Christopher Allen Klein

Christopher Allen Klein passed away unexpectedly on March 25th. Chris was known internationally for his handmade, expertly crafted authentic vintage wound reproduction pickups – the devices that convert the vibrations of guitar strings into electrical signals, which are then amplified and translated into sound. Simply said, Klein Pickups were special.

Chris was born in Lansing, Michigan and spent much of his youth in Michigan and Wisconsin until moving with his family to the Dallas-Fort Worth area. An avid Boy Scout, he earned the rank of Eagle Scout, an achievement attained by less than seven percent of Boy Scouts around the world. He graduated from Grapevine High School and attended the University of North Texas, studying geographic information systems and geography.

While in college Chris developed an intense interest in music, specifically the guitar. His love of music, particularly vintage guitar sounds, led him to found Klein Pickups, focusing on recreating authentic vintage pickups for the music industry. His commitment to quality created a dedicated following of professional musicians that include Brad Paisley, Brad Whitford, Chris Rodrguez, Warren Haynes, and many, many more. Over the years, thousands of amateur musicians around the world have reached out to Chris to acquire Klein Pickups’ authentic, vintage reproductions. Additionally, he developed a successful Klein Pickups distributor network in Bahrain, Costa Rica, Brazil, and Mexico. He built his company from the ground up and was passionate about the pickups he created as a musical craftsman.

Chris had a huge heart and cared deeply about his friends and family. He had a special connection with his friends within the Dallas-Fort Worth music scene. He had a love for traveling, Costa Rican coffee and specialty pizza making. He meant a great deal to everyone in his life.

He is survived by his mother Cynthia Klein, his father Bryan Klein, and his brother, Timothy Klein. He will be missed by many. May his spirit live on in all of us.