tell me about Super Ferrite pickups...need info...

[XsoGol]

I'm guessing there's enough info out there to make some pretty close copies without needing to destroy a pair of legit pickups.

From the T40 Infosheet thread here on TB:


And Chip Todd himself talking about winding the pickups on the defunct forum:
View attachment 5164065

Now, I don't know anything about building pickups, but I imagine that all one would need beyond this info is to measure the resistant of each coil.

On the talk of T40 construction, everything about them was chonky. Heavy, fat bodies, huge high mass bridge, hefty pickups, solid metal knobs, weighty tuners. My goal with wanting to build a tribute of sorts is to be able to achieve a similar number of tones with one bass, while trimming the fat.

I've looked at ash P bass and G4 bodies from Warmoth, and their showcase lists every body's exact weight. I'd have to route it myself for the T40 pickup locations, but that's not going to be too hard. Paired with a roasted maple neck, some Hipshot tuners, a high mass bridge, and an alternate wiring scheme to be able to access humbucker and single coil modes with full tone control, I think it would end up a super versatile bass. I think it could be build with almost any splittable humbuckers, but it would be super cool to have pickups that look like the originals.

I'm actually thinking of doing a similar build but modifying my '78 T40 body to be lighter and using a Warmoth neck...keep us posted please!

 

[XsoGol]

Is there a preference for either one? Ceramic in coil or Blades? Ceramic in coil with steel spacer is a bit of a odd ball if that's the build. Most ceramic in coil (lane poor , EMG DC ) are just coils with ceramic magnets.. Low wind coils with steel blades and what I'm guessing is a large ceramic magnet is no problem. For the ceramic in coil I'm guessing it is two guitar humbucker size ceramic magnets in coil. If anyone can give me the outside dimensions of the pickup I can guestimate a bit better. The ceramic in coil with steel spacer seems a bit unnecessary. Maybe that's what they switched.

I like the bladed toasters slightly more myself but I may be in the minority...he are measurements of my bladed toaster:

Not sure why it's not allowing me to attach the pickup length pictures (the shorter of the two measurements from the top down) but those are 58.02mm for the pickup ring and 51.38mm for just the chrome cover of the pickup according to my calipers.

 

[Matt Kustom]

Looks like a humbucker from pictures , but it's actually much larger. None of these parts are off the shelf. Everything would have to be custom made. I would need Mounting hole locations , inside of pickup ring measurements so I know what will fit. And would still have to guess on the magnet arrangement since there's no inside info other than turns / wire size for size of bobbin Peavey used (unknown dimensions) . If peavey used one magnet between the two coils it's a Huge magnet . If I had to guess there are 4 magnets in each pickup

 

[XsoGol]

Looks like a humbucker from pictures , but it's actually much larger. None of these parts are off the shelf. Everything would have to be custom made. I would need Mounting hole locations , inside of pickup ring measurements so I know what will fit. And would still have to guess on the magnet arrangement since there's no inside info other than turns / wire size for size of bobbin Peavey used (unknown dimensions) . If peavey used one magnet between the two coils it's a Huge magnet . If I had to guess there are 4 magnets in each pickup

Yup...they are big (super) effing/ferrite humbuckers (SFHs?). How many people out there are looking for pickups like this?

 

[J Posega]

Looks like a humbucker from pictures , but it's actually much larger. None of these parts are off the shelf. Everything would have to be custom made. I would need Mounting hole locations , inside of pickup ring measurements so I know what will fit. And would still have to guess on the magnet arrangement since there's no inside info other than turns / wire size for size of bobbin Peavey used (unknown dimensions) . If peavey used one magnet between the two coils it's a Huge magnet . If I had to guess there are 4 magnets in each pickup

I think close enough is better than exact in this instance. They designed these things to be craftable with 1970s machinery and know how.

There’s probably a sonewhat limited market for replacements since nobody wants to replace them in a T40. More often than not, people take the pickups out of a T40 to transplant in a lighter bass, so there are a decent number of T40 carcasses out there waiting for pickups.

Might be worth considering a group buy and only go into production with enough orders.

 

[Matt Kustom]

After the prototype fee the pickup just becomes a file. Probably a full day / day and a half to design cut , fit , correct the pickup. I will have to design all the parts in CAD , hunt down magnets , cut and nickel plate the blades. Due to custom everything I can't make these cheap. XsoGol paid to have all the work done and donated original SF's to bring everyone the SF recreation pickups. So if the T series is to be redesigned it would be best to have a pickup sent to me to dissect (I won't break it), 2nd would be caliper specs.

