A detailed tutorial on how to wind guitar pickups using household tools. Instead of spending a lot on new pickups, follow this tutorial to make your own for only $8
For anyone wondering, there's a way you can estimate the # of winds while you're building your pickup. Run the drill at whatever speed you plan to use, stick something in the end that, you can count each time it makes a revolution, and count the RPM for 15/30/60 seconds. Now you know that it might do 650 winds per minute. So you run it for about 5 minutes for around 3250 winds. Obviously it's not exact but it's better than not having any idea how many you've done.
This idea works better if you use a corded drill. Because if you use a battery powered drill, the battery voltage sag will reduce the speed of the drill. Your count will be off.
Thanks for the video mate, quality content, I will try you tip of puttin your gloves on to handle the wire. Only one question. Where do you place the original copper coil in order to spin gently and have the right angle? None of the videos I found shows you with detail that part.
the only thing missing that I can think of is how do you know when to stop winding depending on what kind of pickup output you're looking for? There doesn't seem to be any way of counting the turns or knowing what kind of resistance/ impedence you'll end up with when you stop
well if you're meticulous about it, then sure buy a winding machine that counts winds. this video was made for people who want to wind a pickup for fun without spending money or caring too much about the absolute specifics of it. you can use a multimeter to measure a pickup's overall DC resistance if that's something you're looking for; however, pickup output also depends heavily on the type of magnets and amount of magnet used, so in this case even if I had a wind counter, I wouldn't even have any idea how many winds to do
I think he also needs to add that before soldering the wires/leads to the 42AWG wire ends you should use a little acetone to clean the wire's coating off. This would assure a good electrical connection after having gone through all the trouble in the first place. Overall a very cool video.
There's a way you can get an estimate of how many winds there are. Run the drill at whatever speed you plan to use, but before that stick something long in the end that you can count each time it makes a revolution, and count the RPM for 15/30/60 seconds. I say long because the longer it is, the easier it will be to count the revolutions as it turns. You could use a piece of coat hanger with a 90* bend in it so it's following the path of hands on a clock when you spin the drill. Paint the end white and count each time it passes 12 o'clock. The longer it is, the longer it will take to make that entire revolution. So you'll be able to actually count them that way. For example, now you know that it might do about 650 winds per minute. So you run it for about 5 minutes for around 3250 winds. Obviously it's not exact but it's better than not having any idea how many you've done.
it was honestly a lot weaker afterwards than it was stock. It had some nice clarity but really lacked in output. I only did this because the original pickup went dead on me and I wanted to experiment with winding my own pickup before buying a replacement.
@Tolentino Custom Guitars hmmm, I've never winded pu but I've wound coils on tattoo gun and more windings meant more power, their was some debate of wire gauge affecting the pull of the arm as either stronger or faster but either way it was a stronger electro magnet Something with omhs.dunno
It was a nail with a small enough head to fit between the pole pieces. some pickup bobbins have a hole in the very centre, so it goes through there and is held in place by the drill
I did experience some issues with the edge of the bobbin catching and cutting the wire, so I sanded it down to get rid of the plastic line from the mold, which helped a little bit. I think the trick is to just make sure the wire is always going at an angle inwards off the bobbin towards your coil, since an outward angle will cause much more friction. To let the bobbin spin freely, I just had a piece of 2x4 with a hole drilled into it for a pencil for the bobbin to sit on, which allowed it to spin freely and reduce the amount of friction. This footage is also sped up a bit, so the winding did go much slower than it may appear on camera.
A little work with the pentatonic scale may make the pickup sound even better. Also would you consider using thicker guage copper. If so what sizes and why please. Best wishes and thanks
I think thicker gauge copper isn’t used because the electrical resistance is lower, so in addition to already being thicker you would need more, and it would be difficult to fit around a pickup. That’s what I figure anyways.
The Gear Garage If you’re not getting microphonics or feedback, no big deal. I don’t know if you mentioned in the video - how much sound difference did you hear? And that pickup is ceramic?
@@BogoEN The pickup honestly isn't too microphonic, part of which i would contribute to the bass having very muddy pots, cutting most of the high frequencies. As for the overall tone, I'd say it has a lower output but much more clarity than the stock pickup. I actually decided to convert this bass to a 4 string baritone guitar and the pickup works amazing for that purpose
For anyone wondering, there's a way you can estimate the # of winds while you're building your pickup. Run the drill at whatever speed you plan to use, stick something in the end that, you can count each time it makes a revolution, and count the RPM for 15/30/60 seconds.
Now you know that it might do 650 winds per minute. So you run it for about 5 minutes for around 3250 winds. Obviously it's not exact but it's better than not having any idea how many you've done.
