Compiled Pickup Data (Various Brands)

[jtb]

So I've been scraping and arranging data here and there (many of you will recognize some of this info from somewhere) and decided to put it into a spreadsheet that anyone can use.

Because I'm not really an experienced pickup maker, I thought it best to allow some smarter characters to make edits and - hopefully - contribute some of their own data to the spreadsheet.

To make edits, simply make a comment here in this thread, then ask permission to edit on the Google sheet. That way I can confirm you're a trustworthy editor. If you see some stuff with conflicting info to what you have, please make a note rather than erasing it entirely - just so I can try to do a bit of research to corroborate before going with it.


Anyway, here's the link (Google Docs).

Let me know what you think, I'd be happy to know if anyone finds it helpful - and very grateful for contributions!


e: I have a lot more data to add for other brands, but it's a struggle to organize it all - I never have the same sets of data for each brand, so it's hard to establish a standard format.

[David King]

Great idea jtb, brings to mind a very long ago idea around here called pickupedia.info which was a wiki page that could be edited by participants. Unfortunately it came to an end after a couple of years without much participation.

[glaze]

It is a cool idea. I found a one page list similar to yours and they had gauss of the magnets info also.

[Helmholtz]

Some additional info/data:

My original 1959 Strat PUs measure DCR: 5.9k/6.0k/6.0k, L: 2.44H/2.52H/2.50H, B: 950G - 1200G (indicating fully charged A5, no signs of aging!), magnetic polarity: North up.

The '66 to '68 Fender Strat PUs I analyzed were wax - not lacquer - potted.


In the context of our PAF magnet reengineering project we had around 20 dated Gibson magnets (taken from P-90s and PAFs, covering production years from 1954 to around 1967) lab analyzed. The survey also included some newer (US) production magnets of all relevant grades for reference purposes.

The results were surprizing: All long magnets dating between 1954 and 1960 (around a dozen in total) were neither A2 nor A3 nor A5. While there was a little variance in chemical composition and magnet data (demagnetization curves), all these magnets could be positively identified as a (well documented traditional) variant of A4 (somewhat different from today's US A4). Particularly other standard grades could be excluded.

Also some A4 in short magnets in the early 60s, but now A2 and A5 as well.

These results were also published in the German G&B magazine (issue 12/18).

[big_teee]

Nice Chart.
Bobbin dimensions would be a nice addition, for those trying to make a vintage pickup from scratch!
T

[jtb]

Great idea jtb, brings to mind a very long ago idea around here called pickupedia.info which was a wiki page that could be edited by participants. Unfortunately it came to an end after a couple of years without much participation.

I'm actually really frustrated with the lack of data online - I'm new to pickup winding, I'm mainly a luthier and I just got into it because I started designing an automatic pickup winding machine...I imagine people/companies are kind of cagey about their trade secrets though. Maybe I can find the original author on the wayback machine and see if he'll be willing to dump his data in this sheet too.

It is a cool idea. I found a one page list similar to yours and they had gauss of the magnets info also.

Any links or data you can provide would be greatly appreciated - I'd like to make this a community resource.

Some additional info/data:

My original 1959 Strat PUs measure DCR: 5.9k/6.0k/6.0k, L: 2.44H/2.52H/2.50H, B: 950G - 1200G (indicating fully charged A5, no signs of aging!), magnetic polarity: North up.

The '66 to '68 Fender Strat PUs I analyzed were wax - not lacquer - potted.


In the context of our PAF magnet reengineering project we had around 20 dated Gibson magnets (taken from P-90s and PAFs, covering production years from 1954 to around 1967) lab analyzed. The survey also included some newer (US) production magnets of all relevant grades for reference purposes.

The results were surprizing: All long magnets dating between 1954 and 1960 (around a dozen in total) were neither A2 nor A3 nor A5. While there was a little variance in chemical composition and magnet data (demagnetization curves), all these magnets could be positively identified as a (well documented traditional) variant of A4 (somewhat different from today's US A4). Particularly other standard grades could be excluded.

Also some A4 in short magnets in the early 60s, but now A2 and A5 as well.

These results were also published in the German G&B magazine (issue 12/18).