 

[J Posega]

After the prototype fee the pickup just becomes a file. Probably a full day / day and a half to design cut , fit , correct the pickup. I will have to design all the parts in CAD , hunt down magnets , cut and nickel plate the blades. Due to custom everything I can't make these cheap. XsoGol paid to have all the work done and donated original SF's to bring everyone the SF recreation pickups. So if the T series is to be redesigned it would be best to have a pickup sent to me to dissect (I won't break it), 2nd would be caliper specs.

That absolutely makes sense. I sold all my T40s a few years back and I had a carcass that needed pickups but never did find any. Used pickups are all but gone off the market now.

The custom bass I asked about 6-string-sized SFs for is almost done now, so I'll be keeping an eye out for whenever you get those covers.

 

[kodiakblair]

If peavey used one magnet between the two coils it's a Huge magnet .

Oh Peavey liked huge magnets.

Look at the monster they used for the old T-20 & 1st Fury single coils.

You might want to read through this old music forum thread, BTW you'll get lots of security threat warnings trying to access it.

https://music-electronics-forum.com...blade-style-pickup-ceramic-magnet-orientation

 

[kodiakblair]

Screen shot from another thread.

 

[Matt Kustom]

[

Screen shot from another thread.

View attachment 5164426

So the T40 is a double SF. Peavey was probably looking to cut costs so cut the T40 in half and called it Super Ferrite. Pickup cost cut by more than half.

 

[Matt Kustom]

Six string EMG in stock. I have 3 sets available until my main order arrives.

 

[XsoGol]

So the T40 is a double SF.

After reading that thread a couple months ago and seeing the coil readings @kodiakblair mentioned for the bladed toaster version, yes, that is exactly what I think a T40 pickup is.

 

[kodiakblair]

[

So the T40 is a double SF. Peavey was probably looking to cut costs so cut the T40 in half and called it Super Ferrite. Pickup cost cut by more than half.

Peavey has always been about cutting costs.

I'd hazard a guess the huge ceramics used for the T-20/Fury single coil were leftover from the T-40 toaster. Then there's the Sarzo, pickups in that were T-40 pickup parts repackaged in new shells.

 

[Matt Kustom]

For the 6 string EMG cover / SF build. Due to EMG screw placement these covers can accommodate 17mm string space.
With the EMG cover and SF design 18.5mm is stretching it like Peavey does on the SF factory pickups.

 

[J Posega]

I'll have to see how the pickups in my bass measure and where the screw holes line up compared to the strings because it's a fanned fret 5 string but with EMG45-sized routs so that the pickups cover the strings properly.

 

[Matt Kustom]

I'll have to see how the pickups in my bass measure and where the screw holes line up compared to the strings because it's a fanned fret 5 string but with EMG45-sized routs so that the pickups cover the strings properly.

I'm shooting for a 94mm blade. There is really no more room than 94 from what I can tell before actually winding.

 

[bigtone23]

FWIW, I prefer the blade T40 pickup over the Toasters. There is more output and a noticeable bump in clarity with the blades.
I have a pair of Toasters loaded into a Foundation body and a Blade in my RB45. Direct comparisons of the soloed neck pickups finalized my preference.

 

[Matt Kustom]

Trying to differentiate these peavey t types. Correct me if I'm wrong but it looks as there are blade humbucker/ low wind 5k range. Blade humbucker/ higher wind in various output. 8.4k - 10k. And the oddball ceramic AND steel blades in coil in the 10k range. The ceramic/steel trying to get that lane poor type tone without a pre amp by using steel to bring up the induction.

 

[Matt Kustom]

For those interested in 6 string Super Ferrite. Covers are in stock along with the magnets. Currently have enough magnets for 12 sets / 25 pickups. These magnets provide the same amount of magnet as factory size peavey SF in a slightly different dimension. These were available without custom order so price on the 6 string will not be expensive.

 

[enormungus]

New Super Ferrite Jazz pickups in my Jaguar bass. As you can see, the pickup locations on this bass is a bit odd and quite different than a standard Jazz bass. I’ve tried multiple sets of pickups and it was hard to get a tone I was happy with, though I landed on Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounders and they worked quite well. I had @Matt Kustom work these up for me and they are excellent! The clarity and punch really bring out the potential of this bass. Another 916 Super Ferrite win!
View attachment 5094481 View attachment 5094482 View attachment 5094483

I know they're in different positions, but how similar would say these sound to the humbucker size SF's in your other bass? Routing a jazz bass for some Peavey SF has been on my want-to-do list for a while but these seem like a better option that'll also support a cool pickup maker.