Frequently Asked Questions

Be sure to check out our line of Passive Guitar Controls, Hand Wired Custom Harnesses and Handcrafted Pickups!

I love your stuff! Can I leave a testimonial?
Yes, you can! We would really appreciate it! Just click HERE.

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How do I get an endorsement?
I DO NOT give my products away. Certain select Artists get my gear at slightly below Dealer costs. They endorse us and we support and promote them. Before we consider doing anything, we need to hear tracks, see tour schedule and have info regarding Band Management and Booking.

To be considered for endorsement, please mail in a Promo Kit including press, images, and music on CD or DVD (preferably autographed). Please include an email address where you can be contacted.

Mail to:

Stan Hinesley
1636 NE 3rd Ave
Delray Beach, Florida 33444
USA

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Will these controls fit in my guitar?
99.9% of the time, yes. So far we haven't had any problems. Our standard controls are built on regular control pots which measure about 1" in diameter. If you are unsure, we can build them on a "mini" pot which measures about 5/8" in diameter. If you think you may require a mini pot, let us know in the "optional instructions" box on the checkout page of our shopping cart. Special note: the mini's are only available in split shaft version. Also, the 1 Meg pot is not available as a mini.
Update! We now offer compact versions of many of the custom controls on our home page.

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Will these controls work with active pickups?
Usually not. Our controls are designed for use with passive pickups. If installed in an instrument with active pickups, you are doing so at your own risk.

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What is the difference between active and passive electronics?
Active electronics use a battery for power, usually 9v or 18v (2 batteries). Passive electronics use only the voltage generated by the pickups.

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What is the difference between solid shaft and split shaft pots?
Split shaft pots have knobs that pull off and solid shaft uses knobs that have a set screw to tighten them (the knobs are usually metal).

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Does my guitar need long shaft pots or regular?
Generally, Gibson Les Pauls are the only guitars that require long shaft (3/4 inch thread) pots while most other guitars use standard (3/8 inch thread) pots. This is because most Les Pauls have their pots mounted on a metal plate inside the control cavity. If you are unsure, measure the threaded bushing on the pots that are currently in your instrument or measure the thickness of the wood that the shaft must pass through.

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Are your controls difficult to install?
Very easy for anyone who has used a soldering iron before. Most of our controls only have two wires to connect and easy to follow instructions are included. Our harnesses are a little more involved. You have to connect two wires to your output jack, connect your string ground to the back of the volume pot and connect your pickups. Once again, instructions are included.

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What is the difference between Zebra and Reverse Zebra humbuckers?
Zebra humbuckers normally have one black bobbin and one cream (sometimes white) bobbin. With zebra, the black bobbin faces the outsides of the guitar. On a bridge pickup the bridge side bobbin would be black and on a neck pickup the neck side bobbin would be black. With reverse zebra the cream bobbin is on the outsides.

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What is the difference between Standard Spaced and F-Spaced Pickups?
Pickup spacing corresponds to the string spacing (E to E) on your guitar. This way the strings line up directly over the pickup pole pieces.

Standard Spaced (50mm) pickups are generally  used for both the neck and bridge position on Gibson styled with stop tailpieces and for the neck position on most all guitars.

F-Spaced (53mm) pickups are normally used for the bridge position on Fender styled guitars and most tremolo equipped guitars. The term F-Spaced is sometimes referred to as "Fender Spaced" or "Floyd (Rose) Spaced".

As a general rule, almost all neck pickups are Standard Spaced. If you are unsure which pickup spacing you require, measure the distance between the high E string and the low E string on your guitar in each pickup position.

By default, all of my neck pickups are Standard Spaced. If you feel that you need F-Spacing for your neck pickup let me know and I will build it that way for you.

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Do you accept checks or money orders?
Yes, we do. Click the "Add to Cart" button next to each item that you would like to order. At the checkout page, choose "Money Order by Mail" or "Personal Check by Mail".  Funds must be in USD and payable on a United States Bank or a US Postal Money Order. All shipments will be held until funds clear our bank.

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I've never heard of you guys, can you provide any references?
Customer Comments
Harmony-Central Reviews
eBay Feedback
http://www.myspace.com/stanhinesley
http://www.myspace.com/stanhinesleypickups

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When will you ship my order?
Domestic orders are shipped Priority Mail. Ship times on our custom controls or pre-wired harnesses are currently running about 7-10 days. Ship times on Stan Hinesley Pickups are currently 2-4 weeks. Custom orders may take a little longer. International orders are shipped USPS Priority International. Because of possible customs delays, please allow 3 to 4 weeks for international orders to arrive.  If we expect any longer delays than that, we will contact you. If you have not received your order within this time frame, please email us and let us know.

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Do you ship outside the United States?
Yes we ship worldwide!
 

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Can I ship you my guitar and have you do the work?
Because of inherent problems involved in safely shipping a guitar we don't recommend it. You can, however, ship us your pickguard assembly or control plate assembly for re-wire, upgrade, etc. If you still want to ship your instrument we will be happy to do the work.

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What is your return policy?
I guarantee for 90 days from date of purchase against the failure of my custom controls or wiring harnesses under normal circumstances. This warranty covers defects in materials and/or workmanship. The guarantee does not cover damage or abuse including but not limited to improper installation, damage done by any liquids or any other damage caused by the customer or technician. If you have one of my products and it fails on it's own I will repair or replace it for 90 days. If  the product has been worked on or modified, this will void the warranty and they will no longer be covered. Refunds are not given except under very special circumstances at my discretion. Your payment is acceptance of a binding contract to have your work done as stated. In the very rare event that a refund is offered, all fees associated with the sale (shipping, handling, GoogleCheckout/Credit Card fees, etc) will not be refunded, only the original price of the product. All other costs will be deducted from the total amount refunded. This is non-negotiable.

If your HAS Sound product must be returned, please email me for instructions.

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I'm new at this. Do you have any soldering tips?
Sure. Be aware that if you feel the least bit uncomfortable performing the work yourself, please refer it to your local qualified guitar tech/repairman. We will not be held responsible for damages to you or your instrument because of faulty, messy or incorrectly installed products. If you decide to do the work yourself, here are some tips:

Ensure that items to be soldered are perfectly clean. This can usually be achieved by wiping the solder points with a cloth dampened with alcohol. Be sure that the alcohol has dried completely before applying heat. Alcohol is flammable.

Make a good mechanical connection by wrapping wires around each other or the solder point when possible.

When applying heat, do not apply the solder directly to the tip of the iron. Heat the base of the joint so it becomes sufficiently hot to melt the solder and flow it into the joint. A small amount of solder on the tip of the iron will help to carry heat from the iron to the joint.

Use only rosin core solder made for electronic/electrical work. Do not use acid core solder! Apply solder to the connection, not the iron. When the solder flows into the connection, carefully slide the iron away. Avoid disturbing the connection until solder cools.

Avoid too much heat. A heat sink can be helpful to draw heat away from the component.

Don't apply more solder than needed. Excess solder can cause short circuits and it looks like crap.

When done correctly, the solder should be shiny. If it looks cloudy, you may have a cold solder joint which can be caused by moving the joint before it is cool or not applying sufficient heat. If you have a cold solder joint, re-melt the solder and let it cool again.

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