Just completed my 2nd winder

[wilser]

Hi Guys!
I didn't know this forum existed ...would have saved me LOTS of hours of research!

Here's a winder I just finished a couple of weeks ago:


First pickup wound:


Here are the tech details:
http://ramirezbass.com/joomla/index....d=34&Itemid=28

[Phil m]

You're welcome

What did you use for the bobbin material?

[wilser]

Hey Phil!

this is hard maple covered in CA glue. I'm investing in some vulcanized fiber in the new weeks.

[parentheticalfact]

Really sharp looking machine for a home build! Mine's kind of scruffy in comparison, but it works for me.
Welcome to the forum!

[David King]

Will, great to have you on board here. I just picked up my preset counter on ebay and am almost ready to get winding. That pickup looks hot! Are you doing wood cover too? I love the tailstock, I hope the lathe could do without for a while.

David

[David Schwab]

Will, welcome to the forum. I was happy to find it too when I got back into making pickups.. great bunch of minds here.

You pickup looks great! Your basses do too. Very nice work. There's nothing like having your own pickups in your own basses. I'm just trying out a new set in an old bass of mine. Next I want to make my own bridges...

David, you make a lot of your own hardware, don't you?

[David King]

I do and it's a great way to use up time that you're never going to get paid for. That said I'm never very satisfied with the hardware I order from outside. Lots of sloppy manufacturing out there but since nobody can hear the difference you can't really charge them extra for the best. Also plating costs really cuts into the bottom line as I'm sure you are all aware.

[wilser]

Will, great to have you on board here. I just picked up my preset counter on ebay and am almost ready to get winding. That pickup looks hot! Are you doing wood cover too? I love the tailstock, I hope the lathe could do without for a while.

David

Hi David! Thanks a lot, the pickups turned out pretty good for my first set, a bit microphonic, but I can deal with that and know what to do for my future winds. The tailstock was off ebay, so that lathe was probably dead anyway. And yes, the bass does have wooden covers, although I used wood for the flatwork just because it was quick, easy and cheap for uncertain experiments. I just put an order for Forbon for my future work.

Here's a pic of the bass:


And you can a hear soundclip here:
HEAR THIS BASS HERE! (FLASH PLAYER REQUIRED)

HEAR THIS BASS HERE TOO! (DIRECT MP3 LINK)


BTW, I really admired your work back when it first showed up on BP mag. You and Nordstrand are probably the guys who inspired me to start building ..you know, the one man shop thing.

[David Schwab]

I do and it's a great way to use up time that you're never going to get paid for.

Ha! My wife keep telling me that when I'm working on pickups because I start fussing over these little details and then decide to stop and make a jig to do one little part... With the last set I sold she told me I didn't make any money on them.. I told her they paid for my R&D! And the customer loved them too, and ordered three more sets... You just can't rush this stuff...

That said I'm never very satisfied with the hardware I order from outside. Lots of sloppy manufacturing out there but since nobody can hear the difference you can't really charge them extra for the best. Also plating costs really cuts into the bottom line as I'm sure you are all aware.

That's why I asked. I'm never happy with bridges. And I don't like most of the string spacings.. either too wide or too narrow. Some of the nicer looking bridges don't sound as good because of what they're made of, and the real nice ones are way too expensive! Some of the Gotoh stuff is nice, but where do you get it?

I'm not sure how I feel about the sound of brass bridges after all these years, but maybe Alembic has the right idea... make them out of brass and lacquer them! Maybe I'll just make wooden bridges...

I've been wanting to try aluminum bridges.

[David Schwab]

And yes, the bass does have wooden covers, although I used wood for the flatwork just because it was quick, easy and cheap for uncertain experiments. I just put an order for Forbon for my future work.

Here's a pic of the bass:

Will, nice looking bass! I love Zebrawood. Can we see a close up of the wooden covers?

For prototypes I use perforated PC board material for flatwork. It's real easy to make quick prototypes too... I just score it and snap it to size.

[Phil m]

The bass sounds really nice Wils

That's why I asked. I'm never happy with bridges. And I don't like most of the string spacings.. either too wide or too narrow. Some of the nicer looking bridges don't sound as good because of what they're made of, and the real nice ones are way too expensive! Some of the Gotoh stuff is nice, but where do you get it?

I'm not sure how I feel about the sound of brass bridges after all these years, but maybe Alembic has the right idea... make them out of brass and lacquer them! Maybe I'll just make wooden bridges...

I've been wanting to try aluminum bridges.

I feel the same way, I've been wanting to build my own bridge for a long time. I'm registered for a machining course that starts in a couple of months. Can't wait