.195 vs .187 mags

[mick]

Hard to say really , with handwinding there's going to be slight differences between each pickup , warmer temperature from one day to the next and so on and so on , so slight diffs could be hard to pin down to just mags , although they might have a bit more inductance ??

Mick

[Mark Hammer]

I think what we all seem to neglect here is the string itself. BIG big range of diameters to be covered, both within one set and across sets. I'm not certain at all whether the tonal balance a given magnet type/diameter managed to achieve with a .010-thru-.046 set with constant polepiece-to-string spacing would necessarily show up with a .012-through-.056 (wound G) set.

[mick]

I would assume that anybody testing the mags/pickups would be smart enough to use the same string size for each test ?

[ken]

Don't forget what the string is made of... pure nickel strings may sound different than alloy ones.

Ken

[Pep]

I don't have any affiliation with this brand, but Snake Oil strings are the closest thing you will find to the vintage nickel strings of the early days of rock. They really are amazing. Definitely a huge difference in tone compared to modern strings. They also last for 2-3 months at a time if you can believe that!

[Mark Hammer]

I would assume that anybody testing the mags/pickups would be smart enough to use the same string size for each test ?

Smartness and diligence are two different things. It's enough of a PITA to change pickups, let alone change both pickups AND strings for comparison.

[mick]

Yes Mark , smartness and dilligence are two different things.... , but why change the strings ???

[David Schwab]

I just use the strings that I use regularly (D'Addario) ... which I happen to think are great strings. Those would be the strings supplied on any instruments I make. Pickups should reproduce whatever the string sounds like anyway. One of the easiest ways to change your tone is try a different set of strings!

Testing pickups is a pain. I plan on making some "test bed" instruments, where I can change pickups quickly. I recently had to make a pickup for a 9-string guitar, that used a 5-string bass case. It obviously wouldn't fit in my guitar, so I suspended it over the strings, facing down.



Not a bad solution, but it was hard to play that way!

[Zhangliqun]

I just use the strings that I use regularly (D'Addario) ... which I happen to think are great strings. Those would be the strings supplied on any instruments I make. Pickups should reproduce whatever the string sounds like anyway. One of the easiest ways to change your tone is try a different set of strings!

Testing pickups is a pain. I plan on making some "test bed" instruments, where I can change pickups quickly. I recently had to make a pickup for a 9-string guitar, that used a 5-string bass case. It obviously wouldn't fit in my guitar, so I suspended it over the strings, facing down.



Not a bad solution, but it was hard to play that way!

I've done that once or twice just to make sure a pickup was in phase with another pickup!

Anyway, there is a difference with bigger rod mags. From .187 to .194/.195, the difference is negligible to me, which is why I went bigger. I frequently use .205's, mostly on bridge pu's to make up for the wide spacing, but it does help with drop-off with string bends and makes up some for the strings not lining up dead center on each mag. But from either .187 or .195 to .205, there is a solid, significant difference to my ear. The tone is a little more beefy but somebody else described it as more even, which probably a better way to put it. Part of this is due to the coil itself being slightly wider but the magnetic field is a shade bigger too.

The other nice thing about the .205's is that they're not so big that they don't still look more or less vintage. The difference is noticeable if you look closely but it still fits through standard Strat covers.

FWIW, just made a Tele bridge with .250's (1/4") that turned out really well. It's 10.6k with 42 wire so it helped that they were .750" long!

[Pep]

10.6K! Must be a flame thrower!

FWIW, I think that the .195 diameter that the guy was insisting on probably came from him checking out the stewmac catalog.

[Zhangliqun]

10.6K! Must be a flame thrower!

FWIW, I think that the .195 diameter that the guy was insisting on probably came from him checking out the stewmac catalog.

It's a pretty hot Tele pu but not as hot as it might sound. It verges on P90 territory in the midrange but still has that classic Tele bite and chime on top. Will likely sell them in the 9.5 to 10.2k range. Have an order for a tapped one already. (Yes, I deal in REALLY small volume...)

[David Schwab]

10.6K! Must be a flame thrower!

That 9-string monster is 14.4k with 43 GA. Just like with Zhangliqun, it wasn't as hot as you would think.

I never wound one that hot before. Sounds a lot brighter than I expected. Has an interesting tone.

it's for a guy in a metal band.

[Zhangliqun]

That 9-string monster is 14.4k with 43 GA. Just like with Zhangliqun, it wasn't as hot as you would think.

I never wound one that hot before. Sounds a lot brighter than I expected. Has an interesting tone.

it's for a guy in a metal band.

Not surprising -- it's 43 wire, plus the bobbin must be a lot longer so 14.4k gives you even fewer turns of wire. If I'm right about the bobbin length, you could probably get away with 18-19k easily on it and still have decent clarity for a metalhead.

[David Schwab]

Not surprising -- it's 43 wire, plus the bobbin must be a lot longer so 14.4k gives you even fewer turns of wire. If I'm right about the bobbin length, you could probably get away with 18-19k easily on it and still have decent clarity for a metalhead.

I could have fit more wire on... but I thought that was a good place to stop!

He wanted good note definition.

Here it is on a clean setting

[Zhangliqun]

Don't have listening capacity on this computer but I'm sure you know what you're doing. I wasn't second-guessing you. If it sounded good to you and the customer agrees, that's all that counts.