Ace Posted November 17, 2003 Report Share Posted November 17, 2003 Okay this is a bit early, but still... I'm interested in making my own pickups, too and I need some info on the materials. The commonly used copper wire for the coils seems to be AWG#42, right? What types of magnets are used in pickups. I read about Alnico, Alnico II and Alnico 500...I've found a supplier here in Germany who sends Alnico 500 rods, 6mm diameter, 25 mm length, which would be the ideal measurements for a pickup I think, but do I want Alnico 500? I know John Fishers site and his idea of making the bobbin out of a wood core and a plastic CD tray is genius, now all I need is the wire and the magnets and even more patience :-) so long ace P.S.: I know what AlNiCo stands for, what really interests me is the tonal differences between the different types Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsl602000 Posted November 17, 2003 Report Share Posted November 17, 2003 check out Jason Lollar's site I think it's www.lollarguitars.com or jasonlollar.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saber Posted November 17, 2003 Report Share Posted November 17, 2003 You can learn a lot at tha pickup makers' forum: http://www.firebottle.com/fireforum/fireBB...m=pmgd&enter=go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Bell Posted November 17, 2003 Report Share Posted November 17, 2003 I know John Fishers site and his idea of making the bobbin out of a wood core and a plastic CD tray is genius, Do you have the link? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DannoG Posted November 17, 2003 Report Share Posted November 17, 2003 I have gotten part way into this. I bought the book by Lollar (good practical info) and have made a few P-90 bobbins and wound them and installed polepiecs but not magnets yet. I scrounged some 43 guage wire locally and made a winder from second hand store parts. If you want to know more you can email me. Here is a place to buy supplies: http://www.ampge.com/ They offer different levels of membership (from free to $250) that also translate into different levels of discount. So a $25 membership gets you 15-25% off list. They also have a forum, but it is much newer than the one posted earlier in this thread. It is all interesting to me and I also do it 'cause I'm cheap. The best part is that you realize that some of the things we take to be semi-magical, electro-techie are really fairly simple. And since some of the ideals for tone were established in guitars made in the 50s the technology back then was well within a home hobbiest's capability now. Fender and Gibson didn't have expensive or precise winders, so we don't need them either. At least for self use as opposed to a commercial operation needing very consistant product. Here is another page that is helpful and interesting: http://mywebpages.comcast.net/skgs/sk/winding.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace Posted November 17, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2003 I know John Fishers site and his idea of making the bobbin out of a wood core and a plastic CD tray is genius, Do you have the link? http://europa.spaceports.com/~fishbake so long ace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saber Posted November 17, 2003 Report Share Posted November 17, 2003 You can find the plastic bobbins at www.allparts.com Just click on "Search Catalogue" and enter the word bobbin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace Posted November 17, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2003 Thanks saber, but apart from the fact that this was NOT my question I have been sorely reminded that I'm in Germany when looking for Allparts over here today. There IS a distribution but the distributor will only sell to resellers, so I'm gonna have to order the parts through MY music dealer again and I figure that I can just buy a new pickup for that price... so long ace btw bobbin is a very stupid word...I mean the phonetics...still it gives a possibility for a comic spoof "Ratman and Bobbin" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DannoG Posted November 18, 2003 Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 Ace, what kind of pickups were you planning on making (Strat, Tele, HBs or P-90)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace Posted November 18, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 I kinda wanted to start out with a few Strat pickups, but I also wanted to make High-Gain Humbuckers. I'm the Fat-Strat-Kid, you know so long ace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ansil Posted April 3, 2004 Report Share Posted April 3, 2004 i built a parrallel picup system using a standard humbucker [ie half of it or one coil]its magnet and i used six reedrelays from ratshack moded to make a hexpickup, added in some trimpots to set the balance and alnico eraser type magnets and we have a killer hot hex/humbucker. you can use it as a hex alone or as a hexbucker for some killerdefinitions and balance.. perhaps a little ot but worthy of trying Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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