GLOSSARY OF TERMS USED IN PICKUP MANUFACTURE

 

REVERSE WOUND, REVERSE POLARITY  (RWRP)

This is the production technique that makes Humbucking Pickups possible. The 2^nd Coil has the Earth or Negative wire attached in the opposite configuration to the first Coil, thus reversing the electrical polarity. The polarity of the Magnets used at the centre of the 2^nd. Coil are also reversed, usually on a Guitar or Bass the 1^st. Coil has South facing magnets & the 2^nd. North facing, this has the effect of cancelling the Hum part of the sound signal while letting through the Sound produced by the strings vibrations.

 

ALNICO MAGNETS

AlNiCo Magnets are produced from a mixture of Aluminium, Nickel & Cobalt .The number 5 refers to the construction formula, each of the AlNiCo formulas produce a different  tone. AlNiCo 5’s are the most widely used in Pickup construction. They have an excellent resistance to corrosion, are temperature stable & can be used without being electro plated.

 

NEODYMIUM RARE EARTH MAGNETS

Neodymium magnets are a modern, powerful alternative to traditional Magnets. A much smaller size can be used in a Pickup than with traditional AlNiCo, Ferrous or Ceramic  formula Magnets. The sound produced with these type of magnets is clear, open & dynamic.

 

WAX COIL SATURATION  (potting)

After winding a Pickup, the coils are saturated or (potted) by immersion in a mixture of liquid Beeswax & Paraffin wax. These 2 Waxes ,when mixed together produce a mix that doesn’t shrink when cooling & give excellent saturation of the Magnetic coils which prevents the Pickup acting like a microphone as it ages . The Wax solidifies the coils to prevent this Microphonic effect .

 

42AWG COIL WINDINGS

The AWG or American Wire Gauge refers to the diameter of the wire used to wind the Coil of a Pickup. 42AWG is the most commonly used size. The natural variation of this size is between 0.060mm & 0.066mm. .As thin as a Human hair, the wire has a coating on its surface .traditionally referred to as Formvar, (Formal Varnish) or Enamelled. Plain Enamel refers to a thinner coating of the varnish, where as Heavy Formvar, refers to a coating that is approximately double the thickness of Plain Enamel. The Enamel coating is usually Polyvinyl, Polyurethane, Polyamide or Polyester based. Without this protective coating, the wire coil could make contact at any point along its length & the pickup wouldn’t function. Different thickness varnish coatings have an effect of a pickup's tone as similar resistance output windings are fatter on a heavy formvar coil than a plain enamelled coil.

 

VULCANIZED FIBRE FLATWORK

Produced by the N.V.H (National Vulcanized Fiber) company, in Delaware, U.S in the 1900’s. Under the trade name FORBON. Primarily used for its Electrical insulating properties, was a traditional Insulating material used during the first half of the twentieth century & an obvious choice for Pickup Bobbin plates, other early Pickup makers used simple Cardboard as an alternative, producing Pickups with little, if any, tonal difference to those made from Vulcanized Fibre.

 

TOUGH PHENOL FLATWORK

Developed in 1921 as an improved Electrical Insulation material, the early versions made from kraft paper bonded with Phenol Formaldehyde resin, were said to resemble Dark Horn. Properties of this composite board include: high strength, water resistance & a high shore-hardness.. By 1932 a woven cotton fibre grade had been developed which had superior machining characteristics. In WW2, Lancaster Bombers were said to have in their construction, more than 1000 Tough Phenol components. The most famous use of Tough Phenol bobbin flatwork in a Guitar Pickup  is perhaps the Franken-Strat pups produced by Mighty Mite inc. For Eddie Van Halen. This material also makes interesting scratch plates & is available in many different hues.

 

OUTPUT RESISTANCE;  K Ohms D.C

Reference to the Electrical Resistance created by a pickup coil, measured in K-Ohms. D.C current. Resistance could be described as something similar to the idea of Friction on a physical object. On a Pickup, the higher the Resistance, the higher the output. At a certain point the output of a Pickup can be referred to as an Over-wind as the overall tonal characteristics shift from clarity to distortion.

 

CLOTH COVERED -V- MODERN EARTH SHIELDED HOOK UP WIRE

Cloth covered hook up wire has been used traditionally in Electric Guitar & Bass electronics . The main benefits are ease of connection, as the cloth covering can be slid along the wire to solder without cutting the covering, after soldering, the cloth can be slid back over the new connection.

 

Modern Earth shielded hook up wire is used when a quieter connection is desirable. The central positive connection has around it, a woven, wire which protects the connection from radio & electrical interference , in essence, a coaxial cable in miniature.  

8 COIL HUMBUCKER

l. 102mm w. 49mm h.25-30mm (neodymium magnets)

string spacings. 57mm

screw spacings. 95mm

weight. 270 gm

 

NEO-HUMBUCKER

l. 102mm w. 49mm h. 20mm (neodymium magnet version)

l. 102mm w. 49mm h. 18mm (alnico 5 magnet version)

string spacings. 57mm

screw spacings. 95mm

weight. 166 gm

 

JAZZ NECK POSITION

L. 91.5mm w. 29mm h. 25mm (neodymium magnet version)

l.91.5mm w. 29mm h. 20mm (alnico 5 magnet version)

String spacings. 54mm

Screw spacings. 37mm

Weight.

 

JAZZ BRIDGE POSITION

l. 94.5mm w. 29mm h. 25mm (neodymium magnet version)

l.94.5mm w. 29mm h. 20mm (alnico 5 magnet version)

string spacings. 57mm

screw spacings. 39.5mm

weight.  99 gm

 

SPLIT P HUMBUCKER

l.66mm w.28mm h.18mm (neodymium magnet version)

l.66mm w.28mm h.18mm ( alnico 5 magnet version)

string spacings 55mm

screw spacings.  60.5mm

weight (complete unit) 106 gm

 

TELE BASS

l. 87mm w.26mm h.18mm (alnico 5 magnet version)

l.87mm w.26mm h.22mm (neodymium rare earth magnet version )

type !. string spacings.  (non standard for 60s type basses) 50.5mm

type 2. string spacings. 54mm ( standard size)

screw spacings. 79mm

weight. 60 gm

 

STRAT SINGLE COIL SET

l: 82.5mm w: 25mm h.18mm (alnico 5 & neodymium version)

string spacings. 50mm (neck)

string spacings. 52.5mm (middle & bridge position)

screw spacings. 74.5mm

weight. (per unit) 55 gm