What are some hard to find pickup parts?

[Zamm]

I'm wondering what pickup parts are you guys having a hard time finding?

[David Schwab]

Everything but the common Gibson and Fender type parts.

I make a lot of soapbar bass pickups, and I have to make all the parts except the covers, and I might be making those soon as well.

I'd love to find some rail guitar humbuckers and stuff.

(I actually know where to get a lot of this stuff, but I'm not totally crazy about some of it.)

[Possum]

....

Filterton parts...

[restorationad]

7 string magnets and bobbins
+1 Filtertron parts
Mini Humbucker parts -- I get them from ALLPARTS but have to call to get them. We have talked about getting slightly taller bobbins in another thread.
EMG style covers -- with brass ferrules

+1 on the Rail Humbucker stuff.
I could use a supplier for blade pickup parts. Manufacturing blade pickups is time consuming... If I could find a blade and a blade bobbin that would be great.

Schwab -- Could you pass along your existing contacts for rail parts? I am at a loss finding any suppliers at all...

[David Schwab]

GuitarJones had the EMG covers... but that doesn't help us anymore.

Here's where to get them from:

SANHE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT CO., LTD.

200 piece minimum. Good prices too.

They have some rail parts, though I the humbucker bobbins are either kind of skinny to fit into the EMG covers, or use a weird blade. They have single coil size rail parts too.

[restorationad]

Looks like I spoke to soon Mojo has the EMG covers.

Mojotone Plastic Humbucker Pickup Cover Black

I like to get as much as I can from one place...

Mojo is great cause they are in my state and good guys to work with.

ALLPARTS is great but they are in Texas so emergency orders cost more to ship.

[Zamm]

The filtertron and mini hum parts intrigue me.

How much taller do you want the mini hum? Allparts bobbin is slightly taller than the bobbins used by Duncan.

[restorationad]

The ALLPARTS bobbins are nice, flimsy but nice. You can really pack on the 42. I managed 5000 winds by hand but it was tight. Still only managed 7.9 - 8.1k though. They are perfect for smaller gauges though. Anytime you can make a 10k mini it is cool...

Maybe another 1/32-1/16 would be nice as long as the covers still fit. I would also like a vintage spec bobbin... whatever the measurements on that are.

The only issue with stocking miniparts is the orders are far between. I will go months without building them. Then I get 3 or 4 orders in a week... I would probably like to buy enough parts to last a year. So maybe enough to build 15 -20.

I do have a few upcoming projects that are going to use minis though. They are nice on really figured wood as they use a really small hole.

[RedHouse]

The filtertron and mini hum parts intrigue me.

How much taller do you want the mini hum? Allparts bobbin is slightly taller than the bobbins used by Duncan.

...and decent cover for the mini-hum's too.
(and without holes would be nice)

[LtKojak]

The ALLPARTS bobbins are nice, flimsy but nice. You can really pack on the 42. I managed 5000 winds by hand but it was tight. Still only managed 7.9 - 8.1k though. They are perfect for smaller gauges though. Anytime you can make a 10k mini it is cool...

Well, I think using AWG #43 would get you into the 10K ballpark and beyond without much ado with those bobbins... I've personally never cared for minihumbuckers, but looks like they're kinda making a "comeback"?

I think people are thinking 'bout'em like they're P-90s w/o the hum... but for my ears they're not even close!

[David Schwab]

Well, I think using AWG #43 would get you into the 10K ballpark and beyond without much ado with those bobbins... I've personally never cared for minihumbuckers, but looks like they're kinda making a "comeback"?

I think people are thinking 'bout'em like they're P-90s w/o the hum... but for my ears they're not even close!

It's funny because back in the day people hated them! The only reason they put them in the LP Deluxe was because they had left over gold top LP bodies routed for P-90's from before they discontinued the LP, and a bunch of Epiphone mini humbuckers. So they took some P-90 covers and cut a hole in them for the mini humbucker!

They tried to make them look like a feature, but it was just a way to use up old parts.

[RedHouse]

It's funny because back in the day people hated them! The only reason they put them in the LP Deluxe was because they had left over gold top LP bodies routed for P-90's from before they discontinued the LP, and a bunch of Epiphone mini humbuckers. So they took some P-90 covers and cut a hole in them for the mini humbucker!

They tried to make them look like a feature, but it was just a way to use up old parts.

+1

[restorationad]

I have always kinda liked them but could never get them to sound exactly how I wanted...

I am planning to build a few with Alnico8 magnets and no screws. I might not use the regular mini in the end because the spacing is so small. I might end up with a slightly fatter version of a Hot Rail that fits in a mini cover when I am done or a Dual Bladed Soapbar sized thing.

[soundmasterg]

I've always liked the Firebird minis, but not the other minis. The Firebird ones are hotter and better sounding IMHO.

Greg

[ShannonH]

...and decent cover for the mini-hum's too.
(and without holes would be nice)

ditto. I can only find brass covers. I want real nickel, even unpolished is fine.