Making a Single Coil Pickup: Complete Guide

[@guitar_md]

**NOTES AND UPDATES!** 12:20 - Splicing Magnet Wire: Poly nylon coated wire strips with nothing but a soldering iron. The flux doesn't affect the insulation but distributes heat from the iron more evenly and ensures a smooth tinning process with minimal risk of snagging and breakage of the wire. For Formvar or Plain Enamel wire, I scrape the insulation off carefully with a #11 Xacto blade, or 400 grit sandpaper. Those coatings will not strip with a soldering iron alone, and need to be mechanically scraped off before tinning. In hindsight I'm wishing I remembered to include that in this video, as it is really important to mention. 0:00 - Pressing the Magnets As of around 12-2024, I've been using a solid block of wood (1.5" thick, 1.5" wide, 3.5" long) with the appropriate hole spacing drilled into it. I'm using that now instead of the MDF/pickguard material thing I showcased in this video. Keeps my hand out of the way of the hammer and works great, and should be much easier to make. The dimensions don't really matter that much - whatever suits you. You can drill the spacing by double stick taping a piece of Stratocaster flatwork to the block of wood, and using the holes as drill guides. Make sure your drill bit matches the hole size -- either .187" or .195". Then remove the flatwork, and drill the holes oversized. I've been drilling the holes to around .220" for clearance, but occasionally have had issues. 99% of the time the bobbins come out great, but sometimes I get a little flaring on the top flatwork piece. One of the keys may be hammering the top flatwork as evenly as possible first before driving everything home.

[@Charles-Darwin]

I would really like to see a reverse engineered S.D. p-rails pickup.

[@guitar_md]

@@Charles-Darwin Great thread here, actually with input from Frank Falbo himself, who invented the P-Rail: guitarnuts2.proboards.com/thread/7894/seymour-duncan-rails-analysis-review I don't have a video planned on the P-Rail yet. But that's a great thread going over the design and an analysis of all the available specifications.

[@michaelmaia1978]

Thank you so much, this is by far the best guide for pickup winding. A swiss clock maker doesn't even come close to this level of accuracy. Truly remarkable. 👌

[@guitar_md]

@michaelmaia1978 Thanks for letting me know you appreciated this video so much! Comments like yours are what keep me going and making the best content I can. Lots more on the way and I'd love to make some more pickup winding videos. Particularly on winding tension and how to make good looking coils, and what to do when things go wrong in the middle of winding. Cliff Notes version: you can tuck loose winds underneath the coil and then wind over them with higher tension. There may even be some tonal arguments for doing a loose wind for most of the coil and then finishing it tight. More experiments needed. But from an aesthetic standpoint, tension is everything. Too much and the top flatwork will turn into a banana shape. Too loose and you'll have a rat's nest, amateur looking coil. I don't have any tensioning gear so this is all done by feel. I'd say it's the hardest part of winding -- tension management. You get a feel for it after a while. But would be great to show all this in a video. Always brainstorming new ideas. Thanks again for the support and hope you stick around to see the new videos I have on the way!

[@michaelmaia1978]

@@guitar_md I'll be waiting, for sure. Thanks for the extra tips. Only a truly generous soul like yours takes the time to share his knowledge in a way others can understand. There's a lot of videos out there but the concepts are not clear, the authors don't want to reveal their secrets, fearing that somebody can make better products than them. That's stupid because such a thing can't happen. It's like teaching the guitar to someone: they can play the same notes but the sound and the feel will always be different, the way one thinks when improvising too. Again, a big thank you, because of people like you, the true art will always remain. 🙏

[@guitar_md]

