Post Type Archives: SWD

This is a process that I do when making a pickup look and sound when it was first manufactured. I try to repair pickups without rewinding, as many pickups don’t need to be rewound if they are not working. There can be many other problems that cause a pickup not to work. If the DC…

Here are a few of the things that I do when working on an instrument. I prepare a clean working area where the instrument is clear of debris that can cause damage. Make sure I have the proper tools need for the type of work I am doing and proper lighting and eye protection. I…

Oxidation and rusting of ferrous metal parts is always a problem especially with constant handling and touching of the components. The pole pieces are either plated with nickel, gold, chrome or other plating over a ferrous material such as a pole piece. The constant plucking and moisture from playing eventually wears the plating off exposing…

The DC resistance of a coil is basically determined by the magnet wire gauge being used and the length or number of turns being used. As you increase the number of turns in a pickup, the DC resistance will increase. If the magnet wire is stretched when winding can cause the DC resistance to increase…

When using a 5 way lever switch in your instrument the switch puts your pickups in a parallel circuit. A parallel circuit is where all the negative terminals are connected to one point and the positive terminals are connected to a common point. In a parallel circuit the total resistance of pickups will be decreased….

This is not always true and much has to do with the design, components and construction of each pickup. Humbuckers are generally louder because of the traditional two bobbin design that senses a wider string area. We’ve made some single coil pickups just as hot as some standard humbuckers. There are many variables including the…

The weight can vary in each pickup and much depends on the dimensions of the magnet and material, construction and hardware and especially the gauge and number of turns for the desired output and tone response. Much is said about the weight of an instrument and the hardware including pickups can contribute to the total…

You normally split a humbucker by shorting out one of the coils. Typical humbuckers have the finish wires from each coil joined in a series connection. By connecting a lead wire where the finish of both coils are joined, it can be used to short out or split the pickup. When the lead wire is…

Typically this happens when two single coil Fender style pickups are combined for example: Both pickups are wound in the same direction either clock wise or counter-clock wise and the beginning of each coil is grounded and the finish of each coil is positive. One bobbin is magnetized “North” top and the other bobbin is…

Coils that are wound parallel with the walls of the bobbin and the coil has the desired number of turns or desired DC resistance. Proper coil shape is also desirable to maintain consistent readings from pickup to pickup.