Making Pickups Help Pls

[dro0]

hi guys, this is my firt post here. I am trying to build a single coil pickup for a strat, i checked all the specks and plan to use 42 awg for 8000ish turns. The problem is that i cant find any bar magnets for pickups here in malta and im not keen at all to ordering them from abroad.

Is it possible to use some other magnet which is easily found such as door holding magnets or somthing?? and is it vital that all of them have the same polarity facing up?

Edited May 13, 2005 by dro0

[dash]

look about five posts down.

or click here

Edited May 13, 2005 by dash

[psw]

Yes, you do have to have the same polarity up!

Door catch magnets would probably work but you may need a couple, maybe three and remove them from the plastic case, etc.

Try craft shops too! They sell mags for making fridge magnets. Some electronics stores have them as well. Basiccally you what to establish a magnetic field through the core (use steel, bolts etc. with the magnets underneath) that also includes the coil and the strings.

How they will sound is anybodies guess. The strength of the field has an effect on the output, the tone and even intonation if they're too strong. The shape of the field also has a big effect. These factors are probably more important than the material the magnet is made of (ceramic, alnico, etc.).

The fact that the magnets came from door catches is neither here nor there as long as they establish the magnetic field. The result may surprise you...you will get some kind of sound out of it.

Otherwise...try and find some crappy old pickups from a music shop repair place. They may even be throwing out really bad ones that they've replaced with seymour duncans or something.

I've even been considering rewinding new pickups. There seem to be some real cheap pickups about these days that cost less than the parts to make them from a place like StewMac...I don't know what other's think of this idea...it's an option, tis all!

psw