Captainstrat Posted December 28, 2007 Report Share Posted December 28, 2007 (edited) Okay...since Fernandes guitars aren't distributed in Canada I'd gotten it through my thick skull to take a stab at it myself... I found this wonderful site (oh no! ) and got cracking. First thing I've learned is that winding the driver at the top of a DiMarzio Virtual Vintage is an exercise in frustration: the wax they use for potting make the top 3 mm's very slippery indeed! So I found me an open coil Fender pickup (99 cents on ebay) and butchered it to my heart's content ... 70 winds of gauge 34 wire and I have a solid 8.2 Ohms, using masking tape as a spacer and hot glue to make the coil stay in place. In Theory, I should have a functional driver, even if I am at this stage sacrificing the neck position. Note to self - thouroughly test the circuit before mounting it ... the old Radio Shack handbook has the 386 wired a certain way while The Ruby circuit is wired differently; although the circuits are similar. Using a stereo jack and my Variax's power supply I've firgured out a way to forgo batteries altogether. I got me a small 8 Ohm speaker and I'm going to test the circuit externally before attempting the internal mount to the "driver". Try both variations of the circuit and get a feel for which one sounds better. Oh yeah...in "sustainer" mode, all of the gain in the world won't do jack squat if you forget to send the bridge pickup's signal back to the output jack...d'Oh! And clearly label the wires with tape; that'll avoid an embarrassing situation such as having the battery + hooked up to the out! Learning every day ... Oh, and I've hooked up my remaining pickups to a 4PDT mini switch - this way I bypass the middle pickup entirely and move the bridge pickup's hot & ground wires to the sustainer circuit at the flip of a switch! Edited December 28, 2007 by Captainstrat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geo Posted December 29, 2007 Report Share Posted December 29, 2007 Does it work very well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captainstrat Posted December 29, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2007 Does it work very well? I mounted the circuit last night; ever tried to mount a ship in a bottle? I ended up having to trim off unused pieces of the perfboard to allow it to fit in the pocket I routed last week (invisible under the pickguard.) In sustainer mode - the buffered output works like a charm: the bridge single coil sounds bright and loud. I am getting controlled feedback... mostly from the D string, past the 12th fret. But at least the whole effort wasn't a complete bust! But now it's clear why Fernandes uses a rail polepiece: the magnetic field is more uniform and will allow string bends. Also, I need to get to that trimpot and incease that volume. The big "what happened"? question: using a regular guitar cord (no power to the circuit) the guitar should perform like a regular Strat. As it stands the guitar sounds like the treble's been rolled off all the way. Using the stereo cable (power on) with the sustainer circuit on bypass, not only does it sound like the tone control is rolled all the way off; but I'm getting some weird-ass distortion ... What I think the problem is: before proceeding with the DIY sustainer project, I sheilded the Strat and star-grounded it; redid all of the wiring with 22 gauge wire. Could it be that one lead from the tone cap is shorting against the copper tape? My shrink-wrapping skills leave a lot to be desired ...at any rate, if the tone cap is shorting against the sheilding, could this result in that "rolled all the way off" sound I'm getting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geo Posted December 30, 2007 Report Share Posted December 30, 2007 What I think the problem is: before proceeding with the DIY sustainer project, I sheilded the Strat and star-grounded it; redid all of the wiring with 22 gauge wire. Could it be that one lead from the tone cap is shorting against the copper tape? My shrink-wrapping skills leave a lot to be desired ...at any rate, if the tone cap is shorting against the sheilding, could this result in that "rolled all the way off" sound I'm getting? Possibly. Use a multimeter set on ohms and check for resistance between the lead in question and ground. You should get a few hundred K (because of the pots). If you get zero, then it's shorted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psw Posted December 30, 2007 Report Share Posted December 30, 2007 Hello there captain just dropped by, was surprised to see that you didn't post this to the sustainer thread where you would get more help and advice. I am not about as much as I was, but there are a lot of people there that are very active. The thread (now pinned to the top of this page) has a lot of people who don't look around the rest of the forum either. Anyway... I am happy you were able to get something out of the DIY sustainer. It can work perfectly but the first is nearly always a practice run, especially with the