StewMac flatwork

[kevinT]

curious...

Sounds like most folks here custom cut their flatwork and insert the eyelets for single coils.

My question is...has anyone experienced difficulties with using stewmac flatwork to produce single coils commercially besides being expensive?

Are there any problems with the flatwork itself (i.e., measurements, material) as well as using covers from SM, AP, and GJ on the completed pickup using the flatwork? Any problems with Allstar mags (dimensions) with stewmac flatwork?

[truetone]

I use them for my custom guitars and so far they've been great. They match my 62' pickups to a T.

[mick]

They can be very inconsistent , things like pole holes too big ( they are advertised at 190 thou I think ) , pole holes not central so on one side of top flatwork the wire sticks out ( side to side ), and holes to far to one side ( back to front ), They would be ok for short term but I would think that you will want to get some cut after using them for a while... SK's are ok...

Mick

[Zhangliqun]

Like Mick says, the rod holes are too big if you want to use .187's. Other than that they seem to work just fine for me, since I always use .194 or larger.

That said, for some special projects I have cut my own flatwork, for Phat Cat/P94 clones but mainly for the no-baseplate Tele bridges I make.

[mick]

Hmmm , they are even too big for my .194 mags , I mailed them about it and their suggestion was to buy their mags ( gee , top idea huh..), I decided to get my own flatwork cut instead...I don't think stewmacs flats are expensive really though....

Mick

[corduroyew]

My problem with stewmac flatwork has been that the holes in their flatwork doesn't match the holes in their covers. I've never had a problem with the holes being too big.

[David Schwab]

Hmmm , they are even too big for my .194 mags , I mailed them about it and their suggestion was to buy their mags

I haven't use them before, but I see their holes are .190, and their mags are .195. You would think it would work with .194 mags.

[mick]

You would think so..mind you the tolerance on mags is apparently 5 thou or something , you can pay extra and get this to 2 thou apparently?? YIPEE... although none of my mags are under .192 , some of the bottom flatwork has .197 holes , just one or 2 holes in the same piece..

Mick

[achase4u]

Ive also had issues with covers lining up.

When I get the magnets installed in the bottom flatwork, I get about .215" between each pole. When the top flatwork goes on, that space narrows, and some magnets are closer than others. The stewmac covers work the majority of the time, but as soon as I try any fender covers, they wont fit due to the magnets being too close here or there.

I have been trying to figure that one out for a while...

[chevalij]

I think the issue with the narrow poles is more in the way you put the top on. When I first started, I had that a lot. You have to put them on evenly. If you attemp to put them on left to right, or vice versa, you are asking for trouble. Start in the middle (tall poles) and work evenly out. Don't get too far down on the centre poles, or the top flatwork will start to cup and you're in trouble.

As for hole size, I use 5mm mags. They're about 0.197 and I ream all my holes to 0.191 before trying to install a mag. I've never had any bottoms with oversized holes.

[Zhangliqun]

Ironically, the GJ covers work perfectly fine with the Stewmac flatwork.

FWIW I've been getting more into cutting my own flatwork in my own ham-fisted way. A little time-consuming but worth it, especially when I learn more efficient ways of doing it.

Another good reason for doing your own is to make tighter-spaced neck singles for Strats with the modern bridge and Superstrats with tighter spacing than the vintage Strat bridge. The strings line up INSIDE the E-string poles and the output drop-off is miserable, especially on the high E. Haven't started to make my own Strat neck flatwork yet, but having bought an HSS strat as an (obviously) HSS testbed, I noticed this problem right away and will remember to ask customers what kind of bridge their Strat has from now on.

[corduroyew]

I've been making my own flatwork too. Not because I want to, but because allparts can only seem to get the product in. I've been waiting for bobbins from them for about 3 months now. I got 11 a couple weeks ago which would be fine if I only sold 1 pickup a week

It is good to know how to make your own stuff but bobbins that are punched or laser cut look nicer than bobbins that are drilled and routed.

[Stan H]

Ha...you sould have to order P Bass flatwork from them! ALWAYS on backorder! This is why I started making my own as well. Man, I hate AllParts...

I've been making my own flatwork too. Not because I want to, but because allparts can only seem to get the product in. I've been waiting for bobbins from them for about 3 months now. I got 11 a couple weeks ago which would be fine if I only sold 1 pickup a week

It is good to know how to make your own stuff but bobbins that are punched or laser cut look nicer than bobbins that are drilled and routed.

[Spence]

I've never had problems with flatwork holes. It's always been the magnets that are under sized. I have a couple of techniques to work around this problem but it's a bloody nuisance and I'm fed up of it.

[Woodenspoke]

I think the issue with the narrow poles is more in the way you put the top on. When I first started, I had that a lot. You have to put them on evenly. If you attemp to put them on left to right, or vice versa, you are asking for trouble. Start in the middle (tall poles) and work evenly out. Don't get too far down on the centre poles, or the top flatwork will start to cup and you're in trouble.

As for hole size, I use 5mm mags. They're about 0.197 and I ream all my holes to 0.191 before trying to install a mag. I've never had any bottoms with oversized holes.

IF you are using 5mm mags are you buying them also from SM or Sk or do you have a real supplier who will cut them in quantity. Been looking for a 5mm AL5 rod supplier.