Forum's Ugliest Winder. . . Almost complete

[Joe Gwinn]

Others in the forum may know if the security type reed switches are fast enough to reliably work at +/- 1,000 rpm.

All reed switches are fast enough. The usual issue is to ensure that the switch-closed time is long enough for the counter, even at high speed.

[kayakerca]

For those who endured my dribble about my first pickup build, well. . . I installed them this morning. Plugged in the guitar and got NOTHING BUT A LOUD HUM! Even louder when I touched the strings. It was a very sad moment indeed. So I put it back up on the bench, pulled off the pick guard and one by one disconnected my new pickups. Still the big hum remained after each was disconnected and even after they were all off line (which was a good sign). Hmmm. . . Upon further inspection, I see that when I put it all together in my "tee hee" rush to hear the first pickups I ever wound, I wired the input jack in backwards. Arghhhh! ! ! Unbelievable. Anyway, I reversed the wiring at the pickup jack and resoldered the pickups back in, put is back together, strung it back up, fired up the Blues Junior and plugged it it. Sweet! Worked and sounded great (at least to my biased ear and inability to play). Not overly happy with the tone from the bridge pickup (too thin and tinny), but very happy with the neck and middle. Maybe I'll tweak the strength of the magnets on the bridge p/u and see what difference it makes in the tone. Happy Days! :-)

[big_teee]

Sounds good.
For the bridge I make a shorter, fatter, fuller coil.
Coil diameter over 1/2 inch. (Width, not Height)
Your mileage may vary!
T

[kayakerca]

Sounds good.
For the bridge I make a shorter, fatter, fuller coil.
Coil diameter over 1/2 inch. (Width, not Height)
Your mileage may vary!
T

Thanks Terry. The height of the bridge p/u was only 7/16" (.4375"). Would you make it even shorter than that to fatten it out?

[big_teee]

Thanks Terry. The height of the bridge p/u was only 7/16" (.4375"). Would you make it even shorter than that to fatten it out?

I make my bridge shorter than that.
Try adding some wire, and see if you can find a sweet spot at that height.
T

[ReWind]

I thought I was the forum's ugliest winder?

[kayakerca]

I thought I was the forum's ugliest winder?

Dam, the competition really is tough here!

[ReWind]

The plain enamel mustache trumps all.


...and really helps when playing Zappa/Sabbath covers

[big_teee]

The plain enamel mustache trumps all.


...and really helps when playing Zappa/Sabbath covers

Is that a plain or a Potted Stache?
Maybe I should clarify, and say wax Potted, not to be confused with other pot scenarios!
T

[ReWind]

Is that a plain or a Potted Stache?
Maybe I should clarify, and say wax Potted, not to be confused with other pot scenarios!
T

Unpotted and tightly wound. Just like me.

[Eastbville]

Omg, you guys! Too funny!

[kayakerca]

Well, the Strat I am using to test with is an Fender Squier Affinity Series made in Indonesian I paid $60 for. It had small 500K pots and a .050 μF cap. I changed out the entire wiring harness for a new one with 250K pots and a .020 μF cap and added the resister/capacitor mod across the 1 & 2 terminals retain the highs a lower volumes. Tweaked the p/u heights and tied the bridge p/u into the tone pot used by the middle. I am now VERY happy with the tone from my first set of p/u's! After I make a bone nut, I'll be even happier.

Thanks everyone for your input to my first set. I know I'll be asking a ton more questions in the future, but right now, life is good.

[kayakerca]

This CAM shaping is tricky stuff. I am on CAM #4 (plus a thousand shape adjustments against a DTI watching how fast/slow it traverses and where). I will continue to work on it, but for now, I have 2 reasonable CAM's. One that produces a very symetrical roundish buldge in the very centre of the bobbin and the CAM #4 below along with resulting wind shape. I could easily go 9,000 turns on a .4375 bobbin as this one has 8,500 and there is a lot of room left on the top piece of flatwork. It is amazing how that even the smallest of adjustments to the shape can make such a huge difference in how the wire lays down.

Like we have "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance", we need a book for we beginners entitled "Zen and the search for the Perfect CAM". There is no spoon.

Again, this CAM shaping is tricky stuff.

[David King]

So close! to get that spiral shape wrap a string around a dowel that's the same circumference as your bobbin width. Tie a pencil to the other end, stand the dowel on a sheet of paper and unwind the string as you draw a spiral. Cut it in half and mirror it.

[kayakerca]

So close! to get that spiral shape wrap a string around a dowel that's the same circumference as your bobbin width. Tie a pencil to the other end, stand the dowel on a sheet of paper and unwind the string as you draw a spiral. Cut it in half and mirror it.

Thanks David. I'll see what I can do with that.

......... edit ..............

Something like 7/16" X 2 will make for a pretty small cam I would think. Tough to get an accurate cut on. Would the shape hold true buy just using a piece of dowel that was larger than the bobbin height?

Thanks in advance.