@@michaelmaia1978 Thanks so much! I learned guitar tech work for free, and how to wind pickups for free, from my respective mentors, Steve K. (you can find him mentioned on the Dan Armstrong website, started his career working for Dan in 1968) and Rob DiStefano of Cavalier Pickups from TDPRI. Steve, back in 2005 when I started playing guitar and working on guitars, and Rob back in 2017, when I first started winding pickups after doing other tech work for a very long time. I want to share everything I know for free about all things guitar related. I'm currently working on a project for my own personal method for learning pentatonic scales and connecting them in a really fluid way that I haven't seen done anywhere else. Came up with it on my own while being in and out of bands and jam sessions, open mics for 20 years, and having to figure out how to be able to play with anyone. I'd rather just share everything I know on KZbin for anyone to access than put it behind a paywall. I don't like gatekeeping information. In my ideal world, information is open source, so that's what I live by. I have definitely left a huge amount of money on the table by continuing to do this, as KZbin ad revenue only pays peanuts, but this is what feels most fulfilling to me personally. The software I use to make my videos is also open source. Shotcut, Krita, and well, Reaper isn't technically open source but they let you use it without paying for it. SO many videos! I really have so much to do it's insane. All my knowledge about setting up guitars and fretwork in particular I want to share as well. All this stuff took me 20 years to figure out yet if people have access to videos like mine, they could learn so much faster. Build those skills and get to the tone and performance they want so they can focus on playing. There's a ton to know when it comes to setups, fretwork, making pickups, custom stuff like pickguard cutting, custom wiring, then you have tone, involving either analog or digital setups...and I wanna cover all of it. Full steam ahead! Thanks so much for the support. It's comments like yours that keep me inspired to keep going with my channel. Hope you stick around and see what I have in store. I have a video scheduled to upload tomorrow morning about how I pimped out my Cozart 12 string Strat in some very interesting ways....take a look tomorrow if you're interested, and thanks again!

[@ozmobozo]

Amazing quality, almost feels like a professionally made documentary.

[@guitar_md]

Thank you so much! I put everything I had into this one. I've changed a couple minor things lately to improve this process, but the main method is still the same. Really wanted to get this info out there so other people won't have to struggle as much as I did when learning all this stuff. I had a ton of help from Rob DiStefano of Cavalier Pickups, whom I've talked to extensively over the past 8 years. He got me started with winding pickups back in 2017 when I found him on the forum and he private messaged me, offering to help me with learning how to wind pickups. And the rest is history. I learned from him for free, just like I got started doing guitar tech work for free with the mentorship of my friend Steve K....so, this is my way of giving back. I don't gatekeep any information and do my best to share everything I've learned in as much detail as I possibly can. Excited to keep going. Thanks for the support! Comments like yours keep me motivated to keep producing the best videos I can.

[@wyvzrn]

I will probably never make a pickup in my life, i was just curious about the process, but im gonna leave a like and comment just because of how much effort you put in this video, you did an awesome job man.

[@guitar_md]

Thank you so much. Really appreciate this. Comments like this keep me motivated to continue with making new videos. Made my night!

[@galaga00]

This is some absolute madman level of detail and finesse. I’ve delved deep into some of my own stuff with electronics, etc, and I can’t imagine the amount of hours and frustration that you must have endured to get here. It shows true dedication and also curiosity to help fuel the progress. Well done.

[@guitar_md]

Thanks so much! It took me about 5 years to get to this point, and I owe it all to Rob DiStefano of Cavalier Pickups, who got me started on my pickup winding journey, and has selflessly conversed with me and answered all my pickup related questions for 5 years, as well as Steve K., my guitar tech mentor and friend over the last 20 years, who got me started on my guitar tech journey to begin with when I was about 14 years old, and Antigua Tele from TDPRI and Guitar Nutz 2, who introduced me to the concept of testing pickups. Ken Willmott too was extremely helpful in my e-mail correspondences with how to set up the scope and his Integrator unit. So this is my way of giving back. I've thought of doing online courses, but for now I've preferred sharing my knowledge and information and experience for free. Just as all these people did with me. I've experimented a lot on my own, but nothing ever would've happened without a tremendous amount of help and guidance along the way. By putting this information out here for free I hope to educate more people about how guitars work, what makes them tick, and how to get started on teaching themselves how to do it, if they're so inclined. And pickups are just 5 years out of 20. Guitar truly is a wealth of an experience and there's no end to what you can learn and do with it. My friend and mentor Steve is in his 70's, been doing guitar work full time since 1969 and he's still learning new things every day. Thanks so much for the comment and the encouragement. And I hope to post more in-depth videos in the future covering even more details and processes for other people to learn from. I can only hope it helps people as much as my teachers helped me. Some of this stuff is so complex that figuring it out on one's own would be just about impossible.

