Homemade Pickups: Start to Finish

[Geraldandsons]

Hey, great video. I'm not into electronics that much, I was wondering( I guess it's a pretty stupid question), but is it possible to get a single snare pickup using this technique? Maybe by winding a coil around one magnetized metal "pickup pin"? I'm asking this cause I would like my snares to have there own signal...It's a long story..Maybe you know a site where this theory is explained ? I'm not good in googling this one. Thx

[Geraldandsons]

@Geraldandsons Found it!

[Geraldandsons]

@Geraldandsons thank you for the inspiration!!

[fstowe]

@Geraldandsons I'm no expert, but I think a piezo pickup will work better on your snare. Plus they're cheap and simple.

[Isaacthompson]

Thanks, that was amazing!

[11harrison11]

is that bee's wax you're using to pot those with? (or is it none of mine?)

[kdgreer777]

Man, that was a joy to watch. I really enjoyed it. Great work!!!

[scubascott1098]

Where did you get your bobbin and what material was it made out of?

[MrGuitarbike]

@scubascott1098 stewmac.com ?



[rockexpert]

any advice on a humbucker?

[eddiewarlord]

@rockexpert make two, put them together= hummbucker

[Kevinmullan]

Mute or shy?

[halfrandom82]

why not just talk

[mohiitjaitly]

Which wire is used here? Is it simple copper wire?

[sledzeppelin]

You're pretty much my hero.

[Bdoty521]

Good shit man. Way to use your resources.

[TheLawnart]

This is MOST EXCELLENT!

[arvindmenn]

where dd u gt d parts frm??



[rhykko77]

@arvindmenn Stewart McDonald has all the pickup making parts you need.

[Bitchflakes666]

@rhykko77 except they suck balls

[tyson1ize]

can't you speak

[gaby42061]

sos un capo muy buenoo.genio

[Stratboy999]

What a great vid.

[captainnmorghann]

a clamp to hold a clamp... CLAMPCEPTION!

[thebeatles240]

Hi, how would you go about making a pickup with high end harmonics??

i want my strat to sound alive. Preferably for the bridge.

[BoscoeFrance]

I love smart people.

[ciroleal]

Mr. Pickup MacGyver!

[Daggl3]

geeek <3 you Sir, are a next level of epic - kudos!

[CrazyDaddy420]

1:13 - the hammer that shook the world........

[babbolo71]

Mind your own Beeswax! :D

[8864]

ffs speak plesssssssssss good video tho =)

[777MMT]

on the end of the coil wire do you have to scrape off the wire coating or doe's the solder melt it away?

[MGkings]

Grandma is going to have a fit! Grandpa's calculator, her the sewing machine, her pots and mason jars? Man are you in trouble young man! Great job!

[LongboardGuy167]

@SONGSTICKS He uses that to wind the wires around the pickup,it's actually a really smart idea

[oldspam]

Your the kind of guy That uses his wives butter knifes as screw drivers :-) . Me to

[FerchitoMexico]

Wow. Maybe I won't do it, but... you have my respect, man !!

[theshyguitarist]

At 3:45, there's an image of Elvis on the shiny thing on the right.

[SONGSTICKS]

Wow.. I'm impressed !!

Some neat specially adapted jigs and stuff too.

I'm curious as to what you'd done with what looks like a calculator wired into the singer sowing machine? I'm gonna click on the other link now and see what they sound like.

Excellent video.. cheers

[skylogiannis]

Dude, you need to document the whole process and maybe add a couple of photos and schematics. Your video is just fine, I just have a lot of questions...

[jamadorr]

No hay necesidad de tanta tecnología, muy practico.. Felicidades muy innovador.

[MaidenFan24568]

on top of the sewing machine counter and winder, i also like how you managed not to say a single work, yet present me with more information about how and what to do whilst most people talk for ages and dont demostrate a thing, you truely are a genius :)

[HolovicsDavid]

But why you need to count the spin ?

[lexusmaxus]

Holy looping currents they're DIY guitar pickups

[coxtube]

standing ovation man!!!!greeeeatttt vid!!! :p

[t0psecretshit]

very innovative using a sewing machine to wind and a calculator as a counter. how exactly did you do that?

