My Homemade Guitar Pickup Winder

In this episode, I explain how my new homemade pickup coil winder works and how I assembled it. If you want one for yourself, I have a fully illustrated assembly manual available on my eguitarplans website. Click here and scroll to the bottom of the page: www.eguitarplans.com/

[@TomGlander]

Just so people know... this winder is superb. I built mine almost identical to this one, based on his plans... and it works extremely well. This is a fantastic tool for winding pickups.

[@corydivelbiss4401]

Whats the cost estimate wise?

[@DylanWOWilliams]

What’s the difficulty of the build? I really want to do this but I don’t want to muck it up.

[@jakebleh]

Just bought the plans, the side to side motor is a great idea! Love your videos, keep them coming!

[@berkeyldrm8311]

This is the cheapest and the most effortless way to wind pickups i've ever seen. That's your masterpiece i think.

[@HighlineGuitars]

Check out my latest winder idea: kzbin.info/aero/PL7TLAFxVOtrUG-cn7_X7E3-RB5HDEauzD

[@fraterfraxinus6293]

I love it! Your cam-guided auto-traverse is rock solid engineering.

[@johnfcockrell]

I just bought the plans for this machine. Excited about building it!

[@davidbaldry5516]

Brilliant! Buying the plans right now. Very clever Chris.

[@piedmontpickups4169]

Chris great DIY project. I like how you did the auto-traverse. Being consistent in the build is huge. Necessity is the mother of invention.

[@prodigaltrev]

Dude you’re truly an inspiration.

[@joshuamichael4312]

This seems like something I could get into. Might have to start winding a whole whack of pickups and buy your manual.

[@persiangulfmariner8673]

Man! I just have to thank you for all this ingenious information that you put out there. Thank you sir from the bottom of my heart!

[@HighlineGuitars]

Wow, thanks!

[@ChasesWKshop]

Awesome info. I need to add that auto feeder to my pickup winder design. I like the idea of being able to duplicate a pickup time after time. That makes it easy. Hope all is well with the current situation surrounding us! Take care!

[@Rockingoodman]

​ Highline Guitars Chris, Thanks you for saying this. You've done all the thinking and designing for us and I suspect with the plans, this is just as easy to build as can be. I know I will be grabbing this and a couple of your other plans, as soon as I'm back to work and not afraid to spend extra money. But Most important, this is as nice a design as any of the others we have seen, especially it is better than any the kits I've found. I think maybe that British CNC mini winder that cost more than any DIYer with self respect should be willing to pay, may be the only competition your plans have. Thanks again

[@darioduarte319]

Thanks for putting up the video. With everything going on, stay safe.

[@davidg7659]

if you are looking for information about winding pickups, this is the best site you are going to find. lots of information easy to understand. thanks

[@TomL-]

Perfect timing, I've been doing a lot of research on winding my own pickups lately. Ingenious machine!

[@ianb4801]

Ditto here. I'm moving towards multi-scale instruments and there are no pickups really suited to the angles involved

[@bigtimebugarpicker]

just wanted to say i appreciate this channel. i'm working on a winder concept now and you've illuminated some of the logistics very brightly for me. i've made about 20-something guitars already and this channel has been a wonderful tool. your guitars are super bad ass, too. if you care to see some of mine i'm just starting out but they are all coming out great. i've been a player for 40 years so i make every one of mine feel like what would be my dream guitar.

[@flyingbeaver57]

I like what you've done with the traverse mechanism. I built a traverser into my latest iteration of coil winder, but used a small toothed belt and cog pulleys, combined with a speed/direction controller and a side-to-side "traveller" mounted on a ball-bearing slide (just stuff I happened to have). It actually works surprisingly well for a lash-up, and I've been playing with integrating the traverse motion speed control with the action of the programmable winding motor speed & counter module (an industrial PLC that fell off a truck just before I retired). The cog belt is very good as far as repeatability is concerned. I've had no problems with that part of it. The drive motor is a 12 VDC geared motor that (I think) was originally part of the powered adjustment mechanism for an automobile seat. Not fast, but it'll never wear out. The final element I wanted to have feeding into the "master" controller is the wire tension - just monitoring it for consistency. Probably overkill. The PLC allows a slow start for bobbin rotation, ramping up to a maximum of about 1000 RPM while counting each rotation. It also can be made to shut off, either quite quickly or slowly reducing the winder speed, or with a manual override pot. That is where I thought being able to monitor the wire tension might be useful. If I get that working properly, I'll send you the details. I try to use readily available or standard catalogue parts wherever possible. I do like your idea of the cam and spring-return traverse rod. Thanks for a very interesting video. Greetings from the Great White North.