coil. I would be interested to know how you wired the 4pdt switch for a strat...I posted a diagram somewhere...but recently I redid the whole scheme for another guitar that worked a bit better. This wasn't a strat so that could be a problem if you are using all three pickups and the driver. Now... ...at any rate, if the tone cap is shorting against the sheilding, could this result in that "rolled all the way off" sound I'm getting? Yes...that sounds like the problem... The big "what happened"? question: using a regular guitar cord (no power to the circuit) the guitar should perform like a regular Strat. As it stands the guitar sounds like the treble's been rolled off all the way. This seems to indicate that...use pvc electrical tape...even on the shielding itself, so that nothing shorts. Using the stereo cable (power on) with the sustainer circuit on bypass, not only does it sound like the tone control is rolled all the way off; but I'm getting some weird-ass distortion ... Ahhhh...the dreaded fizz...you have failed to properly bypass everything...perhaps the ground. This distortion should be different with the two modes as well. The sustainer, even the commercial units, are very truicky. For all the theory on the thread, installation is one of the more difficult things to do successfully. There are a lot of technical things too...having the wiring of the 4pdt switch would help. In bypass mode, unused pickups (the middle one) needs to be completely taken out of the circuit and the selector switch too. A lot of people have doubted me, or taken unsuccessful short cuts...but most simply use a single bridge pickup and so never have to tackle this. You need to not only cut the hot wire of that middle pickup...but also the ground and connect them together and to nothing else. A lot of this stuff should be tested outisde of the guitar because it will get tight as you have found and is near impossible to trouble shoot. A good way to test this problem, or just generally...is to cut both of the middle pickup wires so you know it is out of circuit. the distortion should go...then you can work out how to get it back in there. Similarly the tone control...cut it out and see if it works...then add it back in...one step at a time...then try and get it back into the guitar... In sustainer mode - the buffered output works like a charm: the bridge single coil sounds bright and loud. This bit I don't understand...I thought it was muffled no matter what. Normally I would suggest that your circuit is loading down the pickups but you are right to suspect the tone grounding I think. ----------- I have been busy doing a very complicated circuit for a guitar being built in the USA and featuring my new commercial prototype version that evolved from this thread. I replicated the pickups outlay on a cheap guitar (single neck+ driver and bridge HB) mounted on a piece of cardboard. First...I tested the circuit and driver were working with just the HB and a volume control. The I added in the 4pdt switch and selector...then I added the tone. The rest was pretty weird with dual kill switches and stuff so it did get a little bit busy. Once it was working ok...I checked all the connections, shortening the leads as required...then taped everything up including the posts so there would be no possible way of shorting and all the wires were bundled together and taped as one. Once finished the whole thing looks neat and you know it works and will fit. You take it off the cardboard and just pop it into the control cavity (maybe a little pushing a squeezing)! mine was tricky too because I used a cheap strat but the guitar is being custom built...the layout then was done like this to ensure everything was where it would be in the real guitar. ------------- A lot of the problems you are having destroy the efficiency of the circuit. For instance...if your tone is grounding, not only are you hearing a bad signal...so is the circuit trying to drive the string. Problems that you had converting the dimazio is addressed in my new commercial project which is quite a bit different and a wider range of effect and use plus much easier and non permanent installation and the ability to exchange the pickup and keep the driver. Different circuit and driver design but much the same principle. I suspect that mine will be a big step ahead from the present commercial systems, easier and a lot cheaper (with no inport restrictions!) It will be possible to convert it at some point...even with the DIY version...a bit of lateral thinking required. I did use rail poles in my original DIY guitar and a lot of others...I now use poles although, you could put extra poles in there or mount a thin rail on top of the pickups poles with the driver wound around it. I think if you keep at it you will be very surprised and pleased with the result...don't judge the project too harshly or your ability to get it going...listen to the recordings I posted and you will hear that it can work...you just need to work out why yours isn't! You have come a lot further than a