Winders in the far east - where is the wire source?

[Jeemobon]

Just getting started making pickups and experimenting with magnets and the thinnest wire I could find on the street. However, I've been looking around for wire dealers that won't need to charge as much (or more) for shipping than the actual wire. I live in Tokyo, and it would seem ridiculous not to be able to find 42 awg around here, but the wire dealers I found, upon sending an email, either said they dont sell to individuals (minimum order like 200 pounds or whatever) or just didn't reply at all. Got quotes from mws and Whitmore, both estimated about 150 usd for shipping. Any Australian or other east Asian side winders here know where to get the Korean or Chinese or whatever wire?
Have spent a lot if time researching this and would greatly appreciate any help. Thanks!

[big_teee]

I would start by contacting some of the major wire Manufactures.
Organisation and Contact
Magnet Wire
See if they can tell you where to buy their products.
Good Luck,
T

[Jeemobon]

Cool, big thanks, I will post back if I find anything. I checked quite a few threads about this and some Australian people were asking the same thing.

[big_teee]

Cool, big thanks, I will post back if I find anything. I checked quite a few threads about this and some Australian people were asking the same thing.

I hope you have luck finding someone local that sells wire!
Please let us know if you do.
I can post any of the wire suppliers in the "Pickup Resources thread".
"Get Started" Pickup Resources
So let us know what you come up with.
Thanks,
Terry

[Jeemobon]

I must have contacted elektrisola 3 or 4 times, at different branches throughout the world. The word was pretty definitively that the situation I described in the initial post is just like that. It isn't profitable for them to sell small amounts of wire to small timers just getting started like myself. There would seem to be no alternative. However, I did come across some very interesting information recently.
There is an old guy with a little shop that sells all original handmade guitar like instruments, hybrid upright electric bass things, shamisens with coconut bodies, etc, and most of his pickups are hand wound, he says. I mean literally by hand, he made this little wooden crank for winding. His technique is to unwind busted used pickups and rewind them this way, and he says that his hand technique produces a better sound than a machine wind because the threading is all irregular and all over the place, not just straight and even. This if course is the topic for a different thread, could anyone suggest an appropriate thread related to this topic?

[Berman]

Hi,
look for small companies that wind transformers or motors, these often have fine wire or they can order it for you.

Hermann

[J M Fahey]

both estimated about 150 usd for shipping

I was *shocked* by this.
Are you sure?
Can you please tell us *what* would they ship for their U$150?
EMS official price page:
Rate schedule(EMS?All Zones) - Japan Post
quotes Yen 2400 = 29US$ for a 1Kg package, which should amply cover a 1lB (around 1/2Kg) roll of wire, *very* well packed.
That price is for Japan>USA ; but the symmetrical one can't be much different, if any.

And any EBay seller should charge the same, or even less if he happens to ship from China.