Homebuilt single coil guitar pickups, winding the coil

[@GeorgeGeorge-xj2bc]

For the calculator that attached as a round counter i give many congrats,since is one of the most clever ideas found on the web.

[@flamencoprof]

Back in the Eighties, someone gave me a set of six magnets. I made a wooden bobbin with six holes for the magnets, unwound some lacquered wire from a relay from the telephone exchange I worked at (Strowger type BPO 2000), and hand wound around it. This was mounted in another wooden frame to fit within the sound hole of my steel-string acoustic guitar. The output was low, I didn't have a guitar amp, it only worked via the 4mV magnetic pickup phono input of my stereo, and suffered from the RIAA equalisation. After watching this, I just thought to dig it up and measure it, it is only 510 Ohms. However, I have since acquired a Fender Blues Junior amp, and, inspired by this post, have just hooked it up with some handy alligator clips. Eureka! With all that gain, my Epiphone acoustic now has volume AND reverb! Thanks for the inspiration!

[@terryglenweaver]

*flamencoorof* how many windings? Guage of wire? And how was it hookedup to achieve reverb? Finally, is the reverb adjustable?

[@post-fadermusic2712]

Right on!

[@timefeatherstorm]

7540 was my favorite rotation

[@fraterfraxinus6293]

I blinked and I missed it!

[@killer-kane]

On the contrary, I think you'll find that 7335 was a more satisfactory revolution, but hey I'm quite willing to accommodate your delusion.

[@gutbucket260]

It's interesting to note that everyone's wind pattern is unique, like a fingerprint. Two winders at this same machine winding 8000 turns will have two different sounding pickups because of the wrap pattern they use. Hand scatterwound pickups are indeed worth the extra money for the winders time and effort.

[@JONNYFONG]

Shawn is a master craftsman and a great guitar player! Amazing work mate, well done!

[@U2BER2012]

I guess I'm just accustomed to winding over the top. And if I want reverse phase, I'll flip the bobbin around and wind it that way. Just preference is all.

[@eduardotabasco]

So genius, this conter is awesome. Great job man.

[@OIE82]

Dude! Your counter is brilliant! McGiver couldn't have thought of that. 😀

[@Xxmeca421xX]

I've always wanted to build a guitar from scratch. I think I'm going to try making a coil with the copper wire from a 12volt wall wart transformer.

[@harlinharlin3782]

Wow hebat lah buatan guitar karan sendiri tak paya nak beli buat sendiri lagi bes n puas hati

[@sharkair2839]

you sir are an artist! one of the best video on you tube ever.

[@ShawnCharles]

shark air Thankyou 😎😎🍻🍻

[@geraldhills41]

You are a very clever person !

[@U2BER2012]

Question: how do you hook up the calculator to act as a counter?

[@ShawnCharles]

D Monty , you open the calculator , trace the two contacts to the = button, carefully solder two wires onto these contacts , then drill a small hole and pass the cables through , then connect the two wires to a micro switch which is triggered by say a custom built cam ( like i made on my lathe ) . Ok , then turn the calculator on , select 1 + = , then every revolution of the cam will count one turn on the calculator . Hope I've explained this ok .

[@U2BER2012]

+Shawn Charles Awesome, thank you. I'll give it the old college try.

[@DannySebahar]

I would guess that clicking sound is a ramp attached around the spinning axle and that is pressing a simple pushbutton that is either pulled from the calculator or wired to the "=" button and you press 1+1 and then= and every consecutive press of equals adds 1. Ingenious way to make a counter. I mean this guy is winding his own pickups so he is probably an analog enthusiast and taking the easy route and programming an arduino to count it is beneath him

[@agamenonbermudes8020]

Shawn Charles Mr could you made a tutorial about that please?👍

[@kickpublishing]

Just buy a laser tachometer from ebay with a counter function - less than £10

[@Professor-Scientist]

video title: Homebuilt single coil video: Guy makes single coil in Workshop with machines

[@MELODI_GITAR]

very nice bro

[@tuuljargal2629]

good work!

[@hendritresnahadi4146]

How to install calculator into round counters Sir? I think is owesome idea 👍

[@thuglifemaroc3661]

Well done, excellent man

[@thecougarscoach]

Would have liked to see how the ends were prepped for soldering. How do you clean the ends?

[@ShawnCharles]

Hi , there is no need to clean the ends , you thread the eyelet around 10 times with wire on the start , then the same on the finish , when you apply the soldering iron and solder , the heat will penetrate the coating and fill with solder , no need to worry about melting the thin wire as it never gets to the heat to melt copper, hope this helps , good luck .

