completely clueless.

[tonequester]

tonequester here.

I have never attempted to make a pick-up. Can anybody out there recommend a good book on the subject ? Also any tips that would keep me from wasting
any time or money would greatly be appreciated. tonequester.

[big_teee]

tonequester here.

I have never attempted to make a pick-up. Can anybody out there recommend a good book on the subject ? Also any tips that would keep me from wasting
any time or money would greatly be appreciated. tonequester.

Hi Tonequester:
Welcome to the BC.
I compiled this thread to help beginners get started.
Check it out, should cut down on initial questions.
http://music-electronics-forum.com/t29669/
Good Luck,
T

[Ward]

Also any tips that would keep me from wasting
any time or money would greatly be appreciated.

How many years do you have

[big_teee]

How many years do you have

Hey Ward:
Probably save lots of money, if you just go out and buy the most expensive pickups you can find!
Would still be cheaper than gearing up to make your own. Wouldn't you agree? LOL
T

[Ward]

Hey Ward:
Probably save lots of money, if you just go out and buy the most expensive pickups you can find!
Would still be cheaper than gearing up to make your own. LOL
T

Hi T, well you never know, a 1/2lb roll of spn, an electric drill and go by DCR, he might jag a decent set of single coils and be very happy and just leave it at that. Problem is, the human condition----GIMMI MORE----
I still can't wind a humbucker to sound what I want. I have another set of woodys to show ya. I'll post em on the other thread soon.

[SonnyW]

tonequester here.

I have never attempted to make a pick-up. Can anybody out there recommend a good book on the subject ? Also any tips that would keep me from wasting
any time or money would greatly be appreciated. tonequester.

I can recommend a couple of good books. One is "Pickups - Windings and Magnets and the Guitar became Electric" by Mario Milan, and another is "The Guitar Pickup Handbook" by Dave Hunter. Both will give you some good background in pickup theory. Each has some things that are somewhat debatable though too. There is also Jason Lollar's book if you can find one. I don't think it is available at the moment though. Jason jump in here if I'm wrong on that. One of the best ways though and it is free is to read all the posts in this forum. It shouldn't take more than three or four years to do that if you stay with it.

[big_teee]

I can recommend a couple of good books. One is "Pickups - Windings and Magnets and the Guitar became Electric" by Mario Milan, and another is "The Guitar Pickup Handbook" by Dave Hunter. Both will give you some good background in pickup theory. Each has some things that are somewhat debatable though too. There is also Jason Lollar's book if you can find one. I don't think it is available at the moment though. Jason jump in here if I'm wrong on that. One of the best ways though and it is free is to read all the posts in this forum. It shouldn't take more than three or four years to do that if you stay with it.

If you can list any links or any other info for the books, I will edit the first 3 posts, of "Get Started" and update it there also.
I am trying to list everything there. I listed Jason's book.
T

[SonnyW]

If you can list any links or any other info for the books, I will edit the first 3 posts, of "Get Started" and update it there also.
I am trying to list everything there. I liksted Jason's book.
T

OK here is the Mario Milan book
http://www.amazon.com/Pickups-Windin.../dp/1574242091

and here is the Dave Hunter one
Amazon.com: The Guitar Pickups Handbook (9780879309312): Dave Hunter: Books

[madialex]

tonequester here.

I have never attempted to make a pick-up. Can anybody out there recommend a good book on the subject ? Also any tips that would keep me from wasting
any time or money would greatly be appreciated. tonequester.

Please don't take this wrong but, no one here especially those of us who have spent years and a lot of time and money perfecting the craft of winding are not going to give away any secrets. I say wind wind and wind and waste wire and time, you will gain an appreciation for it rather than glean free knowledge. Good luck.

[big_teee]

Please don't take this wrong but, no one here especially those of us who have spent years and a lot of time and money perfecting the craft of winding are not going to give away any secrets. I say wind wind and wind and waste wire and time, you will gain an appreciation for it rather than glean free knowledge. Good luck.

