Jon Bell Posted April 24, 2004 Report Share Posted April 24, 2004 Hi, Although I originally setout to build a custom guitar I've gradually been sidetracked into designing my own pickups (humbuckers specifically). After months of prototypes I've settled on six different designs I like. I've recorded some audio using three of the different models, the links to which are below. Here's a low gain PAF type (neck). 958k http://www.swinesheadpickups.com/demos/lowoutput.mp3 This a medium output alinico 5 job (bridge). 326k http://www.swinesheadpickups.com/demos/backinblack.mp3 And this is a high output ceramic magnet pickup (bridge). 500k http://www.swinesheadpickups.com/demos/eruption.mp3 And another with some rhythm guitars too. 360k http://www.swinesheadpickups.com/demos/highoutput2.mp3 I put the pickups in an old Epiphone Les Paul except for Eruption which was a cheapie Ibanez RG. Cheers, Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbkim Posted April 24, 2004 Report Share Posted April 24, 2004 Oh, they sound pretty cool! I especially liked how the "low gain PAF type" sounded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asm Posted April 24, 2004 Report Share Posted April 24, 2004 wow. that PAF sounds amazing. amazing smooth curve it has, not alot of transients. beautiful and warm yet not to hot. i have got to get more info on this!!!! do you hand or machine wind and how long have you been doing this. inform us? nice stuff! t Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted April 24, 2004 Report Share Posted April 24, 2004 hmm.... you should call them PFA's instead.... "pretty ****ing amazing" hmm... gonna sell any? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spirit Posted April 24, 2004 Report Share Posted April 24, 2004 Those pickups are very cool, especially the PAF (or as krazyderek would have it, the PFA!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Bell Posted April 25, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2004 Thanks for the comments! I've been winding pickups for about a year now but I do have a background in electronics. I spin the bobbins on a machine I designed and I and tension and guide the wire by hand using my own winding pattern. I've sold a few to some local guitarists but I'm hoping to sell them properly by the summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpa Posted April 25, 2004 Report Share Posted April 25, 2004 What kind of resistance have you managed to read off some of your high output pups? Just curious as to what the limits are as far as number of windings, magnet strength and wire thickness. I guess there are a few combinations that give the best results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Bell Posted April 25, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2004 I managed to get about 22k maximum. This produced a very powerful pickup but it was a bit too muddy. Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skibum5545 Posted April 25, 2004 Report Share Posted April 25, 2004 wooowww.... good stuff!! I didn't like the medium output that well (a little muddy) but the other two were amazing!!! When are you going to start making bass pickups? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregP Posted April 25, 2004 Report Share Posted April 25, 2004 The low-gain PAF is, indeed, PFA. I think the name's caught on... quick, market it before someone steals it. I'll have two, please, as a balanced set with nickel covers. Actually, I'm half-serious... but that'll be a few projects away, so I can't make an actual order or even a promise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpa Posted April 25, 2004 Report Share Posted April 25, 2004 Wow, 22Kohm? Thats awesome! You using 1 lb magnets? I'm using the Golden Age overwound 'buckers from Stewmac (12 Kohms) and am happy with the results, as far as the price goes. I'd like to get into winding my own pups one day, but have no clue of where to order the right supplies, ie. magnets, thin gauge wire, etc. As far as "muddiness" goes, can it be cured with the right capacitor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Bell Posted April 25, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2004 As far as "muddiness" goes, can it be cured with the right capacitor? If a pickup is wired directly to a jack socket and it sounds muddy there is no real way of getting it to clear up, different capacitors will just take out more top end. I've found if you bring the volume pot to about half way a muddy pickup starts to clear up but if your going to do that you might as well put in a lower powered pickup in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtis P Posted April 25, 2004 Report Share Posted April 25, 2004 wow, that eruption sounds really slick!!! got any pics of what they look like? or winding them?? anything like that?? Very VERY sweet Ohh, and it should be PFA!!! Curtis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Bell Posted April 26, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2004 (edited) Pictures and details are at my website www.swinesheadpickups.com Jon Edited October 3, 2004 by Jon Bell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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