lot of people have though...good work.. pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captainstrat Posted December 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2007 What I think the problem is: before proceeding with the DIY sustainer project, I sheilded the Strat and star-grounded it; redid all of the wiring with 22 gauge wire. Could it be that one lead from the tone cap is shorting against the copper tape? My shrink-wrapping skills leave a lot to be desired ...at any rate, if the tone cap is shorting against the sheilding, could this result in that "rolled all the way off" sound I'm getting? Possibly. Use a multimeter set on ohms and check for resistance between the lead in question and ground. You should get a few hundred K (because of the pots). If you get zero, then it's shorted. Bingo ... looks like I got to "look under the hood" again! A bit of electrical tape should fix this I hope! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captainstrat Posted December 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2007 I would be interested to know how you wired the 4pdt switch for a strat...I posted a diagram somewhere...but recently I redid the whole scheme for another guitar that worked a bit better. This wasn't a strat so that could be a problem if you are using all three pickups and the driver. Currently I've sacrificed the neck pickup position until I can figure out a way to convert a pickup into a driver while still preserving the pickup the way you did...I've found an inexpensive rails pickup made by TOG which might be a good candidate. It suddenly dawns on me that the driver coil must actually touch the polepieces and that winding the driver coil around the top 3 mm's of the existing coil won't work; is that right? I've wired the hot and ground leads to the middle and bridge pickups to the 4PDT switch so that in non sustainer mode the hot leads go to the pickup selector switch and the ground wires go to the common ground, and in sustainer mode the middle pickup is disconnected and the hot and ground leads from the bridge pickup go to the circuit (the ground connectes the the battery's - ) Ahhhh...the dreaded fizz...you have failed to properly bypass everything...perhaps the ground. This distortion should be different with the two modes as well. D'oh! Dear sir I do believe you've hit the nail right on the head: I wired the circuit's (the Ruby Amp) ground to the output jack, bypassing the star ground...keep in mind that I only get the fizz in non sustainer mode while using the Variax's power supply. In sustainer mode, no fizz, the sound is clean. Without power (using a plain mono cord) the "straight strat" tone sounds as if the tone's rolled all the way off. A lot of people have doubted me, or taken unsuccessful short cuts...but most simply use a single bridge pickup and so never have to tackle this. You need to not only cut the hot wire of that middle pickup...but also the ground and connect them together and to nothing else. That I have done via the 4PDT switch! In sustainer mode - the buffered output works like a charm: the bridge single coil sounds bright and loud. This bit I don't understand...I thought it was muffled no matter what. Normally I would suggest that your circuit is loading down the pickups but you are right to suspect the tone grounding I think. Nope, I do have a bad habit of skipping from one point to another in my posts, my bad ... but to summerize: regular cord (no power) - dull sound as if the tone was rolled all the way off - using the tone control has no effectstereo cord (power on from the Variax power supply) clean sound in sustainer mode (I send the signal from the FET transistor to the output jack - oops - that ain't bypassed either when switching to "normal" mode) though there is little sustain so farstereo cord (power on) dull sound like in non powered mode, and fizzy, overdriven sound. ----------- I have been busy doing a very complicated circuit for a guitar being built in the USA and featuring my new commercial prototype version that evolved from this thread. I replicated the pickups outlay on a cheap guitar (single neck+ driver and bridge HB) mounted on a piece of cardboard. First...I tested the circuit and driver were working with just the HB and a volume control. The I added in the 4pdt switch and selector...then I added the tone. The rest was pretty weird with dual kill switches and stuff so it did get a little bit busy. Once it was working ok...I checked all the connections, shortening the leads as required...then taped everything up including the posts so there would be no possible way of shorting and all the wires were bundled together and taped as one. Once finished the whole thing looks neat and you know it works and will fit. You take it off the cardboard and just pop it into the control cavity (maybe a little pushing a squeezing)! mine was tricky too because I used a cheap strat but the guitar is being custom built...the layout then was done like this to ensure everything was where it would be in the real guitar. You are much more patient than I am! ------------- A lot of the problems you are having destroy the efficiency of the circuit. For instance...if your tone is grounding, not only are you hearing a bad signal...so is the circuit trying to drive the string. Hmmm...now I can't wait to add that PVC tape and try it again! Many thanks for the input! