I made my first pickup when i was 12 years old, in order to electrify the old acoustic guitar inherited from my sister, by modifying a telephone microphone capsule. The whole was connected to the amplifier of a record player.
An anecdote in connection with this history which I told, many years after, on an electronic forum... two years later I learned in the "strange" heading of a newspaper, that in Moscow one couldn't find a phone-box in working order anymore, because on the internet one could find an article which described how to electrify a guitar with a telephone capsule !!
Towards the age of 14, I rewound the pickups of my first true electric guitar, a japanese Strat. This guitar underwent all my experiments, the first rock bands, the home-made active humbuckers... Many guitars laters, I did make dozens of tube amps, lots of pickups for violin, ukulele, mini-guitar etc.
Designer electronician, music teacher, the holy Grail of guitar sounds still remained my obsession !
Creator of KAMI pickups !