Something a little different. . .

[SJE]

Well after much waiting I got my magnets I ordered from Neomax (who I highly recommend for any custom made magnet requirements) and so I could complete my prototype pickups.

Which look like this . . .


and sound like this . . .

YouTube - SJE Guitars Custom Pickups

I'll let make your considered opinions and comments (all welcome good or bad!) before I tell you why they are different (if anyone reads the Project Guitar forum you'll already know why!).



Oh I should point out the sound on the video is by no means perfect since it was recorded via the built in mic on the camcorder. When I have more time and I want to get a better sounding clip.

[Peter Naglitsch]

Cant listen as I'm at my day job, but I know whats different. Should I tell?

[SJE]

Cant listen as I'm at my day job, but I know whats different. Should I tell?

It'll all come out one way or another!

30 something view and not one comment?

A little teaser see if it perks some interest/curiousity - the bridge pickup uses an Alnico9 magnet . . .

[Spence]

So do you think it sounds good? How do they compare to the pickups that came with the guitar? I don't think the mic is helping a great deal or is it the amp?

[SJE]

So do you think it sounds good? How do they compare to the pickups that came with the guitar? I don't think the mic is helping a great deal or is it the amp?

Well as I made the guitar it didn't come with any pickups.

The mic isn't helping a I agree - but I am pleased with the final sound yes - but I intended to tweak them slightly in the next revision.

Incomparison to my other guitars which are mainly Seymour Duncan equipped they have a far broader and more defined sound. I played a SH-5 Custom bridge afterwards and found it far thinner and buzzier. What I really need to do is put it straight into GuitarRig3 to get more a precise replication of the sound rather than a not so great mic on a camcorder!

Basically the pickups have a differing size coil heights with the treble side (closest to bridge) having a taller coil - essential same as a Strat coil and the bass side having a shorter fatter coil (same as standard humbucker). Take this further the treble coils are wound with a slightly thinner wire than the bass side. The neck side the neck is an Alnico6 and like I said previously the bridge is Alnico9.

The whole idea for them was to try something away from the well trodden replicate a PAF more like passively replicate an active EMG without the sterility. Not to everyones taste I know - but then again a PAF ain't for me!

[LtKojak]

Basically the pickups have a differing size coil heights with the treble side (closest to bridge) having a taller coil - essential same as a Strat coil and the bass side having a shorter fatter coil (same as standard humbucker). Take this further the treble coils are wound with a slightly thinner wire than the bass side. The neck side the neck is an Alnico6 and like I said previously the bridge is Alnico9.

The whole idea for them was to try something away from the well trodden replicate a PAF more like passively replicate an active EMG without the sterility. Not to everyones taste I know - but then again a PAF ain't for me!

Get a well-known guitar to get your initial EQ setup, play a little with that one, then put your own and play the same licks. That would give an idea of what yours sounds like.

[David Schwab]

That's a nice looking guitar. I do something similar on the bridge units of the bass pickups I make. They sound very good soloed.

[SJE]

That's a nice looking guitar. I do something similar on the bridge units of the bass pickups I make. They sound very good soloed.

Thanks! I was begin to think everyone on here talked in code!



Just to clarify with my amp on exactly the same settings at the test a SD Sh-5 or Sh-2 sound harsh and thin. The fact is I aren't into trying to match guitars so it sounds like some other guitar. Regardless of how I set the eq for the SH-5 it sounds far harsher and thinner than these pickup.

Same for a APH-1 or a SH-2 . . compared on exactly the same amp settings. I am going to put a spare EMG81 and EMG60 into a guitar and do a direct comparison. However in reality since the EMG 81 comes in at 18k ohm it is over 4k more powerful than what I have wound here. The SH-5 Custom which is around 14.4k is pretty much a direct give or take 1k to my pickups and I can honest tell you that the Sh-5 Custom sounds harsh and lifeless to these.

I aren't looking for just praise but just actual honest opinions and comments.

[tedmich]

I'd counter sink some flat heads for the adjustment screws; mismatched fasteners bug me.

otherwise nice looking, does the wood on the coils change tone?

[David Schwab]

However in reality since the EMG 81 comes in at 18k ohm it is over 4k more powerful than what I have wound here.

How do you figure that? The 81 has two coils wired to the preamp separately, not in series, and not really in parallel. You can't take a reading from it because there is a preamp between you and the coils.

The info I have says each coil is about 4.2K... about 6000 turns of 42 AWG.

That would be 8.4K in series. That was from someone dissecting an 81. See below.

I also have specs from their video tour on Premier Guitar that show the "H coil" is 42 AWG 6700 turns. That could also be the 81. And the EMG 89 is 3500 turns of 43 AWG per coil.

But none of their pickups are 18K. Their hottest passive pickup is 13.65K.

[edit]Also... DC resistance has nothing to do with output. Thinner wire will read higher with the same number of turns, and will not mean the pickup is hotter.

[David Schwab]

otherwise nice looking, does the wood on the coils change tone?

No. I make pickups with wooden bobbins. I've made the same pickups with acrylic bobbins, and there's no different in tone. Wood is an inert material.

[SJE]

How do you figure that? The 81 has two
coils wired to the preamp separately, not in series, and not really in parallel. You can't take a reading from it because there is a preamp between you and the coils.

The info I have says each coil is about 4.2K... about 6000 turns of 42 AWG.

That would be 8.4K in series. That was from someone dissecting an 81. See below.

I also have specs from their video tour on Premier Guitar that show the "H coil" is 42 AWG 6700 turns. That could also be the 81. And the EMG 89 is 3500 turns of 43 AWG per coil.

But none of their pickups are 18K. Their hottest passive pickup is 13.65K.

[edit]Also... DC resistance has nothing to do with output. Thinner wire will read higher with the same number of turns, and will not mean the pickup is hotter.

Interesting - thanks for that info.

I just stuck a meter one and it read 18k . . . I totally forgot about the preamp.

Oh Ted, the wood isn't on the bobbins . . it is the bobbins - they are made from solid pieces of wood.