HB coils; is 6.53K and 7.14K close enough?

[GlennW]

Yesterday I rewound one coil from a DiMarzio '70s SDHB. The coil is racked, more on the top right and less on the top left, more on the bottom left and less on the bottom right. I think it's because of a minor wobble while winding. The original coil is 7.14, but all I could get on the rewind was 6.53. Is this a big deal or close enough. I plan on rewinding it anyway, but was curious.

[Spence]

It's a gnat's dick really but you'd be amazed at how many people out there can hear 0.1 K difference. You'd think with hearing like that they would be unlikely to say 'pardon?' when you tell them to get f^*ked.

[GlennW]

Thanks, I'll try it out and see how it does. I'm converting an Epi Jr (HB at bridge) to a fake Special, SDHB at bridge, P-90 by the neck. Might sound pretty good.

[kevinT]

I think it's because of a minor wobble while winding. .

+1 ...it is

The original coil is 7.14, but all I could get on the rewind was 6.53. Is this a big deal or close enough. I plan on rewinding it anyway, but was curious.

If it were me....I would try to get it closer....I could live with 7.0k Ohm after all was said and done....but that is just me.

I know that DiMarzio currently uses Tanac tensioners

[David Schwab]

What gauge did they use on those, 43? I still have an old one laying around here somewhere.

[GlennW]

I read another thread and the OP said it was 43, so that's what I'm using. I'd stripped the wire off the dead coil a long time ago and never measured it. I remember having that pickup in the middle of a Strat and didn't really like it, had it in the neck of a Tele for a while and didn't like it, then put it at the bridge in a guitar and liked it a lot, but got rid of the guitar and kept the pickup. I guess all my fumbling around with it broke a wire at some point.

Last night I tried it (with one coil) at the bridge and it sounds pretty good, better than expected, and had a Mighty Mite P-90 at the neck. The P-90 wasn't too sporty sounding, kind of dry and uninspiring, so I rewound another MM P-90 I'd stripped to 8.35 with 42 and will use a pair of AllParts alnico bars instead of the stock ceramic bars. I hope that will sound better.

[SkinnyWire]

That's actually a fairly substantial difference, IMO, that would likely be audible in an A/B comparison. I'm not saying that's bad because if the pickup sounds fine then it's ... just fine and at this point do you even know or remember what it originally sounded like. If I was rewinding it for a customer though, I'd try to get a bit closer than that ... maybe +/- 50 ohms if possible.

How much of a bulge do you have in the coil? You might could get closer by filling in more top/bottom during the wind depending on how much space you have there.

[GlennW]

How much of a bulge do you have in the coil? You might could get closer by filling in more top/bottom during the wind depending on how much space you have there.

Here's a picture. I'm going to rewind it again and try to get it right, already removed the wire. It's like that song "Politician"..."I support the left, although I'm leaning to the right".

The rewound P-90 sounds good enough.

[SkinnyWire]

At a glance, I'd say if you can even things up a bit you have plenty of room to get another 500 ohms on there. I don't think a little wobble is bad in a winder. I've never really gotten mine to be totally "true". You can true things up a bit by spin-testing/shimming here and there. I hope I'm not going to far with recommendations. If you're using limiters, be sure they're set for the same distance on either side. From there, just pay close attention as you go and I'll bet it comes out well and close if you choose to do it over. At least now you can estimate how many more turns you'll need. Might be interesting to record it now and then to see if you can hear any difference.

[GlennW]

It's ok now, wound up to 7.45, I'll peel it back to match the original coil.

I just use an old egg beater type drill for a winder, the mounting base is a piece of plywood cut with a holesaw with an elevator bolt through the center that goes into the chuck. There's a little block on the round piece that the pickup straddles to raise it up a bit. After a little tweaking it did fine. I do need to make a better mounting base.

[kevinT]

Here's a picture. I'm going to rewind it again and try to get it right, already removed the wire. It's like that song "Politician"..."I support the left, although I'm leaning to the right".

The rewound P-90 sounds good enough.

As skinny said, there looks to be enough room for more wire. Unfortunately, with it being racked, it doesn't use the bobbin space effeciently.