Kinman FV-HMS Hank Marvin Noiseless Pickups

Chris Kinman's description:

Hanks modern Gypsy Jazz sound. For Hanks original 60's Shadows sound choose Impersonator 54 set top of this page.

Created especially for Hank in 2001 and used ever since by the legend himself. Hank also used this set exclusively during the final Farewell Shadows tour in 2004 where he played old and new tunes with the legendary Hank Marvin sound (without the mains hum). This set creates Hanks modern Gypsy Jazz sound, authoritive with excellent projection and clarity not possible with regular single coil pickups. You'll love how the bridge pickup never sounds shrill or skinny, it's just so meaty and so rich in twangy tone.

Hank loves to really dig into the strings with his pick when using the bridge pickup (HX-85).

Low magnetic string pull for longer sustain and less string crash and fret buzz.

• Number of parts in this pickup: 29
• Number of parts in normal pickup: 9
• Number of parts in other brand noiseless: 23

Single pickups in this set are: Neck AVn-63; Middle AVn-63; Bridge HX-85

This set has a big, powerful sound that Hank uses for his modern Gypsy Jazz sound.

The FV-HMS set has exceptional balance in terms of Tone and Output level accross all pickup positions. You'll love how the bridge pickup never sounds shrill or skinny, it's just so meaty and so rich in twangy tone. Hank loves to really dig into the strings with his pick when using the bridge AVn-64 pickup.

Hank used this set exclusively during the final Farewell Shadows tour in 2004 where he played old and new tunes and received many compliments on his sound.

A curious fact is that this set is also great for heavy rock where a fat, hot sound is called for. Has a fatter sound and breaks into crunch more easily than the Blues set.

The FV-HMS set has Kinman's propriety Alnico low strength magnets, like all our Fender type pickups, so string pull is minimized, sustain is longer and there is less rattle and buzz from the strings crashing into the frets from excessive magnet pull.

Hank has a neck pickup in/out switch fitted to his guitar. You can have something better with my K7 NoSoldering Harness which has a rotary mix control that allows gradual mixing of the neck (or bridge) pickup to the output. Learn more on the Harness product page.

Introduction to Hanks pickups:

Remember those unforgettable and much loved tunes like Apache, FBI, Frightened City, The Savage, Man of Mystery, Kontiki and the many many more that Hank and The Shadows created with their prized Stratocasters*? Hanks signature sound became legendary and even today is recognized as one of the most classic and distinctive electric guitar sounds ever to grace the grooves of vinyl. (For Hanks original 60's Shadows sound buy the Impersonator 54 set)

Now we are in a new millenium and Hanks legendary playing is bouncing lasers onto CD's from digital recording and mastering equipment. The sound is so clean that noise, which has bugged him for years, became a major headache for this guitarist's guitarist. However, with the advent of Kinman Hx noise cancelling technology for the immortal Stratocaster*, noise has been banished altogether from Hank's studio sound as well as his live stage sound.

No longer is he driven crazy in the studio or live-on-stage with the irritating and polluting hum of single coil pickups. The Kinman, passive Hx technology allows authentic vintage sound to be generated that is fully stripped of hum and noise, a real pleasure to play with. But there are other benefits as well from these amazing pickups, like the low string pull magnets which eliminated that horrible string warble (Strat-itis) so often prevalent on Strats*. Then there is the fully compensated modern magnet stagger that accommodates plain G strings so they don't dominate the others, balanced string levels no less.

Hank is so pleased with his discovery of the Kinman pickups that he wrote a letter of commendation that is so full of accolades we just had to put it on line here. Thanks Hank. Now these boutique pickups are available to you, so you too can enjoy their many benefits, like Hank does.

*Stratocaster and *Strat are trade marks of Fender Musical Instrument Corp. Kinman Guitar Electrix is not associated with Fender but they kindly consent to me referring to their marks. Fender have asked me to tell you that they do not endorse Kinman products (understandably :)