Mis information

[Possum]

I don't follow your "math" at all ??? The buy ended up costing around $2700 considering over runs and shipping, which I also paid for. Sorry, but if I organize and do all the legwork to let others have the privelege of getting the benefit of my knowledge and my spec'd alloys and dimensions, I'm making a little off each order to pay part of my order to pay for my efforts. All these negative remarks being made here are by those who chose not to participate. The bottom line is each guy got a $1500 order of screws for $700 and I got enough to last years. Otherwise they couldn't have afford it either. Yes, you're right I would rather not have shared these parts with anyone, but I also didn't tell anyone what the alloy was or who the supplier was either. If I do another buy of anything it will work the same way, those are my rules. No apologies. Ask StewMac sometime what alloy their parts are and who their suppliers are, they won't tell you either

[David Schwab]

Ask StewMac sometime what alloy their parts are and who their suppliers are, they won't tell you either

I'm sure they have no clue what the alloy is, or even care. As far as the supplier, it's likely one of several Korean pickup makers.

People seem to like their Golden Age pickups though.

[kevinT]

Hey Dave,

Did you have a drawing for the screw?

Also, did you tell everyone in the group upfront (before the buy) what you were charging for your efforts?

I don't mind if a person charged a little for their efforts but if I were involved with a group buy, I would want to know beforehand.

[salvarsan]

To no longer be the moderator feels pretty good right now.

[DrStrangelove]

To no longer be the moderator feels pretty good right now.

We agree.

[David Schwab]

To no longer be the moderator feels pretty good right now.

I know... I keep thinking about deleting some posts and all... but it is kind of amusing.

Besides I have work to do...

[RedHouse]

To no longer be the moderator feels pretty good right now.

We agree.

With those two posts I'm picturing Fred Flintstone with Kazoo on his shoulder!.

[RedHouse]

I know... I keep thinking about deleting some posts and all... but it is kind of amusing.

Besides I have work to do...

Oh please don't, this is some of the most entertaining dialog I've seen here.

I'm actually glad to see someone post about mis-information, it's about time we come to grips with it as a community.

[David Schwab]

With those two posts I'm picturing Fred Flintstone with Kazoo on his shoulder!.

It's even stranger than that, but that will do.

Also I'd like to point out that the ruckus going on fits the threads title.

[Rick Turner]

First of all, you never order jack squat from a metal working company without detailed drawings.

Second, if Tom Holmes makes his screws on a screw machine or lathe, the heads don't get hit, aka. forged.

Third, there are two main ways that screw threads are made: 1) the threads can be cut with a single point tool or done with a die. Both methods are used on lathes and screw machines. 2) The threads can be rolled...actually formed under pressure by deforming the metal and literally squeezing threads into and up from the rod stock. Screw heads can be forged or machined.

What you want for pole pieces is a so-called "magnetically soft" steel or iron. A material that is very permeable. Also that is as low as possible in electrical conductivity, hence the use of silicon steel...the silicon makes the steel less friendly to eddy currents which, as we know, are the enemy of pickup output.

Then there's the whole aesthetic thing which I won't go into as I'm utterly uninterested in making PAF replicas, but I do understand it.

Seems to me that there might just be room for improvements in PAF design. We know how in the other direction Gibson went during the dark years, but I think there could be aesthetically pleasing improvements to the beast we call a humbucker as well as functional improvements. Why not find an even better polepiece material than was used in the past, for instance? Or has anyone tried putting magnets where the wood spacers go? Probably have to be Alnico 5 so they don't self demagnetize like Al 2 would do with that short aspect ratio. But there's stuff to try that I think is more important than a screwed up pissing match... sorry for the pun...

[RedHouse]

...Or has anyone tried putting magnets where the wood spacers go?...

Yep.

[David Schwab]

Seems to me that there might just be room for improvements in PAF design.

What Possum and Jon did was to take a real PAF pole screw and have it analyzed. Then they had new screws made. I have some and they do sound different. I swapped them for some generic humbucker screws and the pickup was a little louder and had more presence.

As far as the appearance... slotted head screws are stupid. If I never see another slot head screw I'll be happy.

And the dumb mounting method. At the very least they should have three point mounting.

We know how in the other direction Gibson went during the dark years, but I think there could be aesthetically pleasing improvements to the beast we call a humbucker as well as functional improvements. Why not find an even better polepiece material than was used in the past, for instance? Or has anyone tried putting magnets where the wood spacers go? Probably have to be Alnico 5 so they don't self demagnetize like Al 2 would do with that short aspect ratio. But there's stuff to try that I think is more important than a screwed up pissing match... sorry for the pun...

Bill Lawrence designed those various "Super Humbuckers" for Gibson, and they all had three ceramic magnets. Probably wouldn't get that vintage PAF tone that these guys crave ...

Here's a Marauder pickup.

[frankfalbo]

That ain't what I heard. Brad told me that he and Rick Turner orchestrated the whole thing. Also Rick makes all of Belwar's keeper bars for him for half the price he charges you guys. Dave was sent a small sample batch of screws that he never paid for, which will still last him about 8 years, and to this day, Jon still believes the phony lab reports Seymour and I sent him.

[RedHouse]

This thread just keeps getting better!

[JGundry]

Jon still believes the phony lab reports Seymour and I sent him.

Are those the ones sent by SD Pickups? If so you better have Seymour clear those with Possum first. Why is Seymour Duncan riding Possum's coat tails with the whole SD Pickups thing anyway?! Dave came up with that first too!