[@applebutter4036]

Great deals on those plans! That's a heck of a resource.

[@isaiahgonzales6193]

Great design. The gear motor for the traverse function is a WORM gear motor, not just a gear motor. Watching the video it's very obvious, but if you purchase from the list, you'll end up with a different motor. Still works, just have to rig it differently. Thank you so much for the amazing engineering here Highline Guitars. ❤️

[@mugazombi]

Very nice machine. this will make a good quarantine project for me! thx!

[@nicolashrv]

The "auto" scroller is very ingenious. One of the hardest things to use hand for winding is to maintain the same pressure and tension after 10 minutes,

[@jazzydog]

You are so genius sir! The machine looks awesome hi tech & modern. Thanks for sharing this I really enjoy it. Cheers.

[@stan_dundalk985]

Brilliant. Super informative and inspiring. Serious talent

[@Subspace2003]

Great Job! Especially auto traversing mechanism. I've been using 5,000$ winding machine since 1974.

[@yiranimal]

Well, I bought the plans. I figured, even if it's beyond me at this point, I owe you at least that much for your terrific videos. Just completed my first build. :)

[@HighlineGuitars]

And I do appreciate it. Every little bit helps in my quest to produce useful videos. When you say "first build," you imply that more will come. That's a good thing! Keep 'em coming!

[@DavidRavenMoon]

Very clever design. I have the same counter on my winder. It came with a reed switch which doesn’t work well at higher speeds. So I can’t run the winder past about 10 o’clock on the speed control. We’re probably using the same DC motor. I just picked up an LED counter with a magnetic proximity switch. Haven’t installed it yet.

[@WeepingZeeGuitars]

Bought the plans and made the winder this past weekend. Works great! Thanks!

[@georgetate6628]

About how much did you spend in parts/materials?

[@WeepingZeeGuitars]

@@georgetate6628 If memory serves, I did it for well under $100, but I have scrap plywood and aluminum angle in the shop, etc. The motors, power supply, switches and counter are surprisingly inexpensive, and I substituted scrap ebony for the Delrin. That saved money.

[@BadHorsie2]

Just popped over from the other winder video. I like it. Going to order plans as soon.

[@BadHorsie2]

Ordered plans already have quite a few of the parts. Looking forward to getting started.

[@biscuitranchproductions4946]

Just got my plans. Wonderfully illustrated and looks to be well thought out! Looking forward to building my first winder!

[@theoprophet7022]

where did you get the pcb?

[@nicholassaridakis381]

@@theoprophet7022 Amazon

[@JoeBocharGuitars]

VERY nice design. Dig it!

[@wheelerdavea]

I just downloaded these plans. Very detailed and looks to be easy to follow. Highly recommended.Thanks Chris.

[@HighlineGuitars]

Glad you like them!

[@bradleydibble9239]

How much did the parts cost?

[@bradleydibble9239]

Sorry I just saw someone already asked this. Also I just bought the plans and they are great!!

[@Aleklawa]

Wow Double Wow Great Machine!!!!!! it is similar of mine, I use to say my machine has a manual operation and semi automatic, because it has not an automatic wire distribuition over the pickup flatwork. After I have seen this video I undertstood how to do the distribuition and I am really happy, I would like to thank you for share your project with us. I have a suggestion, what do you think to install the 2 knobs on the left or right side of machine house, this way you can turn the knobs to change the speed wiring outside of wiring area to avoid touch on wire and brake it..

[@ServiceOrchestramegastore]

That is very good information and education. thank you.

[@HighlineGuitars]

Glad it was helpful!

[@reginaldorobson]

Projeto maravilhoso Parabéns pela criatividade

[@HighlineGuitars]

Obrigado!

[@trinacria1956]

Went on a little bigger shopping spree then originally intended ha ha!! Nice looking plans!

[@HighlineGuitars]

Much appreciated!!