[@galaga00]

@@guitar_md I found you because I am working on this art installation wherein I want to build my own very "basic" pick ups using a single magnet. I'm using belts and pulley to rotate a disc which on the edge holds a guitar pick of sorts that will pluck strings each with their own pickup. I started looking into pick ups and then with KZbin and chatGPT started delving. At some point during all of this your video came up and I learned just how truly deep and detail oriented one could get with all of this. And it's not just that you understand the science of it but also the tiny details like ensuring that the thin copper wire doesn't snag on the pickup body. Something that I would imagine came from breaking or tangling many wires. I finished a huge art installation recently that I had been working on for many years. It required tons of LEDs, sculptures, custom music, and Ableton running Teensy arduino for converting MIDI to voltage. The amount of work to get things completed the way I wanted with very little compromise is a true test of will power, frustration, moments of joy, and stubborn tenacity. So, when I see videos like yours I see a person who truly understands how much work this is. I can imagine how much in your isolation you've probably tripped out on the concept of flowing electrons and electromagnetic waves. Phenomena that inspire and transcend beyond just making music. So, I appreciate your response and I appreciate you giving back, because also as a video editor I realize too how making these videos is no small effort. Especially in trying to make them accurate and thorough. Thanks again!

[@skylark4901]

"absolute madman level of detail and finesse" Lol! Agreed, and much appreciated!👍

[@guitar_md]

@skylark4901 Thanks so much! Always happy to help. I love it when people find my videos helpful. One of my constant goals is to provide information on esoteric topics so other people don't have to spend years scratching their head and pacing around in frustration like I have. Though I suppose secretly I love it 😂

[@skylark4901]

@@guitar_md Ha, I can relate, I do prototype machine work so always having to figure out how I'm going to make or hold onto some tiny crazy part!

[@Spitfireseven]

This is truly a professional presentation. For the first time your beard looks absolutely perfect. Often it looked like you were being kidnapped by a steel wool pad. Your timing is spectacularly professional. The sound is perfect. It is as though you decided to bring in a pro to put it all together. SNAZZERADINI!!

[@guitarinventions]

Your attention to detail and passing this on through your videos is truly spectacular. I Immensely appreciate the effort you put into this. Well done!

[@guitar_md]

Thank you so much! Made my night! I'm doing my best to do even better videos. Detail's the name of the game. I'd love to do a video on some of the lenses I use to capture all this stuff as well. I've developed a huge interest in collecting different camera lenses -- not to the level of my obsession with guitar, but close in its own way. You also reminded me that I have to finish another video about a pickup repair. I did a very tricky wire splice repair recently that I got some great super closeup footage of using a sort of Frankenstein macro lens and 2.5x magnification snap-on lens. Can't wait!

[@daviddesola8720]

One of the best “how to” videos - and I’ve seen many - that I have had the pleasure of coming across. Really well done! Many thanks and kudos.

[@guitar_md]

Thanks so much! I really appreciate this. Comments like this keep me going. Every video like this that I make is a tremendous amount of effort and every time I wonder if I can keep doing this -- the support goes a long way in motivating me to continue. Thanks again.

[@RideAcrossTheRiver]

Don't forget for your winding of bridge pickup: have on the go a cup of coffee, a Marlboro, or a salami sandwich so that by mistake you get in some extra windings. That's how it happened at Fender in the late 50s and early 60s.

[@ethanbb2133]

This is awesome. Top flight content. Would expect a video like this to have 2M views. Thank you!

[@guitar_md]

This comment is as good or better than 2M views -- and these really do keep me motivated to continue making more content. Lots of good stuff on the way! I have my uploads spaced out so I don't burn myself out. But I'm very excited for many things I have in the pipeline. Thanks so much for the support!

[@FuriousTortoise]

Fantastic video. I bought a set of his pickups because of these videos. They feel substantial, look sharp, and sound excellent!

[@guitar_md]

Thank you so much for your support. And so glad you're enjoying those pickups. Thanks for letting me know!

