Anybody know what this is?

[TheGrateOz]

I know it is a DeArmond Pickup made by Rowe. Right now it is measuring open. So, I will be doing some surgery to diagnose the problem. I will be armed with a camera, mic, and calipers of course.

Here's what I know so far: CCW, South up, 16 Gauss, it appears to be wound VERY loose. Although, I am only estimating this on the appearance of what I can see next to the tape.

I am interested in a few things before I begin careful disection:

• Does anyone know what wire was used on these? Based on eyeball estimate, it looks very thin. 44? (I can't get my caliper on it yet)
  
• What was the resistance on these?
  
• How many winds on the coil?

Thanks for everyone's help. I want to be knowledgable before I start.

[Sweetfinger]

I've measured two of these. One was an aftermarket "soundhole" type mounted on a strip of metal, 7.8 K. The other was 14.6 K and was mounted to a molded baseplate and had come off of a guitar or possibly, a bass. The mounting holes on yours look buggered up. It also looks like the housing is a bit taller than the ones I've seen but it might be a trick of the light.

[TheGrateOz]

wow, that's quite a range. I know the wire on here is very thin, but 14k+ seems a bunch to get into this bobbin. Any ideas on the large variance in the two you saw?

[Sweetfinger]

As I said, the hotter one could have been meant for a bass, definitely came on an electric guitar. The other was meant for acoustic. I've seen another Dearmond on an Airline branded Bobkat that was 15K. They definitely have very small wire, probably 44. Honestly, if it needs to be rewound, just wind whatever you like. It'll sound great! the range for this type of pickup is 3.5 K to 15K, so it's all good. somewhere on this site is a Dearmond comparison chart that I posted a long time ago but can no longer find. I'll see if I can dig it up again.

[Sweetfinger]

this is a more recent scan with more info than the previous one.

[jonson]

Hi Sweetfinger and Oz. I'm still making these little beasts and 15k isn't a problem but the wire is 45awg and requires about 11000 turns to get this, but it does all go on. As Sweetfinger said the resistance of all the Dearmonds is all over the place and the wire thickness did the same, so whether this was to use what thay had in stock at the time or a deliberate thng just to get a big variation in the sounds as a selling point when a shop stocked a few guitars all looking the same I don't know. Once you get used to 45awg it's a nice wire to wind with. Most of the Roy Smecks with the diamond cutouts I have measured were about 14.5k so not just reserved for bass.

[TheGrateOz]

Thanks so much guys. This is incredible information.

I measured the wire and it is .001" dia. which I believe equates to 44 awg.

The inner bobbin height is .172" So, I am calculating the TPL @ 172. Here's the odd part, the thickness of the coil was .172 as well. Based on that, I get 29,584 turns. which my rough estimate would put me somewhere around 33k... Seems I've gone wrong somewhere...

[TheGrateOz]

Based on MWS's data, .001 could be 45 or 46. hmmm...

[salvarsan]

Here's what I know so far: CCW, South up, 16 Gauss, it appears to be wound VERY loose.

Sounds like it has partially demagnetized, which is common.
Magfield should be 10x larger.

[TheGrateOz]

Are you saying 160 gauss? Every pickup I have seen has been less than 50.

[David Schwab]

Are you saying 160 gauss? Every pickup I have seen has been less than 50.

Every ceramic magnet I have here reads at least 300 G for a cheap refrigerator magnet. What kind of gauss meter are you using?

Or does that pickup use alnicos? They should be up there too. A strat magnet is about 600G.

[TheGrateOz]

I am using one from R. B. Annis with a range of 50-0-50 G.

Am I reading it wrong?

[TheGrateOz]

Mine looks pretty much like with the exception of the range. Mine goes to 50. (I wanted sooo bad to say 11)

Thanks

[big_teee]

I too am confused on the gauss readings.
I don't have a gauss meter.
I read on the Seymour Duncan Antiquity Humbucker bridge page.
Here's from the chart.
magnet gauss: 15-20 gauss
DC Ohms: 8.52K
inductance: 5.12 henries
Q: 2.38

So why 15-20 gauss instead of 400-500 gauss?
Terry

[David Schwab]

I am using one from R. B. Annis with a range of 50-0-50 G.

Am I reading it wrong?

That doesn't actually tell you what the Gauss is. It must be some relative scale. I'm not sure what use at all those meters are.