Humbucker hookup wire

[David Schwab]

1) Solder the pigtail to the magnet wire
2) Push the pigtail through the hole and then using a small length of the black tape secure the pigtail to the inside of the bobbin - making sure that the magnet wire comes out in the direction it will be wound.
3) Attach bobbin to winder . . . and away you go.

Same here, except I stopped using the hole.

I think it's fairly well know here that I'm very critical of humbucker parts. I think they are archaic. Being done the same way all this time for tradition, and nothing more.

I'm going to build myself a Les Paul soon... I keep thinking about how to improve things lol

[John_H]

Here's how I do them. It's not visible in the picture, but the braid and the ground are soldered to the baseplate at the same spot. Make that connection first. Solder the finish end pigtails together, and tuck them in between the bobbins. Keep the bobbin screws loose until you're done.

[Peter Naglitsch]

Is it a secret?

No, its not a secret. But I thought that you might need a bit of working out before, searching for the answer, before I’d just let you know
No seriously; yes, there are better ways IMHO. I used the bottom hole when I first got started because some years ago Stumac showed that in a FAQ (yeah, I started out with their kits...). But now I just wind the coils, tape he coils up with a fair amount of magnet wire protruding just under the tape on one end, trim the length of the magnet wire sticking out (around 1”/25mm, maybe a bit more) solder the hookup wire, take another piece of tape and tape one wire/joint on each side of the coil in such way that if you jank the hookup wire it will not pull off the delicate magnet wire. A bit hard to describe, but if you search for YT videos by Clint Searcy (spelling?) I believe he demonstrates that method. The “tuck a wire through the bottom hole - solder the magnet wire onto it – tape over the joint inside the bobbin – wind the coil with the hookup wire sticking out, finding some place to have the bottom hookup wire finding its way in the assembled pickup and still needing to tape up the other hookup wire” technique just don’t seems to make sense to me.
As for a source of hookup wire I would gladly have shared my source but, hey I’m on the other side of the pond. And I’m sure that it shouldn’t really be too hard to find a flexible (=multi strand) decent sized (=not thinner than say AWG 30 if you ask me, 28 is not a problem believe me), reasonable thin insulated wire.

[David Schwab]

Here's a little trick I do on my Jazz bass humbuckers. This would probably work on regular PAF style pickups. I was having trouble because I have very limited space in the Jazz covers. When I wound the pickup with the start wire taped under the coil, it had too much of a bulge. Also I had one coil where the start connection wasn't good, which is a pain.

So I explored ways to get the start lead out of the pickup. I've never had good luck leaving the magnet wire hanging out to be attached to the lead later... I end up breaking it. So what I did is pass the wire though a hole in the flatwork, and then though a small piece of perf PC board, the kind with solder pads. I cut a small square with about 4 pads, and glue it down on the bobbin so the holes line up. Then I pass the magnet wire though before I start to wind, and wrap it around a few time, like on a Fender bobbin.

Then I wind the coil. I attach the finish wire to the lead and tape it as normal. Then I solder my start lead to the PCB. I can also do the same trick with the finish wire.

If I wanted to, I could solder my hookup wire right to the solder pads.

I got this idea looking at a few of the dual rail strat pickups, as well as some import humbuckers off Fender guitars.

[Peter Naglitsch]

Here you go:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZ06VMwN4lo&feature=channel"]YouTube - Searcy String Works - How to make a guitar pickup[/ame]
Have a look at around 3.15. I prefer to do it a bit different, like adding a protective layer around the coil before adding hookup wires and taping them to the coil (against the inner tape layer) but you get the idea here.

This sure beats the method of inserting a hookup wire through the bottom hole IMO and it prevent that inner joint from creating a bulk at one end of the coil. Additionally any bad joints (not that there should be any) is much easier accessed that if you have it deep inside the coil.

[Woodenspoke]

The thing with Cat 5 cable is it's solid copper - so it transfers heat real quick so also melting the PVC sleeve further

The PVC on that wire has a low melting point. It was meant to be punched down or crimped not soldered. I was just pointing out that if anyone was using wire which quickly melts most likely it is not meant to be soldered. Cat 5 is one of those wires. I am not using Cat 5 wire but Teflon Hookup wire..

So what I did is pass the wire though a hole in the flatwork, and then though a small piece of perf PC board, the kind with solder pads. I cut a small square with about 4 pads, and glue it down on the bobbin so the holes line up. Then I pass the magnet wire though before I start to wind, and wrap it around a few time, like on a Fender bobbin.

My question is would a piece of bread board fit on a Humbucker between the magnet and keepers, etc and not short out some where. I also have been wrapping the lead under the coil and dont like the bulge it forms but haven't believed leaving a thin strand of magnet wire sticking out with my fumbling about would be a good idea.

Solder the finish end pigtails together, and tuck them in between the bobbins

John Great picture but with only one lead and a ground I probably would not be asking these questions. I want to run 3 leads and a ground out to the cavity. Is it me or do those leads look huge. maybe after so much time with the the magnet wire almost everything looks huge.


So far my solution has been to make the leads short. Solder straight onto the main cable and to insulate I slide on a piece of shrink wrap which is slid back over the connection after it is soldered. I can see if you wrap more than the standard 5000 turns onto the bobbin the space between the bobbins may be too small for tucking.

has anyone tried adding a eyelet to a Humbucker bobbin and soldered it without melting the bobbin????

[Woodenspoke]

Allied Wire & Cable Inc
101 Kestrel Drive
Collegeville, PA, 19426

1-800-828-9473

Part Number: 61-28-7T-0
Description: 1061 28 Awg 7 strand Black.

Pretty darn PAF accurate.