In this area we try to provide all the help and knowledge to get started.
We try to help with problems. If you get stuck on something, help get you going again.
Like madialex says, not give out pickup formulas per say.
If your willing to read and dig, there is enough info in the "Get Started" Thread to get going.
Good Luck,
Terry

[tonequester]

I can recommend a couple of good books. One is "Pickups - Windings and Magnets and the Guitar became Electric" by Mario Milan, and another is "The Guitar Pickup Handbook" by Dave Hunter. Both will give you some good background in pickup theory. Each has some things that are somewhat debatable though too. There is also Jason Lollar's book if you can find one. I don't think it is available at the moment though. Jason jump in here if I'm wrong on that. One of the best ways though and it is free is to read all the posts in this forum. It shouldn't take more than three or four years to do that if you stay with it.

tonequester here.

Greetings and thanks, SonnyW ! I really appreciate sharing the info on the 2 books. I will try to order them through my counties inter-library loan. They get books from libraries all over the country, even university libraries. They rarely faIl me. I'm pretty "old school" in that I really like to relax with a good book, especially if it happens to be about a subject that I'm really trying to get into. The most important non-family subject that I have ever had, is my music, my guitars and amps, etc. I roll all of that into one subject because they are all so interconnected to me. I hope to be well versed in every possible aspect of my almost lifetime interest. Guy's like you have humbled and amazed me on this, my first, forum experience.
There is so much more knowledge here than I could ever learn without many years of formal study at some university. It is so much faster than using the library for many topics. it seems that I always want to know about something that no one has taken the time to write about. Here the sky is the limit, or so it seems toi me. Anyway, thanks again SonnyW, and I'm quite
pleaseds to make your "aquaintance". tonequester.

Quote : "Believe that you can, and you are half-way there." Theodore Roosevelt

[SonnyW]

tonequester here.

Greetings and thanks, SonnyW ! ....
Quote : "Believe that you can, and you are half-way there." Theodore Roosevelt

You're welcome about the books, but let me add that it took me a long time to get my brain wrapped around the parts of pickup theory that I think I do understand, and I am constantly having to go back and look things up in my books and notes. I agree in some ways with the comment made by madialex, that the best way is to get to winding. Not just winding, but winding with good notekeeping and lots of installing and listening. I don't consider it that much of a waste of wire though, just the price of learning. I was very lucky that the second stratocaster pickup that I made years ago (which was from a stewmac kit, btw) sounded good enough to me that I kept on going. But I wouldn't want to sell one like that one today. I don't really know if I would give away any of my secrets either, since I hardly have any of my own, and I'm not too comfortable giving away some of the ones that I have been lucky enough to notice when others have accidentally let them slip. On the other hand there are very few real secrets to this. But there are some and if you need them you will have to dig them out for yourself. Wasn't it Einstein that said genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration? Bobbins and magnets can usually be saved, and it is just a matter of undoing and redoing. My advice is get a sharp hobby knife and a pair of tiny scissors and you might have some fun and satisfaction while you make yourself one of these..

[jmaf]

no one here especially those of us who have spent years and a lot of time and money perfecting the craft of winding are not going to give away any secrets.

We're past the age of "secrets", IMO. You either hold a patent, in which case it's no longer a secret, or you are probably just fooling yourself believing your technique isn't out there already.

A friend of mine built a special machine for woodworking he thought nobody knew. Soon as he contacted some Chinese tool providers for another unrelated part, he discovered accidentally that they had his "secret" machine for sale.....he bought 10.

So you're better off sharing your "secrets", at least honest folks will give you credit for the discovery. IMHO.

[tonequester]

tonequester here.

Thanks SonnyW for your support and avice. I have no problem pouring ove a subject that I"'m wanting to get "into". As for reading and re-reading, that's my standard
M.O. I won't ask for any secrets, but I might ask you to set me straight about something that I don't understsand. I can only hopr to have the luck to succeed as you have !
tonequester.

Qoute : "Ability is of little count without opportunity." Lucille Ball.

[big_teee]

tonequester here.

Thanks SonnyW for your support and avice. I have no problem pouring ove a subject that I"'m wanting to get "into". As for reading and re-reading, that's my standard
M.O. I won't ask for any secrets, but I might ask you to set me straight about something that I don't understsand. I can only hopr to have the luck to succeed as you have !
tonequester.

Qoute : "Ability is of little count without opportunity." Lucille Ball.

Good Evening Tonequester:
Keep an Eye on the "Get Started Thread"
I'm posting more material there daily!
T