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psw Posted December 30, 2007 Report Share Posted December 30, 2007 eeeekkkk....I don't think I put that in the instructions...there is no way that this will work!!!!!! Currently I've sacrificed the neck pickup position until I can figure out a way to convert a pickup into a driver while still preserving the pickup the way you did...I've found an inexpensive rails pickup made by TOG which might be a good candidate. It suddenly dawns on me that the driver coil must actually touch the polepieces and that winding the driver coil around the top 3 mm's of the existing coil won't work; is that right? blink.gif The coil is the heart of the device...it must be very well potted and wound very close, and in my design, thin and must either have a steel or magnetic core and that must be magnetised. Also...A rail driver is much harder...in fact it is the most advanced and less tested. You will have to make two drivers half the size and get them on the rail for a start...not a good candidate for the more basic design I am afraid...the advanced design of a reverse humbucking driver twin coil is sound, but hard to do. If it is a strat, stick to a single coil...maybe get a very cheap one that can have the poles pushed forward without destroying it...have you seen the pictorial and everything about how to do this? driver pictorial also at the end of this post I have several links to things of interest if not essential. Be sure you are using the right (0.2mm) wire...this is not something that say 0.25mm will do...that is another 25% thicker although it doesn't look like much. This side of the project took years to work out. Once you step out into a rail design, this may well change...it is to do with resonant frequencies, coil speed and other factors...best left to the main thread! keep in mind that I only get the fizz in non sustainer mode while using the Variax's power supply. Hang on...I thought this was a strat...now it is a variax???? Now you are stepping out...I would be wary of using powersupplies to run this, at least in testing...this is not a realistic proposition for the finished product...unless it is going to be in a variax and use it's power...but that changes a lot of things. If you are going to run with batteries, use batteries. Also...batteries are current limited and this is a high current device ( comparative to effect boxes and stuff), that is why it can chew through a battery. Using a powersupply can give the circuit unlimited effective power and changess the way the circuit will respond. Also...the basic fetzer/ruby circuit is the most basic thing...there are extras that can and generally are added to stabilize and protect the circuit...you may want to consider these if this really is your application... Without power (using a plain mono cord) the "straight strat" tone sounds as if the tone's rolled all the way off. Now, again you have got me...you really need to clue me in...it is a stereo guitar...or are you trying to run power up throught the stereo lead to power the thing? This is possible but fraught with difficulties, so much so that I have never done it but I think I know how. You have multiple problems to sort out here. Your treble roll off is not likely to be a problem with the sustainer loading or anything. When I speak of "mode"...you do have a harmonic switch on it...yes? This reverse the phase of the driver leads...so if not yet, swap them around...you will not get sustain with harmonic mode on and this kind of tone grounding problem for a start... I have to ask...what instructions are you using? You seem to have come a long way but have some weird little twists in there...hmmm...I really need to know the whole story to be of much help. You will have to simplify it down as I described above and then try and make it more complex bit by bit. That's good...so did you work out the switch itself or use my diagram? I have since changed my way of doing this, but only two weeks ago to have negative ground switching with the earth to try and gain more switching power. I do not think I will be able to achieve as good a job with a three pickup strat without more switching power than a 4pdt will allow (which is bad, because that is what I need to do next for myself!) * regular cord (no power) - dull sound as if the tone was rolled all the way off - using the tone control has no effect * stereo cord (power on from the Variax power supply) clean sound in sustainer mode (I send the signal from the FET transistor to the output jack - oops - that ain't bypassed either when switching to "normal" mode) though there is little sustain so far * stereo cord (power on) dull sound like in non powered