[@frankdeblieck7478]

Great video, well explained very nice and cleanly made pick up!!!!

[@alex1972janurary]

SO, A GOOD EXPLANATION MATT. PROUD OF YOU.

[@Spitfireseven]

i sure got excited about the winding process. I knew that unless the clamps were stew-mac it could be complete insanity!

[@rectifymaster]

I was looking for a tutorial to refresh and restart. This is an amazing one. Congratulations!

[@theNextProject]

Great timing, I'll give this a watch and start winding my strat project pup, in a couple days!

[@spartanshot1]

this video is so relaxing and informative

[@milandjordjevic7952]

IMHO no need to update videos, i have no clue what amount of time it takes to do an update but i' awere of the fact that it takes a lot of time and effort to make such video in a 1st place. On the other hand i understand when person wish to do something perfect and always come up with new oneness that He would like to add. But that leads to a ''never ending story'', to be honest i never made video and one of the reason is that. I dislike that in my character because it's not pratical and it drives some people around me cr..y ☺. Anyhow with you all the best in your future work Pardon me if i sad something ''wrong'', i respect you same as i respect each and evry person on this planet and probably more due to you've shared walkthrough with people and it will be of great help for them. M

[@rafaelzengo5534]

Great work. I'm contemplating rewinding a dead strat pickup which I like. I've unwound it about 100 turns and haven't found a break in the wire. I suspect it might not be a break in the wire, but simply corrosion coming down from the poles and into the coil. Maybe it's best to just re-wind it. I've never done this but I'm watching your channel and there's plenty of very helpful information.

[@wineweasel]

Check both ends with a multimeter

[@luismichaud813]

wonderful job!! and so clearly explained... congratulations. 👍👍

[@utube321piotr]

Top notch channel and content. Just what I was looking for. Thank you for sharing knowledge.

[@guitar_md]

Thank you so much. I have a lot more on the way, so I hope you stick around. Thanks for the support!

[@LutzTeichmann]

that feels like rocket science

[@wojtek7003]

Hi is there a way to check which wire on the pickup is negative/ positive using simple multimeter? This knowledge is required when using diagrams for connecting switches/ knobs.

[@petedazer3381]

Great presentation, thanks so much!

[@isarbluesguitars246]

Thanks for the video. How do you remove the wax from the wood surfaces? I am using now plastic for the spools and glue the wood to the top after waxing as i was tired of the wax which remained always sticky on the surface

[@rossman265]

Hello i have a 58 Strat and two bobbins have sunk a bit below the pickup cover. Could you tell me what causes this and how it can be fixed? Thank you

[@johnchristopher3946]

Great video, thanks for taking the time to do them! I’ve made some of the smaller style containers to hold a spool of wire, and have installed a bead in the lid. It’s not easy to get the Wisker Disk’s where I live, how important are they to the process, in your experience?

[@guitar_md]