[petovica1994]

Very good :):)....

[horlacsd]

Polyurethane coat creat insulated layer between magnets?

[stratovani]

Excellent! Well done! Now, how about building a Precision or Jazz Bass pickup for us bass players?

[BrickMovieProduction]

Why dont you make a buisness ! awesome

[KingsField418]

Hey Does anyone know how many times I should wind a pickup? I want to make a P90 with Tony Iommi's tone In the 70's. I was thinking 10,000. I need Advice

[The911SONIC]

how much did it cost for all of it just to make that one ppick up?

[Wiggzzzz]

add music next time if youre not gonna talk!

[petersm69]

Hows it sound!!!!!!!!!!!!?

[bigjimmyrocker]

too many cools

[smokeouty]

I do not understand where the put wire pliz tell to me

I mean those wires that connect to the bobbin

[horlacsd]

@smokeouty

Positive to one end of the coil, Negative to the other end. Won't matter which way you connect it , just don't connect both wires to the same end of the coil.

[arep3727]

u are genius....cool man

[wolf9013]

He sprays it with poly to help preserve the pickup and make it last long. By the way great job dude they look like some nice pickups !

[WizzardClassHacks]

is one turn when winding the pickup a full wrap around or just half way around, so is it a 360 degree or 180 degree turn

[steveisler]

Great Video you should have one demo'ed in a guitar

also do you have to shield the pickup



[ChiapasZapata]

You´re great... the thing with the calculator - genius xDDD I like it... but is it worthy. I mean, how many hours takes one PU? Is it more hobby then make a great PU for less money?

[resetpattern]

did that say 43 gauge wire couldn't see too clear? how did you rig the counter? I see wires to a calculator you're hitting the plus giving you single increments? is there a pulse from the machine to the plus button? I have an industrial sewing machine no electronics on the head itself but there's a motor under it.

thanks, nice vid.

[bedofrazorsqwerty]

Why do you spray it with poly?

[playguitarlars]

I think you solder too fast, this makes for a cold solder joint.. But other than that I'm inspired...

[darrylportelli]

you can use steel rods s pole pieces right?? I intend to try this but I like making every thing myself including the bobbin. about the wires can you tell me how they are connected, from what I gather one of the wires is soldered to the starting end of the coil and one connected to the end of the coil right??

thanks

[agrijag]

talk next time

[Aweber87]

I would buy one... Looks just like the "other guys"

[popsaka1]

Amazing...truly...thanx so very much! The magnets are just magnetized steel???

[SuperSolaris]

When I saw tyhe sewing machine i thought "no way". Of course, I was wrong. I can't explain in words how much in a awe I was watching your video. Absolutely astonising.

[suicidecrackers]

You have all of my respect

[sarthakmessi11]

nice work man! amazing!!!

[darmp64]

great vid!

[DeadOriginal]

Amazing, truly amazing,.. I'm winding my own after seeing this for sure.. ;-)

Thank's for posting..

[PhlyanPan]

Madeline better get back in there with her food.

[Johnsalad]

You are genius!

[andyg3]

brilliant!

how do you know how many times to winde it?

[CalebH50]

8:10 thats awesome teaching bible verses XD

[abcfuckind]

Wow, this is really well done.

[kartman74usa]

Eyyy guys i have a question, what makes a good pick up? can i modify my cheaps pups and improve it with another material? thx

[imafastcar1]

i love how the family is talking in the background. it makes it seem more of a home made.

[cokorda1]

That was excellent, you're a skilled craftsman.

[zthetha]

Pure genius! Loved every second of this highly instructive clip!

[MotorSickler]

Well done!I agree with the genius of using a sewing machine and microswitch accros the button on the calculator for counting windings.What did you use for a vacuum pump for wax potting?An aquarium pump sealed in a seperate jar with in&out or a real vacuum pump?Killer vid,man.

[FALLASLEEPworld]

1:26 Have you got someone kidnapped under the bench that's whining? Aha.

