B/H Round Table & Misc

[copperheadroads]

I understand your frustration. For me, it's about time management. If you just focus on the one task, then it will take a bit of time. But if you combine the steps with other similar tasks, then things move along at a steady pace. If you have multiple orders, you can sit down and prep the flatwork for everything at once, then do all of your bobbin assembly and gluing (assuming winding singles as well), then wind the blade bobbins while the singles dry, then glue the bobbins and lacquer the singles while the glue cures, eat some lunch and have a beer, etc, etc. Do you get what I mean? If you just focus all of your attention to the one pickup, it may be a while before you get to the next order.

Nice motivational speech .....but I think Terry was only referring to the blade style pickups & mostly the assembly takes more time than anything ,the winding on these are the easiest part .making sure all your lead wires will work & are on the correct end to reach the eyelets ...gluing your 4 conductor wire in the hole of flatwork....attaching all the wires to the 4 conductor ......gluing coils to the flatwork ...& THIS HAPPENED TO ME ...gluing you hand to the pickup...glue running inside coil where the blade is & so if you have it turned upside down it runs out the top- it end up ruining the top of the bobbin & sticking it to table when I was gluing on the magnet ...lol
All this work of a single pickup . Now x3 ..I'd say if you or me had more of a demand for these it would get smoother & quicker ... I've only sold a half dozen sets in the last couple of years.

[big_teee]

Nice motivational speech .....but I think Terry was only referring to the blade style pickups & mostly the assembly takes more time than anything ,the winding on these are the easiest part .making sure all your lead wires will work & are on the correct end to reach the eyelets ...gluing your 4 conductor wire in the hole of flatwork....attaching all the wires to the 4 conductor ......gluing coils to the flatwork ...& THIS HAPPENED TO ME ...gluing you hand to the pickup...glue running inside coil where the blade is & so if you have it turned upside down it runs out the top- it end up ruining the top of the bobbin & sticking it to table when I was gluing on the magnet ...lol
All this work of a single pickup . Now x3 ..I'd say if you or me had more of a demand for these it would get smoother & quicker ... I've only sold a half dozen sets in the last couple of years.

You hit the nail on the head, all the hole drilling, gluing, Drying, potting and such.
If they didn't sound so Dang good, I wouldn't bother.
I try to only sell one per 3 pickup set.
Most guys want my SCs in neck and middle.
Thanks guys, God Knows I need some motivation!
As far as the multi tasking, I do the pickups as meanwhile job between My Mini Farm tasks, caring for the 20 acre Estate.
T

[John_H]

You hit the nail on the head, all the hole drilling, gluing, Drying, potting and such...

I admire your patience. I've had people inquire about those, but I shied away due to inexperience with them. I've played a couple, and never really heard a tone that I wanted to chase. How do your's sound in pos. 2 and 4 when mated with singles?

[big_teee]

I make two different types.
I do a low wind for neck and middle.
Then for the bridge I like a 44 SPN, wound full coils.
You can play with the gauss a bit on the neck if you want a bit more mellow.
I've found the blade is a very crucial part of the tone.
I use a home made straight blade, made from some sheet metal I have laying around.
I never did get the mojo curved blades to sound right.
To start with they don't make the blades tall enough, and they have too much curve for modern flatter fret boards.
Their curve blades are far too middy sounding, and because of the curve are weak on the E strings.
So I just go with a straight blade.
On the blades I paint them, then I sand off the top blade edge and spray them with clear krylon, before assembly.
On the bridge in pos. 2 not as much quack, as two single coils.
I usually just put one in the bridge for rockers who want a hot bridge pickup.
If you split the High impedance bridge, and have it RWRP with the middle, then the quack is good.
Most of my players like the bridge blade so well they do the bridge only and do the pos. 4 with the neck and middle.
I usually wire the guitar where the neck and middle share the front tone, and wire the back tone to the bridge.
When I get the 2 pickups finished I'm currently working on, I'll post a few pictures.
T

[big_teee]

The two blades of mine got put on hold, the Customer work has really picked up lately.
I think it will be a busy spring.
I guess everyone has their machines spinning?
T

[SonnyW]

The two blades of mine got put on hold, the Customer work has really picked up lately.
I think it will be a busy spring.
I guess everyone has their machines spinning?
T

It's kind of busy here too. I just finished up installing a pair of my humbuckers and a setup on an Epi LP today, and I have two other setups in the queue, one is a PRS that has a set of my P-90s in it that I made for it last month, and the other one is an LP clone. I also have a couple of P-bass pickups to repair by changing out the leads on them and for the same customer also rout out a pickguard to fit them, and one really old jumbo flattop to do a lot of repairs to. That's whats in the shop, then I also have a backlog of new orders, which are a strat pickup to 1958 specs, and another order for a custom guitar consisting of a complete set of my strat pickups installed in a new pickguard for a new strat clone that I am selling. Those are all from local customers, I have also been getting about one or two orders a week for some of the items on my website mostly reproduction caps, accessories, and pickup rewinds. I have even had some oddball stuff like woodworking repairs on a grandfather clock that I finished last week, and a repair to an old grammophone that is sitting here yet to do from the same customer. I have been emailing back and forth also with a potential new customer inquiring about a set of custom strat pickups and a custom humbucker. I don't remember the last time it was this busy, but not complaining too much. Though with income tax season here, and the start of turkey season almost upon us as well, I am feeling a little overwhelmed today.