I actually have found the Wisker Disks are only important when using Remington spools that are 5lbs. The bigger spools they make flare out on top, and are prone to snagging -- and if it snags, the whole spool is rendered useless, and has to be returned for a refund or replacement. Very annoying. I've been ordering spools from Ultra Fine Copper Wire, based in Tianjin, China, instead. rvyuan.com is the e-mail address. They have various representatives. You e-mail them directly and pay through PayPal to their address at: [e-mail] At least that's their current information. My current contact is Ellen, who can be messaged at [e-mail]. But I'd fill out the contact form on their website first. Anyway, I've had *much* better success using their spools than the Remington ones. They don't flare out at the top, even in the higher weight spools, and don't snag. I don't use Wisker Disks on these spools. The main reason I used them on the Remington spools was because I had gotten snags on two 5 pound spools and had to have them both replaced. Using the Wisker Disk prevented those issues, but also could lead to tension that was so high, the bobbin would "banana" -- the wire actually can squeeze the magnets too tightly and cause the bobbin to deform when the winding tension is too high, which was frequently happening to me when using the Wisker Disk. So: it's only important to use it if you're worried about snagging wire, which I've only ever had happen on the 5lb Remington spools. I've heard other people say as well that they've had this issue lately with Remington. Maybe they've got it sorted out, maybe not -- but for me, I get my wire exclusively through Tianjin for now. The website is here: www.ultrafinecopperwire.com/ The spools are that much better. And I use the Rubber Maid pitchers now, with the bead, which those spools fit perfectly into. I don't think the Remington spools would fit in there. However, if you're using 1lb spools, you can disregard all of this. This is mostly only relevant to people like me going through dozens of pounds of wire. You can clip some of the whiskers off the disk to make it increase the tension less. It's often too much tension. So even though it can save the spools from being bricked (not functional anymore, with the wire stuck, and you can't get it out).....it's a double edged sword. And I no longer use them, generally speaking. I've been using felt on popsicle sticks, with the Stewmac kerfing clamp to hold it together, as shown in this video. Works great. I vary tension by angling it differently or holding it at different lengths from the chisel tool rest. I think setting the tension on the tensioner is key, and then learning how to vary tension by the way you hold it. I err on the side of slightly looser winds these days. Deformed bobbins don't look great. Though many old Fender pickups look like bananas on the top flatwork piece, and nobody was the wiser. Hope this helps! I think getting a feel for adjusting tension on the fly by hand is the way to go, and the Wisker Disk is primarily to prevent bigger spools with flared edges from getting bricked. Bigger spools without flares are a better solution, and adjusting tension by hand on the fly. And also of course with the kerfing clamp, and where you put it on the popsicle sticks + felt. You get a feel for it after a while and after you've banana'd some bobbins you'll know when the winding tension is too high. Again, I err on the looser side these days for most of the coil, and either intermittently use slightly higher tension, or finish up the coil with some higher tension wraps for the last 1500 turns or so. Nothing set in stone and all guestimations here, it's very touchy-feely.

[@johnchristopher3946]

Thanks so much for your answer. All that info is really helpful, I will contact the supplier that you suggested also. At the moment I’m using much smaller spools that I guess are also more expensive. Thanks for your answer, and thanks again for the video! Happy winding!

[@chriskenny6117]

Great upload thanks.

[@fb6382]

Congratulations on the video, it's very professional and informative. I have a question: what kind of counter do you use to verify the number of windings? I've noticed that magnetic sensors aren't able to count accurately at high speeds, so I imagine you've used an optical sensor. If so, could you provide some helpful guidance on how to source and build it? Thanks and bye!

[@guitar_md]

I have a video on the turn counter I use here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5aoZqKAqNSXY8Usi=4eNXtTonbTM5dMMh Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions. It's the most accurate setup I'm aware of and easily handles my PenPal lathe at full speed, which is 4300 RPM. It's not cheap but for the performance you get, it's well worth it. Nothing better or more accurate out there. Credit to Rob DiStefano of Cavalier Pickups for turning me on to this. The guy is a true genius and a living legend. I wouldn't know how to wind pickups at all if it weren't for my years of correspondence with him on the TDPRI forum.

[@shawnbryant60]

That was just nearly good! More please!! An thanks for such a great instruction!!

[@guitar_md]

You're welcome! And much, much more on the way. I haven't done any pickup stuff in a while, in terms of videos -- but have some big things planned!

[@Dalegribble03]

Will uninsulated magnets always cause corrosion and eventual pickup failure??

[@HexuTV]

Earned a sub :D never owned a guitar since they are so expensive where i live compared to the income but damn i love watching these videos!

[@TheEdge92]

I was always wondering. How does the Tele or Strat pickups differ from the P90s for example. Like how exactly are they build different?

[@AntonioZaccariaGuitar]

Truly a great video, thanks for sharing!

[@LittleFishes-q3c]

Is it necessary to count the number of turns or are you just filling the bobbin? It would surely make a difference to the eventual sound of the pickup. I was a little surprised at how fast people wind them.

[@guitar_md]

Yes, turn count is arguably the most important factor of all. I've been planning a video about this as well -- and your comment reminded me! The DIY winding machine I use also goes to 4300 RPM, which is much faster than most winders, which usually reach a maximum of 1500 RPM. A big help when doing higher turn count pickups. I do one with 20,000 turns and one with 23,000 turns, and having a higher RPM goes a very long way in making it an easier process. The wire can be hard to control at that speed but I'll have more experimenting to do to figure that out

[@rocknewtonfilsterwilly7364]

So the inner start wire position is the negative and the last outer wire end is the positive? Did I see that correctly?

