Gretsch Super Axe Pickups

[fieldwrangler]

So, I have one of these things on the bench; opened the neck 'bucker and found both coils open. Tried re-heating the terminations, no go.

They're kindof kludgy things, with what looks like the expected amount of 42 ga wire loosely wound onto rectangular forms (unpotted.)
Picket fence slug poles.

I'm trying to find a way around rewinding the things. Anyone know if these coils were used in any other pickups that might be available for a reasonable price?

Otherwise, anyone know the actual turns/wire specs?

Bob Palmieri

[David Schwab]

Can you post some photos Bob?

I've always liked those guitars.

[fieldwrangler]

I'll get some up ASAP.

[fieldwrangler]

Gretsch Super Axe Pickup Anatomical Snaps

[fieldwrangler]

Plus, my eternal idiocy is reflected in the fact that I'm not quite sure about how to read the most impressive Salversan Coil Estimator. By the way, for those keeping an archive of pickup data the numbers I entered into the fields here (dimensional & resistive) have been measured from the other coil in this pickup (which did eventually yield to my stubborn re-termination efforts.)

Does this imply that the displayed resistive reading will result from all of these various winding densities? Would this be a function of the interwinding resistance going down due to the tighter squeeze of the pack (even as the series resistance climbs with increasing wire length? Or does this reflect how much wire one can cram onto the bobbins?

On a related note, what are the bottom line "max winds" fields all about?

[fieldwrangler]

Can you post some photos Bob?

I've always liked those guitars.

Y'know, speaking as someone who doesn't even like onboard preamps (and has little use for compressors or phase shifters) I gotta say the the onboard compressor & phase shifter on this guitar really function well...

[David Schwab]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]16645[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]16646[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]16646[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]16647[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]16649[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]16644[/ATTACH]

I think this is very clearly a pickup made by Maxon in Japan. They also made pickups for Univox and Ibanez.

I had a Sekova Les Paul copy with the exact same pickups, except for the bobbin color. They use the same brown glue as well.

The Greco Dry-Z humbuckers are made by Maxon and often sell for a lot of money. Greco guitars - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There was a thread about these here:

http://music-electronics-forum.com/t8534/

[David Schwab]

Y'know, speaking as someone who doesn't even like onboard preamps (and has little use for compressors or phase shifters) I gotta say the the onboard compressor & phase shifter on this guitar really function well...

I love compression, and just picked myself up an MXR Phase 90 after not having one for years.

Probably the electronics are by Maxon as well. They made the original Tube Screamer for Ibanez. The guitar might have been built in the FujiGen factory where my Ibanez bass was built.

[Mark Hammer]

Hah! So that's what they are! I have some of those that were busted (badly torn coils) and given to me by someone in a repair shop. I had no idea, and just figured them to be cheap Japanese pickups from the 70's. Now I'm curious to wind them up again and listen.

[David Schwab]

I used to have a set, but have long lost them. I don't know how they are wound, but it is 42 AWG. I recently sold a Univox Hi-Flyer I had, and those are similar pickups. They read 7.4k. The magnets read 360G North at the screw coil.

I'd imagine these are wound similar to PAFs. You can always weigh the bad coil for an idea of how much wire is on it (compared to the rewound coil).

[big_teee]

I used to have a set, but have long lost them. I don't know how they are wound, but it is 42 AWG. I recently sold a Univox Hi-Flyer I had, and those are similar pickups. They read 7.4k. The magnets read 360G North at the screw coil.

I'd imagine these are wound similar to PAFs. You can always weigh the bad coil for an idea of how much wire is on it (compared to the rewound coil).

A Joke, but Do you perhaps think we could make more Bux if we sold them by the Ounce or Pound!
T

[salvarsan]

Plus, my eternal idiocy is reflected in the fact that I'm not quite sure about how to read the most impressive Salversan Coil Estimator.

If it was truly impressive, you wouldn't have these questions.

By the way, for those keeping an archive of pickup data the numbers I entered into the fields here (dimensional & resistive) have been measured from the other coil in this pickup (which did eventually yield to my stubborn re-termination efforts.)

Does this imply that the displayed resistive reading will result from all of these various winding densities?

This little application imperfectly estimates windings from resistance readings, bobbin (not coil) dimensions, and wire gauge.

If you only have the resistance and bobbin dimensions, you can usually get the wire size by trial-and-error comparisons of 42,43,and 44 AWG.

The Fill Factor tries to account for loose scatter winds vs. tight machine winds.

Would this be a function of the interwinding resistance going down due to the tighter squeeze of the pack (even as the series resistance climbs with increasing wire length? Or does this reflect how much wire one can cram onto the bobbins?

On a related note, what are the bottom line "max winds" fields all about?

Max winds tells you how much wire you can put on the bobbin without winding past the edge of the bobbin flats.

It tries to put a number to how you can put more wire on a bobbin with a tight wind than a loose wind.

The Coil Estimator has limited usefulness since magnet wire dimensional specs are +/- 5%, maybe worse.

That range propagates to roughly +/-250 winds on a 5000 winding pickup which means that any plausible windings estimate puts you in the ballpark but won't get you on base.

[fieldwrangler]

I love compression, and just picked myself up an MXR Phase 90 after not having one for years.

Probably the electronics are by Maxon as well. They made the original Tube Screamer for Ibanez. The guitar might have been built in the FujiGen factory where my Ibanez bass was built.

Wouldn't surprise me if these epoxy potted modules are indeed Maxonian. Incidentally, I have an old Korg overdrive that may also be of Maxonian origin, and it wins hands down in all the shootouts I've had with a lot of Tube Screamers (even though it appears to be a very, very similar circuit) every time. I might assign one of my students to transcribe this one, although for all I know the differences may be in the specific diodes or something...

As for the guitar, it's a fascinating aggregation of very good & very bad workmanship (and components, for that matter.) I'd certainly like to get the Authoritative Word on these beasts.

Bob Palmieri

[fieldwrangler]

I used to have a set, but have long lost them. I don't know how they are wound, but it is 42 AWG. I recently sold a Univox Hi-Flyer I had, and those are similar pickups. They read 7.4k. The magnets read 360G North at the screw coil.

I'd imagine these are wound similar to PAFs. You can always weigh the bad coil for an idea of how much wire is on it (compared to the rewound coil).

I think these versions are closer to 8.2K DCR. And, considering that the windings are busting the boundaries of the flimsy .030 nylon bobbins, I wouldn't be surprised if they were originally intended to have less turns.

Bob Palmieri

[fieldwrangler]

I think this is very clearly a pickup made by Maxon in Japan. They also made pickups for Univox and Ibanez.

I had a Sekova Les Paul copy with the exact same pickups, except for the bobbin color. They use the same brown glue as well.

The Greco Dry-Z humbuckers are made by Maxon and often sell for a lot of money. Greco guitars - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There was a thread about these here:

http://music-electronics-forum.com/t8534/

David -

You're the greatest; thanks for this ID! Incidentally, the previous day I hadta tear into one of those Epiphone specimens with the wax filling up the covers, and there were certain clues that either these things came from a related source or someone Once Upon a Time "learned" a construction technique or two from the Maxons.