The official Kinman pickups thread

[tammyw]

Alright, I got a new multimeter and found my soldering iron and took a closer look at this Synergy thing. The short answer is: you can reverse the polarity of the secondary coil (my guess about parallel was wrong, it's still in series).

Still haven't installed these in a guitar yet, but I'm looking forward to trying it out.

To start with here's one of the SurfMaster pickups I'm looking at (the neck pickup is basically wired up the same):



And a close-up of the "switches" . It's two set of three solder pads, and they came as shown with the center pad bridged to the right one in each group.



In the first picture you can also see four large solder blobs marked BS, TS, TE, BE, obviously those are the starts and ends of the top and bottom coils.

The resistance on this SurfMaster Extra is about 6.64k, and the breakdown is 5.60k on the top coil and 1.04k for the bottom coil. The SurfMaster 50mm neck reads about 6.07k total, from 5.07k top and 0.99k bottom.

These pickups have three leads: black is ground (doesn't connect to the coils), purple, and yellow (or white on the neck).

Looking at the "switches" again, pretend the pads are labeled F G H and J K L, and imagine that the solder blobs are removed.

F is connected to BE and L.
G is connected to the yellow lead.
H is connected to BS and J.
K is connected to TE.
Purple lead is connected to TS.

So in Zero-Hum mode as shipped (G-H soldered, and K-L soldered), we can go from purple to TS, through the top coil, TE (K) to BE (L), backwards through the bottom coil (end to start), and finally BS (H) to yellow (G).

Now let's try Synergy mode by switching the solder connections to the left + center pads on each group. That is to say remove the solder from G-H and K-L, and instead connect F-G and J-K. Then we go from purple to TS, through the top coil, TE (K) to BS (J), through the bottom coil (start to end), and BE (F) to yellow (G). So it's just switching the start and end of the bottom coil.

You might also see at this point that if the solder connections are all removed from the switches, then it's just an open circuit with nothing connected to the yellow lead. So presumably Non-Noiseless mode is with all three pads connected in each group (F-G-H and J-K-L) which effectively shorts the ends of the bottom coil, and leaves you with purple to TS and TE to yellow. (I suppose there's other permutations that would also work.)

[Jord1791]

...and job done!



Installation was fine EXCEPT the stock Squier wiring is quite craptastic. I kept having to trouble shoot and re-solder some of them as they kept cutting in/out. I put in an order for a Gunstreet wiring harness.

Realizing I got a set of white Kinman Surfmaster pickups, I swapped out the switch tip, volume & tone knobs to match.

The Surfmasters sound really great and dead quiet. I was pleasantly surprised that they weren't as hot sounding as I expected (as folks have them compared to the Thickmasters and Fatmasters). Sounded lovely. In any case, the Fender Jazzmaster tones are there. Quite pleased with the purchase.

Thanks to Larry, MIke, and all you other enablers!

*Edit* Realizing now I need to swap out the tremolo bar tip as well..

Do you think the kinmans are a step up from the Novak hc or fralin hum canceling?

[Surfysonic]

Do you think the kinmans are a step up from the Novak hc or fralin hum canceling?

I think they sound similar to the Fralin HC JM pickups but I cannot speak to the output measurements - I think I used the Fralin boxes (that might have had that info) they came in to send off some pickups to someone a while back. However, this is a quote from the Reverb seller I bought them from:

One pup is slightly underwound by 10% for more vintage sound and to better match outputs - no more smashing down the neck pickup and trying to raise the bridge.

Also, as mentioned in this thread, they're a lot of wiring options for the Kinman pickups, so I would factor that in as a step-up. While I think the Fralin pickups look cool and different from your normal JM pickup, I think the Kinman pickups are constructed sturdier. Speaking from my own experience, I had a slight mishap with a Fralin HC split-rail Tele neck pickup that got damaged when I was installing it in one of my Teles.

I'm pretty careful in general and I've never damaged a pickup during installation. I've done a lot of pickup installation over the years. I feel it was of fragile construction. I had to send it back to Lindy to repair it for me. No slight to Lindy Fralin as I think he makes great pickups but you do have to be extra careful with them during installation.

Overall, both the Kinman Surfmasters and the Fralin HC JM pickups have that Fender JM tone without the hum.

The Novak JM-HC pickups (to me) are the clearest and brighter/sparkley but not shrill/spiky - more jangley (which I love). To me, they're a different tonal beast from the Kinman Surfmasters and the Fralin HC JM pickups, which is great. I like the variety. Maybe the Novak JM-HC pickups are wound hotter?

Far more experienced folks here can likely offer detailed/technical comparisons.

My Gunstreet JM wiring harness arrives this Thursday - can't wait to put install it in this beastie with the Kinman Surfmasters.

[Larry Mal]

Not sure if my opinion is at all helpful or even wanted, but I have the Fralin noise cancelling and am going to be pulling them out in favor of the Kinmans just as soon as I am able. I've said that before, though.

Not sure how robust the Kinmans are, they feel very solid, but if you look up Chris' procedure for removing the pickup covers and putting on new ones you'd get the idea they are as fragile as Fabergè eggs. I'm scared to do it!

[Embenny]

Thanks for breaking that down so thoroughly!

