Melody Maker pickups

[SpareRibs]

Hello,
Thank you, I have been struggling with just that. As I get flat work cut to Tele measurements, with the blade and brass in place it takes up much more space than would be needed for 10,000 turns of wire. I will increase the top to the .700 dimension and see if that will provide the space needed. One of the other stumbling blocks is the cover as the dimension is 7/8ths outside width. I am starting to think that measurement was taken as standard after the nylon bobbin was substituted for the magnet with brass flanges. Before that the pickup for pedal steels may not have been as small.
At any rate throughout the adventure I have not been wasting wire until I get the bobbin perfected. I was just this morning pondering the various measurements. I went to thicker brass in an attempt to make the bobbin more stable. The polyurethane seemed to help a great deal but being the brass corners are not as crisp as I would like, it causes separation between the flat work and the brass. I am going to try rounding the inside edges of the flat work.
I will keep you informed.

[SpareRibs]

Hello,
After reviewing the information in the Gibson Electric Steel Guitars. My attention was drawn to the fact the magnet used was the M55 size being 2.50L-.495W-0.125T. So that may be the reason all of my attempts have looked out of proportion to me. I just finished one using that measurement and it looks spot on. I think it will have the available space for the 10,000 windings.
Now I may be making headway FINALLY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[LtKojak]

My attention was drawn to the fact the magnet used was the M55 size being 2.50L-.495W-0.125T.

That's what a standard bar magnet for humbucking and P90s measures.

Was that a stumbling block for you? I don't understand..?

[big_teee]

There are very few specs and dimensions for this melody maker pickup, so it is a figure out as you go.
I had to do some searching myself to figure out what a M55 was, never heard it referred to in that way.
I had only heard long and short bar A2-A5 rough and polished Magnets.
But then again I'm not a die hard vintage gibson replica pickup builder either.
Another possible reason for using the 2.5 inch magnet on a lapsteel, so many of them are 8 String models, and the 2.5 inch would probably be long enough.
It will be more than ample for a six string guitar.

[SpareRibs]

Hello,
LtKojak, I was confused from the information gleaned from this thread, as someone suggested using Tele flatwork. At that point I had doubts about 10,000 turns of wire.
Being that the pickup I am trying to reproduce was used in the Melody Maker for only one year, and the next year was replaced and reduced in size incorporating some type of plastic bobbin. The original (1959) was carried over from a Gibson Skylark pedal steel. In the book posted on this thread about Gibson Electric Steel Guitars the pickup in the photo looks much bigger than later (from 1960 on) pickups as the pickup is only 11/16ths wide as opposed to (1959) 7/8ths width. Also there is reference to an M55 magnet. I had to search that out as it is not sold as such. Mojotone only lists the magnet in two sizes with no reference to M55.
Using the larger magnet makes a closer visual match to the proportions in the photo.

[SpareRibs]

Hello,
big_tee, I was thinking the same thing about the different amounts of strings different models of pedal steel guitars would have. Also after the pickup was installed on the Melody Maker in 1959 it probably made sense for the company to reduce the size of the pickup especially on a guitar targeting students. Bean counting at its finest.
I will be finding out soon but I am thinking the 59 was the one to really be taken seriously. I will try to post some photos of my progress so far. I have a very hard time with the camera. The instruction manual weighs more than the camera.
The next step will be winding which is something I have yet to master as all of my attempts so far come out to spongy. But I have to persevere in order to achieve fame and glory. Later!!!!

[SpareRibs]

Hello,
OK here is one of the pickups I have fabricated. I made another with a 2" blade to use for a neck pickup.
I will be utilizing both, bridge, neck, I will also be using the 4 pole 5 position switch, treating both single coils as one humbucker to get the same 5 sounds I currently get from using the switch. 1.Series in Phase(humbucker) 2.Single Coil(North) 3.Parallel In Phase 4.Single Coil(South) 5.Series Out of Phase.
Now for the worst part winding.

