Jigs, Rigs, Tips and Tricks

[Possum]

whats your market???

Who you sell too is real important here. No, the average guitar player can't tell a brick from a PAF, which is kinda sad because there's alot of "PAF" pickups out there that sound nothing like, are made with ceramic magnets brass baseplates and this stuff SELLS.

For me I don't actually sell alot of pickups, maybe because I don't cater to the shred and metal guys, because I don't really know that market very well. I sell mostly to the more educated older blues guys who know their stuff, so the better and more accurate parts for me is a big plus. Believe me I didn't use to think this way either.

When I get the younger guys asking about pickups I try to educate them, and in doing research get educated myself by trying to answer some of their questions that I don't know answers to. Right now I got a guy wanting Eddie Van Halen bridge tone, so just did alot of web research on that one and found out stuff I didn't know before. Interestingly its another case of "I want one of the EVH "hot" bridge pickups" when the truth is it probably about about 7.3K. I send alot of these guys to WCR or others who are more into that heavy tone stuff than I am, so I never try to sell something to anyone they don't actually need or I can't nail. Parts are EXTREMELY important to me, the more accurate the better for my market...

[Zhangliqun]

I solved the nicking-the-bobbin-surface problem just by laying two rows of cloth tape on the bobbin, one on each side of the screw holes. I never slip off to the middle, mainly left and sometimes right, so no tape is necessary between the holes, just one long strip on each side.

[ken]

I thought that EVH's original bridge pickup was half shorted out or something...
wasn't it?

ken

[Spence]

I solved the nicking-the-bobbin-surface problem just by laying two rows of cloth tape on the bobbin, one on each side of the screw holes. I never slip off to the middle, mainly left and sometimes right, so no tape is necessary between the holes, just one long strip on each side.

I must confess that recently I have been tapping the bobbins. It doesn't take very long with an electric drill and saves a lot of dicking about. I haven't had any problems doing. I still use a long - handled screw driver with a length of neoprene tubing over the end / head of screw.

[JGundry]

I thought I would resurrect this thread. I found a good solution to driving in humbucker pole screws without tapping and without a jig. It's the Dremel Driver, kind of pricey, they have them at Lowes. It does a very good job though, very easy to control the speed, fits well in the hand and has lots of power. With a little tubing to hold the screw in place I have yet to gum up a screw head or bobbin. A cordless drill is clumsy and lacks the speed control of the smaller but powerful Dremel Driver.
http://www.dremel.com/en-us/tools/Pa...=Dremel+Driver

One other tip. I don't have a picture to post but a useful aid in holding and soldering pigtail leads is to mount a 1' length of armature wire (bendable aluminum wire you can get an art supply store) to a lead weight with JB Weld and then JB welt an alligator clip to the other end of the armature wire. Put some shrink tubing on over the teeth of the alligator clip and you have a safe and secure way to hold a pigtail lead just about anywhere you want it. Near the bobbin when it's mounted to the winder.... It's a useful third hand to have and saves a lot of frustration and wasted time.

[kevinT]

I've been using this.

http://www.skiltools.com/en/AllTools...-01&cid=192170

[JGundry]

Nice! Looks like I could have saved 30 bucks with the Skil ixo2 driver and gotten pretty much the same thing.

[David Schwab]

I do the same thing... except I have an older larger cordless driver. I put some tubing over the bit and screw. Tapping is not a bad idea, as the screws get quite hot, but I make so few PAF type pickups so it's not worth the bother.

One of those manual tapping presses would be handy for both the tapping and inserting the screws.

[Norcal_GIT_r]

I've been using this.

http://www.skiltools.com/en/AllTools...-01&cid=192170

I use a Black and Decker driver similar to the skil.

[Possum]

...

I looked up the Skil and it doesn't have a speed control, its on or off. I just bought a cheap Chicago Tools version without the lithium ion battery for $24 at Fred Meyer. Its about the same thing. The Dremel has a speed control which is alot more desirable, the price is just awful darn high though...

[kevinT]

It doesn't have speed control but the default speed is actually just right for installing polepieces. The torque is great on it for the stuborn situations. It fits right in the palm of your hand and gives you good control.

[David Schwab]

We have one of those Skil drivers at the shop. It's a nice little tool. I'm still using an older B&D driver at home. One of those long ones that fold in the middle. The only thing I don't like about the Skil is the way you reverse the rotation. I like the double action triggers better.

[Possum]

...

the Chicago cheapie works real well too, never tried the tubing trick, wow that works pretty well, cool...

[Spence]

The Dremel Driver is $68.75 at Micro - Mark.

http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares...oduct&ID=84286

[JGundry]

That's what I paid for the Dremel Driver at Lowes. I like the variable speed and Dremel makes good stuff. I think the extra cost is worth it. I kind of like the longer shaft on the screw driver bits also. The pro alternative is way more expensive. The power screwdrivers with adjustable torque that hang from a hook go for $500 plus.