Daily Run Down, & Round Table-P/Us

[copperheadroads]

That's pretty quick IMO to do a HB rewind. And I hate it when that happens. But I have to do it too often. More wire in the cardboard box.

Yes more wire in the box
43 gauge wire ,I thought I could hear a touch of mushyness so i peeled them & rewound them a little tighter
With the cnc winder you get to do other things while she winds

[copperheadroads]

I like to pot them first then let them settle overnight before doing my measurements, for me anyway the resonant peak will always drop after potting. I just correct the DCR for temperature, there isn't any way in summer I can get my shop near 68F. I have found that outside of DCR the other measurements are less affected by temperature, I do try to keep it down below 85 or so.

I have wound strat bridge pickups with a ton of wire like 7.5k & up & to prevent flaring as soon as they were wound I'd pot them right away

[SonnyW]

It took me 5 hours start to finish (clean up and what not) to make two sets without potting. I like to let them settle down overnight to get proper readings at ~68*F. Then I'll number them and pot them.

I wind Strat pickups pretty slow. Much better for even tension, turns per traverse and neatness.

It takes me several days, because I like to let the flatware cure after lacquer dipping, I try to make up the strat bobbins in sets of 6 and I mix that in with other work. Takes a couple of days but very little time per day. But once the bobbins are ready to wind I can do all 9 easy in one day, even handwinding, and including potting, then test them all the next day. Trouble is I never get the orders that way - 3 sets at a time. So I either make less or they go into stock. Can't do that forever.

You mentioned tension, I have been looking at handbook data and have reduced my tension for strat bobbins for machine winding. I used to try for 25-30g, but I found a chart that says over 22g for 42 awg will have the potential for resistance variation based on the yield strength of the copper. So the last two strat sets I did were at 20g max with good results, based both on my electrical testing and the customers sonic testing feedback. The same chart gives a minimum recommended tension of 17g. This is all for 42 awg.

[SonnyW]

Yes more wire in the box
43 gauge wire ,I thought I could hear a touch of mushyness so i peeled them & rewound them a little tighter
With the cnc winder you get to do other things while she winds

With my CNC winder I can do a single HB bobbin in about 6 minutes with my current program parameters and I can walk away and do other things, which I do, but it still takes time to diassemble, cut the wire off, and then do all the soldering and taping and assembly. Unless I don't re-use the bobbins I also have to press out the slugs, etc. So all that takes time. The biggest time factor for me is the installing in the test guitar and listening part.

[copperheadroads]

With my CNC winder I can do a single HB bobbin in about 6 minutes with my current program parameters and I can walk away and do other things, which I do, but it still takes time to diassemble, cut the wire off, and then do all the soldering and taping and assembly. Unless I don't re-use the bobbins I also have to press out the slugs, etc. So all that takes time. The biggest time factor for me is the installing in the test guitar and listening part.

I cut the wire /unscrewed pole screws / push slugs out /wound
/Attach new wires & tape . just to get back to assembled
Haha ......I did everything besides Install n test

[SonnyW]

I cut the wire /unscrewed pole screws / push slugs out /wound
/Attach new wires & tape . just to get back to assembled
Haha ......I did everything besides Install n test

That's pretty efficient. I would give you a far exceeds requirements performance review in my former life...

[copperheadroads]

I'm also trying to make the rail humbucker tele neck pickup work with the parts I got from Mojo ,,I do think it's achievable with some scuffing to the bobbins

[SonnyW]

I'm also trying to make the rail humbucker tele neck pickup work with the parts I got from Mojo ,,I do think it's achievable with some scuffing to the bobbins

I can't remember which one it was now, but on one of them I had to pad out the magnet dimension with some N35 3mmx1.5mm neo discs I got from K&J to make it work. I think I put 6 of them in there aligned with the poles and it worked good. The little neo discs were dirt cheap. I only made the one, and by the time I got my prototype done, the customer had already gotten something else. Bummer.

[Stratz]

I like to pot them first then let them settle overnight before doing my measurements, for me anyway the resonant peak will always drop after potting.

Problem with potting right away (other than sometimes not even feeling like doing it in the first place ) is that every once in a while something goes awry and I get a coil that's not useable in a set or sometimes not at all so I'd rather not waste the time and material to pot them right away.

I was winding two Strat sets last week from a 7lb spool of PE that I've been using for quite a while with great accuracy. Finish one bobbin, put it aside. Wind another, put it aside. On the 5th bobbin out of nowhere the wire broke. I never break wire unless there's something wrong with it.

So I checked the DCR on the previously wound coils. Three of the four were fine but the one I wound just before the one that the wire broke on was up by almost 400 ohms.

I was using a spool of Viking wire from the mid 80's but it wasn't an issue with age, it was a problem during the production. That's just one example why I don't pot until I let the pickups sit at least 8 hours before I test, record and pot them.

Theres still a few lbs left on the spool so now I'll have to wind some test coils (I'll use PVC bucker bobbins with a couple of thousand winds, test them and toss em) and hope it was just a isolated thin/weak spot in the spool.

Winding is a drag. I'd much rather be doing assembly.

Rob.

