idiot question: resonant peak

[gradinger]

In the context of PAF-style pickups, what construction factors affect the pickup's resonant peak, in terms of both frequency and amplitude? I've started making these buggers, and I like what I'm hearing but I'd like to de-mystify a few of the variables. Any input would be fantastic!

[Possum]

EVERYTHING matters in making PAFs. Wire gauge, wire build, alnico type, alloy type of screws, keeper and baseplate, how the coils are wound, tension of coils, type of tape used to wrap the coils with. Its a combination of everything. there is no magic single ingredient, it will take you years to get a handle on it and even then there will still be some mystery.....

[gradinger]

Perhaps I should've said "low output humbuckers" instead of "PAF". I'm working with the Stew-Mac parts and the 42ga poly that they source from Schatten. Any real "bad" sounding stuff there that I should avoid?

I'm obviously new to this, and I'm not all that concerned about the cost per item like those of you who make pickups their main business. Pickup making is more of an educational diversion to me.

Speaking of education, many of you are genius material. Lots of good reading here!

[David Schwab]

Perhaps I should've said "low output humbuckers" instead of "PAF". I'm working with the Stew-Mac parts and the 42ga poly that they source from Schatten. Any real "bad" sounding stuff there that I should avoid?

I made 4 nice sounding pickups with those Stew-Mac kits. One was wound with 43 gauge so I could wind it hotter.

The others have a nice clean tone.

[gradinger]

My main goal at this point is to learn to lower the amplitude of the peak, softening it somewhat without changing it's frequency. Any ideas?

[corduroyew]

what do you mean by softening? Do you mean less volume? Or a warmer sound? Or something else?

[David Schwab]

He means flatter frequency response.

Winding less turns will shift the peak up, so although you don't hear it as well, it's higher, but you want to keep it the same, just less amplitude. But less winds will give a smoother response with more highs and lows... and volume.

I have read some patents by Bill Lawrence (a.k.a. Willi Stich...5789691 is one of them) where he uses multiple windings to create mutual inductance, which he claims smoothes out the peaks. In another one (it might be 3711619) he uses a closed loop on the outside of the coil.

The thing to keep in mind is the resonant peak directly proceeds the drop off in high frequency response.

[gradinger]

Thanks, David. That's the sort of stuff I'm after.

Would I be correct in assuming that winding to the same dc resistance with smaller wire (43ga) would result in a lower resonant peak with similar output?

[soundmasterg]

Winding to the same DC resistance with 43 instead of 42 will give you a brighter and thinner sounding pickup that will be weaker because there is a lot less wire on the coil due to 43 having a higher resistance than 42. You'll reach the same DC resistance with less turns, plus the wire is thinner anyway so the coil will be thinner and the output will be less. I would assume this would make the resonant peak higher, and the inductance lower. It might also make the AC resistance higher but I'm not sure about that. You're assuming of course that the tension would be the same from wind to wind too.

[Possum]

That second patent I didn't realize that was Stich. I actually wound one like that, but hooked them up in series, sounded truly horrible :-)

Yeah you can use 43 to wind your coil you will have to wind it more to equal the same kind of tonishness of 42. It will sound more compressed with less highs. If you wind the same number of turns it will be brighter because the coil is much smaller and closer to the magnets, so you wind these more which makes it darker with more output.

[David Schwab]

That second patent I didn't realize that was Stich. I actually wound one like that, but hooked them up in series, sounded truly horrible :-)

I admire his ideas, but you notice that he doesn't sell these pickups! It must be nice to have time to experiment like that.

[gradinger]

Just wanted to drop in and thank all you guys for the input. Had a chance to A/B my prototypes with a set of Fralin 8/9k paf's today and I'm very pleased to say the least. I'm going to try some hotter winds with 43ga wire this week, and will try to get some clips up soon.