Pickup Rewinds

[Stratz]

Be careful handling and stripping the bobbin, They're not very robust.
If it's a bridge pickup it's important to center the bobbins/blade on the base plate or in the cover (depending on how you assemble it) because the blade is barely long enough to cover both the high and low E strings. I usually cheat the blade bobbin towards the high e string a bit since the low E has more oscillation.

You also need to make sure that the cover is lined up dead center on the base plate or when the installer put the pickup ring on the mounting holes will not line up with the mounting holes in the base plate. For this task I use an old mini HB ring to line up the mounting screw holes before I clamp the cover down to solder it to the base plate.

I mount the mini hb bobbins on my face plate with two 4-40 screws (that's what my face plates are drilled for) by using the outer screw holes of an old 49.2mm humbucker bobbin (wound and potted for rigidity) to lock the mini hb bobbin in place.

Make sure the owner sends you the cover and the mounting ring along with the pickup.

Good luck

[big_teee]

They are easy enough to rewind.
When winding and assembling, be careful to mark the top and bottom of the bobbin.
Since both sides look alike, you don't want one bobbin turned top up, and one turned top down, after winding.
I did that once and the pickup was assembled with the cover on and was out of phase.
I learned that the hard way!
I wonder how he damaged a coil, if the cover was soldered on?
There is not a lot of room on the bobbins, so smaller wire is usually used.

T

[Stratz]

be careful to mark the top and bottom of the bobbin.
Since both sides look alike, you don't want one bobbin turned top up, and one turned top down, after winding.
I did that once and the pickup was assembled with the cover on and was out of phase.
I learned that the hard way!


T

Good advice T. I've done that as well............

Bobbins can easily fit 5,000+ winds so 42 gauge single build is fine.

[kayakerca]

Good advice T. I've done that as well............

Bobbins can easily fit 5,000+ winds so 42 gauge single build is fine.

Thanks T. Thanks Stratz. I asked the luthier to measure the screw side coil which was ~ 6.8k, so I'm guessing 43 gauge on this pair?

[Stratz]

42 gauge was standard from Gibson. At 6.8 it sounds like he's reading a working mini HB, It may be one of the newer abominations from Gibson. If so it could be either 43 or 44.

[big_teee]

I'm guessing 44 if it is 6.8k.
You might get that much 43 on there but I think it will be trickey.
Depends on the diameter of you 43 wire.
T

[copperheadroads]

Take notice on the direction it is wound & like the guys suggest mark the top & bottom , 6.8k would be a average working output for a mini . let us know how it turns out ..& tpl if you go in the coils.....

[copperheadroads]

If only one coil is working then I agree 44gauge

[big_teee]

Here's the estimated specs of a SD firebird 43.

[big_teee]

Also, if you don't mind, please verify the bobbin dimensions.
We are always looking for real life dimensions.
Another trick you might consider when winding?
Since the bobbin is open in the middle, I put a filler to keep the bobbin from compressing while winding.
If you mount with screws, you can put 3 small pieces of wood or plastic in the middle.
T

[kayakerca]

Also, if you don't mind, please verify the bobbin dimensions.
We are always looking for real life dimensions.
T

Absolutely T.

[kayakerca]

42 gauge was standard from Gibson. At 6.8 it sounds like he's reading a working mini HB, It may be one of the newer abominations from Gibson. If so it could be either 43 or 44.

Yes, I've clarified with the luthier now. He recorded 6.8k on the pickup that was working, not the screw side coil of the broken one on its own.

[kayakerca]

Take notice on the direction it is wound & like the guys suggest mark the top & bottom , 6.8k would be a average working output for a mini . let us know how it turns out ..& tpl if you go in the coils.....

OH ya, if its more than a recoverable lead break on the finish end I'll definitely be taking a little time and care to squeeze all the tpl (turbo power licks) out of that coil!

[kayakerca]

Also, if you don't mind, please verify the bobbin dimensions.
We are always looking for real life dimensions.
T

The blade bobbin that was rewound was the junkiest looking piece of plastic. I understand the "thin" aspect to fit the mini format, but it looked like it was a larger bobbin cut down to size with a pair of scissors at the ends and along the sides. The flange was a fair bit narrower in the middle from being cut down so the wire was loose over the edges in the middle. Terrible bobbin as you can see from the image below.



Dimensions. . .
Length: 2.11"
Width: one end = .188" - other end = .195"
Height: .25"
Flange: .483" - .495" (depending on where you measured)

All back together and to the luthier.

[kayakerca]

Bobbins can easily fit 5,000+ winds so 42 gauge single build is fine.

Yes, she held 5,000 of 42 SPN no problem.