Looking For Tall Screw Side Humbucker Bobbins.

[nickc35]

I'm trying to make a full sized humbucker pickup with one coil bobbin a non-adjustable blade and the other coil bobbin a standard adjustable screw. I bought the blade bobbins from Mojo and immediately noticed they are taller than the standard screw side bobbins. So I'm looking for either a taller screw-side bobbin or a shorter blade side bobbin. I spoke to Tom at Mojo and he has neither. I also called Guitar Parts USA and the blade bobbin they sell is the same height as the Mojo blade bobbin.

I suppose I can make a wooden spacer under the screw side bobbin to make the bobbins the same height. But does anyone have any other suggestions for me? Or does anyone know where I can get bobbins the same size to make the pickup I'm trying to make? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I'm also wondering if I use the bobbins I have and just make a spacer, will the different sized bobbins have any adverse affect on the tone. I'm making it a pretty hot pickup. I'm using 43 awg and planning to put approx. 7500 wraps per bobbin.

[big_teee]

I've made them that way before.
I put a shim under the bobbin.
Should work ok.
However, why not just use two blade bobbins?
T

[nickc35]

I've made them that way before.
I put a shim under the bobbin.
Should work ok.
However, why not just use two blade bobbins?
T

Terry - What exactly do you mean by using two blade bobbins? Do you mean just have it be a double blade humbucker? If so, that's not what my friend wants me to make. Or did you mean for me to somehow put the screw pole pieces in the blade bobbin? If so, how?

[big_teee]

Terry - What exactly do you mean by using two blade bobbins? Do you mean just have it be a double blade humbucker? If so, that's not what my friend wants me to make. Or did you mean for me to somehow put the screw pole pieces in the blade bobbin? If so, how?

Double blade humbucker.
Then I would just shim it up to match.
I have one down in my shop.
I will try to bring it up here and photo it.
Do you have the two small ceramic magnets, or was you going to use a regular bar magnet.
A regular bar mag is not wide enough to hit both bobbins.
T

[nickc35]

Double blade humbucker.
Then I would just shim it up to match.
I have one down in my shop.
I will try to bring it up here and photo it.
Do you have the two small ceramic magnets, or was you going to use a regular bar magnet.
A regular bar mag is not wide enough to hit both bobbins.
T

I was planning to use a regular bar magnet. I didn't realize it wasn't wide enough. Do you have the Mojo part number for the small ceramic magnet?

By the way.....thanks for your help!!

[big_teee]

I was planning to use a regular bar magnet. I didn't realize it wasn't wide enough. Do you have the Mojo part number for the small ceramic magnet?

By the way.....thanks for your help!!

Because the blade is narrower than the slugs, or keeper bar, you have a wider gap.
I will take some photos, in a little while, after the news. lol
T

[Ward]

after the news. lol
T

Face palming right now.

[big_teee]

What's up mr Ward?
Here is a post and picture of the ceramics with double Blades.
First Attempt at Pickup Building: A Dan Armstrong
I don't think you can use that setup with one blade and one screw bobbin with keeper bar.
T
**Edit note
I guess you could use one ceramic on one side and one on the other, if not room for both in the middle.

[big_teee]

I made this one several years back.
I need to rework it and redo the cable.
I will try to take some pics of it apart.
The shim though you can't see it, for the screw bobbin is between the bobbin and the Keeper bar that is in contact with the magnet.
Here's what I can show you so far.
Notice on the bottom of the base plate had to drill new screw holes for the blade bobbin.
T

[David Schwab]

I'm trying to make a full sized humbucker pickup with one coil bobbin a non-adjustable blade and the other coil bobbin a standard adjustable screw. I bought the blade bobbins from Mojo and immediately noticed they are taller than the standard screw side bobbins. So I'm looking for either a taller screw-side bobbin or a shorter blade side bobbin.

If you want the bobbins to be the same size, cut the blade bobbin up the center of the core, so you have a top and bottom, adjust the size by sanding, and then glue it back together. The bled will help keep everything aligned. Depending on your blade kerf and the difference in bobbin heights, the cut might be al you need.

You can make the other bobbin taller using the same method. Only you have to add a spacer in between the top and bottom bobbin halves.

[nickc35]

Well I succeeded in making my first one (blade/screw).....I think. I say I think because it hasn't been tested in a guitar yet. I need to pick up a beater guitar that I can throw my pickups in real quick to test them out.

[nickc35]

If you want the bobbins to be the same size, cut the blade bobbin up the center of the core, so you have a top and bottom, adjust the size by sanding, and then glue it back together. The bled will help keep everything aligned. Depending on your blade kerf and the difference in bobbin heights, the cut might be al you need.

You can make the other bobbin taller using the same method. Only you have to add a spacer in between the top and bottom bobbin halves.

I'm going to have to try making the screw side bobbin bigger by this method because I didn't quite reach the dc resistance my friend wanted on this blade/screw humbucker and I used 43 awg wire. I guess bobbins aren't that expensive to cut up a few.

[big_teee]

Very nice.
I just redid my Zebra yesterday, it now looks like yours, but all black.
If you ever want to make your screws black, you can use regular nickel plated screws like yours.
I scuff the top of the screw with fine sandpaper(scuffing not necessary, but I think it makes it blacker looking), then dip the whole screw in Birchwood Caseys Perma blue liquid.
Birchwood Casey: Finishing Details
Good Job.
Let us know how they sound.
T

[nickc35]

Thanks for the tip on the Birchwood Casey bluing stuff Terry. I'm sure I will try that at some point when I can't find the black pole pieces I'm looking for. Question: Would that bluing stuff work on alnico rod magnets too?


I know this is a pickup forum but I thought I would ask this anyway since you mentioned the bluing stuff. Have you ever tried at home electro-plating? I only ask because I have a project Strat guitar that I made a copper pickguard for and I also put a set of copper Sperzel locking tuners on it(Sperzel calls it Aztec Gold but it looks like copper). And I would love to copper plate the rest of the hardware (bridge plate & saddles, output jack plate, strap buttons, neck plate and miscellaneous screws). But I don't have money to pay a local plating company to do it. (Oh, I can mention that the single coils on this Strat are the first pickups I have ever wound myself and they came out great for my first pickups). I found a website (but it escapes me at the moment) that sells home plating kits for around $50 or so. Just wondering if anyone has ever tried it.

[nickc35]

Thanks for the tip on the Birchwood Casey bluing stuff Terry. I'm sure I will try that at some point when I can't find the black pole pieces I'm looking for. Question: Would that bluing stuff work on alnico rod magnets too?


I know this is a pickup forum but I thought I would ask this anyway since you mentioned the bluing stuff. Have you ever tried at home electro-plating? I only ask because I have a project Strat guitar that I made a copper pickguard for and I also put a set of copper Sperzel locking tuners on it(Sperzel calls it Aztec Gold but it looks like copper). And I would love to copper plate the rest of the hardware (bridge plate & saddles, output jack plate, strap buttons, neck plate and miscellaneous screws). But I don't have money to pay a local plating company to do it. (Oh, I can mention that the single coils on this Strat are the first pickups I have ever wound myself and they came out great for my first pickups). I found a website (but it escapes me at the moment) that sells home plating kits for around $50 or so. Just wondering if anyone has ever tried it.