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**icr** · 12-28-2015, 04:00 PM

Originally posted by Jason Rodgers View Post

This is clever, but seems like a lot of work. When you say you tried the magnet on the bottom, was it one of those tiny cylinders, or something else? Over on the MIMF here , Markku was using little disc neos on his Slumbuckers.

On a recent experimental humbucker set, I made one coil with a blade and ceramic magnet, and the other coil with slugs and neo magnets (two 1/8"x1/8"x1"). I used a Dimarzio super switch so I could get 1- bridge humbucking, 2- bridge and neck blades alone, 3- bridge and neck humbucking, 4- bridge and neck slugs alone, and 5- neck humbucking. I like the sound of these pickups in humbucking selections in general, but the interesting result was the isolated coils: the blades with ceramics are brittle and a bit harsh, but the slugs with neos have a lovely chimey clarity and mid-low roundness. I'm going to experiment more with this hybrid combination, trying different turn counts, but I'll only utilize that slug and neo combo in single coil switching selections.

Did you ever get an answer on the neo magnet size and slug size? Those tiny magnets I'm playing with are 'found' magnets (as shipping is $11 for a 25cent magnet).

This pickup design has some serious size constraints on the magnets. For a hybrid pole-piece, I'm trying to avoid having the steel/neo connection within the bobbin. Otherwise the bobbin might just fall apart if the steel/neo glue joint breaks. The 'wind area' on this bobbin is only 1/8" wide.

**icr** · 12-28-2015, 04:07 PM

A little setback. I have measured the actual string spacing on this specific L7 guitar I obtained. Turns out it is different from my prototype. So I need to decide if I make my pickguard with holes that match original McCarty pickups (in case I find an original) or make the pole piece spacing specific to my guitar.

**Jason Rodgers** · 12-29-2015, 04:19 PM

Originally posted by icr View Post

Did you ever get an answer on the neo magnet size and slug size? Those tiny magnets I'm playing with are 'found' magnets (as shipping is $11 for a 25cent magnet).

This pickup design has some serious size constraints on the magnets. For a hybrid pole-piece, I'm trying to avoid having the steel/neo connection within the bobbin. Otherwise the bobbin might just fall apart if the steel/neo glue joint breaks. The 'wind area' on this bobbin is only 1/8" wide.

Yes, in a PM I asked Markku more about his pole pieces. He said he uses 5mm steel rod, cut to length and polished and beveled, and 5mm neo magnet discs that are 3mm thick. If you used 3/8" steel slugs with 1/16" flatwork to build the bobbin, and 3mm-1/8" neo buttons on the bottom, there's your 1/4" tall pickup (well, minus the base and cover...).

**icr** · 12-29-2015, 11:37 PM

Got the wire, so moving forward with the Alnico V bobbin. Magnets glued in place and eyelets added. 1/8" plastic spacers to size the bobbin while it is being glued.

**icr** · 12-29-2015, 11:38 PM

Makeshift winder; takeup spool of 8mm movie projector. Vice with 1/8" plastic in jaws for guide.

**icr** · 12-29-2015, 11:39 PM

I over-wound it, then unwound to 6.6k.

**icr** · 12-31-2015, 11:38 AM

**icr** · 12-31-2015, 11:40 AM

Pots are surface mount. The manufacturer of the originals shows pictures on their website but does not respond to inquiry. So I made my own from available parts.