Zexcoil pickups

[Mike Sulzer]

Sure. It would be physically impossible to nail every aspect of a humbucker response in a single coil form factor (and to account for all of the aspects of LP vs Strat design), but you can get really close, close enough to have a tone that is effectively in the population of conventional humbuckers. I will say that just about everyone who has played that Juicy Bucker comments that it is the best humbucker sound in a single coil form factor that they've heard, and even a legitimate P.A.F. tone regardless of the package.

No argument on the treble strings, but I do not see how you can get very close on the bass strings, especially No. 6 E. Those missing harmonics are a very distinctive diffrence.

Another thing to keep in mind is that there are fundamental differences in how the string couples in with my designs versus both conventional single coils and humbuckers. In my experience, if you can capture the frequency response and the other design parameters, you'll get something that invokes the conventional analog.

No reason why you cannot go active and put a different filter on each string. Nor is there any reason to stick with what a classic humbucker does, but rather design a set of compatible string sounds. With a humbucker form factor, one might use 6 pairs of coils differently spaced under each string instead of doing it with the electronics.

If and when the stuff I'm doing now catches on, I'll be doing a P90 form factor, which will get closer to that humbucker aperture.

Another thing to note about sensing geometry: I can get pretty crazy quack even when one of the two pickups in parallel is a "Bucker". I think that speaks to the geometrical aspects of frequency notching as well.

Sure, that quack is a function of the spacing between the two pickups as long as the two have similar frequency response.

[LtKojak]

Another thing to note about sensing geometry: I can get pretty crazy quack even when one of the two pickups in parallel is a "Bucker". I think that speaks to the geometrical aspects of frequency notching as well.

I've noticed this as well. The vintage set quacks bunches in the #2 and #4 positions. Good job!

I'm tempted to buy the Vintage set after Christmas... would you ship to Italy? I haven't checked if you'll ship internationally or not.

[ScottA]

I've noticed this as well. The vintage set quacks bunches in the #2 and #4 positions. Good job!

I'm tempted to buy the Vintage set after Christmas... would you ship to Italy? I haven't checked if you'll ship internationally or not.

Yeah, the Vintage Set has great quack, but I was talking more about the Signature Set. Those in between positions, with the Buckers on the outside and the Fat Single in the middle, are still very quacky, especially in context.

As far as shipping: I need to look in to ROHS compliance. I'm pretty sure my current circuit boards (flatwork) have lead tinned contacts. My understanding is, that is enough to mess me up. I'm already using lead free solder, though, so I'll migrate to compliant boards.

[tmenss]

Scott, thanks for chiming in on the discussion. Love what you're doing and the wealth of information that you share on your website. You lay it out there for everyone to see and come to their own conclusion. My previous comment was not aimed at you. To finish my thought on the use of plots.... because the plotting equipment is so inexpensive, prevalent use of plots by manufactures would make the industry self policing. Plus the software and electronics are easily accessible to anyone who is motivated enough to assemble a plot device.

There's a guy a few years back who did quite a bit of multi coils experimentation and produced a wealth of plots, I think his name was Johan Forrer

Experimental noise-canceling pickup

I think his work with individual coil forms correlates to your pickup work in that individual coils peak resonance character can almost effortlessly reach 8K plus range and beyond. It's easy to see how your pole design eliminated the between string sound notch of the double coil pickup and allowed for more optimum use of individual coilforms to produce greater/lesser output. I know you can't comment for legal reasons but from your patent drawings I'd guess that you're using a neodymium and magnetic shunt to produce the Alnico magnetic pattern around the pole slugs. Actually all this is just a long way of say I'm so hyped by all these ideas kinda coming together that I'll probably try and mock up a set of pickups styled like your's...personal use only mind you. Hope you feel imitation is the best form of flattery, I just hope my ideas actually result in an interesting pickup. Oh BTW, I found an old spool of 44Ga wire that I had stashed away back in 1973! when I made my first guitar, I almost thought of selling it on eBay a couple weeks ago.

[David Schwab]

David
I'd hope the good Dr. cites Bartolini, some immediate differences to look for in the patents based upon your post: coil form, magnetic structure, and pole orientation. Here's a question for you, how much different and how much more difficult is it to construct low eddy current, "micro" coil forms using, I guess, 46-48 guage wire? I have a set of Lawrence micro coils and the wire is unbelievably delicate.

The thinnest wire I have is 46. It's not that hard to wind with.

[David Schwab]

Apparently the jig is up!

That's me, the inventor of Zexcoil pickups.

And right under our very noses!

Nice work Scott, your pickups sound very nice. And you know I appreciate new designs in pickups.

BTW, seems we have similar ideas in pickups. As soon as I saw your patent, I went back to check my pickup making notebook. Here's one of my sketches from April 3, 2006 when I was drawing out various pickup ideas.

These are for five string bass pickups.

[copperheadroads]

huh .. Im glad you chimed in Scott
They are pretty cool design ..............well done

[Alan0354]

And right under our very noses!

Nice work Scott, your pickups sound very nice. And you know I appreciate new designs in pickups.

BTW, seems we have similar ideas in pickups. As soon as I saw your patent, I went back to check my pickup making notebook. Here's one of my sketches from April 3, 2006 when I was drawing out various pickup ideas.

These are for five string bass pickups.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]16176[/ATTACH]

There goes to show if you have a good idea, patent it. It could be you.

[David Schwab]

There goes to show if you have a good idea, patent it. It could be you.

One thing to remember is when you apply for a patent, you show the whole world your ideas. There's a lot of stuff not patented, but otherwise under wraps as it were. You can hide a lot of stuff with epoxy.

I come up with a lot of ideas that never made it to prototypes. That particular notebook is full of them.

[big_teee]

Speaking of epoxy, what kind do you use to cover up pickup wiring?
T

[David Schwab]

Speaking of epoxy, what kind do you use to cover up pickup wiring?
T

I use MG Chemicals potting epoxy.

[Alan0354]

I use MG Chemicals potting epoxy.

Is this opaque? Can people dissolve it with chemicals?

Is this the one?

http://www.mgchemicals.com/products/832b.html

[tmenss]

The thinnest wire I have is 46. It's not that hard to wind with.

I have an ancient spool of 44 ga. I had a couple spools, went through almost half of it before i got the hang of it but managed to pull it off and create an absolutely crappy pickup. I thought filling up a single coil till it could barely fit into the covers would make hot pickup. That was the first and last time I tried to make a pickup. Til just about yesterday! But first I'd like to make an analyzer. Anybody know the theory behind how to drive the tone inducer so it delivers a constant current? Johan Forrer's article talks about using a FET impeadance matcher. Would it be as easy as taking my FET preamp from a line out to drive the inductor? Right now I have unity gain Fet preamp designs do I need a gain design?

[David Schwab]

Is this opaque? Can people dissolve it with chemicals?

Is this the one?

Black Encapsulating and Potting Epoxy Compound > RoHS Compliant

That's the stuff. It's nylon filled as well. Not sure about dissolving it, but it's impossible to chip away. Their website shows it's pretty impervious to chemicals.

It's expensive, but it's the best potting epoxy I have found.

[David Schwab]

I have an ancient spool of 44 ga. I had a couple spools, went through almost half of it before i got the hang of it but managed to pull it off and create an absolutely crappy pickup. I thought filling up a single coil till it could barely fit into the covers would make hot pickup.

If you fill a single coil with 44 gauge wire, it's going to be really dark sounding. Rickenbacker uses 44.