Strat Blade Single Coil Construction

[big_teee]

I am trying to figure out what parts go into a mojo Strat blade pickup, and how they are made.
It looks mojo stock these parts.
Baseplate
Bobbins
Blades

Not sure if you put a regular no holes Strat cover over this?
Not sure what magnet they use for these, I think a ceramic?
With the small bobbins do you use 42 or 43 Gauge wire?
Any Ideas?
B_T

Happy Holidays!

[David Schwab]

You can't put a cover over those because the bobbins are too long.

There are bobbins that fit under the covers though. I discovered this because I had a bag of Strat blade bobbins that do fit under covers, and the Mojo blades woudn't fit those bobbins.

When I ordered the Mojo bobbins I saw they are longer. They are both from the same supplier.

A few things... the magnets Mojo sells for these is a little too long. So you will have to modify the baseplate to get the magnet to pass through. I told Tom about this and he's aware that the magnets they got are wrong. It's an easy fix though.

If you want a nice looking blade Strat pickup with no cover, use the bobbins they have listed for a Tele. They are really Strat bobbins. The Strat baseplate doesn't fit however, nor does the magnet. Tom said he's going to make some Strat baseplates for those bobbins, and get the magnets. The neo magnets from MrCandy fit perfectly. I modified a plastic Strat bobbin to use as a baseplate with those bobbins.

If you want to use the other bobbins with a cover, here's all you need to do. First, cut the bobbin in half, and then remove a little from one half, and then glue them back together on a proper size blade with CA. It sounds like a lot of work, but I use a picture frame mitre box and it's real fast. You will have to make blades the right width though. I just use 1/16" X 3/4" 1018 steel from McMaster-Carr, and cut them to the right width. Since they are under a cover you don't have to worry about arching them.

These are the smaller bobbins on some steel blades:



It's real simple to make the longer ones shorter. You can even make bobbins longer this way.

[big_teee]

Thanks David:
I may try that.
I would think I could start with their blades and cut or grind them off.
I am pretty well equipt to work metal.
The Magnet is an issue.
I will maybe wait till Tom gets the right magnet.
I don't know why they can't try their own parts before they get them out there.
Don't want any formulas, but can you tell me ball Park DCR of 43 on each bobbin?
I don't have any wire any smaller than 43.
Thnx,
B_T

[David Schwab]

Thanks David:
I may try that.
I would think I could start with their blades and cut or grind them off.
I am pretty well equipt to work metal.
The Magnet is an issue.
I will maybe wait till Tom gets the right magnet.
I don't know why they can't try their own parts before they get them out there.
Don't want any formulas, but can you tell me ball Park DCR of 43 on each bobbin?
I don't have any wire any smaller than 43.
Thnx,
B_T

Tom inherited a lot of new parts that were in the process of being added, so I think he's getting up to speed on what needs to be purchased. For example., they had these very nice closed Jazz bass covers, but only in the neck size! What good is that? He had to research where all these parts came from, which I'm a bit puzzled about, since you would think they have records, but either way he got the bridge size now after I kept nudging him!

So give it some time, and politely point out if you see anything wrong. On the first order of the Jazz covers I placed, there were mixed in some totally different closed covers, so I emailed him and he found that there were also neck size mixed in. So it seems the suppliers don't always get the order right, hence the incorrect magnet size.

I don't know what 43 would be on that. On the two blade pickups I have wound so far, I used 42. I have some notes on Joe Barden pickups. It list the bridge at 4.44k and the neck at 4.12k. It states that he used 43 gauge, and the approximate turns is 2,400 winds neck, and 2,475-2,500 winds bridge.

I just did this one today, with one of MrCandy's NiB magnets:



You can easily get 5,000 turns of 42 on this bobbin. I wound a neck pickup, and did a lot less. You could probably get at least 6,000 turns of 43.

With 42 gauge, my coil read about 1.2k per 1,000 turns of wire.

