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After month's of just reading these post's I've decided to have a go at winding some pickups myself. I've been trying to source some PE for a '52 Tele I'm building and have run into a snag. I've found some 42 PE from MWS in 5 lb. spools which I can also use on humbuckers but the min order for 43 PE is 5 lbs. which is way more than I can use. Can anyone recommend an alternative to the 43 PE if there is one? I dont have the ears of some of the more experienced members here but would there be a noticeable difference? Enough to justify the expense anyway. I'd like to keep material correct for the period but it's getting expensive awfully fast. Any ideas would be great and thanks in advance.
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You might not notice the difference if you haven't been winding pickups for very long, there IS a difference but usually its heard by experienced winders and professional musicians who make their livings with electric guitars. There really is no alternative, plain enamel is what it is. I've never seen small spools of it for sale. For your purposes regular poly type 43 would be fine. Ebay is a good place to look for small amounts of magnet wire, just check there every day, I have seen small spools of 44 PE show up now and then, you might get lucky. this isn't plain enamel but is a small spool of 43 gauge wire and its VINTAGE..oooooh
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-pickup-r...3A2%7C294%3A50
and some regular modern stuff:
http://cgi.ebay.com/AWG-43-Copper-Ma...3A1%7C294%3A50http://www.SDpickups.com
Stephens Design Pickups -
The Elektrisola SPN155 in the second link is excellent wire, very easy to wind with. I and others here have bought from BAEWire, they are a solid vendor.
If you are just starting that would be a good choice, you will likely burn through a lot of wire getting your technique downComment
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Those p'ups were wound with #42 and #43 Formvar wire.Originally posted by Shepherd View PostPepe aka Lt. Kojak
Milano, ItalyComment
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Thanks for the replies. Are you sure it was Formvar? What kind of Formvar? I've read elsewhere it was PE. Can you tell me where you found this info as I'm about to order my wire and dont want to get the wrong stuff.Comment
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I have the Dave Hunter book, "The Guitar Pickup Handbook".Originally posted by Shepherd View Post
Until 1954 Tele p'ups were wound with # 42 and # 43 PE wire, after that a mix of PE and Formvar, then Polysol in the '60s... but basically they used what it was available... the same with magnets. You'll find A2, A3 and A5 among rods, but most from that era were A3 rods.
So, basically you can't go "wrong" with any wire or rod... but the most historically accurate would be #43 PE wire and A3 rods for the bridge p'up and # 42 PE wire and A3 rods for the neck.Pepe aka Lt. Kojak
Milano, ItalyComment
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LtKojak - Think you mean 42 PE bridge and 43 PE neck.
The neck has the dinky little coil that needs the small wire.
RMComment
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43 PE would be for a broadcaster style bridge pickup and 42 PE for the later twangier style Tele bridge pickup. If you're doing a '52, then its probably 42 PE for the bridge and 43 PE for the neck.
GregComment
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Yes, that's right.Originally posted by soundmasterg View Post
And... now I've just read what I've wrote before and I inverted the values.
Sorry 'bout that!Pepe aka Lt. Kojak
Milano, ItalyComment
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Definitely check out eBay, I used this search: (winding, magnet) wire (42*, 43*, 44*) AWG. I got a 2.6 pound coil of 43 single film for $14.94 today, $13 shipping. You can leave off the AWG in the search and you will get more results. Good LuckOriginally posted by Shepherd View Post
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Doh
I think I might have bid on that, not too seriously though. Sorry for driving up the price, but that was still a wicked deal. I'm working on a package deal with BAE. Excellent service from them so far just answering questions. I'll buy from them just based on the service. Thanks for the tips.Comment
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I buy a lot of wire from BAE. Haven't had any complaints yet.It would be possible to describe everything scientifically, but it would make no sense; it would be without meaning, as if you described a Beethoven symphony as a variation of wave pressure. — Albert Einstein
http://coneyislandguitars.com
www.soundcloud.com/davidravenmoonComment
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No problem, it was still 1/2 of my max bid price. I did purchase 1.6 pounds of #42 from BAE at the same time for $28 + shipping. They shipped today.Originally posted by Shepherd View PostDoh
I think I might have bid on that, not too seriously though. Sorry for driving up the price, but that was still a wicked deal. I'm working on a package deal with BAE. Excellent service from them so far just answering questions. I'll buy from them just based on the service. Thanks for the tips.
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