Converting Cheap single coils

[John Fisher]

I reciently acquired a bunch of cheap single coil Fender style pickups. These are the kind that have non magnetic pole pieces but use a bar magnet underneath.
I was wondering if anyone has tried to simply ripe off the bar magnet and reinstall magnetic pole pieces to come up with a half decent pickup. Of coarse I will check to see what the wire guage is. (Hopfully #42) and then measuring the DC resistace I will get a ball park figure what the windings could be of if they are similar to Fender specs.
Please let me know if anyone had any thoughts on this matter or if they have tried doing such a thing. Thanks!

[black_labb]

may be difficult to do without damaging the coils. i believe the wondings are done onto the pole pieces, maybe with some tape or similar between the pole and wire. if it has a bobbin, it could be done.

[RedHouse]

I reciently acquired a bunch of cheap single coil Fender style pickups. These are the kind that have non magnetic pole pieces but use a bar magnet underneath.
I was wondering if anyone has tried to simply ripe off the bar magnet and reinstall magnetic pole pieces to come up with a half decent pickup. Of coarse I will check to see what the wire guage is. (Hopfully #42) and then measuring the DC resistace I will get a ball park figure what the windings could be of if they are similar to Fender specs.
Please let me know if anyone had any thoughts on this matter or if they have tried doing such a thing. Thanks!

If they are the plastic bobbin (Fender American/Mexican pickups) ones with the number "016730" cast on the bottom ...yes... you can replace the slugs with the normal Fender spec AlNiCo rod magnets, I have done this many times myself.

Most "other" ones (cough, cough Squire) don't have that number on the bottom and are slightly out of dimensional spec to be retrofitted IMHO, the holes for the rod magnets is slightly larger than it should be so one would have to super glue the rod magnet in.

[John Fisher]

Yes! These are the cheap Squire types I believe. I even had an idea about getting 2 of these cheapos, (magnets and all) and mounting them side by side to make a humbucker to see how that would work. Unless my brain is going backwards I think I would probably have to reverse the poles and the magnets from top to bottom on one of them to make it humbucking. Of course the bobbin hight would be a little higher then a normal humbucking but it may produce an interesting sound

[Steve A.]

Yes! These are the cheap Squire types I believe. I even had an idea about getting 2 of these cheapos, (magnets and all) and mounting them side by side to make a humbucker to see how that would work. Unless my brain is going backwards I think I would probably have to reverse the poles and the magnets from top to bottom on one of them to make it humbucking. Of course the bobbin hight would be a little higher then a normal humbucking but it may produce an interesting sound

The magnets usually come off easily- too easily! Like if you try pushing the slugs in to adjust the stagger...

Here's another idea: why not try converting them to a "steel pole" design, which is like a small P-90. You would use two magnets on either side of the slugs, which means you would have to replace the slugs with something longer-maybe like a steel screw with the head cut off?

With the P-90 design the two magnets are oriented with the two north or south poles facing each other (which causes the slugs or screws to acquire the opposite polarity).

[chevalij]

So, like a MIM strat pickup?

[John Fisher]

what is a MIM strat pickup. BTW! I was born in Hamilton

[chevalij]

Made in Mexico. They generally are 6 steel poles with two magnets. One on either side of the poles. Where are you now John?

[mkat]

I was wondering if anyone has tried to simply ripe off the bar magnet and reinstall magnetic pole pieces to come up with a half decent pickup.

As was mentioned, this is easy with the plastic bobbins. Don't expect the sound of the pickup to be decent as a single coil though. I have a highway 1 jazz bass set here which were actually designed with plastic bobbins and alnico rod magnets, and these sound like crap. I took those out and made new ones with fibre flatwork.

However, since your intention is to use them as a humbuckers, then no problem there, just flip the polarity and switch the lead wires when wiring to the pots. You may get a better humbucker than single coil.

[Dave Kerr]

Here's another idea: why not try converting them to a "steel pole" design, which is like a small P-90.

Steve Kersting has a nice page illustrating this idea:
http://www.skguitar.com/SKGS/sk/winding2.htm

[John Fisher]

Cool article!! What I am wondering is: wasn't the pickup that he took apart already an S90? What was the difference after he rebuilt it? Was the differenced that the original poles were not as long? I have in my hand one that I got from my junk box, and I have several different types. It has the 2 ceramic magnets on each side of the steel poles that they butt up against. Isn't this the same? It's late now where I am but tomorrow I will look deeper into this and also measure the DC resistances of them.
Also do real P90's use Ceramic magnets or alnico magnets? I do believe that the P90's have about 9000 or so turnes on the bobbin.
Well I live in Mexico right now in the land of Fender Squire.
I used to hang out here a lot at Ampage but I have been away for a while. Nice interesting new format here. I have been busy with other things in life for the last couple of years but I have been doing a few things lately like building some new amps and some guitars. I am in the middle of making an LP for someone and a PRS for me in which I want to make some more of my own humbuckers
Here is the Last pickup I made about 5 years ago http://europa.spaceports.com/~fishbake/buck/humbuck.htm

Is there really a difference in sound depending on what material you use for the bobbin? As long as it is at least non magnetic? I am trying to refresh myself with all this stuff and I find that I have to go back to some of my old articles to see how I did things. Ha!

[Peter Naglitsch]

Ah, I remember that ”doing a humbucker the hard way” page from a few years ago. Nice essay.

Yeah, the pickup SK is converting have their magnet in a P90 configuration. I wouldn’t really call them a S90 type pickup without adjustable poles and the optional keeper bar beneath. And they were probably not as hot wound as a more regular S90 (whatever that is). However you can easily convert your pickups to a S90 style following SK’s ideas. I did a set of one T90 bridge and two S90 pickups for a custom hybrid Tele some years ago and both I and the customer loved them. If you decide to do this, don’t expect it to sound exactly like a P90. It will be a mix between a P90 and a strat (of cause).

“Real” P90s have ALNICO magnets, but that will be hard to fit in a normal rout. Smaller ceramics will make it possible to fit in a standard Strat/Tele body and will produce a similar magnetic field strength. P90s typically have 10 000 turns of wire.

I’m not sure but I *think* mkat is referring to the fact that a plastic bobbin actually expand the coil a bit, making if effectively thicker when the poles are inside those “plastic tubes” that are part of the cast bobbin. That will of cause alter the sound compares to a traditional fiber topped single coil pickup even when everything else is equal.

[RedHouse]

Made in Mexico. They generally are 6 steel poles with two magnets. One on either side of the poles. Where are you now John?

And usually have the number "016730" cast on the bottom of the plastic.

[mkat]

I’m not sure but I *think* mkat is referring to the fact that a plastic bobbin actually expand the coil a bit, making if effectively thicker when the poles are inside those “plastic tubes” that are part of the cast bobbin. That will of cause alter the sound compares to a traditional fiber topped single coil pickup even when everything else is equal.

Yes, among other things. But if it's for a guitar humbucker, it should be ok since PAF bobbins are made like this. One issue, may not be an issue, is the bobbin dimensions. PAF bobbins are short whereas the bobbin John will be using will probably be taller if I understand correctly.

[David Schwab]

It has the 2 ceramic magnets on each side of the steel poles that they butt up against.

Those are the better of the two. They are actually pretty good sounding pickups. I'd bet just rewinding them would be a big improvement. Nothing wrong with steel poles and bar magnets... works for P-90's, and the steel poles take the edge off the ceramics. probably a good platform for winding hotter Strat pickups.

I have a whole box of them! I stole all the magnets off of them!

The bad ones have a single wide really weak ceramic magnet under the pickup.