New to winding pickups. Some questions to begin with

[big_teee]

Yes that's my conclusion but i actually did some thing different for that pickup but for me it was not bad. I'll try to explain.
Before that pickup ( i made also a PAF style with 4000 turns ) i did exactly the same winding for the left bobbin than for the right bobbin. Red wire for the start of winding, black for the end. But when assembling i had nothing symetrical. 2 bobbins with the black wire on the left side and red wire on the right side. And i wanted the 2 black wire in the center of the humbucker where the 2 bobbins are stuck together and red wire on the edges. But i never change the direction of winding, just put the left ( or second ) bobbin up side down on the winder. Is that a mistake ? Did you get me?

Yep, by winding the bobbin upside down you reversed the direction.
When you flipped it over, you now have to wire one start to one finish lead.
Not just tie the two finish leads together.
That should fix your problem.
In diagram below, both coils are sitting side by side with finish leads tied together.
If you turn one coil over, then one finish would need to be tied to one start lead.
T

[tepsamps]

I reversed the polarity of a coil and the problem is fixed. I just noticed a little buzz when i don't touch the strings, but i did not check other PU to see the difference.
I've seen the charts, and i think i can put more turns in my coils by increasing the tension and the TPL.
For the tension, do you put something on your fingers to retain the wire ?
For the TPL, i was winding slowly and my hand had to move very slowly so maybe i have to wind faster and still move my hand slowly...
Great thanks Terry!

[big_teee]

Glad you got it hashed out.
Yes, speeding up the winder when feeding by hand, can give a higher tpl.
I also feed the wire by hand, I just use my fingers.
You can try feeding the wire through different things, if your skin is getting raw.
mojo sells a tensioning tool that some use to feed the wire through, to keep a constant tension.
I don't wind enough to bother with the additional tools or aids.
On the static when not touching the strings?
Make sure everything is grounded, bridge, pickup bases, pots, switches, and use shielded wire where you can.
If anyone else has anything to add, please jump in!
T

[tepsamps]

I have noticed that the bobbins are not exactly the same, from a shop to another. Some have a notch and some has a flat side to aid in putting the lead wires into the shape of the PU. In the notched ones, i put 5000 turns, and in those with a flat side, i put only 4250 because i don't want to wind over the flat. Are there bobbins with nothing ?

[tepsamps]

Hi,
i've bought some 44 gauge wire to play with. I've built a classic humbucker and i put 8000 turns in each bobbin. I made 2 screw bobbins by mistake but it works the same i think, no ? The total RDC is 19 K! I can't believe it yet! I put a ceramic magnet because i still like ceramic tone i guess.
And i tried it on the bridge position. The signal is stronger than the previous one with 5000 turns of 42 gauge but not that much, more aggressive, but still not over the top, not over compressed as i supposed it would be. But i have to test more, tone is so subjectve.
Anyway i'm happy.

Have you tried the magnetic spacers to increase the magnetic field ? Is it worth using them ?

The most aggressive humbucker i've tried so far is the SH6 from seymour, i have to compare.

To know the output level in mV, do you need a scope ?

Thanks

[tepsamps]

I've read the output level in mV with my multimeter as i saw on youtube, and i get only 200 mV out off my 19k humbucker!!! I'm pretty disapointed i thought i would be somewhere around 400 mV. Is that reading reliable ?

[big_teee]

I would be more concerned with what they sound like, instead of how many mv they read.
I've wound a lot of the double screw bobbin pickups, and one of my favorite sets, is in my LH import Les Paul.
A double screw set at the bridge, allows for more tonal adjustment, because of the individual string bobbin adjustment.

I would try different magnet types in your 19k pickup.
From A2-A8, C5, & C8.
Your 8k+ bobbins would be similar to a SD JB, or the SH-6 distortion pickup.
Another good choice is a full bobbin of 43, which could range up to 7-7.5k DCR.
GL,
T

[Helmholtz]

I've read the output level in mV with my multimeter as i saw on youtube, and i get only 200 mV out off my 19k humbucker!!! I'm pretty disapointed i thought i would be somewhere around 400 mV. Is that reading reliable ?

There is no standardized or established method to measure PU sensitivity/output. So measurements are not comparable.
Especially measurements using a multimeter are not reliable for a number of reasons.

Best to listen to the PUs and compare to a known PU in the same guitar with the same settings/adjustments.

[tepsamps]

i have the SD and SH6, i prefer the SH6, but now i prefer playing with my guitars, my PU's and my amps. hahaha !
Thanks for your feedbacks...

Did you try unbalanced coils ? Mojotone say they do it, i will try different wire, turns and scatter in each bobbin to see the changes

[tepsamps]

I've read the SH6's output with my multimeter and i get 350 mV with a big E chord. And it's RDC is 16k sharp. So the only way to get this, IMO, is to get a stronger magnet, no ?
As for the tone, the SH6 drives the amp much harder than my 19K PU, the tone isa lot more aggressive, i would like to be able to reproduce that kind of output.
But the tone of mine is really good also, more vintage, and with less trebble that the SH6 wthout being dark.
I have to try 5mm thick magnet, with 2 magnetic spacers...

[big_teee]

The comparison chart below, shows 16.8DCR for the Sh-6.
https://www.seymourduncan.com/blog/p...mparison-chart
If you want to duplicate it, then I would take some wire off your 9.5k bobbins.
I would also take NEOs and Recharge the ceramics, giving them maximum charge.
I've done some of that with Ceramics.
I usually reduce the charge on C8's to make them sound a bit warmer.
The Gibson Dirty fingers uses the fat Ceramics, with the small fat spacer magnets on each side.
Make sure you get the polarity correct, if you use the side spacer magnets.
Included is data for 3 different 44AWG pickups.
JB, Distortion, and Dirty fingers.
T

[tepsamps]

Okay, i will recharge the magnet, i saw a video showing how to do this with a single coil but not with a humbucker. I imagine that if i do it bad, i will discharge it no ? So between 2 repelling neo's ?

[big_teee]

So between 2 repelling neo's ?

No between two attracting Neos.
Take the bar magnet out of the pickup.
South Neo to North side of the Ceramic, north neo to the south side of the Ceramic.
You charge both edges at once.
GL,
T

[tepsamps]

Would a neo magnet instead of the ceramic would be too much to sound good ?

[LtKojak]

Would a neo magnet instead of the ceramic would be too much to sound good ?

In a nutshell, no.