Melody Maker pickups

[big_teee]

Sounds like too much tension.
I broke wire like crazy, when I first started.
Now I can wind 44 SPN at full speed without breaks.
It could be several things, it could be how you have your wire guides set up.
How your wire is feeding off the spool.
It could be the edges of the bobbin your winding.
make sure there are no sharp edges on the bobbin.
Your other wire is 41 heavy, and it should be much harder to break.
Next time you try the 42, inspect everything first.
Then slow the winder down and take your time, and let it slip through your fingers.
To make the wire slide better, You can use Baking powder, talc, or even put a little WD 40 on the fingers to keep the wire from chattering.
When you pot with wax the WD will be gone.
You will get it all figured out, enjoy the process!
GL,
T

[LtKojak]

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.

I'm asking because 5000 turns of #42 should read about 3.74K @ 20°C, so I wonder how 6000 turns of #41 can read almost 6K... unless that's the reading of two bobbins, meaning 2 x 6000 turns in series and I missed that detail completely?

[copperheadroads]

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.

Wow !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! if you are breaking 42 gauge every 10 turns your are doing it with way too much tension .......
after a full wind how does coil feel when pushing on it in the middle ....

[SpareRibs]

I'm asking because 5000 turns of #42 should read about 3.74K @ 20°C, so I wonder how 6000 turns of #41 can read almost 6K... unless that's the reading of two bobbins, meaning 2 x 6000 turns in series and I missed that detail completely?

Hello,
I just measured the ohms again while it may have cooled a little the reading is at 5.53. I don't know if that is good or bad. The meter has a low battery indicator which is not indicating a low battery so I have to think that is fairly close.

[SpareRibs]

Wow !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! if you are breaking 42 gauge every 10 turns your are doing it with way too much tension .......
after a full wind how does coil feel when pushing on it in the middle ....

Hello,
I will be exploring a lot of possibilities tomorrow and for sure that will be on the top of the list, at this point I do not have a full wind to comment on.

[copperheadroads]

2 Things consider when winding THIS recreation of this style Gibson pickup ..think what wire was used & magnet .
& if you ever wound any pickups with bar magnets as the pole ,like these .
you possibly can throw it all out the window ,as they are harsh way to much treblely with a common Gibson wind ....SO Compensate .............

[SpareRibs]

Hello,
copperheadroads, I am aware that the pickup will be harsh. I am just taken aback by the amount people as of late raving about Melody Makers and JR's. The 1959 was the first year that type of pickup was used, only to be changed the following year. The JR's go over well using P90's which are also rather harsh.
If you will look at post #20 in this thread there is a wiring diagram I will be utilizing using two single coils wired as a humbucker. The diagram splits the pickup so as to have a setting for each coil separate, in and out of phase, and both coils in the humbucker mode.
I think utilizing the 4 pole 5 position switch, in addition to trying different values of potentiometers and capacitors, I will have more options available to me than Gibson was willing to sink into a lower end guitar aimed primarily at students.
At any rate Thank you for your input as I really do consider all opinions and suggestions, I also fell really good that most of the members that weighed in on this thread are held in high regard on this forum.

[SpareRibs]

Hello,
Well here is the neck pickup, wrapped, and potted. It is wound clockwise south up. I will wind the bridge opposite that.

[big_teee]

Thanks for the picture.
If your camera has a macro setting, it will allow a closer focal length with better focus, up close.

[copperheadroads]

Hello,
Well here is the neck pickup, wrapped, and potted. It is wound clockwise south up. I will wind the bridge opposite that.

Nice job .It looks like you have more than enough room to get your 10000 turns .

[SpareRibs]

Thanks for the picture.
If your camera has a macro setting, it will allow a closer focal length with better focus, up close.

Hello,
I couldn't get the macro setting to work. As I said in a previous post the instruction manual weighs more than the camera, at 104 pages. When you search for one problem the table of contents sends you to a page, then of course when you get to that page it makes reference to some other problem that is the reason for the current one you are having. It is another thing overly designed to do a multitude of things and none of them well.
I only wanted the camera to take pictures, I did not need a device that can tell you the latitude, longitude, height above sea level, as well as the current phase of the moon on every continent. At any rate that is one other thing I am dealing with.

[SpareRibs]

Nice job .It looks like you have more than enough room to get your 10000 turns .

Hello,
I think you are right however as somewhat of a prototype I did not want it to over power the bridge pickup. If it doesn't put out enough I can use it on one of the other guitars I have in other stages of modification.

[big_teee]

Hello,
I couldn't get the macro setting to work. As I said in a previous post the instruction manual weighs more than the camera, at 104 pages. When you search for one problem the table of contents sends you to a page, then of course when you get to that page it makes reference to some other problem that is the reason for the current one you are having. It is another thing overly designed to do a multitude of things and none of them well.
I only wanted the camera to take pictures, I did not need a device that can tell you the latitude, longitude, height above sea level, as well as the current phase of the moon on every continent. At any rate that is one other thing I am dealing with.

If you will give me the make and model of the camera, I will see If I can look at the owners manual.
It may be something not to hard to pick the macro setting.
It is something you will need if you keep taking closeup pictures.
T

[SpareRibs]

Hello,
I appreciate your offer, I have the owners manual. The camera belongs to my wife I have just never spent enough time using it. I am going to do the research today as it seems to be an important feature to have access to. I am just doing a lot of things all at once. I will put it on a list of priorities so I can post better pictures.

[big_teee]

Hello,
I appreciate your offer, I have the owners manual. The camera belongs to my wife I have just never spent enough time using it. I am going to do the research today as it seems to be an important feature to have access to. I am just doing a lot of things all at once. I will put it on a list of priorities so I can post better pictures.

That is why I offered, I know you are busy.
The flower is the universal sybol for Macro.
Here are some different cameras at the link below, yours may be similar.
https://www.google.com/search?q=came...w=1366&bih=592