[@jorgecontreras7631]

Que laburito 😀👍

[@bradleybrown8399]

I wonder if the oils from your fingers on the wire could lead to eventual corrosion.

[@unknowuser1843]

Pretty sure oil usually prevent corrosion. Sweet on the other hand could cause it.

[@alextai6638]

Thanks for the video, which demostrated the work but missing all interesting steps

[@justinpaquette224]

Interesting, I've been getting around 5.8 ohms at 7600 winds with 42awg wire. I've been using double build, could that be why? Or maybe we are using wire from a different manufacturer... Lately I've been using poly from Elektrisola

[@stevenicholls7629]

I've just looked the list of posts but I can find one that tells me how the calculator doubles as a counter?

[@UMANGPLAYS]

Same

[@ShawnCharles]

I’ll do a video shortly explaining how it’s done 😁😁

[@UMANGPLAYS]

@@ShawnCharles sure

[@DougHinVA]

'turned out' means sound.... let's hear the sound

[@hcreval]

nice work, how it sound?

[@chewtoyize]

you would need a long life to wind 8000 times at that speed

[@ShawnCharles]

chewtoy99 I’ve rebuilt and built hundreds of pickups on my system, start slow , no rush, no wire breakage, full control , no issues , the winding process gets faster as I get into it, but only if I feel like it, rushing and trying to speed up causes disappointment , I’ve been there , not good . 😎😎🎸🎸🎶🎶

[@luys607]

Mano ensina a teoria ou fazer um captador single com 2 bombinas lado a lado com duas resistências diferentes! vlws

[@billhillard]

You sir are the MacGyver of guitar pickups! You have a calculator Jerry-rigged to a what? Drill? Nice! Please don't go all Ted Kaczynski on the world.

[@disenoetidan6494]

HOW YOU MANUFACTURED THE COUNTER OF YOUR MACHINE?? GOOD VIDEO

[@Mrpurple75]

Genius counter, wired to the plus?

[@waynegram8907]

Shawn Charles, how you make a youtube video explaining how you connected the the Canon AS-120 to count the motor turns?

[@creationinspired200]

Okay i have to ask how in the world did you get your calculator to count your winds.... 🤨🧐 what kind of wizardry is this?? 😅

[@navigator_071]

You mean 5,65 kOhm ?

[@ShawnCharles]

Navigator yes

[@PhillipLandmeier]

Question: why are we still making pickups with Alnico V magnets when we have much more powerful samarium-cobalt and neodymium magnets today? Modern magnets should result in several times the signal level. What am I missing here?

[@Gledii]

I´ve seen people getting the small neodymium magnets and attached them on the bottom of the pole pieces. i think the price is a bit high though

[@PhillipLandmeier]

@@Gledii Price shouldn't be an issue. Their proliferation in disk drives and high performance motors has lowered the price. You can get packs of 20, or 50, or 120 on Amazon for about 10 to 25 cents per magnet, depending on size. I was thinking of making each of the six pole pieces out of six neodymium or Sm/Co magnets of the same size. The voltage/current induced in the coil should be directly proportional to the strength of the magnetic field. This would result in higher output, if that's what you want, or you can use fewer turns resulting in less hum pickup.

[@PhillipLandmeier]

@@Gledii I did some more research on this. As an electronic engineer, knowledgeable of the physics involved, it's obvious to me that using powerful neodymium magnets MUST result in higher output, all else being equal. Turns out this is true. However, there's a catch that I overlooked: string pull. A powerful magnet pulls harder on the steel string and reduces sustain -- so much so that it's a problem. In fact, the pull can be enough that it interferes with playability. So, as is always the case in engineering, there's a tradeoff. You don't need or want magnets any stronger than you can make with Alnico. 0.5T is good. 1.4T is too much. The only reason you might want to use neodymium magnets is if you wanted to make a pickup with other stuff inside, like electronics. Then you could use neodymium to miniaturize the magnets and leave more room for other stuff. If you're not doing that, there's no reason not to use Alnico or ceramic magnets.

[@74dartman13]

I experimented with a small 3 pole cigar box guitar pickup. I used neodymium magnets and a rather low total resistance of the coil. I don't notice any string pull or sustain problems. It sounds great! I want to try this with a conventional 6 pole pickup next.👍😎🎸🎶

[@PhillipLandmeier]

@@74dartman13 Cool. I suppose I should clarify. The use of neodymium doesn't automatically create string pull problems. It depends on the field strength that the string experiences. You can use a big Alnico magnet or a small neodymium and get the same result. But if you use a big powerful magnet, yes, you'll get a giant signal, but it will damp the string and reduce sustain. This should have been obvious to me. You never get anything for free in engineering. Lol.

