Where to start?

[snappy]

Hi everyone, first post from a newbie...

Pick ups have, obviously, my interest, but there is so much info on this forum and elsewhere that you need an extra pair of eyes to read all of this.
Reading all the contributions is an option to get an idea of what the ins and outs are concerning pick ups, but are there any articles and/or books that take you by the hand and go through this subject step by step, in a more organized way?
Any hints? Many thanks in advance!

Arie - Holland

[ake]

Hi everyone, first post from a newbie...

Pick ups have, obviously, my interest, but there is so much info on this forum and elsewhere that you need an extra pair of eyes to read all of this.
Reading all the contributions is an option to get an idea of what the ins and outs are concerning pick ups, but are there any articles and/or books that take you by the hand and go through this subject step by step, in a more organized way?
Any hints? Many thanks in advance!

Arie - Holland

I like this site http://designed2wind.alphalink.com.au/contents.html

[Peter Naglitsch]

For a description on how to make your first pickup winder the book by Jason Lollar is a good start. Unfortunately it is out of print, but it turns up used on E-bay from time to time. But check out the link to designed 2 wind. It can also give you many nice ideas.

On general Pickup information including history of the guitar pickup, the book "Windings and Magnets...and the guitar became electric" by Mario Milan is a good place to start

Other than that I do not know about any more good books. I say stay away from "Guitar Electronics for Musicians" by Brosnac as it is really outdated and there are some obvious errors. "Animal Magnets ism for Musicians" have some interesting pickup designs but it definitely nothing for the beginner.

[David King]

Arie,
Your countryman Erno Zwaan has written an interesting little book called "Animal Magnetism". It has lots of interesting ideas.

[belwar]

Hi everyone, first post from a newbie...

Pick ups have, obviously, my interest, but there is so much info on this forum and elsewhere that you need an extra pair of eyes to read all of this.
Reading all the contributions is an option to get an idea of what the ins and outs are concerning pick ups, but are there any articles and/or books that take you by the hand and go through this subject step by step, in a more organized way?
Any hints? Many thanks in advance!

Arie - Holland

Well there are several things you can do. If your intention is to try to make a common pickup like a humbucker or a P-90, then start by buying a couple of junk humbuckers or really cheap ones and take them apart. In my mind there is a few things you need to do it

1) A winder of some form or another
2) An Understanding of the roll the magnet plays in the pickup
3) An Understanding of the roll the wire coil plays
4) An Understanding of the roll of slugs/pole pieces
5) A plan (on paper) for the pickup you want to make
6) Pickup Making supplys (Bobbins, Magnet Wire [probably 42 AWG], slugs, pole screws, etc)
7) A Compass (at minimum - preferably a gauss meter)
8) A Larger magnet to charge the pickup magnets
9) Digital Multi Meter.

Thats

[snappy]

Arie,
Your countryman Erno Zwaan has written an interesting little book called "Animal Magnetism". It has lots of interesting ideas.

Yes I know, I have the booklet and one of his Q pick ups. More or less the start of this never ending search for the 'perfect' p.u.. From a scientific standpoint Erno and his fellows are right (are they?), but music is hard to produce with their pick ups...
Thanks for your input.

[madialex]

I think most of the winders here who have given tips and info in the past have been burnt so many times by the guys who say, hey, this is just for a project i'm doing strictly for myself, blah blah blah and then turn around and start selling on a website to the public and then bite the hand that fed them the info etc... You will be hard pressed to find anyone giving out much more info than you have gotten in the previous threads. just my .02 cents worth.

[David Schwab]

Yes I know, I have the booklet and one of his Q pick ups. More or less the start of this never ending search for the 'perfect' p.u.. From a scientific standpoint Erno and his fellows are right (are they?), but music is hard to produce with their pick ups...
Thanks for your input.