[@guitar_md]

Guitar pickups generate alternating current, so there is no positive or negative like there is with direct current. Either the start or finish wire can be connected to either ground or hot. When combining pickups, there is an interaction between the sine waves of each coil, and that's where you can have phase issues. At that point, the orientation of the wiring does matter. But only when two coils are wired together. This includes humbuckers. This does get a bit complicated but hopefully that helps a bit. Let me know if that clarifies anything or if you have any questions regarding this!

[@rocknewtonfilsterwilly7364]

@@guitar_md Thank you for clearing that up! I get it now.

[@Lauchmeister]

Do you know of any producer of custom bobbins? E.g. squared ones.

[@timbulolo8939]

When making a Tele bridge pickup with a baseplate, should the baseplate touch the pole pieces directly? If not, how do you seperate them? wax the pickup before adding the baseplate?

[@guitar_md]

I always put a strip of Kapton or Black Cloth Acetate tape over the polepieces before mounting the baseplate. Same way I wrap the poles before winding. Black cloth insulating tape is much cheaper, and is extremely durable. I know people who've used Scotch tape or masking tape, but I prefer electrical tape for these things. One strip over the back, over the polepieces, then you can mount the baseplate. My method is to do that, then thread the screws into the baseplate to hold it in place, then into the wax bath it goes.

[@TheEdge92]

Where does the third level of the frame come from? Wasn't there in the last shot.

[@guitar_md]

What is the timestamp for the part you're talking about? If you let me know the minutes/seconds in the video where it is, I'll do my best to answer your question. Hopefully I didn't forget anything!

[@robertlassiter]

Did you ever use lacquer before winding or always tape? Fantastic video 🙏🏻

[@guitar_md]

No, but Fender used to pot their pickups in lacquer, not wax. I recently rewound an original 1951 Nocaster neck pickup and it was clearly lacquer potted. The lacquer did not penetrate very far into the coil either. Interesting stuff! I wouldn't use lacquer to insulate the magnets before winding as it breaks down over time, and I've seen many broken pickups that had no wrap around the magnets. I've occasionally seem some pickups with masking tape around the mags that failed as well. I use black cloth electrical tape around the mags most frequently, actually, but didn't mention that in this video. Kapton tape is good but I think the black cloth tape is more protective. Shellac is also more user friendly than lacquer. I may try shellac potting at some point. Wax potting does raise the capacitance of the pickup, typically by 40pF to 50pF but this depends on the size and shape of the coil. Shorter coils seem to increase by less than taller coils with wax potting but this is such a small difference it might not matter unless at an extreme. The lowest capacitance pickups I've made are with 1/8" coils and 48AWG. Interesting stuff!

[@robertlassiter]

My understanding is that you use rhe black tape before the winding? I wish there was a book - all the books I find are historical. Anyway, thanks For your time

[@guitar_md]

@@robertlassiter Yes, the black tape is before winding. The purpose is to protect against the wire breaking, from the magnets corroding over time. Corrosion can build up on the magnets and as it does, it can break the delicate wire. All it takes is one tiny break, and the whole pickup is toast. Fender never taped around the magnets, as far as I know. All the vintage Fender rewinds I've done have showed nothing on the magnets at all -- not even lacquer. It appears as if they were simply wound around the magnets, then potted in nitrocellulose lacquer. The black tape serves exactly the same purpose as the yellow Kapton tape in this video. Just a different material. I think coating the magnets in some sort of protective enamel (like they use in the actual magnet industry) would probably be best, but this isn't feasible for most people. I've thought about it. If you really wanted to future-proof a pickup for as long as possible, I think an anti-corrosion enamel and then a layer of Kapton or black cloth tape before winding would be the way to go. Many vintage pickups still work fine as well. A layer of tape is certainly much better than nothing! Not sure if Fender dipped their pickups in lacquer *before* winding, though I know many modern builders do this. I've never seen lacquer on the magnets on any vintage pickups I've unwound, but it may have been a thing. The lacquer potting should result in a lower capacitance than wax potting. I haven't measured this yet, but I fully expect that. Wax potting raises the capacitance by a not-insignificant amount, even though it's debatable whether it's audible or not. I personally think it is. But microphonics can be a really pain. Unpotted pickups are cool until you realize the sound of your pick hitting the strings is coming through a lot louder, among other annoying things. Wax potting dramatically helps to reduce this. Though some players might like that effect. I've made many unpotted pickups myself.