[@ResonanceConjurer]

I would be in greate fear of breaking the hair tin wire :D .. tell me please -- How tight threads has to be ?

[@cgavin1]

More tension = more capacitance Less tension = less capacitance. The art of hand winding is know what tension to use at each stage of the wind. Generally it is best to wind slightly tighter at the beginning and get loser toward the end. It takes practice. :)

[@william71232]

Hello friend is missing the potting pickups step.

[@crobulari2328]

5.49 ohms. ?? 5.49K surely !.

[@ShawnCharles]

Yep, k ohm.

[@cassiocesar01]

Awg 40? Awg 42???

[@kickpublishing]

Doesnt really get going until rev 7260

[@zafblaze4240]

what are the types of screw you are make it?

[@vipulvishwas4960]

Subscribed you're channel

[@ericdenton6664]

Ok sir. How about letting everybody hear what she sounds like? You don't have to shred man. Just a few chords and a few notes. Btw. Nice looking work. Not sure if it's nice sounding? But it looks like it may sound ok. At that resistance I'm sure it has a sparkly tone.

[@ShawnCharles]

facebook.com/ShawnEdwardCharles/

[@ShawnCharles]

Eric Denton , Hi , all my guitar except 1 has my pickups installed , there’s a few videos on my Facebook page showing them in action , plus reviews from players who now have them fitted in their guitars 👍👍🎶🎶🎸🎸

[@fenderdeluxestrathss]

Hi shawn where r u based? Do u sell single coils? I am thinking of trying to learn how to fix n make single coils. How much was the machine and where is the supplier n name of it. Many thanks

[@kennethmoore8014]

But what does it sound like thanks

[@beatleme2]

nice !! ..

[@vipulvishwas4960]

Can you make a full video How yo make full pick

[@ShawnCharles]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/eWnUgaWMj9aWpdE

[@antogio6220]

What is the diameter of the coil wire?

[@ТимурГатауллин-ь8и]

Fantastic! How does it sound?

[@crisjohnalvarez6036]

hi sir i threw a cup of water juice to my pick up it is damage or circuit the pick up if plug to amp? i conuise

[@ShawnCharles]

ceej john , if it’s wax potted it should be fine , I’d worry about your pots more .

[@lordrahulcool]

What thing did you use for the flatwork?

[@notyou1567]

Shawn, I'm needing to try to create an 8 ohm single coil to use as a sustainer. Am I correct in assuming that would require more wraps? also, do you calculate the ohms according to the size wire you use?

[@ShawnCharles]

Robert H , Hi, the more winds the more kohms , but the more winds , the more low frequency created ( bass ) , there is a fine balance , 8000 winds on a strat bobbin using 42 awg wire will give you around 6 k ohms give or take , however if you use 43 awg at 8000 winds , you will get around the 8k ohms you need, it results in a higher power pickup with more sustain , remember to always measure you impedance at room temp, that way you get the correct measurements . Hope this helps .

[@geraldhills41]

Is that a Beatles t shirt ? I knew you were clever .

[@ShawnCharles]

gerald hills, It’s a Jim Beam T shirt 😁😁😁😁, but I still love the Beatles 😎😎😎😎

[@geraldhills41]

Shawn Charles you are right , I think i have to much gin !

[@thuglifemaroc3661]

Hi can you help me how the calculators have made calculating the rotary counter 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@in.der.welt.sein.]

You can wire a switch across the +1 feature of old calculators. Or you could just buy a digital magnetic counter, which would be way easier for like $10 on amazon.

[@kennethalampay9575]

whats the length and width of the coils tnx..

[@jisanbaidya7743]

Flatwork is made from?

[@jisanbaidya7743]

Which material is used for the bobbins?

[@TheCleaner6969]

I see you used a limiter switch connected to a calculator that rides on a piece of bar stock with a slot that acts like a cam so it opens & closes to count the winds & your lathe has a variable speed control. Clever. Then you have these people with their over educated brains coming up with why this pickup sounds better. The right amount of copper with the right pull of the magnet equals a nice sounding pickup. Ceramic or Alnico

[@engkushidayat6568]

Pake kawat email ukuran berapa mm

[@Lee-Joel]

Why does my artificial pickup not sound so loud what is wrong.😧

[@davidhk1883]

could you tell me for 8000 turn how much wire is on the bobin or is it sold by weight or metre thanks good vidio

[@ShawnCharles]

David HK Sold in Kg bobbins

[@davidhk1883]

Thanks for the reply but do you know what weight Kg bobbin to wind 4 pickups ThanksDavid

[@ShawnCharles]

David HK , A 250 gram roll will be easy enough to wind 4 pickups .

[@davidhk1883]

Shawn Charles many thanks

[@gladyssellar6408]

Hi do u sell more pick ups u make ?

