David Gilmour's SSL-1C pickup

[ken]

Hello...

I was doing some research on David Gilmour's 'Black Strat', and I read that after he finished 'The Wall', he installed a custom Duncan SSL-1C in the lead position. Supposedly this pickup was the same size as a normal Strat pickup, but had over 13K DCR using 43 gauge wire. How is this possible? 43 gauge is not that much smaller than 42...

Thank you,
Ken

[David Schwab]

How is this possible?

The thinner wire has higher resistance. The Quarter-Pounder single coil is 13.3K or 14.8K depending on the model.

Quarter-Pound Staggered

[ken]

I don't think 43 has that much higher resistance. For example, look at a Tele lead pickup. 9500 turns of 43 single PE will get you from 8.8 to 9.6K DCR, and this is on a bigger coil than the Strat too. Weird.

ken

[David Schwab]

I get about 4.5K on a coil with 42, and 5.9k with the same number of winds of 43. He's probably using 44 on those Strat pickups.

[Dagan8]

I think the Fender Re-Issue black strat uses a SSL-5 12.9K

This is the pickup that Fender and Gilmour decided to use because is was the closest production pickup to his SSL-1 Custom.

Does not answer your question, but might be some useful info.

[ken]

I went to do some research, and one site had a photo of a SSL-5 pickup that looks to be overflowing with what looks like probably red solderon. The Duncan site said more than once it's 43 gauge wire too.

hmmmm.....
ken

[Possum]

...

Its easy to get 13K of 43 on a strat. Consider you can get 8K of 42 if you wind it tight enough. Soderon stretches real easy too. Try it, you might like it.

[David Schwab]

Its easy to get 13K of 43 on a strat. Consider you can get 8K of 42 if you wind it tight enough. Soderon stretches real easy too. Try it, you might like it.

Come to think of it, I got 12K with my stacked Tele pickup using 43. And that bobbin wasn't as tell as a Strat, so yeah, that's not too hard.

[Peter Naglitsch]

I just finnished rewinding a Quarter Pounder Strat pickup (original SSL-1 I belive, but not 100% sure). The magnets is of cause wider, thus redusing the amount of possible turns, but the pickups itself is maybe 1,5 mm taller (between flanges) than a standard strat pickup. So the claim that it is the same size as a standard strat pickup wasn't correct with this particular pickup

I got 8000 turns of 42 Heavy Formvar on it and I think I could have gotten 1000 or possible even 1500 turns more if I have worked on it. Interesting sound in the end...

[Norcal_GIT_r]

It's easy to get 13k on a strat bobbin with 43.
I do it several times a week for people.

[frankfalbo]

It's not that the SSL-5 is the "closest" production to David's SSL-1C, the C in SSL-1C stands for "Custom" and of course the SSL-5 is the "Custom". They are basically the same exact pickup. From what I understand, it began life as the SSL-1 "Custom" and they just later gave it a model number and name, the "Custom".

[ken]

That's cool, I'm going to try it. Besides, I finally have something to use that 5#
spool of red 43 that sat in the back of my winder's cabinet for years on...

Now, the other question... wax or lacquer potting? I would guess lacquer, because you would think that wax used here with all that wire would make a dark pickup. What do you think?

ken

[frankfalbo]

Do as you wish, but we're vacuum wax potting them, and we were back then too, and David's was wax potted.

[ken]

I was just curious. I didn't know.

I'm looking forward to this one, because I always wanted to make my own Black Strat but I could never decide exactly which version to do - the 'Dark Side Of the Moon' version, the Wall, or a later one. I just love the way his guitar sounds and I just bought a black Strat for a 'donor' too.

ken

[Possum]

....

Do you guys use industrial potting waxes or just paraffin with a touch of beeswax?