Newbie here, wound my first pickup, a few questions

[jessejames]

Hello all,
Glad to have found a forum for this exact purpose, winding pickups!
Yesterday I wound a humbucker for a guitar, I wound it counter clock wise, did 8000 turns with 43 awg wire, my resistances were 8.29 and 8.59 between the coils.
I wired it using the same color codes as a seymour duncan, that way I could use their wiring diagrams, I also placed the magnet to where the screws are north and the pole pieces are south.
My question is, when I put my red and white wires together (grounds) and my green and black (leads) I only got 4.19 resistance. I was under the impression that it should have been 16k resistance together, did I do something wrong? or is this normal?

I did wire the pickup in and play it, it is very very hot, however it has very little bass response and tons of highs and mids. Which I was expecting wrapping that many times, but to have little to no bass response is off.

[big_teee]

Hi Jesse:

Typically the coils are wound CCW, I think you said you did that.
The North side of the magnet typically goes to the slug side of the coil.
Wiring Diagram
Each of the 4 colored wires tie to the associated start or finish of the 2 coils.(See Chart)
T
**edit the chart below shows how the polarity works.
The colors are Dimarzio, you can sub your Seymour Duncan colors

[Tom Phillips]

...My question is, when I put my red and white wires together (grounds) and my green and black (leads) I only got 4.19 resistance. I was under the impression that it should have been 16k resistance together, did I do something wrong? or is this normal?...

That is not normal so...yes, you did something wrong. Specifically, the 4.19k Ohm reading indicates that the coils are wired in parallel rather than in series like the diagram that Big_Teee posted.

[copperheadroads]

Hello all,

My question is, when I put my red and white wires together (grounds) and my green and black (leads) I only got 4.19 resistance. I was under the impression that it should have been 16k resistance together, did I do something wrong? or is this normal?

You solder your white & red together (which should be your finish wires but depending of direction there wound )they are soldered together & taped but not grounded & your start wire of your screw coil wire(green) is grounded & your start wire of you slug coil (black) is you hot wire

[jessejames]

That is not normal so...yes, you did something wrong. Specifically, the 4.19k Ohm reading indicates that the coils are wired in parallel rather than in series like the diagram that Big_Teee posted.

How might one go about wiring the pickup in series? I did all the things the instructions provided, so, where I messed up I dont know.

[jessejames]

I should also say I have tried every possible wiring combination, no matter what I do I still end up with 4k resistance when I put them together

[big_teee]

I should also say I have tried every possible wiring combination, no matter what I do I still end up with 4k resistance when I put them together

Start at the pickup.
Make sure none of the 4 wires are shorted together on either end.
You may have to take them loose and start over.
If you read from black to white, do you get your 8+k?
If you read from red to green do you get your 8+k?
if so tie the white and red together.
then read with the multi-meter, from black to green, and you should get the 16+k.
Check that and see what your getting.
It sounds like you may have a coil shorted to ground.
Check please and report back.
T

[JCrab]

I use this as a easy guide. oops,, BigT already posted this,, but just in case you missed it
Wiring Diagram

[big_teee]

I use this as a easy guide.
Wiring Diagram

That one and some more have been posted.
He has something shorted, I bet he will find it.
I've had to take everything all apart and start over before.
Also with 4 wires in the pickup connected, it is easy to get one under a bobbin or squashed somewhere.
Make sure none of the 4 wires are common to ground, until you connect the green to ground.
T
This pic shows the series connection.
It shows tying the inside start leads, winders normally tie the finish leads together.

[jessejames]

Well I went ahead and tore it all apart, checked the wires, in the process one of the leads on the slug side came completely off, so I had to rewrap it, so the new resistance is 7k as you will see.
So here is the slug side, as you can see 7k resistance


Here is the screw side, 8k resistance


However you wire them together in series , just about 4k resistance. Nothing to shortout against anything, so I have no idea what's going on.

[big_teee]

Hi Jesse:
It appears that you have the 2 coils wired in parallel.
You want the two coils in series.
Try this.
Just like you have them.
Wire the two Whites together.
Then read from one black of one coil to the other black of the other coil.
It should read 15-16k Ohms.
Good Luck,
Terry

[big_teee]

Here is a simple picture that shows tying the two coils together.

this show's tying the starts together.
We normally tie the finish leads together, but you get the idea.
T

[copperheadroads]

Like I already said, tie you finish wires together & touch each end of the start wires with your meter
Just like T is saying

[jessejames]

Hi Jesse:
It appears that you have the 2 coils wired in parallel.
You want the two coils in series.
Try this.
Just like you have them.
Wire the two Whites together.
Then read from one black of one coil to the other black of the other coil.
It should read 15-16k Ohms.
Good Luck,
Terry

Okay, here it is with the white wires together and touching one of the blacks


And same thing, other black


And when you wire both blacks together, same 4k resistance as before.

[big_teee]

hook your meter back up like picture one.
It will measure 7.27k.
Now take the clip lead off the 2 whites, and connect it to the other black lead.
You want to read from black of one bobbin to the black of the other bobbin.
It should read 15+k if you measure from black to black with the 2 whites wired together.
Don't tie the 2 blacks together, that is why you are reading the 4k instead of 16k.
Good Luck,
T