This is the wire used to solder to your start, and end wire on your bobbins.

Thanks for the information, I think I am as close as I will get. This is what I found if price is important.....

for some reason is a bit cheaper than I can find anywhere else for Teflon coated wire is Belden 83001 7 x 36 stranded 28 AWG

28GA TEFLON INSULATED WIRE, BLUE | AllElectronics.com

[John_H]

John Great picture but with only one lead and a ground I probably would not be asking these questions. I want to run 3 leads and a ground out to the cavity. Is it me or do those leads look huge. maybe after so much time with the the magnet wire almost everything looks huge.

I was amazed when I uploaded that picture from my camera. When I use four leads I solder the ground in the same location, and tuck all of the connections between the bobbins in a similar fashion. The leads may seem big, but the 28AWG is real nice to have in the control cavity.

So far my solution has been to make the leads short. Solder straight onto the main cable and to insulate I slide on a piece of shrink wrap which is slid back over the connection after it is soldered. I can see if you wrap more than the standard 5000 turns onto the bobbin the space between the bobbins may be too small for tucking.

I used shrink wrap once. Never again. I insulate those connections by folding a piece of paper tape over them. Are you splitting the pickup, or tapping one of the coils. <blatant hint> My coils are mostly underwound so there's plenty of room between them.

Has anyone tried adding a eyelet to a Humbucker bobbin and soldered it without melting the bobbin????

I've done this on P90's, but anymore I use pigtails.

Old CD-ROM cables are a good source of wire.

[Woodenspoke]

I have never had issues with shrink tube. I guess there is two ways to connect the wires one is tip to tip (impossible to tuck) and the other twisted side by side. The side by side is easier but harder to add shrink tubing.

I wasn't feeing the love with the paper tape for some reason. Just seemed like it was going to fail at some point down the road. Paper tape can get messy over time and the tape opens up.

That was a gret picture by the way

[Down Time]

Here you go:
YouTube - Searcy String Works - How to make a guitar pickup
Have a look at around 3.15. I prefer to do it a bit different, like adding a protective layer around the coil before adding hookup wires and taping them to the coil (against the inner tape layer) but you get the idea here.

This sure beats the method of inserting a hookup wire through the bottom hole IMO and it prevent that inner joint from creating a bulk at one end of the coil. Additionally any bad joints (not that there should be any) is much easier accessed that if you have it deep inside the coil.

We are on the same page, I prefer to hook the lead wires out of the coil and I also lay down a protective layer of tape first. I never liked the idea of a 28 gauge hookup wire in the start of a coil.

[Possum]

...

There's one thing in that video that is not good practice, he layed the soldered leads directly on the coil and taped it down. One should wrap the solder joint in tape THEN tape it down. Solder joints can have little sharp parts that over time could cut into the coil.....

[Woodenspoke]

There's one thing in that video that is not good practice, he layed the soldered leads directly on the coil and taped it down. One should wrap the solder joint in tape THEN tape it down. Solder joints can have little sharp parts that over time could cut into the coil.....

Good point what I have done is just start the tape wrap before the lead solder joint and then come back over the top with the tape keeping the wire off the coil and between two layers of tape.

Since I wrote this I have invested in a small wire stripper tool, the Ideal stripmaster lite. Rather than use the standard hold the wire and pull off the sheathing with a small stripper the Ideal tool holds the wire and strips it clean. Why invest in an expensive stripper because I have already pulled the lead off the coil wire on several bobbins when I went to change the lenght of my lead wire.

I am learning the hard way..UGH

[SJE]

Good point what I have done is just start the tape wrap before the lead solder joint and then come back over the top with the tape keeping the wire off the coil and between two layers of tape.

Since I wrote this I have invested in a small wire stripper tool, the Ideal stripmaster lite. Rather than use the standard hold the wire and pull off the sheathing with a small stripper the Ideal tool holds the wire and strips it clean. Why invest in an expensive stripper because I have already pulled the lead off the coil wire on several bobbins when I went to change the lenght of my lead wire.

I am learning the hard way..UGH

Whats wrong with your teeth? The most perfect small wire stripper on the planet!

Or you could just use a soldering iron and melt the insulation . . . lot cheaper than buy expensive strippers it's not like they will be inspected!

As for the point on the pointy solder joints - well it does depend on how good/smooth you soldered it. Personally speaking any joints I make are smoooooth . . but since I had 6 month training (albeit many years ago though) doing scope soldering on system boards I guess they should be!

[Possum]

...

If you are selling pickups you really should tape wrap your solder joints on the leads. Coils expand and contract with temperature so an unprotected solder joint in there isn't professional, why sell something that is going to be more prone to failure. I've never seen a commercial pickup that had bare joints in a coil. If you're just making them for yourself then no big deal.

Wire strippers speed things up, I have a small and large one Ideal Stripmasters I got at Fryes. The large one will strip the vintage braided type wire easily. If you got 80 leads to strip there's just no other way.....

[Woodenspoke]

If you are selling pickups you really should tape wrap your solder joints on the leads.

You dont consider taping it down to a lower layer of tape safe? We are talking magnet wire to lead.

I have several sets of wire strippers (hand held automatic) and they all have issues with smaller gages used for guitar work. I even have an very old Ideal tool but it strips only 10 and 12 Awg house wiring (1960's vintage). The new tool will save some time and grief. Glad to hear you use one. They even make a high end custom cutter model which is way out of my price range.

Not selling Pickups just tired for spending the money you guys charge for them..LOL

Whats wrong with your teeth? The most perfect small wire stripper on the planet!

Teeth I guess are also called a Laos wire stripper, and labor is so cheap there you can hire someone to bite the wires for you.. LOL