Wood Flat Stock?

[Jeff Callahan]

Newbie here, just wondered why people don't use wood for flat work. I work for a guitar parts company and have access to scrap (rosewood, ebony, maple) and a CNC. What are the tonal affects of using wood instead of vulcanized fiber?

Thanks for any info,
Jeff

[Sweetfinger]

When you get it as thin as flatwork, many woods are going to be prone to splitting and fracture. Changes in humidity might also change the dimensions of a bobbin enough to cause problems. There shouldn't be much, if any tonal difference.

[Possum]

...

It'll have that "woody" tone Sorry couldn't resist. Coils can put a tremendous amount of force against the flatwork, not a good choice....

[David Schwab]

I use wooden flatwork for some of my pickups.

This pickup was osage orange, but now I'm using hickory.

I haven't had a single issue with the flatwork splitting, except when I had blades slightly thicker than the slot. But the new batch I had made has been tweaked for better fit.



I have them laser cut, but you can use a CNC router also.

[belwar]

Wow that look HOT. Love it david.

[David Schwab]

Wow that look HOT. Love it david.

Thanks!

It's a shame you don't get to see the bobbins.

They get crammed into this:

[mickmutante]

I do some of my pickups with wood... I like the way they look... normally I use like a wood sandwich to make the flat work more resistant to tension.. and I use hard woods... Granadillo, Incienso, PurpleHeart...

[antiunderscores]

I use wooden flatwork for some of my pickups.



I have them laser cut, but you can use a CNC router also.

you cant fool me, i know paddle pop sticks when i see them.
Those pickups look hot by the way mick. And that bass looks amazing.

[David Schwab]

you cant fool me, i know paddle pop sticks when i see them.

They have jokes written on them too!

[idylldon]

I use wood sometimes as well. If it's of a softer variety, I just give it a coat of wood hardener and it makes it pretty much bulletproof.

Cheers,
--
Don

[tedmich]

David, ummm no tone difference and hidden under plastic covers...why bother? You could set them in acrylic and polish like the Qtuna guys do


HA they squished a caterpillar on this one!


(ferrofluid really)

[defaced]

Anyone here actually tried those (^)? I've heard about them, but never wanted to plunk down the cash for an experiment.

[David Schwab]

David, ummm no tone difference and hidden under plastic covers...why bother? You could set them in acrylic and polish like the Qtuna guys do...

Those are not polished acrylic bobbins. He doesn't have bobbins in the Q-Tuners. He winds free standing coils using bondable magnet wire. Then the whole pickup is cast in clear epoxy.

What I can't figure out is how he keeps everything in place when he casts the pickup. The magnets are inside the coils, and don't touch the pole pieces.

I use wooden parts because they are cheaper per piece than if I have them done in acrylic. I don't really want to show the inside of the pickups... and I shield them, so there would be nothing to see.

[David Schwab]

Anyone here actually tried those (^)? I've heard about them, but never wanted to plunk down the cash for an experiment.

I've tried them on bass. They are very bright sounding, with a very extended top end. It's an interesting pickup.

[LtKojak]

Those are not polished acrylic bobbins. He doesn't have bobbins in the Q-Tuners. He winds free standing coils using bondable magnet wire. Then the whole pickup is cast in clear epoxy.

What I can't figure out is how he keeps everything in place when he casts the pickup. The magnets are inside the coils, and don't touch the pole pieces.

Alien technology at its best! Just ask Possum...