[@nessusguitars]

Great as always!

[@jimbaritone6429]

I built my own, quite similar winding machine, but I really like the traverse system you've come up with. It's simple, robust, and does the job. My design has more pieces and doesn't do the job as well as your system. I hope in some future video you'll discuss charging of Alnico pickup magnets. I know many people use various rigs with fixed, fairly powerful permanent magnets, and a few use electromagnets. Making a basic gauss meter is not too difficult - there's a Motorola IC that does almost the whole job in one 3-pin package. But I'm curious to hear your take on charging magnets. Many thanks for everything you've posted in this very helpful series.

[@HighlineGuitars]

That's coming in a couple of weeks. Stay tuned!

[@ohvnaq]

fantastic videos! thank you very much. subscribed

[@HighlineGuitars]

Thanks for the sub!

[@graysaw]

Any fishermen who have respooled 4 lb test line can wrap a pick up no problem!

[@tedblumstein6772]

Nice little machine.

[@dwizum]

Maybe this is explained in the plans, but - how do you set travel limits for different bobbin widths? Do you have a different cam for each bobbin you wind? Great design, I really like the auto traverse feature!

[@mikeivey8471]

Good to know ! Thanks

[@justindwight5457]

Would you need a different cam for a taller bobbin?

[@garylamb8413]

Hi bought your plans for pickup winder but how do you connect the regulators and motors I can't understand from the plans can you do a video just on the connections please as I'm not an electrician thanks.

[@manplay212]

good job👍

[@bradleydibble9239]

Do the plans include a list of parts?

[@peskypesky]

How long does it take wind one pickup, approximately?

[@RobatRobot]

A thought on tension; the tension will need to vary with speed, but speed is not uniform across the winding. As such, using friction to tension the wire could lead to uneven tension. At each lobe of the bobbin ends, the wire will be yanked off the spool far quicker than at the point where the middle is being wound. You could add a take-up device which allows the wire to come off the spool at a uniform speed but also maintains a uniform tension at the bobbin. This is usually a long, thin, sprung arm with a low friction wire guide at the end. I would also avoid running the wire at right angles between your nylon wire guide and your friction tensioner. The distortion could crack the enamel on the wire, which in the case of a guitar pickup may not be super critical, but can lead to shorted windings in some coils.

[@HighlineGuitars]

That’s why my new CNC winder uses a magnetic wire tensioner.

[@MegaMrASD]

What holds the pickup in place?

[@jamescopeland5358]

Cool gadget

[@scguitars]

After hearing "cnc is complicated" on your latest winding machine video I am back here thinking about building my first winder 😅

[@HighlineGuitars]

Go for it!

[@redjostudio]

Well.. I think i'll build this machine.. yeaahhh.. thanks for inspiration..

[@demantoid418]

Awesome

[@shawnbryant60]

My highest complements to all the videos that you have ever made, I watch all of them! But what I wanted to ask you, how much is the machine cost?

[@HighlineGuitars]

$150-$200.

[@raulromo7930]

amazing video thansk for the inspiration, how good does it does with PAF style pickups and what are the aprox measurmeants of the cam part

[@HighlineGuitars]

You can make any kind of pickup. I mostly make PAF style humbuckers. The CAM is roughly .875" X .875"

[@sunriseshell]

Really cool! Can you do narrower pickups (like Jazzmaster) with a different cam?

[@HighlineGuitars]

Yes.

[@trinacria1956]

Great thanks

[@mrfrontranger7911]

what a great design and build. it's perfect. can you add a auto wind stop into it? are you using carpet tape to stick the bobbin to the delrin?

[@HighlineGuitars]

My finger is the auto stop for now. You could probably add one, but I don't know how. I use woodturner's double sided tape. I hate carpet tape. It's a mess to remove.

[@FanGuitarandUkuleleRichmond]

Hello! Cool design. How do you adjust the width of the coil traverse motion extents to match the various different widths of bobbins? It looks like you would have to make different cam sizes to adjust for different bobbin sizes, is that correct? Thanks, and have a great day!

[@HighlineGuitars]

Different bobbins require different cams.

[@VladThanatos]

How much the materials cost? EDIT: Just saw some one made the same queestion and you've answered "less then $50". That's super cheap!