[copperheadroads]

Had some flatwork laser cut today

& yes I am a GIANT

[big_teee]

That's Funny.
Are your hands that big, or are the parts that small?
T

[big_teee]

I've been experimenting with Mixed Magnet Strat sets.
Very interesting results.
If you like sweet highs, with Strong booming Lows, give the A2/A5, and A3/A5 magnet mixes.
You can either do a 3/3, or a 4/2 mix.
Have also been experimenting with 42 Single build vs. 42 Heavy build wire on Strat sets.
If you want more pick attack, go with the single build, like 42 PE, or 42 SPN.
If you want a smoother tone, Give the 42 HFV, or 42 HPN a try.
GL,
T

[big_teee]

I make two different types.
I do a low wind for neck and middle.
Then for the bridge I like a 44 SPN, wound full coils.
You can play with the gauss a bit on the neck if you want a bit more mellow.
I've found the blade is a very crucial part of the tone.
I use a home made straight blade, made from some sheet metal I have laying around.
I never did get the mojo curved blades to sound right.
To start with they don't make the blades tall enough, and they have too much curve for modern flatter fret boards.
Their curve blades are far too middy sounding, and because of the curve are weak on the E strings.
So I just go with a straight blade.
On the blades I paint them, then I sand off the top blade edge and spray them with clear krylon, before assembly.
On the bridge in pos. 2 not as much quack, as two single coils.
I usually just put one in the bridge for rockers who want a hot bridge pickup.
If you split the High impedance bridge, and have it RWRP with the middle, then the quack is good.
Most of my players like the bridge blade so well they do the bridge only and do the pos. 4 with the neck and middle.
I usually wire the guitar where the neck and middle share the front tone, and wire the back tone to the bridge.
When I get the 2 pickups finished I'm currently working on, I'll post a few pictures.
T

Here's Pics of one of the two micro Blades I made a little while back.
The other one is in a Test strat down at the shop, and it's raining.
Not perfect, but they sound good, and You can see how I make them.
Lots of labor go into those little Buggers!

[big_teee]

Here's a couple more pics of the test guitar with a blade in the Bridge.
I installed a DPST switch to split the blade.
In split mode it is like 3 Single Coils with RWRP in pos. 2 & 4.
T

[copperheadroads]

Here's a couple more pics of the test guitar with a blade in the Bridge.
I installed a DPST switch to split the blade.
In split mode it is like 3 Single Coils with RWRP in pos. 2 & 4.
T

[ATTACH=CONFIG]28319[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]28320[/ATTACH]

Those White bobbins must be a trade secret .....They look great & I wonder how they will hold up.........

[big_teee]

Those White bobbins must be a trade secret .....They look great & I wonder how they will hold up.........

Now if I could get $300 each for the blades I might break even on my labor @ $1.00 an hour!

[big_teee]

This is a U-Line Rant!
I went to buy 12 rolls of paper tape from U-Line.
Their prices are reasonable.
I went to check out, and they only do next day shipping.
12 rolls of 1/4 inch tape should fit in a small box.
They wanted $17 to ship this small box of light tape.
I called them, and we discussed it, and I told them I didn't want next day shipping.
I didn't care if it took a week, and at USPS rates it should cost no more than $5-6, tops.
He said they only do next day shipping, & no USPS shipping was available.
I told them to keep their fine tape, and hung up!
$17 to ship a small package, from Dallas, TX, to a Next door state Arkansas, is Absurd!
T

[big_teee]

This is a U-Line Rant!
I went to buy 12 rolls of paper tape from U-Line.
Their prices are reasonable.
I went to check out, and they only do next day shipping.
12 rolls of 1/4 inch tape should fit in a small box.
They wanted $17 to ship this small box of light tape.
I called them, and we discussed it, and I told them I didn't want next day shipping.
I didn't care if it took a week, and at USPS rates it should cost no more than $5-6, tops.
He said they only do next day shipping, & no USPS shipping was available.
I told them to keep their fine tape, and hung up!
$17 to ship a small package, from Dallas, TX, to a Next door state Arkansas, is Absurd!
T

They called me with a better shipping rate, so Looks like I will get my tape after all.
T