Post Type Archives: SWD

I would say the majority of pickups get broken due to mishandling and abuse. Many times removing covers that are stuck to the coil can break the wires. Removing humbucking covers without total removal of solder joints can snag the coils. Pickups left exposed on work benches can attract screws and misc. tools which can…

If you look close at various model lap and pedal steel pickups you will find that the majority of them have a higher DC resistance, more turns and more sustain than a typical guitar pickup. Sho-bud, Emmon’s and after market lap and steel guitar pickups have more turns to increase sustain but will have reduced…

I’ve seen single coil pickups with rod Alnico magnets that had opposite magnetic polarities from pole to pole. Either someone rewound the pickups and accidentally put the poles in upside down or the poles were magnetized first then pressed into the flatwork. Having magnetized magnets while assembling the bobbin can cause several problems. It can…

It sounds like one coil is out of phase with the other in the humbucking pickup. Basically take one coil and reverse the leads connected to the second bobbin. If you are using a mini-toggle switch or it has 4 conductor wire make sure that you are using the correct wiring chart for that particular…

I’ve seen this quite often and recently worked on Neil Young’s pickup with the same problem. The problem most likely comes from the older shielded hookup cable that is soldered to the controls and ground from the pickup. The inside multi-strand conductor is coated with a rubber based insulation to keep it insulated from the…

I often get pickups like this and it usually occurs when the screws become oxidized, corroded and can easily break when being removed. I would first soak the rest of the screws including the bottom plate mounting screws with a penetrating oil to help lubricate and soften the oxidation. After letting the screws soak for…

I’ve seen this happen on DeArmond pickups before and this is what I found. If the coil being wound did not have a guided traverse control to layer the magnet wire evenly back and forth, the coil would flair or expand the ends of the bobbin. If the bobbin is expanded at the ends, it…

I recently had this problem with a Broadcaster pickup sent to my by long time friend Sid McGinnis who has played guitar on the David Letterman show since 1984. As I examined the pickup there appeared to be no physical evidence of problems from the outside. As I measured the pickup I noticed the DC…

There are a few things I have done to make my covers look vintage. One of the best products I have used is brown paste Kiwi shoe polish. It comes in a little round can and I rub it on with an old cloth rag. Clean out the holes with a Q-tip. It has worked…

You will need to remove some of the plating off the inside of the pickup cover by using an abrasive stone with a Dremel tool. Use a tip made of Green Silicon Carbide because it is good for metal, aluminum, brass and silver. You need to use a soldering iron with enough temperature to allow…