A pickup maker's library

[FunkyKikuchiyo]

I occasionally hear about this or that book that is a great read, but I've searched and it doesn't seem like anyone has assembled any sort of reading list, so I thought I'd give it a shot.

Who has some suggestions? Jason's book is obvious, I have Mario Milan's book which has some good information, but is really aimed more at gear nerds than techs. Besides that, I don't have anything because I haven't FOUND anything. It needn't be guitar specific, even if you have some electronic books that seem particularly relevant. Or, maybe a certain Shakespeare sonnet inspires your humbucker designs.

Extra credit if your suggestions are actually in print!

[pete n]

How about : Guitar Electronics for Musicians by Donald Brosnac.

[David Schwab]

Animal Magnetism for Musicians, Erno Zwaan




,

[belwar]

I personally found that I took bits and pieces from different books, usually because im looking for something specific. I've also found that many of the books that are out there are pretty vague - few get into REAL specifics. Some of the books in my library are:

The Guitar Pickups Handbook - Dave Hunter
Pickups, Windings and Magnets: ... And the Guitar Became Electric - Mario Milan
Guitar Electronics for Musicians - Donald Brosnac
Teach Yourself Electricity and Electronics - Stan Gibilisco
Introduction to Magnetic Materials - B. D. Cullity, C. D. Graham
Introduction to Magnetism and Magnetic Materials - David C. Jiles
Modern Magnetic Materials: Principles and Applications - Robert C. O'Handley

I also second Animal magnatism if you can find it. Great beginner book. Not so much for its content, but more that it got me thinking about some broader subjects.

My current read is "The blackguard" Great book with plenty of Tele P/U information.

[Possum]

...

I would add the two Fender books by George Fullerton and Forrest White, just search Amazon for their names.
The Blackguard Tele book will eventually go out of print and is the best resource for vintage tele parts and information, some of the info is wrong but that book is a "must have" for pickup makers.

You forgot Jason's pickup winder book.

Any and all of the books by A. R. Duchossoir, just search his name in Amazon.

[Faux Hog]

Book swap anyone?

a couple of ISBN's

Pickup's winding and magnets....by Mario Milan 1-57424-209-1
The Guitar Pickup handbook by Dave Hunter (great read) 978-0-87930-931-2
Guitar electronics for musicians by Donald Brosnac 0-7119-0232-1
Magnetism an Introductory Survey by EW lee 0-486-24689-2

Last I knew, all of these were available. Abebooks is a good place to start the magnetism book was listed there for $3 this morning. I paid less then $50 for the bunch. Combined, they will give you a much better understanding of pickup design and function then Lollar's Guide. But none of them have any info on the actual winding process. (IMO this site is the best resource for that, thanks to the usual suspects.)

Not to piss up anyone's rope but... I wouldn't recommend any of the pamphlets available on amazon from the "author" T A Swike. I purchased one of his little tomes on amazon via the "some people also liked" option. Regurgitated internet hooey home publication. I contacted him, very nicely, about some of the issues I had with his book. I would love to share some of the return Emails I got (for a week) but I fear there may be little eyes watching. I can't make any suggestions about his other book on skateboard ramp building as I haven't read that one yet.

[FunkyKikuchiyo]

Thanks guys, just adding some more info:

The Blackguard book Possum mentioned is BLACKGUARD - Teles from 1950-54 by Nacho Baños. Apparently only available from Guitar Books, DVDs, & Videos from JK Lutherie

On the George Fullerton and Forrest White stuff, I'm finding:

Guitars From George & Leo: How Leo Fender and I Built G&L Guitars
Amazon.com: Guitars From George & Leo: How Leo Fender and I Built G&L Guitars (9780634069222): George Fullerton, Leo Fender: Books

and

Fender: The Inside Story
Amazon.com: Fender: The Inside Story (9780879303099): Forrest White: Books

Are there others, or are the two you're talking about Possum?

I didn't forget Jason's book. I actually got it when he reissued it. I was a bit disappointed that there wasn't more theory/design stuff in it, but it makes sense. I'd seriously doubt his intelligence if he gave away all of his hard earned secrets in a book.

Thanks belwar and Faux Hog too, I had been wanting some more general electronic books to read through. I a bit of an information junkie, so this will keep me busy! Maybe I can even join in on the more high fallutin' threads one of these days if I do enough reading.

[Possum]

...

Those are the two, there's also a book by Bill Carson I believe his name is who worked at Fender for awhile and was a gigging musician who took strat prototypes to his shows. I may have his name wrong and can't find it on Amazon. Not sure I even have that one. I have piles of guitar books that are out of print stuff Borders and others dumped for cheap....
OK, I found that book, looks like its out of print and worth money now "Bill Carson - My Life and Times with Fender Musical Instruments "

[salvarsan]

Permanent Magnet Design and Application Handbook
by Lester R. Moskowitz
ISBN-10: 0894647687
ISBN-13: 978-0894647680
expensive, ~$192


Standard Specifications for Permanent Magnetic Materials
PDF only, ~1.4Meg
* search on "MMPA-0100-00" or try
http://www.intl-magnetics.org/pdfs/0100-00.pdf

-drh

[David King]

Perhaps we could add the book links to the sticky up top?
It would be nice if T-boy could get the 5% sales lead from Amazon purchases too. I think that's easy to set up.

[jason lollar]

"I didn't forget Jason's book. I actually got it when he reissued it. I was a bit disappointed that there wasn't more theory/design stuff in it, but it makes sense. I'd seriously doubt his intelligence if he gave away all of his hard earned secrets in a book."

it is called "Basic pickup winding" isnt it?
Serious though there is no other book that shows you how to make standard bobbins , how to manipulate the wire, how to operate a manual and auto winding machine and where to get the supplies- nothing like it. My point was always you dont need alot of hooey to make a pickup- there is alot more to learn but I wasnt going to hand it to anyone on a platter.

Dave Hunters new book Guitar Pickups Handbook is probably the best general study of whats availible commercially- its like a much needed update to Guitar Electronics for musicians by Brosnac.
I have read the broznac book a hundred times- for years now when I read it I can see most of the info in there is flawed in some way, it was a very good attempt at the time- when was that 1980???

Hey i will be at south by southwest in a booth if anyone is there come by

[FunkyKikuchiyo]

I actually laughed out loud at the bit you put in the forward about kids writing to you wanting all the secrets and everything they need to start a business, etc. I guess I can count myself among them! I greatly appreciate the book, I will be using it many times in the future I'm sure. My winding setup is pretty bare, I'm going to want something much better at some point, I'm just procrastinating. The drawings and specs are very impressive. I guess the hype of the book and wanting it for a year but not being able to get it made me think it would answer all of life's questions.... well, the ones that are pickup related anyway. But, there are things in pickup making no one will ever put in a book. We'll just say "ancient Chinese secret" and wink at the camera.

As you also said in your forward, without that book there probably would be no amateur/small builder pickup market to speak of. I can get magnet wire off of eBay and it often says right in the auction something like "great for guitar pickup winding!". I'd be willing to bet that without your book it would be a whole different world out there.