This website is dedicated to exploring the significant contributions of Bill Lawrence — a seminal figure in the development of electric guitar technology.

"Here would go a nice quote from Bill"
- Bill Lawrence

Bill Lawrence (b1931 - 2013)

ABOUT BILL

A tall, skinny teenager from the outskirts of Cologne, Germany had injured himself experimenting with a home-made rocket-propelled bicycle and could no longer play his violin, so he took up a new instrument: the guitar. Inspired by the records of pioneer electric guitarists like Oscar Moore, Barney Kessel, and recording innovator Les Paul, young Willi soon became known as "Hot Bill" for his uncanny ability to play guitar solos with the high-speed drive of celebrated jazz players like Charlie Parker and, in 1948, he already made his first pickup to amplify his already-impressive sound so he could be heard over the powerful horns and drums of post-war jazz bands!

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Late 1940s (1945-1948):Bill Lawrence, originally Willi Lorento, injures himself with a home-made rocket-propelled bicycle and switches from violin to electric guitar.Inspired by electric guitar pioneers, he becomes known as "Hot Bill" for his fast guitar solos.In 1948, he builds his first pickup to amplify his guitar sound.

Early 1950s:Bill begins performing at American military bases in Europe, sharing stages with notable American stars.He uses the stage name "Billy Lorento" and becomes the first major endorser of Framus guitars and strings.

Early 1960s:Adopts the professional name "Bill Lawrence" and becomes a Fender endorser.

Mid-1960s:Co-founds Lawrence Electro Sounds in Germany, offering "Lawrence True-Sound Pickups."Moves to New York's Greenwich Village and develops the Lawrence Audio electric piano.Collaborates with Dan Armstrong and works on various projects, eventually taking over Armstrong's custom shop.

Mid-1970s:Moves to the Nashville area, introducing several innovative pickups, including the FT-145 soundhole pickup, L-220 single-coil, and L-90 twin-blade humbucker.Develops the L-500 series and other products like solderless high-performance guitar plugs and Long-Life strings.a consultant for Fender, designing pickups for the Roscoe Beck signature basses and the SCN pickup family for Fender's American Deluxe series.Present:Bill and Becky continue to offer high-quality pickups under Bill Lawrence Pickups, including WildeUSA and Keystone.

1990s a consultant for Fender, designing pickups for the Roscoe Beck signature basses and the SCN pickup family for Fender's American Deluxe series.:Bill and Becky continue to offer high-quality pickups under Bill Lawrence Pickups, including WildeUSA and Keystone.

Present:Bill and Becky continue to offer high-quality pickups under Bill Lawrence Pickups, including WildeUSA and Keystone.

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THE BASICS

Bill Lawrence reveals basic information to help guitarist better understand magnetic guitar pickups and their function..

Pick Ups

External Interference

Cable & Sounds

Output and Sonic Evaluations

Windings

Another Element

THE TEACHINGS

001_PICKUPOLOGY: TONE
002_PICKUPOLOGY: TEMPORED TUNING
003_PICKUPOLOGY: AGE
101_OUTPUT
102_PLAYER STYLE
103_EXTERNAL FACTORS
104_HIGH IMPEDANCE
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US PATENTS

3,711,619 (1973)
3,902,394 (1975)
3,915,048 (1975)
3,916,751 (1975)
4,151,776 (1979)
4,364,295 (1982)
D279,380 (1985)
5,376,754 (1994)
5,789,691 (1998)
7,227,076 (2007)

*this list is not comprehensive, but illustrates some of the work Bill was most proud of.

CLIENTS

Jimi Hendrix
Eric Clapton
Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin)
Eddie Van Halen (Van Halen)Jeff Beck
B.B. King
Chuck Berry
Stevie Ray Vaughan
David Gilmour (Pink Floyd)
Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones)
Carlos Santana
Kirk Hammett (Metallica)
Angus Young (AC/DC)
Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath)
Brian May (Queen
)Slash (Guns N’ Roses)
Joe Satriani
George Harrison (The Beatles)
Pete Townshend (The Who)
Robert Johnson
John Frusciante (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
Randy Rhoads (Ozzy Osbourne)
Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple)
Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits)
Yngwie Malmsteen

imi Hendrix
Eric Clapton
Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin)
Eddie Van Halen (Van Halen)Jeff Beck
B.B. King
Chuck Berry
Stevie Ray Vaughan
David Gilmour (Pink Floyd)
Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones)
Carlos Santana
Kirk Hammett (Metallica)
Angus Young (AC/DC)
Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath)
Brian May (Queen
)Slash (Guns N’ Roses)
Joe Satriani
George Harrison (The Beatles)
Pete Townshend (The Who)
Robert Johnson
John Frusciante (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
Randy Rhoads (Ozzy Osbourne)
Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple)
Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits)
Yngwie Malmsteen

THE STUDIO

The studio is where our principles are played out on a daily basis: Value, Quality and Consistancy.
American Made. Vertically Integrated. Family Owned & Operated. Bill's legacy is alive and well, we see to it that every player can meet thier potenial in terms of mastering thier own playing style, having access to inductry information, and the very best quality and consistant product made today.

THE GUITARS

Bill Lawrence was a visionary in the world of electric guitars, pioneering innovations that have left an indelible mark on the industry. Among his most notable contributions were the groundbreaking L6-S solid-body guitar and the Ripper bass, both developed during his tenure at Gibson. The L6-S was celebrated for its remarkable versatility, offering a wide range of tonal options that made it a favorite among musicians seeking a single instrument capable of delivering diverse sounds. The Ripper bass, with its unique lightweight design, quickly gained a reputation for its punchy, clear tone and exceptional playability. Beyond these models, Lawrence's ingenuity extended to the development of revolutionary pickups, such as the noisefree FT-145 soundhole pickup and the iconic L-500 series, which became industry standards. His relentless pursuit of perfection not only improved the performance and reliability of guitars but also set new benchmarks for innovation in guitar design.

Gibson: Roscoe Beck

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Gibson: L-6S

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Framus

Gibson: Marauder

Gibson: ES-150

THE OFFICE

Late 1960s:Starts designing pickups for MicroFrets and begins pioneering the aftermarket replacement guitar pickup.

.Early 1970s:Joins Gibson as a guitar and pickup designer, revolutionizing their pickup department and creating instruments like the L6-S and Ripper bass.

Present:Bill and Becky continue to offer high-quality pickups under Bill Lawrence Pickups, including WildeUSA and Keystone.