[@edadpops1709]

Hey if you are adding a 10 rpm motor for traverse but do not want to monitor speed do you still need a WPM board or just a pot.

[@HighlineGuitars]

No, but you should have an on/off/reverse switch.

[@dalgguitars]

Thank you so much for the video(s)! Do you get your pickup wire at Tone Kraft, or some other supplier?

[@HighlineGuitars]

Remington

[@corydivelbiss4401]

I got your plans and have it built but in a little unfamiliar with the wiring do you have any pictures or schematics for the wiring? Thank you can’t wait to get started

[@HighlineGuitars]

It's on page 21 of the plans you purchased.

[@capaya8139]

does the auto traverse only work for the dimension of strat pups?

[@HighlineGuitars]

You can enlarge or reduce the size of the cam to work with any size bobbin.

[@johnnycab8986]

Hi, just bought the plans and materials- quick question, how does the pickup attach to the spinning plate? Thanks for all your work you've done making luthier tools-

[@HighlineGuitars]

Double-sided tape.

[@dayworks9100]

Thank you - this is a very clean design!! Quick question: I am looking to build bass humbucker pickups, can this unit be adapted for both CW and CCW winds? Buying plans now ...

[@HighlineGuitars]

Yes.

[@dayworks9100]

@@HighlineGuitars Thanks - excited to get going with this build ...

[@fb6382]

Thanks a lot, great video! I'd like to know more about the scatter wind options : how it works and how this will affect the tone of the pick up ( to hear the difference between two pick ups winded with different pattern would be awesome!)

[@HighlineGuitars]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZqxqo1qa5innKM

[@paulroden2742]

AWESOME!!!! I made one recently, not as good as yours. Where did you get the collet fro the motor.....where you attached the bobbin plate? That would improve mine tremendously!!

[@HighlineGuitars]

It's a Pololu Universal Hub. Google it and look for one (or similar) with a mounting hole that matches the motor's shaft diameter.

[@fat-hand]

HI Chris. I have your excellent plans and building the winder now. I am about to make the cams and am wondering why one side is flatter while the other is pointier. How does the flatter side not result in a greater number of winds (bulge) on the flatter side?

[@HighlineGuitars]

It's very complicated to explain the geometry and physics of what's happening. Long story short is that you are winding an oblong shape and not a perfectly round bobbin.

[@CavemanWithAStringStick]

If you installed the force sensor, that would increase your ability to replicate designs by a great deal.

[@jannicknielsen]

Hi Chris. I made my own winder partually based on your winder and partually on some others. I adapted your scatter system, however, there's one thing that I haven't figured out yet. I made a competely round cam with a diameter of 13.5 millimeters on a 20 millimeter hub. Now this makes a scatter area around 6.5 millimeters (approximately 1/4"). This will work fine with a Humbucker bobbin but a Strat single coil is wider and a P90 is narrower. Do you change cams according to the pickup you wind? What do you do?

[@HighlineGuitars]

I change cams. My humbucker and P90 are the same. The single-coil is the same shape, but larger. It gets tricky as single-coils can vary in width.

[@evildrome]

When you say "scatter wound" do you mean "basket weave" ? To reduce proximity effect and parasitic capacitance. I have (AFAIK) the last Blume und Redecker basket weave coil winder in existence. I thought these were only used for radio coils...

[@HighlineGuitars]

No, I mean what I said, scatter wound.

[@pentachronic]

Nice, so you can change the horizontal winding pattern to give you a low inter-winding capacitance by scattering the windings. If it's digitally controlled have you thought about maybe doing a random pattern too ? If it's truly random it will average out and you should get a reasonable fill factor.

[@HighlineGuitars]

With this winder (#5), scatter can be controlled by changing both of the potentiometers. However, the result is very hard to repeat reliably. My new CNC winder will control scatter with g-code, which is much easier to repeat.

[@pentachronic]

@@HighlineGuitars Sweet! 😁Marlin G-code no doubt ?

[@jonallen5280]

Bought the plans, almost done... Just have the wiring to do. Well, I should say wiring is done, but my winding motor is surging and not functioning smoothly. I suspect the wire gauge I'm using to connect the motors to the speed controls is insufficient. Do you think that could be the problem? And if so, what wire gauge did you use for yours?