They are interesting pickups for sure. I just had a conversation with someone asking how my pickups compare, and his complaint with the Q-Tuners he has was they don't do traditional bass tones well. The mids are very flat, and the resonant peak is really high. I've never heard such highs out of a pickup before. They go way up there.

I also have his book. He has some cool ideas in there.

[David King]

I've used several Q-tuners in basses and I've always thought the results were very musical and satisfactory for those looking beyond the typical bass pickup. Obviously they aren't for everyone but I can't criticize them on one hand for not sounding traditional and on the other hand for not breaking new ground. If you want typical sounds, I'm sure there are hundreds of brands crouching at the back of the cave that will be happy to oblige. Don't go knocking the guy who's stepping out for casting a longer shadow.

As to Mr Zwaan's mastery of english and scientific jargon on his web pages, I'd rather not comment.

Meanwhile, what we do here is share information. I might keep a few tidbits back until I better understand that knowledge myself but if I want help from others, I know I'll need to pass on what I find out eventually.

[snappy]

I've used several Q-tuners in basses and I've always thought the results were very musical and satisfactory for those looking beyond the typical bass pickup. Obviously they aren't for everyone but I can't criticize them on one hand for not sounding traditional and on the other hand for not breaking new ground. If you want typical sounds, I'm sure there are hundreds of brands crouching at the back of the cave that will be happy to oblige. Don't go knocking the guy who's stepping out for casting a longer shadow.

No no no, I have a Q pick up for guitar (the milder HB version) and when installed I only heard the very upper partials of a tone. It is almost impossible to find a setting one could live with, tweaking takes ages; the p.u. is gathering dust now. IMHO there is no typical sound and maybe the real challenge is to go as far as possible using old school techniques. I won't repeat what Zwaan's opinion was concerning his colleagues but that really was some knocking...

[David Schwab]

I've used several Q-tuners in basses and I've always thought the results were very musical and satisfactory for those looking beyond the typical bass pickup. Obviously they aren't for everyone but I can't criticize them on one hand for not sounding traditional and on the other hand for not breaking new ground. If you want typical sounds, I'm sure there are hundreds of brands crouching at the back of the cave that will be happy to oblige. Don't go knocking the guy who's stepping out for casting a longer shadow.

I agree! Can we get a rousing chorus of "Death to Jazz Bass pickups!"?

As to Mr Zwaan's mastery of english and scientific jargon on his web pages, I'd rather not comment.

His English is very colorful. He's certainly passionate about his ideas.

Meanwhile, what we do here is share information. I might keep a few tidbits back until I better understand that knowledge myself but if I want help from others, I know I'll need to pass on what I find out eventually.

This is a great place to learn, and everyone is very helpful.

[DrStrangelove]

This is a great place to learn, and everyone is very helpful.

F*ck off.

Share what you know, slag what you don't.

-The Immoderator

[David Schwab]

No no no, I have a Q pick up for guitar (the milder HB version) and when installed I only heard the very upper partials of a tone. It is almost impossible to find a setting one could live with, tweaking takes ages; the p.u. is gathering dust now. IMHO there is no typical sound and maybe the real challenge is to go as far as possible using old school techniques. I won't repeat what Zwaan's opinion was concerning his colleagues but that really was some knocking...

That's sure not how the bass pickups sound. But then guitar players don't like hi-fi in their pickups.

The biggest thing is they are very flat and extend up really high, which is not how most pickups sound. I was making low Z bass pickups that were similar, and some people can't handle such a naked sound.

I'd imagine Mr. Zwann obviously thinks having the widest response makes for a better pickup, hence his feeling towards other pickups.

I'm always excited to see new designs like Q-Tuners and Alumitones. I get tired of seeing (and hearing) the same old thing over and over. It's up to the player to do something new with it.

[madialex]

F*ck off.

Share what you know, slag what you don't.

-The Immoderator

LOL, gotta love our Immoderator

[David Schwab]

F*ck off.

Share what you know, slag what you don't.

-The Immoderator