If you'd be willing to make a couple edits to the chart, I'd be very grateful (and I'm sure noobs of the future will be too). I'm kind of annoyed that I was only able to find average per coil resistance data for the Fender guitars. That '59 Strat's resistance average is correct though, when taking an average of your numbers - so that's nice to have a little assurance with these numbers. They're dredged from the depths of the internet (and direct from manufacturers).

I don't want to annoy you, but I have a ton of questions about pickups and you seem like a one-stop source for answers....can I message them to you?

Nice Chart.
Bobbin dimensions would be a nice addition, for those trying to make a vintage pickup from scratch!
T

I can do a little research next weekend and see if I can find some numbers floating around - I was hoping some of you characters would want to make some edits since I'm sure all the data ever needed is stored collectively in this forums members

[jtb]

Great idea jtb, brings to mind a very long ago idea around here called pickupedia.info which was a wiki page that could be edited by participants. Unfortunately it came to an end after a couple of years without much participation.

Does this look familiar: https://web.archive.org/web/20110930...Specifications ?

[David King]

That's familiar looking. I can't remember where the data came from or vouch for it's accuracy but don't have any reason to doubt it either. Unfortunately one of our core members here, jonson, passed away in 2015 or so and took a lifetime's worth of data with him. He'd offered it up to me and I hadn't realized the gravity of his situation at the time and hadn't acted on the offer. Spence might know more but he hasn't come around in quite a while.

[big_teee]

I have some data on the B/H forum.
https://music-electronics-forum.com/...0&d=1432942674
https://music-electronics-forum.com/...4&d=1368391635
http://www.jdguitarworks.com/coil/coil.html
I can also calculate custom pickup data with bobbin core dimensions, upon request.
GL,
T

[the great waldo]

I have some data on the B/H forum.
https://music-electronics-forum.com/...0&d=1432942674
https://music-electronics-forum.com/...4&d=1368391635
http://www.jdguitarworks.com/coil/coil.html
I can also calculate custom pickup data with bobbin core dimensions, upon request.
GL,
T

Hi T
Happy new year and hope all is well. The first link is dead, I just thought i'd mention it.
Cheers
Andrew

[big_teee]

It works here, it is a xls spreadsheet.

T

[Helmholtz]

If you'd be willing to make a couple edits to the chart, I'd be very grateful (and I'm sure noobs of the future will be too).

I think editing should be done by one person only.

I'm kind of annoyed that I was only able to find average per coil resistance data for the Fender guitars. That '59 Strat's resistance average is correct though, when taking an average of your numbers

But bear in mind that a temperature difference of 10°C changes the DCR by 4%, so the same PU might read 5.76k or 6.0k depending on wire temperature (handling).
Also measuring PU DCR without disconnecting the vol pot will give too low readings by 0.1k to 0.2k.

Generally the influence of the DCR on the PU's frequency response is very small. Inductance is much more important.

I don't want to annoy you, but I have a ton of questions about pickups and you seem like a one-stop source for answers....can I message them to you?

I much prefer to answer your technical questions here on the forum, so that others can participate and maybe benefit.



The Fender Strat PU part of your chart looks identical to this list:
pudata.pdf

IIRC this is based on measurements performed by Seymour Duncan.
But note that magnet polarity should be north for 1958/1959.


There is a huge PU data collection here (maintained by MEF member Antigua):
http://guitarnuts2.proboards.com/thr...es-discussions

http://echoesofmars.com/pickup_data/...ot~(~)~filter~')

[the great waldo]

Thanks Terry
That link didn't want to download directly for some reason but I used J downloader and it came through fine.
Cheers
Andrew

[Lollar Jason]

Like helmholtz noted- holding a pickup in your hand for a little while will change the resistance. One mistake I saw right off the bat is jazzmater resistance is actually around 8 to 8.2K even though the turn count is similar to a strat- different coil shape. Resistance is futile.

[jtb]

Alright so there's a lot of stuff I have to start cataloguing in this thread - which is perfect! Thanks!

Not to mention I found a few more spreadsheet pages on my computer with more data, and then links to manufacturer data repositories...this might take a while..

But any ideas or other stuff to contribute will still be appreciated - I'll post again once I've got it all sorted out for a second review.