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Dark Star Specs

LGT

LGT

Feb 9, 2010
423
43
Durham, North Carolina
#1
I wanted to start this thread to see if we could pool together information about the workings of dark stars. Impedance, coil shape, wire gauge, and any other aspect of their construction.

This could just be a resource for people making pickups, people looking for pickups with similar aspects, and so on.

I hope you guys don't think that this is completely stupid. :rolleyes:
 
#5
I looked into these a few years ago and saw a post where Fred said they were about 6.5K of 43. That's good enough for me. I also read that when he was researching he found three variations of the Hagstrom Bi-sonics; lots of wire with weaker magnets, less wire with stronger magnets, and something between those. IIRC the DS's are modeled after the strong magnet/less wire version.

These pickups have a complicated construction which would make accurate duplication unlikely just using magnets and wire.

Do you know the size of the hole in the coil (the size of whatever the wire's wound around)?
 
#8
It's a coincidence that you started this thread; last week I was thinking about making something with four A5 rods (1/4" x 3/4") with a short 43 coil in an attempt to lean in the DS direction for a neck pickup on my P-bass. I know it would probably be way off base, but I figure it's as close as I can get with what I have.

I'd found another article on the net about DS/Bi-sonics and the guy was talking about the plates (or whatever they're called) used with the magnets, how that assembly was a crucial component to the sound. Sort of like the "plates" used in transformers. I've deleted it, but you might find it if you google.

The hole in the coil might be larger than the pole pieces to prevent direct contact. I'm just going to wrap mine aroung the 1/4" rods because it'll be easier and the surrounds limit the amount of space. I know it won't be a DS, but I'm still curious as to how it would sound, and those magnets have been resting long enough. If it sounds good I'll make a RW/RP for the middle (I have eight of those magnets).
 
#9
Cool! One thing that you could do is wrap electrical tape around the poles. let me know how it turns out! It looks like the bobbin is actually molded out of the same piece of plastic as the front of the pickup, so the "hole" might be a little more than the 6mm.

Also, do you know where in the pickup the "plates" are? In between the pole piece adjustment plates and the magnets?

Are the pole pieces alnico rod magnets, or unmagnetized (spelling?) steel rods?

@BassicJohn, That was a total non sequiter. ;)
 

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