On a more serious note, what do you reckon the chances of someone that's never had any experience of carpentry or electronics - i.e. me - being able to make a guitar from scratch, including as many of the components as possible?

[bohs1984]

carefull with that heat gun. Too high a setting and you'll burn the shit out of your hand like that. Not to mention what it will do to your bobbin.

[gotmilk606]

What is the resistance on your pickups? I just finished winding one and read that it should be between 5.75 and 6.75k ohms. I packed as much wire as I could on and only got 4.98k ohms.

[EVTMods]

Can you make 3 single coil pickups for me.

[Lazyfingers61]

You should put a, How To Make Homemade Pickup Winders For Dummies Book . I'll buy the first copy!

[educate1self]

I cant seem to find any info about the start and finish of the wire, which one should go to the ground and which one hot, or whether it even matters.

[panzarw]

does that magnetizing method strong enough for a pickup ?

[nymetsrock]

how did you make the calculator count the number of turns?

[LEDking1]

Hey, i have a question for you, can u use wood or sheat metal on the bobbin.

i hope you answer soon.

[basswulfwhisky]

Intelligent and innovative..all without a word!!  Awesome!

[PartScavenger]

@basswulfwhisky Thanks!

[BTvisuals]

@PartScavenger what type of wire did you wrap it in? like what gauge, what material ect...

[Lazyfingers61]

I have to say; the best part of this video is hearing somebody teaching a child the Bible. God Bless You!!!

[SAVATEEURE]

I am in awe of all the ingenuity and skill.

Christian Mercier From FRANCE

[S4EProductions]

can you PLEASE tell me how to make the bobbin?

[PartScavenger]

@S4EProductions You can make the bobbin out of anything you can think of as long as it isn't a magnetic material. Most people use CD cases. There are techinical drawings of Strat pickups all over the internet. I would just buy a pickup kit from StewMac, I don't make my bobbins anymore it's too much trouble.

[TNBTBS]

@PartScavenger Bobbin? Does that mean the frame?

[Lazyfingers61]

I Think I am more interested in how to make the pickup winder and counter. Thanks! P.S. Great Video!!!

[PartScavenger]

@Lazyfingers61 Thanks!

[trentger1]

Very good job, sir. Where do you get the all your materials to build your pickups? I'm very interested in making one in the near future.

[PartScavenger]

@trentger1 StewMac has great prices.

[lexocom]

@PartScavenger 3:06 how many repeats did you do?

Can i contact you on detailed instructions and specifications?

[rskid23]

@lexocom if you are referring to how many times to pass the bobbin through the magnets then all you do is you move it between the magnets until you think it has polarity then check it with a compass and if you think it needs it more then you can do so

Hope this helps,

Matt

[PartScavenger]

@rskid23 Hey thanks for the help man!

[PartScavenger]

@lexocom Sure you can. Rskid's right, you just pass them through until they feel like they're charged up. And then you check them with the gaussmeter, or the compass to see what you've got.

[Terrible1]

you are one of the smartest men that i dont know. what guage wire do you use ? how different would the sound be if i were to use a heavier AWG than a lighter guage ? How many times do you wrap the coil ? and what resistance do your pickups read and what would you compare your pickups to ?

[PartScavenger]

@Terrible1 I used 42 gauge wire. You would be able to get more turns of wire on there with a thinner gauge wire, and that would make a hotter sound. Making the exact pickup with the same amount of turns would probably result in a thinner sound because there is more resistance in thinner wire and less output. You can find resistance readings for Duncan and Fralin pickups, and to find the number of windings it's about 0.7 ohms per turn on a strat bobbin. These are copies of "Big Dippers"

[zer0dahero]

Without a single word, you showed me exactly what i needed to see. You make this look easy.

[PartScavenger]

@zer0dahero :D!

[mixxmaster80]

Very nice ! A lot of info here !

[PartScavenger]

@mixxmaster80 Thanks!



[ALEXZANDERMEJ]

holy cleverness

[PartScavenger]

@ALEXZANDERMEJ Thanks!

