Post Type Archives: SWD

When I wind pickups I usually put the top of the pickups facing left towards the winding machine. As the pickup is wound the top of the bobbin goes away from me and I use the term “Top Going” or TG. Looking at a pickup from the top, the magnet wire is wrapped “Clockwise” around…

Most all guitar and bass pickups are wound by some kind of winding machine where the bobbin is mechanically rotated in order to pull or draw the magnet wire from a spool. A winding machine can be a simple hand winder or more complicated computerized winding machine. A simple winding machine can be a sewing…

I find that using single coil pickups in a ferrous bridge plate will expand the magnetic field from the pickup giving the Telecaster a unique classic sound. Using the same pickup in the stainless steel plate will not expand the magnetic field and gives the pickup a brighter and clearer tone. Using the Joe Barden…

A bobbin or coil form can be made from a variety of materials that are used to hold the coil and/ or magnets as it is wound. The bobbin can be injection molded for consistent parts made of specified plastics and color. The flatwork can be punched from a variety of materials such as vulcanized…

The majority of Alnico magnets I have measured on “Patent Applied For” pickups have the same dimensions used in the older P-90’s that are often called “Soapbar” pickups. The general dimensions are 2.5″ long, .50″ wide and .125″ thick. The magnets are magnetized North and South across the .50″ dimension. The magnets are sand cast…

With modern coil winding machines the winding has become precise to the exact number of turns. Some machines will begin to slow down as the counter nears the total number of turns. Some machines break at exactly the number of turns and often the bobbin will spin for a few more turns. The modern machines…

This is a term that we use at Seymour Duncan when a small 28 gauge stranded hookup wire is connected to the beginning and finish coil of magnet wire. This gives the exit wires from the coil added durability and strength when connecting the wires to the heavier gauge lead wires that can be shielded…

If you are using single coil pickups such as Strats or Telecasters, it is easy to add extra rubber surgical tubing between the pickguard and the pickup cover. Many times the old rubber tubing becomes compressed and dried out. It is easy to repair and will solve your problem. The tubing you want is 1/4″…

Humbuckers: Try putting foam rubber in the cavity below the bottom of the pickup. This will help the pickup from rocking back and forth. Try a stronger and longer height adjust spring. The compression springs are made in various gauges of spring steel and come in a variety sizes. Wear safety glasses when trying to…

By lowering the pickup you have reduced the compression on the height adjust springs. You can either put a piece of foam in the bottom of the cavity to stabilize the pickup and make sure your using the correct spring. Stock Gibson springs are pretty strong and depending how low you put the pickup will…