Using 1960's Plain Enamel Magnet Wire

[kevinT]

Maybe the vendor was cleaning out his warehouse and he got a good deal on the wire.

However, don't you think it is a little suspicious. Why would this wire still be around after 40 years? Was it a bad batch to begin with that they didn't want to throw away at the time...and then some worker found it in a dark corner of the basement?

The bad thing is that most players wouldn't know about the effects of age on some insulations and that there is a chance that their pickup could short out. They'll get all wrapped up in that it is vintage wire and they have to have something different.

Hopefully he did his homework (wound some pickups and looked at it under a microscope as Nitewinder mentioned) before he handed over his cash.

[Possum]

old insulation....

is that why my hair is falling out? the insulation on it is kindy powdery and flakey then it falls out?

Oh well, I've never actually seen wire that messed up, all the samples I"ve saved could be new and they go back to the mid-50s. Guess it depends on how the guitar has been treated. Chris Duarte pointed me to one of his that Novak repaired, if you want to see a pickup thats been through hell check it out:
http://www.curtisnovak.com/pickups/r...at/index.shtml
I think he must sweat like a pig when playing look at that rust!!!

[David Schwab]

I think he must sweat like a pig when playing look at that rust!!!

Yikes!

Kind of cool to see the bottom off the pickup! So.. for everyone who was worried about getting wax between the magnets... look, no wax! Go ahead and tape your magnets.

[NightWinder]

I've only seen wire flakes like dandriff maybe a handful of times. Your about to see some too Possum. That wire I told you about from '62.
Its hard to say if its the insulation, or shelak or lacquor, as fender used to dipp them in something, and I would suspect that over insulation flakes. All the same, I think it would really come down to how it was stored.
Shit at the end, if its still good wire.....Damn, I want a roll!!
Spence, Why would NOS Flake? Asking? Is it because they use the old machines and insulation formulas from back in the day?

[pupoholic]

easy on the ol' grey mare -- nightwinder, ......

nightwinder said; :"Consider the Source!! Is it reputable? Or a don mare?

I'm not the guy, bro... LOL

FWIW: If my credibility is ever in question, would ya all not think that my very own customers will figure it all out?, Or is there a very dim view of customer intelligence in general, I'm sensing here? If so keep in mind these customers we all share -- call us back and forth on the phone and compare us..etc -- and some Google and may also do some surfing here as well as all of us -- so I'd be careful myself not to insult their intelligence, my own customer base is made up 99% of all guys that are, ----in----past- or near 50', - and at that age most know just what Vintage is-or-was-and most still own vintage guitars.. not easily is this age group going to be duped or suckered and the reason for that is most of them -- well;---> They been there done that.


However back to the subject of the thread

I too have two small spools of old wire but mines -- 41 fomvar marked from 1966' it came from an amp builder whos scoured thru the same ol' wharehouse for 5 years digging thru 1000's of electronic parts for amps.. he's logged hundreds of hours in there. he bumped into two spools of 41 fomvar $20.00 each.. and gave them to me.. as a gift.

I seen the guy who has the 67' spools and the story that goes with what he believes and the higher rates, is all fine with me...


while winding with my 1966 I can short it out if I am rough with it and pull hard.

but it's worked for over a year on the very few pups I use 41 awg on.

and when its gone I'm ordering NEW WIRE 41 heavy build Fomvar --

and I know the tone is most likely to be better on the new stuff then this old stuff...

but I'm the last guy you'll see relying on Old Wire to get Old tone..
I'm all about new parts equating to old tone..

when the wires all gone -- this guy is going to be forced to lie that he still has it, or hes out and the new wires not as good as he implies or shut down, what do you think is going to happen?

have a great day, bros

Don Mare (I'm not the guy) ( but more power to whoever he is - because if his customers were duped they'd be singing the "hey I got ripped off song", but... they all sound happy to me )

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[NightWinder]

No worries Don Mare. I just use you as a reference....more for the sneaky shit, Ie: "Don't pull a Don Mare on me, as I don't like Knifes that I can reach to pull out of my backside". Bullshiter if you will. MAybe some of your customers are lurking here, and seen your viewpoint on some rather "unnessisary" things. Either way, i think you threw the lowest blow here so far: ) I must however admitt....You are rather funny. I would'nt mind partying with you....see what comes out with a little booze......
" HOWEVER, BACK TO THE SUBJECT OF THE THREAD "

Maybe labling the pickups as "limited edition" would be proper. First come first gets

[kevinT]

when the wires all gone -- this guy is going to be forced to lie that he still has it, or hes out and the new wires not as good as he implies or shut down, what do you think is going to happen?