mode, and fizzy, overdriven sound. Sorry busy here so hard to get my head around this...may need a diagram! So...this FET you are using...this isn't the fetzer part of the sustainer by chance is it...I do not think that is at all a good idea and could cause all those problems. Also...the power isn't off now is it if you are using a preamp...especially the sustainer preamp...in the off mode...hardly bypassed fully IMHO. It may be doable...but I doubt you will get far working this out inside the cavity...even with tweezers...now draw me a diagram, pleeeeese! ok...so...look forward to doing this...I am not patient...but I am stubborn and tenacious. Check out this one in my guitar if you think you have problems... Here I have handmade unique twist and pull double switch pots. 3 pots with a 4pdt and a dpdt function on each. 2 singles and a humbucker, 4p5t superswitch plus sustainer, active preamp and acoustic preamp... I tell you what...you work this out and I'll do yours!!! Actually this is my third attempt...the other two were completely ripped out. I am using computer ribbon cables there as an innovative way of dealing with all this but space is limited as this thing has no scratch plate and I do not want to add visible switches or enlarge the cavity...like yours, shielded too! I have had to put this on the back burner...lately though, I hae been thinking that the best solution to this, and a lot of problems would be a digital switching circuit running off a watch battery to handle all the complexity. Basically a little computer in there that you simply connect everything too and the computer works out the logic. Ideally someone will come along that can help me with this! I actually am very interested in what you are doing as these are the very issues I am trying to iron out for a prodution new generation sustaining device. While I have a great new circuit...more advanced features and a completely different coil and winding technique that will mod any single coil pickup in seconds and be reversible...these installation issues are the key areas that get the least discussion. These are matters that a lot of people never get over the theory lesson to actually do...and those who have (me included) don't do it very often! I would say that I have done more than anyone over the last 5 years...however...I still don't have these things licked... Keep at it but recognise that there may be a time when you just have to ripp it all out and start again outside the guitar one system at a time. It is a lot more complicated than many assume. The commercial units are too (I am surprised you can't get them in canada BTW....have you tried eBay?) although I have never seen one myself. My new system is in prototype phase and some of the testors are sustainiac and fernandes installers and they have these problems. My hope soon is to know if my new system surpasses theirs, but installation is something that I really need more input with like the stuff you are going through...so stick at it... pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captainstrat Posted December 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2007 (edited) From the top...I apologise for not giving better details as I can get pretty scatter-brained! Anyway...never mind the rails driver for now as I see it's well above my meager skills ... The guitar used: MIM Fender StratocasterThe current driver: a broken Fender pickup which I've rewired with .160 mm wire...(a bit too thin? I'm kind of limited by local supply you see...) which I've hand-wound as tight as I could and which is held in place with hot glue.The current circuit: The Ruby amp http://www.runoffgroove.com/ruby.htmlI got it through my thick skull that in order to forego battery use (I'm not very handy with the router and I wouldn't risk routing for a battery compartment) I could swap the Strat's standard jack with a stereo one and use my Variax's power supply (because I also own a Variax) and cord to provide power to the circuit (tip = hot, ring +, sleeve gnd). Does that work? Yes, as I was saying I am getting sustain/feedback though the driver height and circuit levels need to be tweeked as the sustain seems to be limited to the D and A strings above the 10th fret. If I understand this properly, the pickups that aren't in use need to be out of circuit (that's the middle pickup in my case, done that) but also the sustainer circuit needs to be "disconnected" from the output to avoid pickup load down? I really need to rethink my 4PDT switch...better yet, I need to know the proper way to wire it! PS Dude...I just re-read your tutorial and I finally got it ... d'oh! You made a thin bobbin which sits atop an existing pickup...brain cells just connected ... I'd still like to know how to properly wire that 4PDT switch though! Edited December 30, 2007 by Captainstrat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captainstrat Posted December 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2007 I think I may have found a solution ... lemme test it out first ... this