Noisy bobbin.

[SteikBacon]

I did some testing with my own winded pickups, humbuckers, and compared them with Seymour Duncan. They sounded better (of course), but my own made more noise than SD. I had wax potted them. When I tapped on the bobbin I got this strange, quite highpitched, sound. Itīs not just a short percusive sound, it have a "tone". When I turned the amp loud I got feedback from it in same pitch. The parts came from GJ. Is this because of bobbin-material? Or is it the winding I have to work with? Maybe the potting? This happens to all bobbin Iīve winded...

No bacon or "special" pot is used in the pickups.. hehe.

[NightWinder]

You've stretched the wire, or shorted it out. You could have too many loose wraps too ( these create unwanted feedback and strange noises).

[SteikBacon]

The pickup works, itīs just this sound when I tap on it. Donīt think I stretched the wire, might be loose wraps then...

[NightWinder]

The pickup works, itīs just this sound when I tap on it. Donīt think I stretched the wire, might be loose wraps then...

The Coil will still work with a short.....I'd say either or. If your potting the coils, The bobbin will have minimal effect, But still relavent....

[SteikBacon]

Damn I hate not being able to speak better english. What do you mean when you say "wire is shorted"? Broken in two without contact between, or like isolation melted and full contact? Im have degree in electronics and do not think there is something wrong with the coil. Except for the little inconvenience.

[SK66]

I'd definitely say winding technique. I've never had a pickup feedback due to a shorted turn nor stretched wire. There are other possibilities such as moving parts/mounting etc. But assuming you are comparing same/same, it's probably the winding. Try winding slower and less scatter.

[Joe Gwinn]

I did some testing with my own winded pickups, humbuckers, and compared them with Seymour Duncan. They sounded better (of course), but my own made more noise than SD. I had wax potted them. When I tapped on the bobbin I got this strange, quite highpitched, sound. Itīs not just a short percusive sound, it have a "tone". When I turned the amp loud I got feedback from it in same pitch. The parts came from GJ. Is this because of bobbin-material? Or is it the winding I have to work with? Maybe the potting? This happens to all bobbin Iīve winded... No bacon or "special" pot is used in the pickups.. hehe.

It sounds like something is mechanically resonant at the frequency of the tone you hear. Try touching various components while tapping the bobbin, and see if there is a place where touching abolishes or greatly reduces the tone.

[David Schwab]

The springs?

[Possum]

GJ....

GJ bobbins don't have a solid core to wind on, there are air voids, maybe that is doing it, but it sounds like your potting didn't fill the cover. try potting again....

[SteikBacon]

Hi, Iīve made some more pickups, used longer time, and now they are silent. The problem was probably not long enough in wax.

[kevinT]

what was your mixture and how long did you leave the pickup in the wax?

[SteikBacon]

I used the 20-80 recommended of Fralin and others.... I had it in the wax, at 70C, for about 15 min.