That is the genius of his marketing strategy with the wire. He is only limiting himself to certain number of pickups (signed and numbered 1 of 50, etc.). It's one way to draw attention to a specfic product in limited supply. Its also a good way to keep the price high on the pickups if there is a limited number made.

He obviously has some marketing savvy.

More power to him.

[pupoholic]

No worries,Bro ( nightwinder )

hope tomorrow is better for yas,
cheers
DON

[NightWinder]

Todays great. Hopefully, as we all do
Cheers,
(Nightwinder) Slams the Kettle One dry.

[NightWinder]

Maybe the vendor was cleaning out his warehouse and he got a good deal on the wire.

However, don't you think it is a little suspicious. Why would this wire still be around after 40 years? Was it a bad batch to begin with that they didn't want to throw away at the time...and then some worker found it in a dark corner of the basement?

The bad thing is that most players wouldn't know about the effects of age on some insulations and that there is a chance that their pickup could short out. They'll get all wrapped up in that it is vintage wire and they have to have something different.

Hopefully he did his homework (wound some pickups and looked at it under a microscope as Nitewinder mentioned) before he handed over his cash.

Definately, more power to him. But I'd think it would have to be stated ad a Limited Edition. I've done them before. I have some super Black PE stamped "92, but obviously not nothing of the vintage catagory. It is rather rare though as it is an awkward size, and double build too.
The problem...when I run out....getting something comparable, and still developing something similar. Worse yet, I blew half a spool developing the pickup, which left me with about 7lbs (2 Spools). I got lucky too in the developement stage......Usually takes me 6 months before I offer it in my line if I'm lucky....My best seller took over 2 1/2 yrs to finalize.

[Possum]

living off a dead name....

Actually customers aren't that bright, most of them. There's a pickup maker down south way in Stevie land. I constantly run into customers who bought those pickups and are extremely disappointed in their tone. So I ask them why they bought them...."well everybody knows that name." I guess thats the name of this game in this biz, you start out, you figure out how to make killer shit, build a reputation, then starting cranking out hundreds of pickups a day and live off old buzz, eh? If I ever do that just shoot me ok? The good thing about staying small is you have to interact with each customer one on one so you can make SURE they are buying what they really need and aren't making a big mistake with their money....

[NightWinder]

Thats sooo true, and you see it too often. Sacrificing quality for the almighty dollar. At that point...Its like,"what did you start doing this for in the first place?" I've had to pass up on some nice money in regard to a few customers wanting theirs "Tommarrow". When I explain that I just have a few orders ahead , and it may be a day or two longer they don't want to wait, very impatient. Just kills me sometimes to think....your tone sucked for this long, whats another day or two?

[Possum]

patience....

TRUST ME, you DON'T want those impatient types as customers I've learned they are the ones who will drive you crazy or have short tempers and go on forums and trash your reputation because you didn't do handsprings on command. When I get an inquiry I tell them ya know its going to be 8-12 weeks, maybe more maybe less, no guaranteed delivery time unless you want to pay a rush fee and even then can't specify a date because life doesn't perfom on command either. I lose alot of customers that way and I don't care, my headaches are way less when those guys go away in a huff and buy something at Guitar Center because they are in a hurry....

[clyde]

Possum, seeing that picture of Chris' pup made me think of Rory Gallager's.

Thought that I read somewhere that the blood type he had made his sweat damn near acid.

If that's the case, just looking at the condition of the Fndr tribute strat, wonder what they found under the 'guard when they gave it the once over.

[pupoholic]

some old wooden spool wire up on ebay

the cloth wire is whats got me looking,, could be neat stuff just to have a few spools of, I'll pass on the enamel -- check his other auctions

http://cgi.ebay.com/lot-4-vintage-ra...ayphotohosting