Pickup winding/basic info needed...Newbie content!

[lexluthier72]

Hey All,
So, I got my winder running, and ordered my wire....and, realized, I needed basic info....

1) When winding standard single coils, (ie, fender) which direction are they wound around the bobbin?

2)When winding standard (i realize there is no standard) Humbuckers (ie, gibson type) Is one coil truly reverse wound, or reverse polarity, or both?

3)In Humbuckers, If one is reverse wound, typically which coil is it, slug or screw?

4) What physical position should the spool be in to avoid snag, and have the wire run smooth off the spool?

p.s.- The direction of my winder, if looking at the bobbin holder, is clockwise. Thanks in advance!
-Erin R.

[big_teee]

Here's the Schatten winding instructions on StewMac.
There is a world of info there.
Most questions will answered there.
STEWMAC.COM : Pickup Winding with the Schatten Pickup Winder Free information
Also there is more info in each instruction for each pickup kit at stewmac.
Good Luck,
Terry

[lexluthier72]

Thanks Terry. I totally forgot about that being there. =)

[lexluthier72]

I assume by "wind direction" they mean the direction that the bobbin holder rotates, rather than the direction the wire wraps around the bobbin?!?

[big_teee]

I assume by "wind direction" they mean the direction that the bobbin holder rotates, rather than the direction the wire wraps around the bobbin?!?

No it's the other way around.
Facing the winder the left arm is turning ccw, but the wire on the bobbin is CW.
The Right arm is turning CW, but the wire is wound CCW.
Both bobbins on a bucker are wound CCW(Right Arm Facing winder).
The neck and bridge on a Strat are wound CW (left Arm).
Middle P/U is CCW (Right ARM).
That is standard.
You can wind them any way you want.
*Note above your left, facing the winder, is the winders right arm, and vice versa.
Later,
Terry

[lexluthier72]

your last statement is confusing. sorry. I do however get that by wind direction they mean, the direction the wire is winding onto the coil. Thanks.
-E.

Edit: Ok...I re-visited the stew-mac site. Their description is slightly confusing, and is based on the rotation direction of the arm. I suppose for some folks that might be easier. Nonetheless, I get it. =)

Edit: This is important, as I have some vintage coils to eventually re-wind (one of which is part of a strat set, two of which are working coils)

[big_teee]

your last statement is confusing. sorry. I do however get that by wind direction they mean, the direction the wire is winding onto the coil. Thanks.
-E.

Edit: Ok...I re-visited the stew-mac site. Their description is slightly confusing, and is based on the rotation direction of the arm. I suppose for some folks that might be easier. Nonetheless, I get it. =)

Edit: This is important, as I have some vintage coils to eventually re-wind (one of which is part of a strat set, two of which are working coils)

Sorry for the confusion.
Here's some more info from stewmac for single coils.
Instructions.
Have Fun!
STEWMAC.COM : Instructions for Parts Kit for Strat Pickup

[lexluthier72]

No Worries. Thanks for all the info! I will be winding my first pickup this weekend if time permits!

[verhoevenc]

Well now I'm confused? I was under the impression that humbucker bobbins were wound opposite. So you had both opposite polarity AND opposite wind, and this is what gave you the humbucking? But now it seems it's JUST the opposite polarity? I got the RW AND RP idea from the fact that strat positions 2 and 4 provide humcancelling since the middle pickup is RWRP?
So, will ONLY polarity difference in coils provide humbucking? How about same polarity but different wire direction then? And then why the need for both on strat middle pickups?
SUPER noob when it comes to pickup making hahaha.
Chris

[peskywinnets]

You can wind both coils the same way on your winder, but just turn one of them upside down vs the other coil when you actually physically construct the pickup (this will give you the necessary reverse wound bit) ...you can trial this headtrip out with this simple, stimulating & exciting 'peskywinnets winding direction test' -

Simple, Stimulating & Exciting 'Peskywinnets' winding direction test ©2011....

1. With your right hand, make clockwise circles on the top face of your downfacing left hand.
2. While keeping the right hand circular motion going, slowly turn your left hand over. **
3. Ok, now can't see you right hand finger going round & round (since it's now out of view underneath the left hand, but you should be able to see that your hand is going anti-clockwise now. (as viewed from the top)

Ok, having just put you through that, to get reverse wound, you don't actually have to turn one coil upside down - you can just get clever when joining the coils together (to be continued)

** Not recommended for Public Transport (it scares elderly people - but it might get you their seat, especially if you wear a pair of underpants on your head)

The opposite magnetic polarity is a given, by virtue of the fact that one coil will be butted up against one edge of the bar magnet & the other coil butted up against the other edge....these edges have differnt magnetic polarities.

[Rick Turner]

Don't forget that you can reverse polarity of a coil in two basic two ways:

1) Start is "hot" and Finish is "ground or low" wind clockwise or counter clockwise

swap leads and make:

Start ground and finish hot and wind the same way as above

2) True reverse wind which you can do by flipping one bobbin upside down either before or after winding if your coil forms allow that

True RWRP will probably give you the best humcanceling performance

I use a magnetic chuck on my coil winder that only allows me to insert my ceramic mag cored bobbins one way. The bobbins are actually flanges glued to the top and bottom of the magnet, and they're virtually identical other than for terminals. I can just flip a completed coil/mag assemby upside down to get RWRP for humbuckers. No need to run the coil winder backwards, though I could.

[verhoevenc]

Gotcha, that's what I thought, that to truly hum-cancel you needed both reverse polarity AND reverse wound (be it true reverse wound, or simulated by switching leads). The Stewmac thing and a comment above simply confused me by saying that both coils were wound CCW, which then makes one think they both stay CCW when put together, thus negating the purpose of the humbucker in the first place.
Alright, good to know I wasn't goin' insane :P
Chris
Also: Side note, I asked about same polarity in a humbucker above simply because one COULD go and make a stag-mag style bucker and use all north, or south, rod style magnets. That said, it was merely an added way of getting my question across.

[big_teee]

Gotcha, that's what I thought, that to truly hum-cancel you needed both reverse polarity AND reverse wound (be it true reverse wound, or simulated by switching leads). The Stewmac thing and a comment above simply confused me by saying that both coils were wound CCW, which then makes one think they both stay CCW when put together, thus negating the purpose of the humbucker in the first place.
Alright, good to know I wasn't goin' insane :P
Chris
Also: Side note, I asked about same polarity in a humbucker above simply because one COULD go and make a stag-mag style bucker and use all north, or south, rod style magnets. That said, it was merely an added way of getting my question across.

Not sure how the guys above do it. I wind both coils the same.
By tieing the two Finish leads together, the signal is going reverse polarity on the second bobbin. You feed the start of one bobbin tie the 2 finish leads together, and ground the start lead on the second bobbin. Both bobbins are wound and mounted the same side by side.
The wiring does the reverse polarity for you.
This is how Seth Lover did his.
If you draw it out on paper it makes since.
Later,
Terry

[Rick Turner]

In the Southern Hemisphere, you have to do it the other way...from which ever way you do it in the Northern...

And all the pegheads point South...

[jason lollar]

most places that make buckers wind them in the same direction- probably for ease of manufacturing- but on fenders if you make them like the vintage pickups and you insulate the magnets with shellac or lacquer your inner wire will almost always eventually short out against the magnet so if its your hot lead and you touch the magnet it will buzz like crazy or if the string touches the magnet and the strings are grounded it will kill your signal
That sort of stuff is in my book but its also been talked about here