[Stratz]

The biggest time factor for me is the installing in the test guitar and listening part.

Thats why I built my test Strat, I can swap out the pickups (I have 3 pick guards for different pickup type/configurations) in 10 minutes.

While the tone obviously isn't 100% true I get an excellent feel of the general characteristics of the pickups.
After using the test rig for so long I pretty much know what the pickups will sound like in one of my "real" guitars.
It really is a time saver and I no longer dread sound testing pickups anymore

Rob.

[ReWind]

Well, I tried another identical bobbin/coil, only this time I loaded it with A5 magnetic poll pieces instead of 1215 steel slugs. It sounded good. ...then I put it on a HB baseplate and put a single A5 bar magnet up against the bottoms of the poll pieces, like you would see on a HB. I left a small gap between the poll piece bottoms and baseplate with a custom spacer. VERY nice. I think I'm going to do the same, but with slightly longer A2 poll pieces to mellow it out and bring out those sweet mids a little more.

Here's a little cell phone shot mid build:

[big_teee]

I'll show it again another day!

T

[ReWind]

Stacked bucker or dummy coil, T?

My "Buckhummers" look like that (in the SG in the back).

[big_teee]

I just made another Neck Blade for a Strat, for a Guitar Shop Customer.
Going to work on a bridge P/U tomorrow.
T

[SonnyW]

Thats why I built my test Strat, I can swap out the pickups (I have 3 pick guards for different pickup type/configurations) in 10 minutes.

While the tone obviously isn't 100% true I get an excellent feel of the general characteristics of the pickups.
After using the test rig for so long I pretty much know what the pickups will sound like in one of my "real" guitars.
It really is a time saver and I no longer dread sound testing pickups anymore

Rob.

I have a test mule too, and it is much easier than in a regular guitar. But it still does take time. T always says he never met a red guitar he didn't like, so I think I will test that theory with these shots. Mine has no pickguard, and a cheap Floyd Rose so I can slack the strings and slip the pups under them. I run the lead wires on the outside to a bunch of terminal blocks and aligator clips in the back. Not the perfect setup but it does give me an idea.

[big_teee]

Your right, I like a red guitar.
I'm in the market for another righty for pick guard testing.
T

[ReWind]

I have a test mule too, and it is much easier than in a regular guitar. But it still does take time. T always says he never met a red guitar he didn't like, so I think I will test that theory with these shots. Mine has no pickguard, and a cheap Floyd Rose so I can slack the strings and slip the pups under them. I run the lead wires on the outside to a bunch of terminal blocks and aligator clips in the back. Not the perfect setup but it does give me an idea.

One of my test guitars is very similar. This one is for HB sets. I have the alligator clips soldered directly to the pot casings/lugs. I also just divebomb the Floyd and swap pickups. With two sets of PU rings, I can A/B two pickup sets very quickly with this.

[big_teee]

I just installed a set of Sheptone Single coils in a Fender Left handed Strat.
I installed them for a guitar shop.
I took specs of the Pickups.
Specs may not be exact, but close.
Here are the Specs of the 3 pickups.
All 3 have the same spacing.
E B G D A E
.640, .618, .670, .670, .640, .640
All pickups have a Flatwork Spacing of .390 Inches.
Neck is 6.08K, Middle 6.03K, and Bridge 6.3K DCR
The Bridge Has a Steel Base Plate.
The wire is called 42 HFN.
And the Magnets are A5.

[Stratz]

How did they sound?

[big_teee]

How did they sound?

They are OK.
I was told to just put them in, nothing else.
The shop owner is going to setup the guitar tomorrow.
The guitar was so pretty, I was afraid to handle it much.
The guitar had a .022uf cap, and I left it.
I think the neck may be a little dark if you put in the .1uf I usually run.
They sounded different than mine, but I build mine to different specs.
T

[LtKojak]

Neck is 6.08K, Middle 6.03K, and Bridge 6.3K DCR
The wire is called 42 HFN.
And the Magnets are A5.

They measure exactly like the StewMac's Vintage Vibe Strat set I have.

The materials are the same too, less the baseplate. Which BTW I've added later, as the bridge p'up was a bit too bright.

A nice sounding set with the baseplate. Worth every penny I've payed.

[big_teee]

They measure exactly like the StewMac's Vintage Vibe Strat set I have.

The materials are the same too, less the baseplate. Which BTW I've added later, as the bridge p'up was a bit too bright.

A nice sounding set with the baseplate. Worth every penny I've payed.

A lot different Specs than the ones I make.
I don't do the base plate either.
It all sounded OK.
Are yours that short?
The covers almost hit the flatwork when you put the covers on.
Mine have a pretty good gap at the bottom.
I build mine around the .1uf Disk Cap.
don't think this neck would hold up to a .1uf.
I should have put it on and tried it, but was pressed for time.
Got to get the guitar back tomorrow.
Don't know if the Left hand player is going to like the Right hand Stagger.
That puts the short magnet that would be on the B, on the A String and the taller A, on the B.
T

[SonnyW]

One of my test guitars is very similar. This one is for HB sets. I have the alligator clips soldered directly to the pot casings/lugs. I also just divebomb the Floyd and swap pickups. With two sets of PU rings, I can A/B two pickup sets very quickly with this.