Strat is going to look like a crazy-ass hot-rod when I'm done wih it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psw Posted December 30, 2007 Report Share Posted December 30, 2007 Ok... That makes two scatterbrains...two scatterbrains are better than one but will result in mega posts! Happy to work together on this with you as I have the same problems to tackle at the moment and will be doing a bunch more including strats...so lets fix this thing... I am not one to want to route into guitars too much myself...a bit riscky and you are bound to scratch the finish up at least...lets see what else you can do... As I say...doing all this inside the guitar is asking for trouble and with a strat...the pickguard has to go back on so you can't poke about without taking it apart again. Make extension wires from the pickup and output jacks and mount the controlas and everythin on scrap...I even drew an outline of the cavity to be sure... draw a diagram of the existing wiring and of the proposed wiring...then cut everything off and start again...sorry....easiest way... Now...let's look at the battery problem...oh, by the way...do you have a variax? I always wanted to do this kind of thing to one of them...oppps...back on topic... For the testing...use a battery. Power supplies can introduce all kinds of noise and if there is any pull on the powersource I am sure that it will be transferred into the guitar's signal. To do the stereo thing, you have to have the earth of the whole guitar wired to the common ground of the lead...so the powersupply is always connected all along the cable and so, into the signal...plus, there is an off chance that you could get high voltage down the lead an die...very low chance, but if the transformer melts due to a surge (eg lightning strike) you are dead. On this point, be aware that playing guitar means that one hand is on the neck and the other on the bridge...if one hand touches the wrong thing the power goes straight through the heart...unlike other industrial accidents! Mind you...a bathroom hairdryer is probably more risky and lot's of people use that...something to consider with DIY. It is one reason that I haven't explored this option too much...plus, where do you get a good stereo guitar lead? A more attractive future option is rechargable batteries with a socket or something so as not to need to take them out...but again, while I used to use a pair of rechargable batteries to save expense in testing, they don't last as long and I didn't ever fit it in the guitar... Now...take the powersupply out of the equation for now...and try it out only when you know it works. If you decide to use a battery consider these options. Trem cavity. Lucky you you play a strat...thespring cavity holds a lot of space. Ok...how do you like your trem...could you run with two tight springs rather than three looser ones? If so...you have room between the springs for the battery with no mods...just feed the power back trough with the ground lead on the spring claw... Don't like that idea...hmmm Jack socket cavity... The jack socket cavity is oval shaped right...if you open it up you will notice how easy that was...just two screws so making battery access really easy. Now put a nine volt in there sideways...they almost always fit...but now the jack wont go in...hmmmm Now turn the jack socket over so it bulges up not down....with the right jack mounted on the outside (now in)...this will work...look a little weird but hey! Better...if you have a dremmel type tool with the little 1/8" router like cutter...you could tunnel around below the guitar top to make the oval an little more square so that the battery can go in on it's side then lay over and, with a compact jack....and tape or something (maybe some foam to stop it jumping about (chop up a mouse pad))...it should fit in with only a little invisible chewing of the guitar! ------------ ok...don't have time to address everything, or will come back later with more... I can't stress enough how important it is to follow the specifications and the essential ideas of this project. I know that it seems pedantic to say that you must use 0.2mm wire but there is a reason for it...lots of them. I know, because I made probably 40 different drivers before getting the formula right. Including 0.125, so I know it can never work... I am happy to explain a little more of why or what happens when you do...but just be aware that it can't work. Here is a quick example (of only one reason). If you imagine a hose pipe with water running through it, the wire is similar...a thin pipe can only carry so much and so resistance to forcing more down it will be greater...too big and you will have no resistance. Ok...so, I take it you used a multimeter to get the coil to 8 ohms? I hope so...you didn't just wind it till it looks right did you? The thinner wire will have more resistance so that means it will take a lot less wire to make the 8 ohms. Less turns means less power to the electromagnet trying to move the strings...so you may get a little selective