Checking DC Resistance.

[Aka Nameless]

That folding foil around the wire is a genius idea, gonna have to start doing that. When i'm trying to get a reading with these pointy stabby things, it puts a mean bend in the wire from the pressure it takes to get a reading, which is probably why my first coil had a break in it somewhere.

I don't have a butane torch atm, wonder if my Bic Lighter will work for stripping the wire, another awesome idea.

My cheapo Radio shack multimeter only has the pointy stabby things, and they are permanently attached it seems, so no clips for now.

Thanks for the info.

[David Schwab]

The pickups are just your standard singlecoil with alcino V magnets and 43 ga. wire. and i'm planning to wind to around 7k resistance each, wiring the bass up like a jazz bass, but pickups in series.

Why wire them in series? I wouldn't use that as the standard wiring, but it's not a bad option. I had a 4 string fretless with a switch to connect them in series. It's good when you need a lot of bottom and less top end, but I don't think it's a good all around tone.

[David Schwab]

That folding foil around the wire is a genius idea, gonna have to start doing that. When i'm trying to get a reading with these pointy stabby things, it puts a mean bend in the wire from the pressure it takes to get a reading, which is probably why my first coil had a break in it somewhere.

I'm not sure why I started doing it, but it was obvious I needed a larger area for the probes.

I don't have a butane torch atm, wonder if my Bic Lighter will work for stripping the wire, another awesome idea.

I just use a Bic lighter. Or a match.

My cheapo Radio shack multimeter only has the pointy stabby things, and they are permanently attached it seems, so no clips for now.

Ah.. but go to Radio Shack and look where they have the meters. There's the test clips. They slip over the end of the pointy bits. They come in real handy for a lot of things.

Mini Test Clip Adapters

[Aka Nameless]

Ya, I figured if I don't like it, I can always throw it back to parallel, no problem.

[zorro]

test your meter

"Hmm.. when I set the multimeter, to Ohm, should I put it on the 200, 2k, 20k, 200k, or 2m setting? I've had it on the 2k setting cause it gives 3 numbers after the decimal point."


Put your meter on the 200k setting. What is after the decimal point is not important. Your readings could be anywhere from 3k to 16k. Test your meter to make sure it is working by touching both test probe points together. You should get zero ohms. If you got a change from an open = infinite to a short=zero then you know that your test leads are working.

If you what to check the basic acuracy of your meter. If you have a potentiometer that you are going to use for your bass, put the probes on the middle pole and the other meter probe on an outside pole of the potentiometer. Turn the potentiometer. You should see the resistance change between zero ohms and the resistance of the potentiometer, which would be either 250k or 500k. If this checks out, you can trust your meter.
Good luck
George

[black_labb]

what i have been doing to check that i am far enough through the insulation is to test right next to eachother on the insulated section. if it gives a reading, you have connected it correctly, if you dont get anything, then you ahvent sanded far enough. ive used sanding because i couldnt get the lighter to burn the insulation without vaporising the wire as well, dont know why as it was a poly coating, but im happy to sand it off.

[Aka Nameless]

Thanks for all the info guys, I learn so much new stuff every time I visit this place.

[Zhangliqun]

Not sure I understand the problem at this point. Are you getting "0.00" or "0L"?

[Ruel]

Man, I am so frustrated right now, wind thousands of turns only to find out that the wire snapped somewhere, it's really not worth it to wind to resistance, having to stop winding to check it, then when you start winding again the wire gets a little fold in it that goes unnoticed and all that work is for nothing.

Don't despair. You'll get the hang of it. Checking the DCR along the way has its merits. you get to check if you have continuity. It is more frustrating if you get no reading after finishing the coil.

[Richard Head]

Checking resistance, use an aspirin

I just came across this forum and I'm amazed. I would never have believed that an arcane topic like pickup winding could have such a lively group of contributors! Gentlemen, it is an honor.

Anyway, getting the insulation off the wire is such a pain and usually you break the damn thing. I could never get to grips with the sandpaper. Luckily years ago a local guitar whiz showed me a great trick (Thank you Peter Langerak). You can dissolve the insulation using acid. The particular type of acid he recommended was acetylic acid, which can easily be obtained by melting an aspirin with your soldering iron. Please note, paracetamol or similar will not do! It must be good old fashioned aspirin.

How does this work? Well next to my winder I have a hot soldering iron of course and sitting in a safe burn free place a piece of aspirin. Just touch the aspirin with your well tinned iron and gently run it over the piece of wire you want to check. The insulation will disappear and the wire will become tinned giving a perfect place to make a reading.

You don't have to remove anything from the winder, if you need to continue just reinsulate this spot. I use thin alcohol based shellac and give the whole coil a good basting while I'm at it.

This makes winding to a specific resistance much easier and really takes the headaches out of the whole operation, which is what aspirin are famous for anyway I guess.

regards

[Joe Gwinn]

I just came across this forum and I'm amazed. I would never have believed that an arcane topic like pickup winding could have such a lively group of contributors! Gentlemen, it is an honor.

Anyway, getting the insulation off the wire is such a pain and usually you break the damn thing. I could never get to grips with the sandpaper. Luckily years ago a local guitar whiz showed me a great trick (Thank you Peter Langerak). You can dissolve the insulation using acid. The particular type of acid he recommended was acetylic acid, which can easily be obtained by melting an aspirin with your soldering iron. Please note, paracetamol or similar will not do! It must be good old fashioned aspirin.

How does this work? Well next to my winder I have a hot soldering iron of course and sitting in a safe burn free place a piece of aspirin. Just touch the aspirin with your well tinned iron and gently run it over the piece of wire you want to check. The insulation will disappear and the wire will become tinned giving a perfect place to make a reading.

I did this just once. The molten aspirin generated a cloud of noxious smoke -- this cannot be good for the eyes and lungs, which hurt. Though it did strip the insulation.

[Richard Head]

Stripping with aspirin

It sounds like you went a bit overboard with the aspirin if you actually hurt yourself! When I do it it fumes generated are about the same as caused by the resin core solder. This is a small amount which obviously one should avoid inhaling.

If you just lightly touch the aspirin and the soldering iron is well tinned, then just gliding the iron over the taut wire will strip it very nicely without damaging it at all. This seems much better to me than sanding through the insulation and creating weak points in the coil.

To each his own however. What's your preferred method Joe? Maybe I'll give that a shot.

[NightWinder]

My God!! What hole did you fall out of!!! I've been doing that for yrs, unless there no asprin. I have not shared that because some would never believe it. I never thought It would be brought up!!! Maybe Yopu should have mentioned that all You need to use is a chip, not half the pill!!!
Holy Shit Dude!! No way.....Welcome to the Forum!!

[Richard Head]

stripping with aspirin

Hello its me, I've crawled back out of my hole again, please give me an aspirin, my head is killing me!

Yes it's true, the aspirin really works and also true, you don't need the whole bloody thing. In fact one aspirin lasts for months depending of course on how many pickups you are wiring.

But seriously, I will definitely never forget the frustration I first felt when trying to wind pickups and i kept breaking the wire while trying to strip off the insulation. So when I read aka nameless describing the same feeling I thought i would throw in my two cent's worth. Remarkably I have never seen this tip on any other site, including Stew-Mac.

Rumour has it that aspirins are also useful for the morning after a particularly heavy gig.....

[kevinT]

I have not shared that because some would never believe it. I never thought It would be brought up!!!

Great info!!!

OK Nightwinder,

What other secrets are you holding out on?