Very similar, except yours looks a lot better. When I divebomb the Floyd, I jam an old lighter under it or a 9v battery to hold it dived. Great minds, or something like that, and it's even also red The body I use has a rout for a HB in the bridge, but I have drilled it and put in a foam plug so I can put either a HB or SC in the bridge position. I have the terminal blocks for the leads, and I later added the aligator clips on the end of short leads for swapping out caps. Can't see it in there very well but there is also a tiny slide switch (under the purple wire) that I sometimes use for split coils. That's why there are four terminals for the hots. One thing I don't like about mine is that the single coil routes are slanted a bit. But it still gives an idea.

[SonnyW]

A lot different Specs than the ones I make.

Don't know if the Left hand player is going to like the Right hand Stagger.
That puts the short magnet that would be on the B, on the A String and the taller A, on the B.
T

It worked for Hendrix... just sayin.

[big_teee]

It worked for Hendrix... just sayin.

That's true, Back then Hendrix had no choice, nothing too user friendly for lefties.
I've tried it and don't care for it.
Flat would be better, than recessed the wrong way.
That is Strictly IMO.
I will pass along that if he needs anything else custom and lefty, I can fix him up!
T

[rjb]

I'll be soon a sanctified associate of The Secret Society of the Sacred Circle (AKA The Circle Jerks).

I had to burn my Circle Jerk membership card.

I've tested my Glorified Dummy Coil with an old DeArmond pickup mounted on the pickguard of a Harmony Patrician archtop. The GDC did cancel 60Hz hum, but introduced an equal amount of buzz. The buzz was more annoying than the hum, so I didn't install the GDC. It probably would have worked better in a solid body "Faraday cage"- but with the circuit shielding I was able to provide, it just didn't work out.

Sorry, Ward. No inspirational "born again" story from me.

[big_teee]

I had to burn my Circle Jerk membership card.

I've tested my Glorified Dummy Coil with an old DeArmond pickup mounted on the pickguard of a Harmony Patrician archtop. The GDC did cancel 60Hz hum, but introduced an equal amount of buzz. The buzz was more annoying than the hum, so I didn't install the GDC. It probably would have worked better in a solid body "Faraday cage"- but with the circuit shielding I was able to provide, it just didn't work out.

Sorry, Ward. No inspirational "born again" story from me.

Us Yank's are a Sorry Bunch!
T
** Speaking Of Ward Down Under, I must have really Ticked him off this time!

[SonnyW]

It's getting pretty quiet around here last couple of days.

I wound another set of the PE 1965 Strat pickups yesterday, been testing them and putting them in the boxes just to have ready. That's about it, emailing a little back and forth with the original customer on them who is making a few demos with different amps for his facebook forums. Got my gravity feed paint gun in, a couple of days ago but haven't had any time to fool with it.

[big_teee]

I traded for a the Ibanez SR300L bass.
I've been piddling with it some.
I have been working a little off and on some, on the 3 pickup set(2 Blades, 1 SC) for the Night Club Guitar.
Has anyone heard from Ward.
I hope he didn't get that flower Pot stuck somewhere inconvenient!
Just Kidding Ward, put the gun down!
T

[SonnyW]

I traded for a the Ibanez SR300L bass.
I've been piddling with it some.
I have been working a little off and on some, on the 3 pickup set(2 Blades, 1 SC) for the Night Club Guitar.
Has anyone heard from Ward.
I hope he didn't get that flower Pot stuck somewhere inconvenient!
Just Kidding Ward, put the gun down!
T

Maybe this will get his attention, I found a picture of this great pedal board. I am ordering two of the Talent Simulators, as soon as I sell a couple more sets of pickups.



The talent simulator is supposed to filter out all the bad notes and replace them with synthesized good ones. It also has a built in wi-fi hotspot, and comes with a remote that replaces your tone pot.

[big_teee]

Maybe this will get his attention, I found a picture of this great pedal board. I am ordering two of the Talent Simulators, as soon as I sell a couple more sets of pickups.



The talent simulator is supposed to filter out all the bad notes and replace them with synthesized good ones.

Better Order me one while your at it.
My Poor Playing needs all the help I can get.
T

[SonnyW]

Better Order me one while your at it.
My Poor Playing needs all the help I can get.
T

There is a special Lefty version it is only $695. But it doesn't work on a bass.

[copperheadroads]

Better Order me one while your at it.
My Poor Playing needs all the help I can get.
T

What !!!!! you got no chops ....Come on post some youtube clips
Keep at it

[SonnyW]

Maybe this will get his attention, I found a picture of this great pedal board. I am ordering two of the Talent Simulators, as soon as I sell a couple more sets of pickups.



The talent simulator is supposed to filter out all the bad notes and replace them with synthesized good ones. It also has a built in wi-fi hotspot, and comes with a remote that replaces your tone pot.

I guess, maybe the internet is down in OZ land. Sunspots or whatever.

[big_teee]

No Clips here!
I'm not tough enough to play bass.
Those roundwound strings are hard on the fingers.
What's going on Copper?
T