This idea works better if you use a corded drill. Because if you use a battery powered drill, the battery voltage sag will reduce the speed of the drill. Your count will be off.
that's so cool! what are you using to connect the pickup component to the drill?
Genious, man! What was the copper wire gauge and how many rounds?
Thanks for the video mate, quality content, I will try you tip of puttin your gloves on to handle the wire.
Only one question. Where do you place the original copper coil in order to spin gently and have the right angle? None of the videos I found shows you with detail that part.
I like it! Nicely done! 👍
I wind electric motors, 26-29 gage is easy to snap just when twisting to solder. 42 is probably thinner than hair...
the only thing missing that I can think of is how do you know when to stop winding depending on what kind of pickup output you're looking for? There doesn't seem to be any way of counting the turns or knowing what kind of resistance/ impedence you'll end up with when you stop
well if you're meticulous about it, then sure buy a winding machine that counts winds. this video was made for people who want to wind a pickup for fun without spending money or caring too much about the absolute specifics of it. you can use a multimeter to measure a pickup's overall DC resistance if that's something you're looking for; however, pickup output also depends heavily on the type of magnets and amount of magnet used, so in this case even if I had a wind counter, I wouldn't even have any idea how many winds to do
I think he also needs to add that before soldering the wires/leads to the 42AWG wire ends you should use a little acetone to clean the wire's coating off. This would assure a good electrical connection after having gone through all the trouble in the first place.
Overall a very cool video.
@@hkguitar1984 sandpaper works too.
There's a way you can get an estimate of how many winds there are.
Run the drill at whatever speed you plan to use, but before that stick something long in the end that you can count each time it makes a revolution, and count the RPM for 15/30/60 seconds. I say long because the longer it is, the easier it will be to count the revolutions as it turns.
You could use a piece of coat hanger with a 90* bend in it so it's following the path of hands on a clock when you spin the drill. Paint the end white and count each time it passes 12 o'clock. The longer it is, the longer it will take to make that entire revolution. So you'll be able to actually count them that way.
For example, now you know that it might do about 650 winds per minute. So you run it for about 5 minutes for around 3250 winds. Obviously it's not exact but it's better than not having any idea how many you've done.
This is a fun idea but was there any before after? Was it hotter? More treble? Thoughts?
it was honestly a lot weaker afterwards than it was stock. It had some nice clarity but really lacked in output. I only did this because the original pickup went dead on me and I wanted to experiment with winding my own pickup before buying a replacement.
@Tolentino Custom Guitars hmmm, I've never winded pu but I've wound coils on tattoo gun and more windings meant more power, their was some debate of wire gauge affecting the pull of the arm as either stronger or faster but either way it was a stronger electro magnet
Something with omhs.dunno
How do you count number of turns?
So where is the pool of wire? Do you have to have it mounted a certain way?
What did you use to attach it to your drill?
It was a nail with a small enough head to fit between the pole pieces. some pickup bobbins have a hole in the very centre, so it goes through there and is held in place by the drill
How do you get the supply coil to unravel smoothly? I can’t keep the wire from rubbing on the circular bobbin edges, risking breakage.
I did experience some issues with the edge of the bobbin catching and cutting the wire, so I sanded it down to get rid of the plastic line from the mold, which helped a little bit. I think the trick is to just make sure the wire is always going at an angle inwards off the bobbin towards your coil, since an outward angle will cause much more friction. To let the bobbin spin freely, I just had a piece of 2x4 with a hole drilled into it for a pencil for the bobbin to sit on, which allowed it to spin freely and reduce the amount of friction. This footage is also sped up a bit, so the winding did go much slower than it may appear on camera.
@@TheGearGarage Thanks very much for the response!
You can also measure the resistance with a multimeter. So if you like the sound, apply some math and there you have it
A little work with the pentatonic scale may make the pickup sound even better. Also would you consider using thicker guage copper. If so what sizes and why please. Best wishes and thanks
I think thicker gauge copper isn’t used because the electrical resistance is lower, so in addition to already being thicker you would need more, and it would be difficult to fit around a pickup. That’s what I figure anyways.
@@joewild55gaming thanks
Did you wax the pickup before installing?
you're supposed to but I didn't cause I don't have the stuff to do that
The Gear Garage If you’re not getting microphonics or feedback, no big deal. I don’t know if you mentioned in the video - how much sound difference did you hear? And that pickup is ceramic?
@@BogoEN The pickup honestly isn't too microphonic, part of which i would contribute to the bass having very muddy pots, cutting most of the high frequencies. As for the overall tone, I'd say it has a lower output but much more clarity than the stock pickup. I actually decided to convert this bass to a 4 string baritone guitar and the pickup works amazing for that purpose
was waiting for 7:42
TL;DR
use a drill