[guitarlord247]

sewing machine pickup winder,that is genius,and i will try that

[PartScavenger]

@guitarlord247 Cool! I'd like to see if you do!

[bigmanstuff]

How many wraps of wire are on a layer? Also how tight do you hold the wire?

[PartScavenger]

@bigmanstuff I can't tell you how tight you have to hold the wire, it's kind of a feel thing, but just wrap it so that it goes on smoothly. You're looking at about 8,000 turns in this video I think

[theAIex2]

hi very nice video. just one question. where can i find de alnico? can i buy it in a music shop?

[PartScavenger]

@theAIex2 I get mine from stewmac, any online magnet shop will have them if you need them custom.

[NYInsanity]

what kind of metal are the six metal pegs?

[rskid23]

@NYInsanity its called alnico its an alloy of aluminum nickel and cobolt hence Al - Aluminum

Ni - Nickel

Co-Cobolt

[PartScavenger]

@rskid23 Hey thanks for answering this guy's question!

[PartScavenger]

Rskid23 is right. ;)

[nicolasrivera]

Thank you for that video, its on of the best ive seen. I have one question, why do you prefer to pre heat up the structure before spraying the Polyurethane?

[PartScavenger]

@nicolasrivera Because I'm lazy and it was freezing in there, I don't care about a good finish, I just wanted the polyurethane to dry quickly.

[AlanOfAmine09]

Hey, great video, and pickup winding system. Simple, dependable, and easy to build. Also, sounds like you've got an awesome Christian family, as well. Thumbs up and a sub to the vid!

[PartScavenger]

@AlanOfAmine09 Thanks!

[JRussoBuffaloNY]

this is exactly what I needed to see, I was not certain if the wire came into contact with the Alnico V pole pieces on the single coil variety. I didn't know if a buffer or ribbon was used but bare is the way to go. Hubuckers use a full bobbin like a spool that is what confused me I thought they were similar in that respect. anyways thank you so much, this is the type of help we need. visual.

[PartScavenger]

@JRussoBuffaloNY It does, well sort of, I coated it with Polyurethane first so they won't corrode at some point in the future.

[evangriff77]

Using that sewing machine as a counter & winder is absolute genius! That's the one tool/device that I needed inspiration on. Thanks!

[PartScavenger]

@evangriff77 :D

[SebastianNordstrom]

Hi! Very nice video. Almost everything made sence, even for me :) I have one question though, where do you attach the thread before you start winding? / Sebastian from Sweden

[PartScavenger]

@SebastianNordstrom There's a little metal grommet. I tend to go ahead and solder the wire in place before I start winding now.

[SebastianNordstrom]

Hi! Very nice video, almost everything makes sence, even for me :) Have one question though, where do you attach the thread onto the pickup before you start winding? / Sebastian from Sweden

[PartScavenger]

@SebastianNordstrom I attach the starting winding in the first hole. I run it though about three times, and solder it in. In this video, I was still only wrapping it through three times and expecting it to hold. I would leave a tail of a couple inches taped to the back of the pickup.

[hanger1800]

Thank god someone on youtube knows how to make a good demnstrational video!

[Bonkikavo]

smooth. one question, how do you hold the wire that is being wined on pickup?

[PartScavenger]

@Bonkikavo I used to wrap it through the hole a few times and leave a couple inches sticking out the back, but now I just go ahead and solder the wire into the hole.

[CountCane1994]

beautiful

[hillsongfree]

whats that metal called?? thats a magnet or metal?

[PartScavenger]

@hillsongfree It's called ALNICO. It's a alloy of aluminium, nickel and cobalt.  It is a metal with unique magnetic properties in that the strength of the magnetism can be set.

[StockholmSyndrome08]

Is it just the winding that effects the sound of the pickup. Like is that what make the difference in tone between pups?

If so then I wanna make my own fender 'big dippers'

[Kingddd333]

@StockholmSyndrome08 More winding, more output

[PartScavenger]

@StockholmSyndrome08 The winding is a large part of it. Magnet selection and height of the polepieces are also very important factors. :)

[1ALOROTOM]

This video is pretty sweet, and I can barely play guitar.