[big_teee]

You may have it all figured out, but here are some suggestions on winding.
On Single Coils it is the norm to make the start lead grounded.
In case you do have a short to the magnet it will be near the beginning.
So as an example?
If your winder on winds one direction, you can wind one coil North up Counter Clockwise CCW.
The Other bobbin wind South up, mount the bobbin upside down and it will be Clockwise.(or opposite of this depending on your winding direction)
I've done this a lot.
I usually wind the bridge CCW North up, and neck CW south up.
I do that with the winding shaft on the right side facing the winder, shaft top going.
You can make the magnet polarity the way you want to.
If bridge is south up then the neck would be reversed, and reverse the polarity.
That makes them RWRP.
You may need to modify that for the way your switch works.
Before winding, set the stop guides, just a bit narrower than the bobbin height between the flats.
I use a dial caliper for that.
To prevent flaring don't over tension if winding by hand.
to prevent loose winds, apply enough tension, but not too much.
Wire is expensive, and I'm sure you want to make it go as far as possible.
GL,
T

[John_H]

Nice work there. It looks like you have the hard part done.

[SpareRibs]

Hello,
Thanks guys. I am really anxious to get these in and hear them. I know the configuration and set up with the two pickups will be outside the norm, however the base of my project is a Epiphone Les Paul Special II with a solid body so it should be a reasonable facsimile of a JR or Melody Maker.
My thoughts with the 5 position switch are, that in addition to the raw single coil sound, it needs a really raw humbucker sound also.
On the switch as I stated above using the start and finish of each coil and treating both coils as one humbucker. The switch should reverse the polarity, if not I can work with the wiring to achieve that.
I still have to work with mounting the pickups and fabricating a new pick guard. Some wood may have to be removed to accommodate the neck pickup, as the neck is set further into the body and uses some of the room in the neck pickup cavity. I also plan to try to make some covers for the pickups using flatwork material, gluing and rounding the corners and either dipping them in wax or soaking them in polyurethane.
At any rate it is coming along much nicer than I first anticipated. I attached the 4 pole 5 position switch diagram so maybe you can get an idea of what I am talking about with the wiring. I know the 1959 Melody Maker had only one pickup, but why stop with a small project when you have the opportunity to make it twice as difficult ?????

[SpareRibs]

Hello,
I got the neck pickup wound today. I had to use #41 gauge because the #42 kept breaking at about every 10 turns. Was able to get 6000 turns which oddly enough came out to 5.96 ohms, which should be good enough for the neck. I did the string wrap which was difficult as I had never done it before. Tomorrow I will drag out the wax potting equipment, add black shoe polish and pot the pickup.
I will have to find out what is wrong with the spool of #42. It was really a drag as I set it up about 10 times. Wraps fine and then just breaks. I'll get to the bottom of it.
I will also try to post a photo.

[LtKojak]

Was able to get 6000 turns which oddly enough came out to 5.96 ohms

Are you SURE is #41? It sounds like more #43 to me.

Just sayin'...

BTW, excellent job!

Yours very truly,

[SpareRibs]

Are you SURE is #41? It sounds like more #43 to me.
Just sayin'...
BTW, excellent job!
Yours very truly,

Hello,
I am looking at the top of the spool of #41 so here are the markings ( ESSEX-41-H THERMALEX / 200 ) there is another set of numbers 406S 66 218. That is the #41. In all of my attempts to use it, it seems to build up on the coil amazingly fast and has very low readings.
The other spool of the #42 is marked ( ELEKTRISOLA MAGNET WIRE 42 SINGLE POLYSOL-N 155 )
I am going to turn the spool (#42) over to see if by chance that will have any effect. I have visually inspected the spool and there are no severe dings in it or anything. I am almost convinced maybe I am holding to much tension (pinching it between my fingers)or something, however I just cannot understand how there could be such a difference, with such a slight difference in numbers. Anyway I will make it work, there just seems to be something I am overlooking.

[rjb]

I have visually inspected the spool and there are no severe dings in it or anything.

Did you check the inside edge of the spool flange?
Sometimes there is a seam in the plastic, that can snag the wire.
If that is the case, sand the seam smooth with fine sandpaper.

[SpareRibs]

Hello,
Thanks I will certainly check that out. I am in the midst of getting all the junk together ready for potting the pickup now. I had all of it together sometime ago however things have a way of evaporating around here and I can never find things until I have either rebuilt or replaced them.