[@guitar_md]

@@robertlassiter Check this out: www.magnetexpert.com/technical-advice-for-every-application-magnet-expert-i685/corrosion-resistance-in-permanent-magnets-i684 "A very common coating used for permanent magnets is a triple layer of nickel-copper-nickel, however there are many other suitable options including but not limited to gold, silver, zinc, tin, epoxy, PTFE and various paints and lacquers." "Alnico and ferrite magnets are both known for their resistance to corrosion, although they don’t provide the same level of magnetic performance of rare earth samarium cobalt and neodymium magnets. Some grades of alnico magnets do contain traces of iron and therefore will display some light surface corrosion over time if exposed to water. However, if exposed to other lubricants such as oil, solvents or alcohol, alnico performs very, very well. Traditionally, alnico magnets have been coated in red paint; it is not clear how or why this custom started but it is one still followed today with most alnico magnets instantly recognisable by their trademark red finish. Ferrite magnets, also known as ceramic magnets, are made from iron-oxide and as a result they simply do not corrode even when submerged in water. Because of their unrivaled resistance to corrosion, ferrite magnets are very rarely coated, but as ferrite is a dusty material some applications will require some surface treatment to avoid the dust spreading." ------- It's worth noting that the magnet wire is made of copper, and copper + aluminum (the 'Al' in AlNiCo) together create galvanic corrosion. So this idea that AlNiCo is resistant to corrosion doesn't necessarily apply when wrapping the magnets with copper wire. Even though the copper magnet wire has enamel around it, I think it might still interact with the aluminum in the rods. That, and plain old sweat from people's hands and moisture in the air.

[@angelopacifici1546]

Can you please explain the wicker disk in more detail? I don't see how it works.

[@guitar_md]

From Azonic: Why Use A Wisker Disk? "Over 90% of basic dereeling problems are solved simply by using a wisker disk-regardless of spool size. A wisker disk is a simple and effective solution to most dereeling problems, as it maintains a slight, constant tension at all times, and prevents the wire from waterfalling, ballooning, breaking, and tangling itself and other wires. Our wisker disks work whether the spool is in a horizontal or vertical position, create the pretension necessary when using other tensioning equipment, and provide instant wire control during the quick starts and stops of today's high-end winding." They're nylon whiskers that maintain tension on the wire. The wire can only make it past the whiskers when it hits a certain amount of tension in grams, which will deform the whiskers and allow the wire to pass over it. The best way is just to use one and feel it. The difference in tension is immediately noticeable. One of the biggest advantages is preventing the wire from getting stuck as it dereels off the spool, which can render the entire spool useless.

[@ibanez130]

16:26 Is this process necessary when we use a bar magnet?

[@guitar_md]

Nope! If you're using a bar magnet, you're good to go. Those are fully magnetized, and will magnetize the steel poles. You can actually screw them up if you try to do this (can demagnetize the bar magnet)....don't ask me how I know. I've been meaning to make a humbucker build video. Would love to do that. It would be a great followup to this one. Thanks for the comment!

[@keyvankoohian1309]

Hey Guitar MD Big fan of your tutorials Where I live it's a bit difficult to get the alnico magnets. Can I use the ceramic ones to get the vintage fender 60s tone?