For some reason, I assumed these modes were accessed via DIP switches. I would be especially disinterested in resoldering them to try the different modes, since noiselessness is my #1 motivator for purchasing them.

[JSett]

if you look up Chris' procedure for removing the pickup covers and putting on new ones you'd get the idea they are as fragile as Fabergè eggs. I'm scared to do it!

I've taken and swapped the covers on 3 sets now, it was easy and didn't feel like it was delicate at all.

[Larry Mal]

if you look up Chris' procedure for removing the pickup covers and putting on new ones you'd get the idea they are as fragile as Fabergè eggs. I'm scared to do it!

I've taken and swapped the covers on 3 sets now, it was easy and didn't feel like it was delicate at all.

Thanks! That encourages me. I have a Strat that I need to play dress up dolls with and switch out the pickup covers on.

[JSett]

Thanks! That encourages me. I have a Strat that I need to play dress up dolls with and switch out the pickup covers on.

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure there's a risk of some kind but I can be a bit hamfisted sometimes and didn't struggle too much with JM or Jag ones.

[Iffymiffy]

I think they are the latest versions? Regardless I am confident that you won't need to do any routing.

Now I'm even more confident because I can see it says "low profile" very clearly on the pickup.

Thanks for that Larry! My Clean P90 set just arrived and I am taken aback how high quality they feel in the hand! I thought the Kinman JM pickups were a step above any other passive JM pickup I have handled in terms of construction - in my opinion these P90s feel like they are step above my Kinman JM pickups! Absolutely packed with tech and I can’t wait to hear what they sound like!

I am kind of regretting not jumping on the one set of Nasty 90s they had for sale now.

They are lower profile than I expected, but I think I would definitely need to get my Jazzmaster pickup cavity routed to fit them in.

[Larry Mal]

I have the third P90 coming, so I have a full set for my Firebird.

But, the pickups I bought have the cream covers, and I'd prefer black. Anyone know where I would find a set that is 50mm and 47.5mm? Most sets I see out there aren't that.

[glennleaguesny]

Hey guys, I'm looking for pickups for a Jazzmaster I'm currently putting together. I'm feeling out options for pickups that may offer a different vibe tonally than what I have. I currently have a Jazzmaster with a Novak JM-V in the neck and a JM-Fat in the bridge. And another Jazzmaster that has a Righteous Sound Gazing set, which is essentially a vintage jazzmaster voiced pickup for the neck and a Humbucker in the bridge.

Do any of the Kinman versions offer a different sound tonally than standard Jazzmaster pickups? Or are they purposely voiced to sound like a vintage JM set, just noiseless? I honestly don't mind the pickup noise from my Jazzmasters, so I wouldn't be getting Kinmans for the noise cancelling selling point, just thought I'd go for a set if you guys think they cover different ground and sound great

[Larry Mal]

Hey guys, I'm looking for pickups for a Jazzmaster I'm currently putting together. I'm feeling out options for pickups that may offer a different vibe tonally than what I have. I currently have a Jazzmaster with a Novak JM-V in the neck and a JM-Fat in the bridge. And another Jazzmaster that has a Righteous Sound Gazing set, which is essentially a vintage jazzmaster voiced pickup for the neck and a Humbucker in the bridge.

Do any of the Kinman versions offer a different sound tonally than standard Jazzmaster pickups? Or are they purposely voiced to sound like a vintage JM set, just noiseless? I honestly don't mind the pickup noise from my Jazzmasters, so I wouldn't be getting Kinmans for the noise cancelling selling point, just thought I'd go for a set if you guys think they cover different ground and sound great

Well, there's three Jazzmaster pickups, the Surfmasters are pretty vintage voiced, and they get higher wound/darker from there. I'd say the Thickmasters (which I own) are very different from the Surfmasters, they end up in more of a PAF/P90 type territory.

[glennleaguesny]

Hey guys, I'm looking for pickups for a Jazzmaster I'm currently putting together. I'm feeling out options for pickups that may offer a different vibe tonally than what I have. I currently have a Jazzmaster with a Novak JM-V in the neck and a JM-Fat in the bridge. And another Jazzmaster that has a Righteous Sound Gazing set, which is essentially a vintage jazzmaster voiced pickup for the neck and a Humbucker in the bridge.

Do any of the Kinman versions offer a different sound tonally than standard Jazzmaster pickups? Or are they purposely voiced to sound like a vintage JM set, just noiseless? I honestly don't mind the pickup noise from my Jazzmasters, so I wouldn't be getting Kinmans for the noise cancelling selling point, just thought I'd go for a set if you guys think they cover different ground and sound great

Well, there's three Jazzmaster pickups, the Surfmasters are pretty vintage voiced, and they get higher wound/darker from there. I'd say the Thickmasters (which I own) are very different from the Surfmasters, they end up in more of a PAF/P90 type territory.

Awesome, thank you Larry! I got kinda lost on the website. I did see the description of the Surfmasters and Fatmasters mention vintage Jazzmaster voiced specifically. Good to hear that the Thickmaster may offer something different tonally for me. Thanks again for your input

[Larry Mal]

I've been told that these new P90s will not fit in my Firebird. Not sure what to do, really. I will probably put the old pickups back in and decide what to do with the new Kinmans. Maybe buy another guitar?

[JSett]

Maybe buy another guitar?

Sound logic right there. I concur.