Winding Firebird -ish Pickups ... something different...

[ForcedFire]

Hi guys, I had bought a 2008 Firebird V last summer but decided not to keep it. I bought some parts from Guitar Jones to make pickups for it but then just put them away after I sold the guitar.

This summer I built a guitar from scratch for the first time. It's kind of a hybrid firebird and RD. It's neck through black walnut and curly maple with an RD shape, 25.5" scale, firebird non-reverse headstock, active electronics and mini humbucker pickups.

It's hanging up right now to harden before I put it together....







ANYWAYS... the parts I received from guitar jones are all messed up. One of the covers was used, it's got solder and wax in it, wtf? I didnt' want to return the parts because I think I can make something cool with them and I already paid a ton of non-refundable customs on the parts ( I live in Canada).

I just went to test fit the magnets and they are regular short humbucker magnets WTF!!! They are around 2 3/16" long but 1/2" wide!!!! (regular 1/8" height).

The baseplates and covers are brass. I know this is not the best. So my option is to basically rebuy all of the parts at MOJO to try to make a Firebird pickup. Great.

BEFORE I go and do that, I might as well make something with these parts to satisfy my curiosity. So here is my plan and I would really value your opinion on this. Let's just call this pickup a mini blade pickup for now. I'm thinking if I use the too tall magnet blades, then put a maple keeper/spacer to hold the bobbins up, then a thin steel reflector and a thin maple spacer I might be able to cram these big magnets in that little cover...

Here's a visual aide for what I'm thinking of trying (from bottom: baseplate, maple veneer, thin steel reflector, magnets and maple spacers, bobbins):

[big_teee]

If the Magnets fit in the bobbins ok, I don't see why you can't do that.
The firebird covers may not extend down enough to solder to the baseplate.
I would even let the magnets stick through the tops of the bobbins just a bit.
Good Luck,
Terry

[ForcedFire]

Thanks Terry.

I thought about letting them stick out the top. The problem is getting the lead wire in there. With the magnets out the bottom the lead wire can run under the bobbin between the magnet and baseplate fence over the steel plate.

I made my steel plates by hand. Lot's of filing....

I'll post pics in a bit.

[ForcedFire]

Here are the bobbins. You can see the magnet fits nicely, but it comes out the other end!



I wound up the first one, it has approx 4200 winds and reads 3.16k at room temp (no temp for you).



I need to increase the tension and get some more winds but this coil is acceptable to me.

This is one of the steel plates I made.



Here's the stack up. I need to take some width off the steel plate to help fit the cable.



Just fits....

[David Schwab]

Here are the bobbins. You can see the magnet fits nicely, but it comes out the other end!

Nothing wrong with that! The longer magnets might give it a little more bite.

I wound up the first one, it has approx 4200 winds and reads 3.16k at room temp (no temp for you).

I need to increase the tension and get some more winds but this coil is acceptable to me.

Switch to thinner wire.

This is one of the steel plates I made.

Just fits....

You are good to go.

[big_teee]

You may want to back off on the gauss just a little, With the big A5s, I think they will be very Bright!
B_T

[ForcedFire]

Thanks David. I am using 42AWG poly (Essex I think). I bought a 5lb spool for around $55 when I was going to school in Montreal.
I think I should be able to get more of it on there for the bridge coils.

Is that how the Firebird bridge is wound? With 43AWG?

[ForcedFire]

Phew, call the fire department. I upped my tension just a tad. This one took 5071 winds. Yikes.



I might do another one around 4400 to pair up for the neck and one around 4800 to pair up for the bridge.

[ForcedFire]

You may want to back off on the gauss just a little, With the big A5s, I think they will be very Bright!
B_T

I like bright...

Maybe with the brass covers it'll all work out?

[big_teee]

Looks good, Your Getting there.
B_T

[David Schwab]

I like bright...

Maybe with the brass covers it'll all work out?

I like bright too. These days people like dark sounding humbuckers. I have no idea why. Players ted to use those Rangemasters on their Les Pauls for a reason!

Brighter pickups have a nice crunch when they break up. If you want woolly, turn down the tone control.

[ForcedFire]

For sure, I use 0.01uF neck tone caps and 0.015uF to keep it brighter too. Under most conditions these are even dark sounding. But sometimes I make pedals with ungodly amounts of treble available and I can play with the tone controls on 0 and it's still bright. But that's because the pedal is making all kinds of harmonics.

[David Schwab]

For sure, I use 0.01uF neck tone caps and 0.015uF to keep it brighter too. Under most conditions these are even dark sounding. But sometimes I make pedals with ungodly amounts of treble available and I can play with the tone controls on 0 and it's still bright. But that's because the pedal is making all kinds of harmonics.

I also use .01µF caps in my guitars. Just takes the sheen off and gives a nice cocked wha tone.

[big_teee]

On the Tone, to Each his Own
That's why we have all Kinds.
I like both.
But Bright and Ice Picky all the time gets on the Last Nerve.
T

[ForcedFire]

I wound the other bridge coil to 4819winds and the other neck coil to 4410 winds.

The neck readings are 3.16k + 3.33k ~ 6.5k, bridge is 3.66k + 3.85k ~ 7.5k. I couldn't be much happier with that

I glued up some maple veneers to make the spacers for between the magnets under the bobbins. They just need a little shaping.



I can't wait to hear how these sound!