sustain, but nothing to write to PG about, yes! Hopefully, enough to encourage you...to get the right wire! Also...if you look at the pictorial...no hot melt glue! This is entirely inappropriate and you are not the first. I imagine you use it to glue the outside. what about the inner windings, nada! It is flexable and it is bulky...not what you want. Once this thing works the internal vibration in the coil are significant...you can feel it, and on really bad ones...see it! Basically you are making an electric motor...but the strings are the spinning part! If you hold the spinning part and power up an electric motor...the motor spins, not you fingers right...same thing! This is simplified, and there are lots of other reasons...but these should be enough! If you do exactly what you have done, without any shorts, with the correct wire (0.2mm)...not 0.165 or even 0.25 but 0.2mm...and you pot it as you wind with PVA or any water based common craft/woodworking glue...the thing will work. If not it won't! That monster thread is so long and if you look at recent posts is because of all these "little" concerns. I did the hard work of making all these mistakes and experiments and it has been 5.5 years of research now...so pay attention . You do need to "get" the idea of the method...but not too much theory! There is a lot more invoved than even I thought when I started. it is not simply...coil of wire+amplifier=sustain. Specific coil of wire+amplifier=sustain or coil of wire and compensated circuit (fernandes/sustainiac)=sustain. That is where my work is such a significant departure, I don't try to compensate for coil inefficiencies, I have a more effective coil for the job it does. --------- Again...and I may get flamed for it...but that is why I am developing a "commercial version of these ideas. The main reason I don't share the specifics of these (although I have said enough on the main thread) is because it is not possible to realistically DIY these new ones. To make the coil I am using a specific industrial epoxy and had to build a machine to make them (impossible by hand) so it is not something anyone is going to want to do in a hurry just to make one! Unfotunately, in order to prove that the thing would work...I had to make the machine and buy $100 worth of various glues to get it right. So...now I have a machine and the formula and have made my own...but at a cost that could have seen me by a few of these commercial units and have them fitted! It only seems sensible then for me to share this by making it commercially available. Unfortunately, it requires some secrecy that is understandably resented...so the new circuit and all needs to be kept under wraps...even the name! However...the 4pdt switch of the old wiring diagram in the tutorial worked fine...it even handled the original strat's 3 pickups...but this had an unusual wiring scheme, so I don't know how it would have gone on a "normal" strat! If you have read the tutorials, the wiring is on there. The new one is on a scrap of paper somewhere around here! I have posted mine...now post yours!!!! I want to see if there are alternatives and to learn from you too, so anti-up... ok...got to run...have a think about it...do a little research, hunt around and read that stuff again and make a plan. I understand about the wire supply problem...in fact the place I used to get wire in small reels doesn't sell it anymore...fortunately I had to buy a huge industrial roll so for me it is not a problem...but there will be some somewhere! pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captainstrat Posted December 31, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2007 (edited) I know that it seems pedantic to say that you must use 0.2mm wire but there is a reason for it...lots of them. I know, because I made probably 40 different drivers before getting the formula right. Including 0.125, so I know it can never work... And that the bridge pickup has a hot enough output ...for instance, the DiMarzio Virtual Vintage Heavy Blues (output of 170 mv) gave me better results than the DiMarzio HS2 (90 mv output) ... I'll give the electronics suplus store a second look. My mistake was to ask the guy behind the counter for his thinnest magnet wre, in this case 34 gauge (.160 mm). Thicker isn't a problem.... .2mm is 32 AWG, right? Ok...so, I take it you used a multimeter to get the coil to 8 ohms? Absolutely! If you do exactly what you have done, without any shorts, with the correct wire (0.2mm)...not 0.165 or even 0.25 but 0.2mm...and you pot it as you wind with PVA or any water based common craft/woodworking glue...the thing will work. If not it won't! Common craft glue wil do? And I was about to make a double-boiler to pot the driver the old fashioned way! I have posted mine...now post yours!!!! There! I figured out how! I know I must have made several boo-boos in that circuit...how do I correct them? Edited January 1, 2008 by Captainstrat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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