Ever make your own pickup?

Busker · #1 07-09-2009, 10:18 PM

I would like to try. I have the magnets and wire, but I need that fiber material for the top and bottom, plus some tiny brass eyelets for soldering the leads to. Any ideas where I can get these, or a reasonable facsimile I can substitute?

The magnets are out of a Strat pickup, probably a generic Strat pickup. Would those work OK?

I did rewind a pickup once. It worked afterward, so I guess it was a success. My "pickup winding machine" was an old fishing reel that I temporarily attached the pickup bobbin to.

That's why I have the wire, left over from that job.

Thanks

PBass101 · #2 07-09-2009, 10:21 PM

I created my own pickup once; didn't get me laid, though.

Rocky McDougall · #3 07-09-2009, 10:33 PM

Stewart MacDonald has all the parts needed to build your own pickups.
Try stewmac.com

Mr M · #4 07-10-2009, 05:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rocky McDougall

Stewart MacDonald has all the parts needed to build your own pickups.
Try stewmac.com

AFAIK Stewmac only offers pickup winding sets for guitars not bass. I've sent some time ago an e-mail and suggested that they should offer bass pickup sets too, if more people will chime, they can consider it.

SGD Lutherie · #5 07-10-2009, 08:30 AM

Stew-mac doesn't have bass parts... you can get them here though:

GuitarJonesUSA: Bass Pickup Parts

If you want something different, you will have to wither find the parts elsewhere, or make your own.

Also, if you are handy, build your own winder. The Schatten winder is a bit over priced, and I had the motor go bad in mine twice.

Now I'm building my own winder.

And don't buy the magnet wire from Stew-Mac, you can get much better prices on eBay. For what you pay for a half pound at Stew-Mac, you can get about 2.5 pounds of wire.

Stealth · #6 07-10-2009, 09:58 AM

David, would you consider 70 USD for 7.7 lbs of wire a high or low price? I went around town to check on magnet wire prices (42 ga., single-layer enamel) and this is one of the quotes I got.

SGD Lutherie · #7 07-10-2009, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stealth

David, would you consider 70 USD for 7.7 lbs of wire a high or low price? I went around town to check on magnet wire prices (42 ga., single-layer enamel) and this is one of the quotes I got.

That's a good price. I spent almost that much for 5 lbs recently.

Mr M · #8 07-10-2009, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SGD Lutherie

Stew-mac doesn't have bass parts... you can get them here though:

GuitarJonesUSA: Bass Pickup Parts

Wow, thanks for that link, I've been searching those parts for long time and they ship overseas as well. Now I should decide if I'll go with a jazz or p pickup first...
Thanks again

SGD Lutherie · #9 07-10-2009, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr M

Wow, thanks for that link, I've been searching those parts for long time and they ship overseas as well. Now I should decide if I'll go with a jazz or p pickup first...
Thanks again

Here's another one based in Japan:

Montreux

They have minimum orders, but the price is good if you want to buy a dozen sets of parts