Need help with pickup winding?

Andy DePaule · From: Saigon, Viet Nam & Springfield, Oregon

I've bought some of the items I need for winding pickups for a couple of lap steels I am building. Planning to build more in the near future also.

Any useful tips from people who have experience would be very helpful.
I am after the older fat and full tone from the 30's to the 50's.

Also any thoughts on 38 gauge v 42 gauge wire?
Best places to buy at reasonable prices in bulk amounts would be welcome.
Andy
_________________
Inlaid Star Guitar 2006 by Mark Giles. SD-10 4+5 in E9th; http://luthiersupply.com/instrument-gallery.html
2017 Mullen SD-10, G2 5&5 Polished Aluminum covering. Custom Build for me. Great Steel.
Clinesmith Joaquin Murphy style Aluminum 8 String Lap Steel Short A6th.
Magnatone Jeweltone Series Lap Steel, Circa 1950? 6 String with F#minor7th Tuning.
1956 Dewey Kendrick D-8 4&3, Restoration Project.
1973 Sho~Bud Green SD-10 4&5 PSG, Restoration Project.

Jim Palenscar · From: Oceanside, Calif, USA

A friend of mine by the name of Chance Wilson is a vintage pickup guru and said that to get the best vintage tone use as much of the thickest wire as possible. Recently I wound an old ShoBud pickup w 38 and put as much of it as I could on a bobbin for Ry Cooder who put it in a Tele and said that all of his other guitars now just sit in a corner hanging their heads Smile

. It measured 3.17k and sounded wonderful.

Bill Hatcher · From: Atlanta Ga. USA

have built and rewound lots of pickups.

if you are just doing a few....no need for some kind of elaborate set up. just make sure there is a small hole in the mid point of the bobbin. insert a long screw and lock it down with a nut. insert the excess screw into a small variable speed drill clamped down to a block of wood on your bench to elevate enough so the bobbin can spin free. leave excess wire on the inside so you can stop and measure ohms when you want to. variable speed drill will let you find the right speed. scatter wind and hold the wire between your thumb and first finger at least a foot away to give you some give in the wire so you wont break it.

either guage is fine. 42 is used a whole lot more than 38. best to wind two identical bobbins with both and test to hear exactly what your bobbin sounds like with those.

i used to buy from magnet wire supply. dont know if they are still around. wire is not cheap.

Andy DePaule · From: Saigon, Viet Nam & Springfield, Oregon

Thanks Jim,
I sent you an e-mail so won't go more than that here.

To Bill,
I'm planning on doing more than a few so want to get as much of the materials as possible here before I return to Saigon in October.
I'll try to track down that Magnet Wire Supply today. Maybe they have the 38 gauge wire that I'm thinking I'll need.
Regards,
Andy
_________________
Inlaid Star Guitar 2006 by Mark Giles. SD-10 4+5 in E9th; http://luthiersupply.com/instrument-gallery.html
2017 Mullen SD-10, G2 5&5 Polished Aluminum covering. Custom Build for me. Great Steel.
Clinesmith Joaquin Murphy style Aluminum 8 String Lap Steel Short A6th.
Magnatone Jeweltone Series Lap Steel, Circa 1950? 6 String with F#minor7th Tuning.
1956 Dewey Kendrick D-8 4&3, Restoration Project.
1973 Sho~Bud Green SD-10 4&5 PSG, Restoration Project.

Michael Maddex · From: Northern New Mexico, USA

Over the years, I have often used Antique Electronic Supply for lots of stuff. For example:

https://www.tubesandmore.com/products/tech_supplies?filters=Wire%3DMagnet%20Wire

If you are not already familiar with them, you might want to check out their web site.

Good Luck on the Winding Road! Cool

_________________
"For every expert, there is an equal and opposite expert." -- Arthur C. Clarke

Andy DePaule · From: Saigon, Viet Nam & Springfield, Oregon

Thanks Michael,
I'll check them out to see if they have some of the items I'm looking for.
Andy
_________________
Inlaid Star Guitar 2006 by Mark Giles. SD-10 4+5 in E9th; http://luthiersupply.com/instrument-gallery.html
2017 Mullen SD-10, G2 5&5 Polished Aluminum covering. Custom Build for me. Great Steel.
Clinesmith Joaquin Murphy style Aluminum 8 String Lap Steel Short A6th.
Magnatone Jeweltone Series Lap Steel, Circa 1950? 6 String with F#minor7th Tuning.
1956 Dewey Kendrick D-8 4&3, Restoration Project.
1973 Sho~Bud Green SD-10 4&5 PSG, Restoration Project.

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