Odd Polepieces....source Needed!

[Prostheta]

I'm currently analysing a Japanese pickup and have come across some larger than normal poles....anybody know of a source for steel slugs 13mm and 14mm in depth? These seem fairly non-standard sizes, although I am open to correction.

[Southpa]

13mm dia??!! Thats about 1/2" across! and 1/2" long unless I'm misunderstanding your dimensions. I picked up some roller bearings (8mm dia. X 14mm long) from work a while back that might do for pickup magnets. I still have to look into getting them magnetized.

Edited June 18, 2011 by Southpa

[Prostheta]

Heh. Large indeed! I'm actually looking for 6mm diameter (1/4" is adequate also) poles, 13mm and 14mm in depth.

I'm reproducing these:

That's pretty much like a Jazz-style pickup with evenly-spaced poles over a 54mm spread. How different would utilising "standard" sized poles be in reality? I'm fairly new to pickup tech so pre-knowledge would be a better thing to go into this with.

Those interlocking bobbins are just sublime.

[Southpa]

The only PU I know that features 1/4" dia. pole pieces, aside from yours, is the Seymour Duncan Quarterpounder.

Are your pickups for a bass? ie. 1 string between 2 poles and can probably be used as a 8-string guitar pickup if the spacing works.

Edited June 18, 2011 by Southpa

[Prostheta]

They're actually Aria pickups from an SB or RSB bass. The spacing would be a bit crazy for an 8-string unless you wanted the same spread as a normal 6-string!!

Excellent call on the quarter pounders. I totally forgot about those.

I suppose that given the poles aren't exposed in the design, it wouldn't be too much of a chore to grind out some steel poles manually from bar stock. Buying them in the finished form would be far more convenient of course. I guess that since QPs have a specific design choice in using 0.25"/6.35mm poles the difference between those and 0.187"/4.75mm there is a significant difference in the results.

If I can't source these, I'll have to figure out which "type" of steel would be the best choice for pickups. I bet that's a real nest of rats.

[SwedishLuthier]

I have a few 6mm diameter, 15 mm long magnets I got from HYABhere in Stockholm. I supect that you can get away with a "reversed stagger" on the bottom and use these magnets. Hyab is extremely expensive for small quantities

And I haven't forgot to send you the covers. Still trying to get to the post office...

[Prostheta]

Fantastic Peter, thanks. These are only slugs though, rather than mags. I intend on making a few variations on a theme though, so trying out mag poles vs. slugs+bar mag will be a good way for me to gain experience and A/B each configuration.

I can't believe that nobody has commented on how beautifully engineered those bobbins are....they fit together like a glove! If I decide to get flatwork laser cut, I will definitely interlock the bobbins using a similar idea. That made my day, finding that underneath all the epoxy.