[copperheadroads]

you can get over 6k of 42 on the set
I was trying to get a very clean sound from them so i peeled them down to a little over 5k
I find they have allot of mids (good luck trying to scoop the tone)
I like them for a hot bridge pickup

[David Schwab]

you can get over 6k of 42 on the set
I was trying to get a very clean sound from them so i peeled them down to a little over 5k
I find they have allot of mids (good luck trying to scoop the tone)
I like them for a hot bridge pickup

Here's what I ended up with:

http://www.sgd-lutherie.com/media/ne...eck_test_1.mp3

I'd like to soften it up a little I think.

[copperheadroads]

That dont sound too bad
Thanks David
I never tried the neo magnet in a rail style pickup
I was referring to the ceramic magnets that i tried
It's great that now we have another magnet option

[David Schwab]

That dont sound too bad
Thanks David
I never tried the neo magnet in a rail style pickup
I was referring to the ceramic magnets that i tried
It's great that now we have another magnet option

Well that neo magnet is the only one that fits those bobbins until Mojo gets the proper magnets. I have one of the other style with the other bobbins and fiber blase plate and the ceramic magnet, but I haven't wound it yet.

I'm liking this one more as I play with it. It sounds nice distorted too.

http://www.sgd-lutherie.com/media/bl..._distorted.mp3

[big_teee]

I will get a hold of Tom this week, and see where Mojo stands on the Bucker Parts.
I would prefer a Alnico Magnet for it, but Can Get By with the Ceramic.
I will post Here what He tells me.
T

[David Schwab]

I will get a hold of Tom this week, and see where Mojo stands on the Bucker Parts.
I would prefer a Alnico Magnet for it, but Can Get By with the Ceramic.
I will post Here what He tells me.
T

I don't think anyone makes an alnico that narrow. I don't think they hold a charge very long without being stuck to a keeper, like the blades, if they are too narrow.

All the blade pickups I have seen use ceramic magnets.

[big_teee]

Here are the parts Needed according to Tom Brantley at Mojo.

You need:
2- 2115476
1- 2115484
2- 2115464
1- 2115374
There is also a new version that will be available soon that uses:
2- 2115458
and a new magnet.
The bobbins are glued down to the fiberboard.
We do not have a cover available yet.
There may be one in future.

[David Schwab]

We do not have a cover available yet.
There may be one in future.

Here's the deal with the Strat bobbins.



You can see the two Strat rail bobbins. The one on the bottom is the one Mojo is selling. The one on the top is one of the ones I had purchased a couple of years ago. The top one will fit in a cover. I have an EMG style cover for size reference. The bottom bobbin was not made to fit in a cover, and even has a nice texture to it. You would need a custom cover for that kind of like what Duncan uses. It's possible they make them for that bobbin, but it seems like that's what the smaller bobbin is for.

But let's see what Tom can find.

[big_teee]

Here's the deal with the Strat bobbins.



You can see the two Strat rail bobbins. The one on the bottom is the one Mojo is selling. The one on the top is one of the ones I had purchased a couple of years ago. The top one will fit in a cover. I have an EMG style cover for size reference. The bottom bobbin was not made to fit in a cover, and even has a nice texture to it. You would need a custom cover for that kind of like what Duncan uses. It's possible they make them for that bobbin, but it seems like that's what the smaller bobbin is for.

But let's see what Tom can find.

What about the magnet that he listed?
Will it fit?
It no cover it would be nice if they had some white bobbins.
Guys don't want a black bridge pickup to go with the white single coils they may leave in neck and middle.
T

[David Schwab]

What about the magnet that he listed?
Will it fit?
It no cover it would be nice if they had some white bobbins.
Guys don't want a black bridge pickup to go with the white single coils they may leave in neck and middle.
T

The magnet listed fits the these bobbins, except it's slightly too long. But i have it mounted on the bottom unwound pickup in the photo.

Yeah, white bobbins and white covers would be nice. I got the EMG style cover from MrCandy. I might try painting one with that Fusion paint.

[big_teee]

I'm fixing to order some parts.
I Will Just start with one pickup of this type to prototype.
See how I can get the small bucker to sound.
Without the parts in hand, still having a little difficulty visualizing how it all goes together.
Tom says to glue to the bottom???
Looks like nothing attaches the bobbin and rails to the baseplate?
Thanks Dave for all the Help and pictures.
Terry