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A Mini Humbucker is similar to a Firebird and Epiphone pickups. The Firebird has non-adjustable pole pieces and the Epiphone has 6 adjustable 5/40, headless, slotted, machine screws. They measure about 2- 5/8″ long, 1- 1/8″ wide, 1-1/8″ high. The Mini Humbucker is also called the Deluxe Humbucker as used on the Les Paul Deluxe…

This is the nickname given to the original Gibson Humbucking pickup desigend by Seth E. Lover. The patent was filed on June 22, 1955 and granted on July 28, 1959. The actual pickup patent number for the pickup is 2,896,491. On the patent application it’s called a “MAGNETIC PICKUP FOR STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT”. Some of…

The Lipstick tube pickup were designed for the Danelectro guitars. The Lipstick tube pickups were designed by Nathan Daniel. Nat designed a winding system using a photographic timer and winder that would rotate to the desired number of turns depending on the time that was pre-set. The magnets are wrapped with a black electrical cloth…

This was the first pickup used on Gibson Electric Spanish guitars shown in the 1935 catalog and named the ES-150. The pickup was made famous by the Jazz Guitarist Charlie Christian. The pickup was beautifully hand made using an Ivoried binding. The pickup was mounted into the hollowbody instrument by a 3 point adjustment for…

The bobbin is the same as a typical Gibson P-90 (Soapbar) with a single row of adjustable 5/40 Fillister head machine screws. The bottom plate has extended legs to keep the pickup from falling through the cutout in the body. The bottom plate on the neck and bridge pickups have a pre-shaped angle to allow…

This is a nick name given to a Gibson P-90 Single coil pickup. The cream cover looked like a bar of soap. This style of pickup can be seen on the first production of Les Paul Guitars. The soapbar pickups can be seen on Les Pauls made from 1952 to late 1956 and on Re-issue…

This is information from the Engineering and Publications department. In addition to a source code, it may be desired to identify the date of production. This can be done by adding, following a hyphen (-), the last two digits of the production year plus the number of the week of that year. Here is hypothetical…

Determining the age of various guitars and pickup models can be difficult; knowing the approximate age of the instrument can determine the specifications on pickups made during that time frame. I have used this for years in determining the type of pickup in a certain year of production. When at all possible use the dating…

When I tap a coil I use several different methods. If I need an extra tap I have to install an extra eyelet in the bobbin. If I’m winding a Stratocaster and start with: 7,600 turns of 42 Plain Enamel. Insert the beginning magnet wire in the eyelet and wind the bobbin “top going” with…

Here are some of terms I frequently use when talking pickups. I will give general answers as some can be quite elaborate. Also some of the terms will have different applications to different manufacturers. Calibrated: I do this when winding two or more pickups to be used in one instrument. Calibration can be done with…