[@HighlineGuitars]

I used 18AWG wire. If that's not the problem, it could be the PWM is faulty.

[@davidwarren127]

How are you attaching your bobbins to the winder? I am using two-sided tape, and I am having a problem with wire having some contact with the adhesive. Any tips to avoid this, or alternate ways to attach the bobbin?

[@HighlineGuitars]

I use double sided tape. No issues like you mention.

[@narayanacooper8571]

Just thinking out loud a little here... maybe you could wire up the Counter to negate the need for a battery? Also, have you thought of using an Arduino Microcontroller in a pickup winder design? I'm pretty sure an Arduino could be used with a backlit LCD Screen to count & display your winds, & at higher RPM than your current Counter, & can control your PWM boards, while being run off of a 5V power supply (USB)... 🤔 You could even have it so it is both Mains Powered & Portable with RC Battery to power the Motors, etc... 🤔

[@HighlineGuitars]

You may find this playlist interesting: kzbin.info/aero/PL7TLAFxVOtrUG-cn7_X7E3-RB5HDEauzD

[@markgrimm3564]

chris have you though of building the winder and selling then all put together ready to go

[@HighlineGuitars]

No. I'd rather make guitars.

[@grade43podcast]

Great video - the level of detail is amazing. Would anyone mind sharing what the parts end up costing before I buy the plans? I just want to know what I'm getting into.

[@HighlineGuitars]

When I made mine, It cost around $150. However, the cost of the parts changes daily. Also, check out my other winder, which replaced this one: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z37XY55tpr9mo80

[@grade43podcast]

@@HighlineGuitars ah very cool. Does the CNC machine cost much more to build?

[@UrquidiGuitars]

Chris, may I suggest you include a plan for the "Neck Jig and base" on your website? That could be useful too.

[@HighlineGuitars]

I stopped using it. However, here’s the plans I followed: marzguitars.com/guitar-setup-jig-from-highline-guitars/

[@UrquidiGuitars]

@@HighlineGuitars thank you!

[@johnfcockrell]

I doubt Chris is reading the comments on this video at this point, but I am trying to figure out how to cut the Felton plastic cam shapes. Not sure what to do. Dremel, perhaps?

[@HighlineGuitars]

I used a CNC machine to cut mine. If you must work by hand, I would use a jeweler’s saw. If you have an electric scroll saw that would work even better. You could try a Dremel, but I don’t know if that would work.

[@johnnyknight6447]

Do your blueprints for these devices include up-to-date sources where the parts can be bought online?

[@HighlineGuitars]

No. Sources change to frequently for me to update.

[@darstify]

Just bought the plans and I can find all the required parts very easily which is great! Only thing is the 12v 'hub' as you call it. Do you have a link to what you used? Im trying to find the female jack with more than 1 set of pins to power each motor? Is this correct?

[@HighlineGuitars]

This is the one I used: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06Y64QLBM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[@darstify]

@@HighlineGuitars great thanks!

[@jonallen5280]

Am I right in assuming there is a parts list in the instructions for purchase?

[@HighlineGuitars]

You are right. However, I don't provide exact sources. That would be impossible. Just know that everything was purchased on Amazon and eBay.

[@davidvitale9338]

This is quite an ingenious design. Do the plans come with your bill of materials? Thanks.

[@HighlineGuitars]

It comes with a parts list. No prices or sources.

[@ant116]

Chris, before I make the purchase of your pickup winder is there a bill of material that include sources for the motors and counter?

[@HighlineGuitars]

It includes a parts list, but not where to buy them.

[@davidchester5784]

Do the plans include a template for the cam?

[@HighlineGuitars]

Yep.

[@VivianVarghese]

I'll happily buy this 15$ design instead of spending 525$ at stewmac for their winding machine.

[@juanokita4401]

Need one $20

[@davidvitale9338]

I just bought the design. It really needs to have the manufacturer and part number for the two motors and the counter. All the mounting holes in the plans depend on it and it does not come with them.

[@timrussellguitar1516]

Yes indeed. It’s ludicrous how much markup are on these machines

[@ramencurry6672]

I pay full price for everything at Stewmac. I don’t mind

[@carlosfelipecoygomez4717]

What happend if the coil brakes, the coil is expensive, do you start all over again?

[@HighlineGuitars]

Yes. I don't like to, but I do.