[julianrodolfo]

YOU ROCK..

[ionsunteu]

1:42 the studs aren't equal. are they supposed to be like that?

[PartScavenger]

@ionsunteu Yep they're supposed to be that way. "Staggered Polepieces" is the term. It alters the sound by picking up some of the strings less.

[dreamofways]

@irockorange

It's called "potting" the pickups. Basically dipping them in wax(beeswax and parrafin wax are used here and most popular, although lacquer is also used sometimes, and was used by Fender not long after CBS took over...correct me if i'm wrong)so that the outer layer(s) of the coil don't vibrate when you play, because when they vibrate at the same frequency at which you're playing, you get nasty sounds called microphonics.

[PartScavenger]

@dreamofways Great post! Thanks.

[nemovgi]

dude this video would have helped so much more if you explained what you were doing, talk us through it you know?

[PartScavenger]

@nemovgi You're right. I've got a new set to wind, so I plan to make a new video soon.

[Isalys555]

Clean and good work, bravo.

[PartScavenger]

@Isalys555 Thanks!



[boagheigari]

Great video. Could you show how you made that winder?

[PartScavenger]

@boagheigari Sure. See my video, "New Guitar Pickup Winder"

[PartScavenger]

@boagheigari Yep, there's a video called "New Pickup Winder" ;)

[jackbuddha2002]

Thank you so much for this video, it's very helpful! I noticed you potting under vacuum but what do you use to create the vacuum? Thanks again for the vid!

[PartScavenger]

@jackbuddha2002 I used a "Mechanical Vacuum Pump." I paid $5 for it at a local government liquidation/surplus shop. You can also find them on eBay. If you can't get one of these, a "venturi pump" / "water aspirator" / "water jet filter pump" would probably work fine, it should be under $20 at a chemical supply. It hooks onto the sink and creates a decent suction.

[iRockOrange]

Hi sorry, the part with the beeswax & paraffin baffled me, could you explain why you have to do this bit?

thanks

Lew

[PartScavenger]

@iRockOrange Dreamofways already posted a pretty good reply. Sorry yours didn't make it to my email account for some reason. It keeps the wires inside the pickup from vibrating. If they do, you get squealing sounds, and "microphonics" which means it acts just like a microphone. Every time you'd touch the guitar it would make a loud knocking noise, and that's not good. It is also very prone to squealing if it hasn't been "potted" for the same reason.

[MrMember12]

Yeah I just blew the dust off my mom's old sewing machine!

For a complete DIY project can I use screws screwed on wood as bobbin? I think I had heard that ages ago but I am not sure at all. otherwise can you tell me where to find the materials you are using?

[PartScavenger]

@MrMember12 Yeah, it doesn't really matter at all what the bobbin's made of, as long as it doesn't conduct magnetism. You could probably use screws and a magnet, I don't see why what wouldn't work. I buy most of my stuff from stewart macdonald. They have pretty fair prices. Youtube won't let me post a link, but my website is: Brainrender [dot] com. Look under "Projects" and "Homemade Guitar Pickups" for a bunch of good info.

[MrMember12]

OK, can I ask you something more?

What is the difference between a p90 and a fender single coil?

I know about the tone and the more output of p90 due to 2000 more cycles than a single coil, but is there any difference?

[PartScavenger]

@MrMember12 Yeah sort of, it's flatter and fatter, which is apt to give it a more compression. It's got more turns on it which should give it more bass (read "fat), more sustain, and more output. The magnet arrangement I believe is ceramic with steel poles which will bring back the highs lost by overwinding the pickup. Not necessarily because it's "ceramic" but because of the field shape it causes. But it's really just another single coil pickup like the fender style.

[MrMember12]

@PartScavenger

I am about to start wiring too, and I want a p90 for my strats neck so I asked...

Thank you very much my friend, you have been very helpfull!

[PartScavenger]

@MrMember12 Great! Yeah, you'll wind it the same way as I did in the video. You're welcome I hope it turns out great.

[MrMember12]

what is the use of boiling this pickup?