You should all enjoy such a dumb question: when is a winding not a winding?

[David Schwab]

Yes, I think that is tough to do exactly without getting the same magnetic material because it is so hard to get a material that has the same magnetic properties and the same eddy currents (conductivity).

Oh yeah, I agree. Possum here spent a lot of time and money doing exactly that with PAF's. He figured out the closest steel alloy and all. Then Jon has a couple of winders Gibson used.

The only pickup I've tried to copy is a Wal bass pickup I have here, and I'm not being that strict with it. I just made the bobbins the same size and used relatively close pole pieces and stuff. I haven't finished yet, but if it's not a dead on copy, that's OK with me.