[@TahraDactyl]

do the plans come with a parts list?

[@HighlineGuitars]

Yep.

[@markgrimm3564]

well chris would you sell the plans to build the winder

[@HighlineGuitars]

www.eguitarplans.com/ scroll to the bottom of the page.

[@scottmartinezguitarandbass]

I'm curious as to where you get the materials and about the general cost of materials? Any special tools for assembly?

[@HighlineGuitars]

eBay, Amazon, and my local Ace Hardware store. Cost will run about $150 at least.

[@scottmartinezguitarandbass]

@@HighlineGuitars I saw you mentioned "less than $50" on another similar statement; granted it was a year go. Does the $150 include tools?

[@jeffhall5888]

Just got the plans. Wondering if anyone can advise on suppliers and what the ballpark cost is? Obviously the cost is subject to change due to the shortages. Just curious if anyone has built one. From what I can tell the machine seems to have some better features vs machines in the $400-500 range. Thanks.

[@HighlineGuitars]

I got everything on eBay and Amazon. I can't say which sellers specifically as they constantly change, but that's where you should search. The cost for me was around $150, however, I had many of the materials on hand from other projects.

[@jeffhall5888]

@@HighlineGuitars Perfect. Thank you Sir! I like that Mojotone machine but heck its not cheap. Then again... I buy many Stewmac Tools and had never had a problem. They are good folks and stand behind the tools. Thanks for the plan. At $15 you can't go wrong. Have one or maybe two of the guitar plans and those are great too. Always Good Times at Highline Guitars folks!

[@trinacria1956]

Don't see the reversible switches listed on Hardware list. Need to keep looking around so far $103 in parts!

[@HighlineGuitars]

amzn.to/3aXeolX

[@richardhouse7997]

Does the plan have a source list as well?

[@HighlineGuitars]

Not a source list, but I did list the parts. And a wiring diagram as well.

[@addictedtogear]

How much does this unit cost to build in parts?

[@HighlineGuitars]

I spent $50, but I had some of the parts already. From scratch with nothing should come in under $100.

[@nicholaskillmeier4895]

I finished mine. It was a fun build, and a great idea. If I may suggest, can you you revisit the schematics and come up with simpler measurements? Not everyone is going to have a micrometer, and measuring all the layouts relevant to each other's screw holes isn't very intuitive. Maybe just give the distances of the edges of some of the parts instead of their screw holes, because the screw holes in most of the parts is completely arbitrary (other than the motor mounts). Also the electronics didn't fit into 1/4 inch plywood. I had to use a thinner sheet of plastic for the faceplate. Most of that can be fixed if the PDF worked for the "actual size" printouts. Can you separate the "actual size" layouts into their own pages? If you don't have a PDF editor or an advanced viewer, the "actual size" printouts get cut off in a conventional printer.

[@edhampton415]

Did the plans include a parts list for all pieces? Where did you purchase them from Amazon? Ebay?

[@nicholaskillmeier4895]

@@edhampton415 Yes it came with a parts list with fairly detailed part numbers for everything. I got 99% of it on amazon, a couple improv pieces from home depot. If the parts were measured by actual size instead of screw hole placement it would have been way easier to put together in my opinion. But maybe that's just because I couldn't edit the PDF's to fit pages to print. The whole design is laid out for you to print, overlay, and punch holes over the print. I couldn't do that, so it was much more difficult than it should have been. In the end, it's an awesome tool. I just made another pair of humbuckers with it today and it worked great.

[@edhampton415]

@@nicholaskillmeier4895 Thanks for the info. I think I'm going to order the plans today :)

[@thepick5663]

Are the parts easily attainable? What is the cost of the parts all together?

[@HighlineGuitars]

Yes and between $150 and $200.

[@davelogeman]

can you give a rough estimate of the cost of the parts?

[@HighlineGuitars]

It was under $50.

[@jimbucket2996]

Do you have the approximate cost figured out?

[@HighlineGuitars]

Less than $50.

[@lordrahulcool]

What model is the proximity sensor? What is its spec

[@HighlineGuitars]

Zhengxing VJ12-D10K-J

[@lordrahulcool]

@@HighlineGuitars can i use 3 wire proxy mity sensor? Cant seem to find 2 wire version