Pickup Check-Off List.

[big_teee]

I am working on a Check-Off list attachment to put on the resources thread.
Have you ever shipped a pickup, to have forgotten a step?
Here is what I have on my list so far.
Any input is appreciated.

Pickup Check Off List
Single Coils
1. Wax Pot Pickups
2. Check Polarity, & Wind Direction
3. Gauss Test if meter is available
4. Check DCR at Room Temp (Any other Tests you have Test Gear For)
5. Make Sure Forbon base plates are Threaded
6. Make Sure you include Covers, Screws, Tubing, or Springs
7. Record, and Include Pickup data, & any wiring Info.
8. Temporary hookup Pickups to Amp & test for Microphonics
9. Pack, & Ship Pickups.



Double Humbucker Coils
1. Wax Pot Pickups (If Applicable)
2. Check Polarity, & Wind Direction
3. Check Magnet is Installed so North is to the Slugs (If you build this way)
4. Check DCR at Room Temp (Any other Tests you have Test Gear For)
5. Make Sure you include, Screws, & Springs
6. Record, and Include Pickup data, & any wiring Info.
7. Temporary hookup Pickups to Amp & test for Microphonics
8. Pack, & Ship Pickups.

[soundguruman]

Balance coils.

[big_teee]

Balance coils.

Left the wind Type off the list.
Wind Type and Technique can vary greatly, depending on the Pickup type.
It could be a low wound symmetrical Humbucker, or a hot Asymmetrical wind.
Low or high TPL Single coil, a low, or high DCR Pickup, and wire size can vary too.
Mainly want to list things, that we all could forget to do, or include with the Pickups after they are built.
Thanks,

[David Schwab]

I do a lot of these things in a different order. I would think you know the wind direction before you wax pot the coil?

I check the resistance right after winding it (before it's potted), to make sire the coil is good, and then right before assembling the pickup. because I epoxy encapsulate my pickups, I also check the resistance before pouring the epoxy, and after the epoxy has cured.

I check magnet polarity as I'm assembling the pickup, but I don't measure the strength of the magnet(s).

I do not write down the resistance of the pickup, on the pickup. Nor do I include it. I don't understand why boutique winders do this. I also don't list it on my web site. It's not that important in the long run. I check resistance to either know the pickup is in spec, or to tell neck from bridge pickups.

I write a serial number on each pickup which I have recorded, with the model, date and buyer, in an Excel spreadsheet.

[big_teee]

I do a lot of these things in a different order. I would think you know the wind direction before you wax pot the coil?

I check the resistance right after winding it (before it's potted), to make sire the coil is good, and then right before assembling the pickup. because I epoxy encapsulate my pickups, I also check the resistance before pouring the epoxy, and after the epoxy has cured.

I check magnet polarity as I'm assembling the pickup, but I don't measure the strength of the magnet(s).

I do not write down the resistance of the pickup, on the pickup. Nor do I include it. I don't understand why boutique winders do this. I also don't list it on my web site. It's not that important in the long run. I check resistance to either know the pickup is in spec, or to tell neck from bridge pickups.

I write a serial number on each pickup which I have recorded, with the model, date and buyer, in an Excel spreadsheet.

I like the serial number idea.
I've never done that.
The important thing at my age is just not to forget to include everything, or forget something.
The sequence i have them is more of the sequence I thought of them.
I will rearrange them some more later.
Thanks,

[SonnyW]

I do a lot of these things in a different order. I would think you know the wind direction before you wax pot the coil?

I check the resistance right after winding it (before it's potted), to make sire the coil is good, and then right before assembling the pickup. because I epoxy encapsulate my pickups, I also check the resistance before pouring the epoxy, and after the epoxy has cured.

I check magnet polarity as I'm assembling the pickup, but I don't measure the strength of the magnet(s).

I do not write down the resistance of the pickup, on the pickup. Nor do I include it. I don't understand why boutique winders do this. I also don't list it on my web site. It's not that important in the long run. I check resistance to either know the pickup is in spec, or to tell neck from bridge pickups.

I write a serial number on each pickup which I have recorded, with the model, date and buyer, in an Excel spreadsheet.

I also put a serial number on each pickup. My checklist is an excel spreadsheet on which I input all the test data and I file that by the serial numbers for my future reference and any warranty stuff that might come up, or if the customer or one of their friends wants a duplicate made. By the time I get my spreadsheet filled out I know I have checked about everything on the list except maybe tapping out the holes in the forbon or something like that. I also measure the DCR several times including before and after potting, and when soldering the leads, but only mark the final DCR on the spreadsheet.

Now here is where we will differ. I include a printout of the test spreadsheet to the customer, and I print the measured DCR on the pickup. I don't always put it on my website unless it is a standard model and then usually only in very general terms. The reason I do this is because most of the pickups I make are custom winds, and the customer often has in mind a specific pickup model, maybe what they are playing now, that we are trying to base the changes off of. So I want the customer to be able to verify that we have moved things in the direction he or she wanted, compared to the same measurements on a sample of their pickup if I can get hold of one. I haven't had any customer issues yet with this method. It also helps the customer to tell the bridge from the neck in some cases, but I mark the intended position on the pickup label too. Another reason that I started putting the DCR on the label is that in at least one case on some of my standard pickups I am using 41 wire, and I don't want that to be a confusing factor to the users. I figure many of them are going to be measuring the DCR anyhow and at least they can look at the pickup and tell what DCR it was designed for, instead of calling me and saying hey I got one that reads low...

