascoigne
Tags: Gabriel Tenorio String Co gabriel Tenorio strings UK Guitar Talk guitar tech Guitarists Anonymous Home of Tone Home of Tone Blog James' Home of Tone James' Home of Tone Blog Magazine Feature McNelly 46/58 mcnelly pickups McNelly Pickups UK Offset Guitar Offset Guitars Product Testing Round Core Round Core Strings Squier Guitar Squier Jazzmaster Squier Vintage Modified Squier Vintage Modified Jazzmaster
Read more
McNelly P90 Soapbar pickup Demo Video!

McNelly P90 Soapbar pickup Demo Video!

Before the Kay ET200 guitar went back out of the door with it's owner, we had chance to nip to the studio and record a demo video of it's brilliant McNelly P90 Soapbar Bridge Pickup.
30 June, 2016 by James P Gascoigne
Tags: ET200 Guitar Pickups James' Home of Tone Kay ET200 Kay Guitar McNelly McNelly Demo McNelly Demo Videos McNelly P90 McNelly Pickup Demo McNelly Pickups McNelly Pickups Demo McNelly Soapbar P90 Pickup P90 Pickups Soapbar Soapbar Pickup Soapbar Pickups
Read more
Project 'Pheonix' - 1960s Kay ET200 Project

Project 'Pheonix' - 1960s Kay ET200 Project

This is a guitar I've had a great deal of pleasure piecing back together. Although initially a little apprehensive, (you'd understand if had seen the first photo of it that I did!) but I was 100% intrigued!
24 May, 2016 by James P Gascoigne
Tags: 60s Guitar ET200 James' Home of Tone Japanese Guitar Kay Kay ET200 Kay Guitar Kay Guitars McNelly P90 McNelly P90 Soapbar McNelly Pickup McNelly Pickups P90 Pickup P90 Pickups Short Scale Soapbar pickup Soapbar pickups Student Guitar
Read more
The McNelly Sparkletron Filter'Tron Pickups Review

The McNelly Sparkletron Filter'Tron Pickups Review

You may have remembered around the tail end of last year we sent the good folk over at Guitar & Bass Magazine a few sets of McNelly Pickups to check out. They chose the T-Bar, Stagger Swagger and The Sparkletron to scrutineer, and if you missed those issues in paper form, all three reviews are now available to read online!
16 May, 2016 by James P Gascoigne
Tags: Guitar & Bass Guitar & Bass Magazine Guitar magazine McNelly McNelly Pickups McNelly Pickups Review McNelly Review McNelly Sparkletron Sparkletron Sparkletron Review
Read more
Unplated perfection - McNelly Cornucopia Humbuckers

Unplated perfection - McNelly Cornucopia Humbuckers

We have some really cool pickups pass through our hands, this set is certainly one of those.
I spotted McNelly making some 'Unplated' finishes for custom orders, so upon placing a stock order I put in the request to have some for here in the UK! So this set is technically a custom order, but is in stock & ready to ship.
Ltd edition 'Unplated Nickel' Covers on a neck & bridge set of McNelly Cornucopia Humbuckers!

Get in touch as these won't stick around for long!
26 April, 2016 by James P Gascoigne
Tags: Cornucopia Home of Tone Humbucker Humbuckers James' Home of Tone McNelly McNelly Cornucopia McNelly Pickups McNelly Pickups UK McNelly UK PAF Pickups
Read more