What Went Wrong

[big_teee]

I agree with Sonny.
There is also detailed instructions at StewMac.
STEWMAC.COM : Instructions for P-90 Pickup Kits with Plastic Bobbin
It shows everything like Sonny's pictures.
If you still have the issue I would try one time wiring the pickup direct to the jack, in the guitar, to rule out other things.
What do you think Sonny?
T

[SonnyW]

I agree with Sonny.
There is also detailed instructions at StewMac.
STEWMAC.COM : Instructions for P-90 Pickup Kits with Plastic Bobbin
It shows everything like Sonny's pictures.
If you still have the issue I would try one time wiring the pickup direct to the jack to rule out other things.
What do you think Sonny?
T

It sure couldn't hurt to temporarily wire a pickup up straight to the jack. It could be possible that there is something else in the guitar causing the issue, and that would test for it. One thing that I like to use (when I remember to do it) is an old guitar cable that I cut one end off and put alligator clips on one end. That way I can hook the pickup up to an amp before it is installed to test for microphonics etc. I think I got that idea from Terry come to think of it. Anyway wiring direct to the jack or clipping on to a cable, either method could work to rule out other problems.

[Rude Dog]

I have had the flaring problem too on some P-90's wound full. To compensate, I made a wooden block roughly the same size as the P-90 bobbin and use that on one side of it and the other side is up against my tooling, so it holds the bobbin down, and I cut my tension almost in half to about 15-20 grams. That works for me.

Sonny, would you you mind sharing what gauge and method you use to measure tension?

Thanks.

[SonnyW]

Sonny, would you you mind sharing what gauge and method you use to measure tension?

Thanks.

Don't mind at all. There was a thread about this once but I can't find it now. Probably the pics would have been gone anyway so I took new ones. I use a 0-50 gram tension gauge sometimes referred to as a dynamometer gauge. Mine is a Jonard brand model GD-5 that I got off of ebay. They are very expensive new, but come up all the time surplus, you just have to look for a while to get the kind you want. There are several good brands, like Scherr-Tumico and Correx. I see them come up all the time. I paid $25 I think for mine and it was in new condition with the case. Be sure not to fall for getting one that doesn't have the gram range you need. As I was writing this I looked on ebay and there was one that was the right 0-50g-0 kind that went closed without any bids and the minimum bid price was 14.95. I actually have several because I didn't know when I got started what to buy so I have a couple that go a lot higher that aren't much use except as a backup. I never need over 50 grams for pickup work, and hardly ever go over 30-35.

Here in the first picture is how I use it, and in the second pic is a better look at the dial. I just wrap the magnet wire around the tip a few times and pull out, holding the gauge as shown so the magnet wire pulls on the lever. I like to use the little red max pointer to be sure I got the tension measured right. It is no trouble at all to measure the tension as a check before each coil, as it does change sometimes after a few coils.



P.S. here's the one that ended without bids today. OK it was 0-30g-0 but would work. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Correx-Dial-...item4ad14968ff

[Rude Dog]

Awesome, thanks for sharing.

[LowNote]

Thanks for all the help. The pick ups are from Stew Mac and I followed the instructions to the T. I'll go direct to the plug and see what happens. I did turn all the fluorescent lights and soldering iron off. I found out that soldering iron can cause a pick up to buzz. I didn't get to the studio the other day but will be there Monday night to eliminate the house as being the culprit.

LowNote

[Lyrebird Steve]

here is the tensioner that Jim put me on to 0-50g $25 + postage on eBay

[kayakerca]

Be sure not to fall for getting one that doesn't have the gram range you need. As I was writing this I looked on ebay and there was one that was the right 0-50g-0 kind that went closed without any bids and the minimum bid price was 14.95. I actually have several because I didn't know when I got started what to buy so I have a couple that go a lot higher that aren't much use except as a backup. I never need over 50 grams for pickup work, and hardly ever go over 30-35.

Here in the first picture is how I use it, and in the second pic is a better look at the dial. I just wrap the magnet wire around the tip a few times and pull out, holding the gauge as shown so the magnet wire pulls on the lever. I like to use the little red max pointer to be sure I got the tension measured right. It is no trouble at all to measure the tension as a check before each coil, as it does change sometimes after a few coils.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]27907[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]27908[/ATTACH]

P.S. here's the one that ended without bids today. OK it was 0-30g-0 but would work. Correx Dial Dynamometer Tension Force Gauge | eBay

I agree with Sonny, I have a couple of these gauges and they're great for setting up "dead draw" winding tension/force. One caveat when buying a used one at a great price though. It may be in serious need of calibration. One of mine was off a significant amount (~50%) and especially when comparing left draw and right draw tension. It's worthwhile to pickup up a 5g - 50g weight set for ~ $5 that you can use to calibrate the unit. There are calibration access ports on either side of the dynamometer.

[LowNote]

I had the same problem at the studio. Took the guitar home pulled the pick ups out and pulled the wire off and rewound them. Now they sound like they should. Don't know what the problem was, though.

LowNote

[rhgwynn]

I plugged a guitar cable into the amp and touched the pick up leads to the tip and ground of the cable, no gain control on the amp.

In order to do this, you have to hold the metal sleeve on the cord as well. Otherwise, it's gonna buzz like an angry beehive. If they are buzzing inside the guitar, then you have some issue to work out; couldn't tell you what it is without looking at it though.

[big_teee]

Per post 24, he rewound the pickup and it fixed it.