[@guitar_md]

You can use ceramic, but it has to be used with steel poles. It may be possible to get closer to vintage Fender '60s tones by under-winding the pickup. Basically, steel poles increase the inductance, which lowers the resonant frequency, which means you get a darker tone. A typical turn count on a Strat pickup is around 7,500 - 8,000 turns. You might try using 6,700 or 7,000 turns. The pickup will have less output, but it will also be brighter/more sparkly sounding. If Alnico rod magnets are not an option, this is one thing I would try. You can also use neodymium magnets with steel poles. I've used neodymium bar magnets and disc magnets. I don't think it matters much. The main thing is you'll need steel poles for the bar magnet to magnetize. Let me know if you give it a try! And remember, less turns = brighter tone and more turns = darker tone, all other things being equal.

[@keyvankoohian1309]

@@guitar_md Thanks a million. You're a legend ❤

[@piptyson5512]

Very cool. What do you use for shielding? Tape or the paint like StewMac sells?

[@guitar_md]

Thanks! I actually don't use shielding and have no experience with it. But I'd probably opt for copper tape if I did. I have made many noiseless pickups however. Made properly, those can be great. Most noise canceling technology, whether shielding or stacked coils, tends to lose a lot of high end along with the buzz. I've been curious about shielding the actual pickups. DiMarzio has done this. The concept is a bit odd as they say to not connect the copper tape all the way around the coil or it'll remove the high end frequencies. Very odd as I'm not sure how it removes buzz without doing that.

[@TheVoluntariast]

Fascinating. Thank you.

[@jorgecontreras7631]

Alucinante!!! 😀👍

[@ronboff3461]

excellent job sir! imo

[@guitar_md]

Thank you so much! I'm planning another upload of this video as well, but in "ASMR" format....just workshop audio, no talking. Some people enjoy that. Thanks again...made my morning!

[@markgrimm3564]

where did ya purchase the reamer from thanks so much for the info

[@guitar_md]

The exact one I use is here. "Monster" brand, model 500-001012: 3/16 ST FL RHC Reamer: www.ebay.com/itm/144794756840?hash=item21b670a6e8:g:~IIAAOSw4JpjZBbD&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA8Fbc%2F92Aq0s5EtF4CKC22p3mIbRQxH5X2c9dW745Vi%2F%2FZL5B2fnj%2BPkfJEHOZ2E4CA1RJAOrtwOTkPcVIGK3eBXGUVrbd%2FMvmw9a3iZP0RjT7H5VFGkSDPA045SDaBH2FK6QFsrwL%2Fy1G2wQNY0Ak70xX%2Fknfe2%2Fo6H1ubZXlPs8%2F%2Bwxz3ep9Xt2E0dkJmrHgMnsLnJAy%2FMUSkakffxwL0bh18xfIgCaRPxLSdhXGDb8F%2FkoelmTKI0pGDTCi2iDoPQPWLeQNiqZ8cjbul9cT5LotqvUEGTJftShNvmFAMdvWjzdUbu98O52y7I8GcYofg%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABFBMmJL_qOli Anything similar will work, though

[@ShaneKean-s3c]

Can I connect this pickup with my laptop in my DAW with a headphone jack?

[@guitar_md]

I'm not sure a headphone jack will work. For use in a DAW, I personally use a dedicated USB audio interface such as the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2. Then you can use the dedicated jacks (combination XLR or 1/4" -- just plug your 1/4" guitar cable in) to plug in your guitar. I mostly use Reaper (my DAW of choice) these days for playing guitar, with the 2i2 interface. I'm also currently experimenting with low impedance pickups for use with an interface. The cleaner/flatter EQ from low-Z pickups may be favorable for direct-in playing. But more experiments needed. Hope this helps.

[@kennethcoutinho4439]

Awesome

[@angelopacifici1546]

What is the minimum rpm of that pen pal please?

[@guitar_md]

Just measured it, and by my measurement, around 160RPM is the lowest speed.

[@angelopacifici1546]

Thank you kind sir

[@marathongman9281]

Very Good

[@magneticairlab]

Thank you, dude!

[@Spitfireseven]

If my Flying Saucer is not operating properly I'm gonna let you redo the Flux Capacitors. Gotta stifle that gravity!

[@infectionsman]

Master!

[@US_nik-zm3sm]

/Senkuju for yo idea abaut wires natiazhku/

[@HelloChrisable]

I think you a little overboard here, I just wanted know how make A pick up not how to do it for a living 😅