[@juliocavalera9293]

Hallo sir How to wiring it to calculator?

[@rogeronslow1498]

Who cares about the dc resistance? It's probably feeding a 10-50k input impedance anyway and you'd probably want to damp any ringing.

[@jeanclaudecesta8598]

no wax potted?

[@acasadorocknroll7]

Show!

[@heavymetal11]

Do you sell them?

[@akashthakur-qs7vf]

How many turns did it go in the end?

[@ShawnCharles]

akash thakur I think if I recall correctly , that pickup had 8000 winds . Thanks

[@U2BER2012]

You're the first one I've ever seen wind pickups with the top coming towards you. Is this because you were building a reverse coil?

[@ShawnCharles]

D Monty , A lot of vintage pre cbs fender pickups were wound in this way , you can wind the middle pup the other way if you want an out of phase effect .

[@jettramel]

What is the Story with the Jimi Hendrix pickups were they just normal 50's Start Pickups, a company other than Seymour Duncan they are quite expensive, the demo sound was spot on. Great work, having done Jewelry work & Vintage guitar Restoration & sales, I fee comfortable enough to give this a go.

[@skpandeyamrita]

It is a false video because 42SWG wire can not been bounded so speedly

[@kamsuyofficial8946]

Berapa kalo pesen anti nois

[@anissbenthami]

what gauge was that?

[@Cigarsnguitars]

5.49 ohms isn’t exactly settling the world on fire or was that the target in the specs? What gauge wire were you using?

[@ShawnCharles]

Something Wicked This Way Comes , the more ohmage the more low frequency, the power ( or brittleness) of modern mass produced pickups is ridiculous , the makers are just giving the people what they THINK they need , a hand wound pickup using even al 2 poles fitted to a guitar that resonates well into a vintage tube amp will blow any modern superstrat out of the water for power and more importantly TONE , 90 % or more of would be players or musicians and massively misinformed regarding electric guitar pickups.

[@UMANGPLAYS]

Okay so how is one one talking about calculator?

[@a.c.basicelectronicsaudio8425]

Diameter filo?

[@jbrown577]

Holding wire with fingers?

[@ShawnCharles]

Handwound , old school 😎😎

[@DannySebahar]

I though vintage spec was around 5k windings

[@ShawnCharles]

Danny Sebahar www.guitarhq.com/pickups.html

[@DannySebahar]

I guess I was thinking specifically about Gibson's PAF Humbucking Pickups which this website lists as 5000 windings: www.guitarhq.com/paf.html (the 13th Paragraph or the 3rd Paragraph after the subheading "Pickup Wire & Winding Methods". However, you aren't winding humbucking pickups or Gibson PAF style pickups, so I stand corrected. Great video.

[@davidwardley9774]

"5.49 ohms" !!! I think nit.

[@ShawnCharles]

K ohm.

[@appreeshe8813]

KILO ohms, not ohms

[@vipulvishwas4960]

This is only winding

[@iridios6127]

wich gauge of wire ?

[@ShawnCharles]

Alex Mann 42 awg

[@iridios6127]

+Shawn Charles many thanks man.

[@ShawnCharles]

facebook.com/1805659513015993/posts/2400297830218822/ Hi , All my guitars except 1 has my pickups installed ,I have a Facebook site where I post my projects and videos , the link above should get you to a video with my own vintage spec pups on demo 👍👍🎸🎸🎶🎶

[@kenratliff3289]

No waxs

[@ShawnCharles]

ken ratliff , these were potted with resin , but I pot all my vintage spec pickups with beeswax . 😎😎

[@coliewog]

Hello my name is Colin 👋 I am refurbishing/salvaging a project guitar and I was hoping if you could help me out with some pickups? I need (3) it's a stratocaster-style guitar and I don't really have any money. Do you think you could help me out? I mean since you pretty much make these lol, I would really appreciate it if you could. 🤔

[@thekout]

Please dont be that guy dude, get a job and find some money to buy them or make them yourself. Choosing beggars are one of the worst breed of humans, just dont.

[@coliewog]

@@thekout Trolls are much worst breeds then beggars. 😛 Quit trolling the internet man. p.s. You are the last person who should be calling anyone or anything a shit breed, okay?

[@kencohagen4967]

So x. W

[@angelobazarte1269]

good work!

[@TheRedhawke]

What material did you use to build your bobbin ?

[@ShawnCharles]

TheRedhawke , Hi on the pickup in the video I made the bobbin from regular circuit fibre board, but usually I buy the correct vintage flatware from the USA , the same used in all vintage fender pickups

[@TheRedhawke]

Where do you source the material ?