Wal-inspired pickup wind

[Chris Turner]

Okay, yeah, this is a Wal-inspired pickup, but to give credit where credit is due, I must also include David Schwab and Marko Ursin in that inspiration. Not meant to be a direct copy of an actual Wal pickup or anything... just wanted to see what it would sound like.

Each coil has 7000 turns of 43AWG wire, and each reads ~1.74K.


Here's a pic of where is it now, before the top flatwork is attached (doing that so I can mount it sans cover).




I'll try to get some recordings of what it sounds like after it's installed.

[Knarleybass]

Looks great, how do you have all those coils hooked up?

[Chris Turner]

Looks great, how do you have all those coils hooked up?

Each row of 4 are now hooked up in series, and each row is in parallel. I think the Wal Mark 1-3 series are wired differently, though... maybe like each horizontal row of 2 is in series and all 4 of those are in parallel. Not sure.

[David Schwab]

Each row of 4 are now hooked up in series, and each row is in parallel. I think the Wal Mark 1-3 series are wired differently, though... maybe like each horizontal row of 2 is in series and all 4 of those are in parallel. Not sure.

The Wal Pro is wired with the two rows in series like a regular humbucker, and then the two rows in parallel. The Mark basses have each string pair in series, and then those in parallel.

[Mike Sulzer]

The Wal Pro is wired with the two rows in series like a regular humbucker, and then the two rows in parallel. The Mark basses have each string pair in series, and then those in parallel.

I think you could achieve the same resonant frequency and output level by winding on fewer turns and putting everything in series. Spend less time winding, too.

[fieldwrangler]

I think you could achieve the same resonant frequency and output level by winding on fewer turns and putting everything in series. Spend less time winding, too.

Agreed. Once Upon a Time in the 80's I made pickups for the original Ken Parker 6-string basses (one for each string); 6 little bobbins all in series seemed to be the ticket.

By the way, Mike... let's assume I did in fact end up with a pretty normal resonant frequency with this setup (which involved a pretty normal amount of 42 ga. wire as I recall) - how would you think the Q would compare to a conventional pickup?

Bob Palmieri

[Chris Turner]

Agreed. Once Upon a Time in the 80's I made pickups for the original Ken Parker 6-string basses (one for each string); 6 little bobbins all in series seemed to be the ticket.

Bob Palmieri

I may try that instead. Winding 7000 turns on 8 bobbins is a bit of a PITA.

I just figured that since the number of turns is very important in determining output, all else being equal, I would need something close to 5000-7000 turns to get the kind of output I want in a passive bass. That being said, I picked the bobbin materials out from ACE Hardware to fit my 1/4"-28 set screws that fit the few keeper bars I have on hand... the bobbins are a bit taller than I'd like. If I can get similar output from 2000-3000 turns, that would be great, and I could use some shorter bobbins.

[ken]

I wonder what this would be like wound in stereo as four individual humbuckers... one pair for each string, say E and D left channel, A and D for the right.

ken

[Mike Sulzer]

A
By the way, Mike... let's assume I did in fact end up with a pretty normal resonant frequency with this setup (which involved a pretty normal amount of 42 ga. wire as I recall) - how would you think the Q would compare to a conventional pickup?

You need to find the relative resistances. If you assume that you could pack the wire on with the same density in both cases, then you just compare the area occupied by wire (looking at the ends of the pole pieces). It is not a big difference. I calculate about 5% more in the case of the individual poles.

[David Schwab]

I think you could achieve the same resonant frequency and output level by winding on fewer turns and putting everything in series. Spend less time winding, too.

I agree.

[David Schwab]

I may try that instead. Winding 7000 turns on 8 bobbins is a bit of a PITA.

The real pickup has more than that on each coil. Major PITA!

[David Schwab]

Agreed. Once Upon a Time in the 80's I made pickups for the original Ken Parker 6-string basses (one for each string); 6 little bobbins all in series seemed to be the ticket.

I made this for my 5 string Ibanez bass back in about '92. (bottom view)



The coils were from the Edison factory in West Orange NJ. I had two magnets on the bottom, but only one remains. The tops of the coils had threaded rods sticking out which poked through a Jazz bass pickup cover. The output was very low so I used a JFET preamp. It had a nice clear tone.

[belwar]

Chris turner PM me your address and i'll mail you a set of wal pole screws. I have 40000 of them.

[Chris Turner]

The real pickup has more than that on each coil. Major PITA!

Do you know how many it does have? And what gauge wire they used? Not that I'll probably wind mine like they did (do?), but just curious.

[Chris Turner]

Chris turner PM me your address and i'll mail you a set of wal pole screws. I have 40000 of them.

That would be awesome! PMed.