Question on NOS Wire used on WB pickups

[NateRS]

Hey all!

I just recently noticed that on ebay someone is selling a 1.5lb roll of the 1967 NOS 42 AWG wire that Will Bogg's used on his 67-07 humbuckers.

Looking at the wire it seems like it's either some type of poly or formvar. Also the details for the wire lists: Type K2 (I believe this means the wire is double or heavy build instead of single). Anyways I'm having the seller send me a sample to check it out.

Does anyone have anymore info on what this wire is based on the pics? Also if it is poly wire, would it being 50 years old even make a difference from the poly wire produced now??

[big_teee]

If it is Heavy build wire, it is probably 42 HFV, or if Poly it would be 42 HPN.
If you get a sample, measure the wire with at least a 4 digit Micrometer.
If you want to dupe what he did on a budget, figure the specs then order some modern wire.
T
** http://www.ebay.com/itm/Will-Boggs-1...item19dfc7d170
Looks like Poly to me!
Don't know what is special about WB, but it looks way over priced.

[Jim Shine]

It looks like that NOS funky wire sold off as Caesar Diaz's personal stock.

[LtKojak]

Looks like the sale of snake oil never ends... (shakes head in disbelief )

[Jim Shine]

Right. Because marketing it for what it is, out of spec 42 gauge wire that reads like 44 would kill most interest.

[Stratz]

I have about 160-180 lbs of 42-44 gauge PE and Formvar from 1950's to 1980's.
If I could re-spool it I could sell snake oil too.

[NateRS]

If it is Heavy build wire, it is probably 42 HFV, or if Poly it would be 42 HPN.
If you get a sample, measure the wire with at least a 4 digit Micrometer.
If you want to dupe what he did on a budget, figure the specs then order some modern wire.
T
** Will Boggs 1967 Wire The Wire He Used for His Pickups | eBay
Looks like Poly to me!
Don't know what is special about WB, but it looks way over priced.

Agreed, I was just shocked to see it and it perked my interest as to what kind of wire it was. It's the first time I've seen someone trying to jack up the price of poly wire (marketing it as NOS), since generally with the term NOS wire you think of plain enamel and heavy formvar (usually trying to market to people doing repros of pafs and vintage fender pickups).

It especially baffles me because poly wire from 1967 would most likely be exactly the same as poly wire produced today.

[capehead]

I have about 160-180 lbs of 42-44 gauge PE and Formvar from 1950's to 1980's.
If I could re-spool it I could sell snake oil too.

If your stuff specs out good then you most certainly could sell some of it, likely at a huge profit; regardless if you really believe it makes all that much of a difference. Perhaps you could hire-out the job of re-spooling from a reputable company that is somewhat local to you (so that you can directly observe the process as opposed to mailing it out)? I'd be almost more than willing to bet a limb or two that this stuff would sell like crazy so long as the price was within reason for small-ish spools of the stuff (4oz-1lbs). You of course can do with this wire as you wish, but I know good opportunity when I see it.....

[David Schwab]

The roll in the first post looks like Formvar.

[Stratz]

If your stuff specs out good then you most certainly could sell some of it, likely at a huge profit; regardless if you really believe it makes all that much of a difference. Perhaps you could hire-out the job of re-spooling from a reputable company that is somewhat local to you (so that you can directly observe the process as opposed to mailing it out)? I'd be almost more than willing to bet a limb or two that this stuff would sell like crazy so long as the price was within reason for small-ish spools of the stuff (4oz-1lbs). You of course can do with this wire as you wish, but I know good opportunity when I see it.....

I still need to go to FLA and pick it up along with 50 years of Fender NOS flatwork and Alnico magnets, commercial and home built winding machines, chargers, etc. It was my Fathers and it was left to me when he passed away recently.

I have no Idea what I'm going to do with all of this stuff yet. I'll be keeping the machines and equipment that he built. The rest.... not sure just yet.

[David King]

Stratz,

Sorry to hear about your father's passing, it sounds like there's a story there to be told. I'm sure we could help you come up with a way to deal with the excess if it comes to that.

[Possum]

Any magnet wire made before '65 is quite valuable and rare. Its nothing like what we get now, and you'll only know that when you wind and play the results. The differences aren't dramatic but very noticeable. And yes, poly from that period would be just as good. I've been winding with PE from '54 these last 6 months, two small spools, the difference in the wire is the icing on the cake for what I'm doing, it makes it unecessery to use my bag of tricks to try to fill in the gaps that modern wire is missing. If you want to sell of some of that PE let me know, but its not really that simple. I also have a full NOS spool of 42 PE from the same year range but it measures .0031" and you can only barely squeeze enough wire on a bucker to get 6K, so that stuff is nearly useless. Vintage alnico is also quite valuable if its in useable sizes. Call it what you want, snake oil, or old junk, I'll buy it if its useable....