Post Type Archives: SWD

Check the DC Ohm resistance of a pickup to make sure the wound coil is working properly and it’s in the proper range. Visual inspection of the pickup to see if it’s been rewound or wound in the proper direction. Make sure if the pickups been rewound, it is professionally done with the proper gauge…

I’d be the first one to say that it does – the cold temperatures I’ve played in certainly changed the tone of my Telecaster pickups. I was playing along the New Jersey shore during the winter months and I’ll never forget how cold it used to get. My guitar and amp were in the trunk…

It is basically due to the increased capacitance and DC resistance when a coil is wound hotter. The increased turns can increase the output but also diminish the brightness in a pickup. Some pickup builders try to increase the treble by using stronger magnets but they only change the tone and character of a pickup.

Most likely the player is using some type of non-ferrous wrapped string on the e-a-d and the plain g-b-e may be of a larger diameter spring steel. The non-ferrous strings have a much lower attraction to the magnetic field within the pickup and generate less output. Other factors that cause less output can be the…

The outer wrapping on most acoustic guitar strings are made from a non-ferrous alloy and will not sense the magnetic field when within proximity of a magnetic pickup. The pickup is only sensing the diameter of the inner core of a particular string. I wouldn’t use acoustic strings on an electric guitar for many factors…

Generally the pickup has a permanent magnet and pole pieces that become magnetized and continue to magnetize the string depending on several factors. As the string moves, the movement of the magnetic field through the coil generates and alternating current which can be sent through various circuits and finally the amplifier. The string area that…

Sound hole acoustic pickups work much the same as electric guitar pickups. Most acoustic instruments use bronze strings or some variation. The magnet field within the pickup has to be balanced to meet the needs of a particular strings used on the instrument. The inner core of bronze strings is normally the same spring steel…

I don’t like rewinding old pickups when they are in fine working condition. I’d rather fabricate another bobbin and do a custom wind on it for the customer even though they don’t care about taking an old pickup and rewinding it, I try to discourage it so they don’t regret it later. Rewinding helps after…

Like myself, there are several qualified winders who both manufacturer and rewind many models of pickups. Word of mouth is very important and talk to other satisfied customers who have had pickups restored or rewound. I would look through Vintage Guitar Magazine for ad’s and give them a call. Ask them for help and have…

Pickup rewinding is the removal of existing or original magnet wire from the bobbin or coil form. If I need to rewind an old pickup, I first try to remove the original coil turn by turn to another spool till it is completely removed or to the internal break is found. Many single coils that…