Pole piece insulation materials

[FunkyKikuchiyo]

Hey all, I know it is pretty common among you guys to insulate the pole pieces on a Fender style pickup before winding. I'm wondering what you use.... I don't imagine it makes too big of a difference, but I have two concerns.

1. The texture/thickness/elasticity of the material could have a potential effect on the very fine microphonics of the coil, and possibly even tensioning. I've made a couple pickups that support that theory, although with fairly extreme designs.

2. Different tapes decay at different rates. Electrical tape after a year or two looks really nasty and can start oozing. Cheap masking tape dries up and tends to bond to whatever it is stuck to beyond its normally intended adhesion. The paper tape on humbuckers seems to last a while - I've pulled apart PAFs to find out that not only is the paper tape still holding up, but it can be pulled back and pressed back on without any real problem. What about scotch tape? Packing tape? Medical tape?

Thanks

[David Schwab]

I don't make Fender type pickups, but I do make some pickups that are similar in construction, i.e., flatwork with a metal blade between them. I use black paper tape, similar to what you would use on a humbucker. I also dip the bobbins in varnish before I wind them.

[voodoochild]

Hey all, I know it is pretty common among you guys to insulate the pole pieces on a Fender style pickup before winding. I'm wondering what you use.... I don't imagine it makes too big of a difference, but I have two concerns.

1. The texture/thickness/elasticity of the material could have a potential effect on the very fine microphonics of the coil, and possibly even tensioning. I've made a couple pickups that support that theory, although with fairly extreme designs.

2. Different tapes decay at different rates. Electrical tape after a year or two looks really nasty and can start oozing. Cheap masking tape dries up and tends to bond to whatever it is stuck to beyond its normally intended adhesion. The paper tape on humbuckers seems to last a while - I've pulled apart PAFs to find out that not only is the paper tape still holding up, but it can be pulled back and pressed back on without any real problem. What about scotch tape? Packing tape? Medical tape?

Thanks

I use the black paper tape from Allparts. Works for me with no problems.

[Possum]

...

Unfortunately the best tape is from Guitar Jones. Does AllParts carry the same brand? Its black cellophane tape...

[David Schwab]

Following a suggestion from Possum many moons ago, I get my black paper tape from my local art supply store.

It looks just like the stuff from Stew-Mac, only wider.

[FunkyKikuchiyo]

Funny how good guitar techs and luthiers end up knowing all the art stores, hobby stores, and other weird things in their locale. You just will never make money buying stuff just from guitar suppliers I guess. Just a random observation...

I always get treated a little strangely when I buy fingernail buffers at the beauty supply store. Each time I have to stop their sales pitch for body wash exfoliating whatever that they sell by the gallon and insist I only use those things for guitar work, but I'm not entirely sure they believe me.

[Zhangliqun]

I use the black paper tape from Allparts. Works for me with no problems.

Me too.

[David King]

I've been buying rolls of 1 mil polymide tape off ebay. It's the amber stuff and comes in 100 foot rolls. The backing is really strong and the stickum is good to 500 degrees so it is probably pretty stable at room temperature. I don't dip my bobbins but as long as I get the tape just a tiny be wider than the bobbin it works perfectly and no shorts. Probably cheap cellotape is good enough too, I'm sure the "archival" stuff holds up forever.

[Joe Gwinn]

I've been buying rolls of 1 mil polyimide tape off ebay. It's the amber stuff and comes in 100 foot rolls. The backing is really strong and the stickum is good to 500 degrees so it is probably pretty stable at room temperature. I don't dip my bobbins but as long as I get the tape just a tiny be wider than the bobbin it works perfectly and no shorts.

This tape is made to protect the gold-plated "fingers" (electrical contacts) on a printed wiring board during wave soldering, and then to be peeled off easily after soldering.

The usual electronics distributors also sell this tape, which will be called something like solder mask tape.