Willl it break down?

[Dr. Guitar]

First time posting here. I tried a short lived stab at winding about 5 years ago. Now I'm back. At that time I bought some 42 AWG SPN. I went with this choice, because I remember reading/hearing about enamel developing cracks over time, where SPN does not. I can no longer find out where I heard that. Barring other factors, can I expect the SPN to out last other insulators?

[NightWinder]

If wound right, Not in your lifetime...

[Spence]

First time posting here. I tried a short lived stab at winding about 5 years ago. Now I'm back. At that time I bought some 42 AWG SPN. I went with this choice, because I remember reading/hearing about enamel developing cracks over time, where SPN does not. I can no longer find out where I heard that. Barring other factors, can I expect the SPN to out last other insulators?

I wouldn't bet on it.
Formvar for example is a great insulator but Fender pickups seem to die long before Gibsons. The key factor is the environment which the insulation comes into contact with.

[David Schwab]

I wouldn't bet on it.
Formvar for example is a great insulator but Fender pickups seem to die long before Gibsons. The key factor is the environment which the insulation comes into contact with.

Yeah, in the Fender pickups you end up getting corrosion on the poles, and that kills the coil. On humbuckers the wire never touches the metal poles.

I'm sure if Leo knew that would eventually happen he would have taped off the poles before he wound, kind of like the way he switched to rosewood fingerboards after he saw the maple ones getting worn and dirty.

[Dr. Guitar]

But I'm asking about single poly nylon, not formvar.

[mick]

And if you read your replies you will see what they are saying ,

Mick

[Spence]

Yeah, in the Fender pickups you end up getting corrosion on the poles, and that kills the coil. On humbuckers the wire never touches the metal poles.

I'm sure if Leo knew that would eventually happen he would have taped off the poles before he wound, kind of like the way he switched to rosewood fingerboards after he saw the maple ones getting worn and dirty.

They did switch to doing that for a while. They seldom come my way with shorted coils but it does still happen because they potted the coils with lacquer too. But anyway, it's rather nice that Fender pickups have a limited lifespan because we get to disect them and get paid to repair them.

[David Schwab]

I have a '59 Jazzmaster that had dead coils when I got it. That's the only time I've seen dead Fender pickups. My '72 Mustang's pickups still worked until they sat in a box of pickups and junk for too long...