I know that the DCR isn't that big a factor in the long run, and I have that all over my website. But I know they will try to measure it anyway too, and lots of them will poke around on the various forums and maybe get lots of conflicting info in the process. I'm just trying to pin down at the very start, when they receive their pickup: Here is what it measured when I made it, that's what it is supposed to read. Whether other makers publish their DCR or their specs or not doesn't matter much to me.

[David Schwab]

I don't include DC resistance because it's meaningless taken out of context, and allows the customer to draw incorrect conclusions about the pickups. Plus most of my models are all the same, give or take a small range (where I didn't stop winding for 20 turns or something).

I have had customers take their own readings, and use magnetic viewing film, and then email be wondering why the readings don't make sense to them! lol So I have to explain those readings are correct for the design of the pickup, gage of wire etc. I explain why the neck pickup reads 5k but the bridge is 12k. That can be misleading and makes one think the bridge pickup is that much louder, when it's not.

When I do custom winds, they often describe the tone they want, or say they want them wound hotter (hotter than what?), etc. Once again, giving them those figures would be confusing to them, IMO.



When I start selling guitar pickups I will probably post the resistance, because that's something they can relate to, compared to other similar guitar pickups.

[SonnyW]

I don't include DC resistance because it's meaningless taken out of context, and allows the customer to draw incorrect conclusions about the pickups. Plus most of my models are all the same, give or take a small range (where I didn't stop winding for 20 turns or something).

I have had customers take their own readings, and use magnetic viewing film, and then email be wondering why the readings don't make sense to them! lol So I have to explain those readings are correct for the design of the pickup, gage of wire etc. I explain why the neck pickup reads 5k but the bridge is 12k. That can be misleading and makes one think the bridge pickup is that much louder, when it's not.

When I do custom winds, they often describe the tone they want, or say they want them wound hotter (hotter than what?), etc. Once again, giving them those figures would be confusing to them, IMO.



When I start selling guitar pickups I will probably post the resistance, because that's something they can relate to, compared to other similar guitar pickups.

In your case with mainly bass pickups and some of them active designs I agree with your thinking. Each maker's case is a different scenario. In my case with traditional vintage style passive guitar pickups and with those being mostly custom, the customers tend to look for the DCR as a way to compare hotness to what they have now. I don't think it really means a lot and I measure the actual output but I have to give in a little to them or they will just go elsewhere.

[big_teee]

Back to the check off list!
Do you guys have anything else to add to our checkoff list that is posted on the Resources Thread?
The reason I started it, was I sent a strat pickup to a guy, and I forgot to thread the holes on the forbon.
My bad, because he gouged the pickup winding with a screwdriver because the screw grabbed the forbon, because I forgot to thread them.
Me running the tap through it, would have been easier than Me repairing the pickup.
Thanks,
T

[SonnyW]

Back to the check off list!
Do you guys have anything else to add to our checkoff list that is posted on the Resources Thread?
The reason I started it, was I sent a strat pickup to a guy, and I forgot to thread the holes on the forbon.
My bad, because he gouged the pickup winding with a screwdriver because the screw grabbed the forbon, because I forgot to thread them.
Me running the tap through it, would have been easier than Me repairing the pickup.
Thanks,
T

I have looked through the list several times and I don't see much to add. On the single coils, in my case some of them have beveled mags and some don't, so might check that, but by the time you get to the shipping part you would have to start over if that was wrong. The way I remember to thread the forbon is after potting I do it before I take them back to the bench. That way if there is wax in the holes, they aren't threaded and it is easy to see. On the humbuckers I also preset the polepieces to a constant height, but that's about it. Before I put anything in the box I go over it all again to be sure. It is a good idea to have a list.

[Joe Gwinn]

Back to the check off list!
Do you guys have anything else to add to our checkoff list that is posted on the Resources Thread?T

I would measure and record the inductance and AC resistance at 1 KHz. If the AC resistance is out of line, it's likely that a coil is shorted; this is not detectable from the DC resistance.

[big_teee]

I would measure and record the inductance and AC resistance at 1 KHz. If the AC resistance is out of line, it's likely that a coil is shorted; this is not detectable from the DC resistance.

Thanks,
Agreed if you have the test set.
That falls under #4.
4. Check DCR at Room Temp (Any other Tests you have Test Gear For)

T

[Joe Gwinn]

That falls under #4.
4. Check DCR at Room Temp (Any other Tests you have Test Gear For)

AC resistance is not the same as DC resistance, but you do need an Extech to measure AC resistance.

If pickups with shorted coils coming back have been a problem, then I'd buy an Extech so the bad units never escape the shop.

Also useful to know if a unit went bad in the field, versus was born bad.

[big_teee]

AC resistance is not the same as DC resistance, but you do need an Extech to measure AC resistance.

If pickups with shorted coils coming back have been a problem, they I'd buy an Extech so the bad units never escape the shop.

Also useful to know if a unit went bad in the field, versus was born bad.

I would like to have the Extech for sure, Never seems to fit into my Hobby Budget.
Where do you guys buy them and what is a good price, for anyone wanting One.
Thanks,
T

[Joe Gwinn]

I would like to have the Extech for sure, Never seems to fit into my Hobby Budget.
Where do you guys buy them and what is a good price, for anyone wanting One.

The Extech 380193 handheld LCR Meter costs about $200 around here. All the usual test equipment houses seem to have it, as does Amazon:

Amazon.com: Extech 380193 Passive Component LCR Meter: Home Improvement