1959 Melody Maker pickup dimensions

[SpareRibs]

Hello,
I am trying to recreate one of these pickups but am having a hard time finding information on them. I know they are 7/8ths wide, however I am going to have to make the flat work and all of that. So I was wondering if anyone has any first hand information ? Thank you in advance.

 

[AlexR]

Re: 1959 Melody Maker pickup dimensions

How do you plan on using it.....I mean if you have a pickguard, or a guitar for it to go into then the dimensions will be there.......or if you plan on making/having the guitar made then a pickguard would be high on the list of things to have before you get going
I mean I brought up a bunch of options just using a simple google image search - but MM's come with a few pickup options.

 

[SpareRibs]

Re: 1959 Melody Maker pickup dimensions

Hello,
I am aware there are more than a few options. That is why I specifically stated 1959. The 1959 is distinctly different than the smaller 60's versions, it is not a P90 or humbucker size. I have pulled up the Google searches myself. Having a pick guard with an opening in it is a far cry from having the width, length, and height of the pickup without the cover. I doubt I would be able to wind a specific type of humbucker with just the dimensions of the opening in the pick guard.The descriptions on Google tell you what was in what which years. It also has a lot of pictures with them installed in guitars.
At any rate thank you for your response.

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: 1959 Melody Maker pickup dimensions

If you're talking about the strat looking thing with no exposed polepieces, then you're not gonna be able to find the original dimensions very easy. Try seeing if you can come across and original MM. Or just buy one of these http://customshop.seymourduncan.com/melody-maker-single-coil/

 

[AlexR]

Re: 1959 Melody Maker pickup dimensions

But why do you want/need the 59? I mean its a very specific ask. Is it for a MM clone you are doing and you need the precise parts, or is it another guitar you want to put a MM style pickup in??

Do you have a cover for it, are you planning on making one of these too??? The outside dimension of the pickup minus the thickness of the cover will give you the dimension you want. But this is only a small part of the puzzle. Do you have the coil geometry in mind, the wind pattern, the magnet type, the amount of turns??

 

[SpareRibs]

Re: 1959 Melody Maker pickup dimensions

Hello,
The reason for the specific 59 request is because it uses some type of brass channels on each side of the magnet. In 1960 the pickup was made using nylon bobbins. Reading about this there seems to be a difference in the sound between the two. The magnet is supposed to be a P90 magnet on its side. The coil geometry will be should be the same as the P90. The wind pattern will be scattered, hand guided, the amount of turns will have to be tinkered with because the output will need to come out at between 6-7K ohms.
Several pickup makers put out reproductions using nylon bobbins, one custom pickup maker made one with flat work without a cover. No one has reproduced it using the brass channels, which I am sure for whatever reason it will have some bearing on the sound.
The cover should prove to be irrelevant in the experimental stages as its purpose would to be to protect the winding and used to mount the pickup. The same thing can be accomplished using a plastic base plate, and string wrapping used in Fender pickups.

 

[AlexR]

Re: 1959 Melody Maker pickup dimensions

I just wonder about the specs. You are quite specific about some things, yet it doesn't seem like its going to go in a melody maker guitar. I'm wondering if you could take the general wind properties and just make it somewhat to your own specs - ie not to the mm and just adapt some strat formwork. As it is experimental it might take a few goes to get right, and starting from something easy to get hold of might make these first tries easier.

Anyhow, good luck!

 

[SpareRibs]

Re: 1959 Melody Maker pickup dimensions

Hello,
Thank you for your response and input. To explain my interest in this particular pickup, It was adapted to the 1959 Melody Maker as it was from the steel guitar, Gibson Skylark. The Skylark pickup incorporated what they called metal flanges, with vulcanized paper top and bottom. From 1960 on a nylon bobbin was used, hence the change in size.
So I am curious as to what qualities could be explored winding a pickup using core materials (full length M55 magnet, metal flanges,and 42 SPN wire ).
I answered your question about the cover with the solution of using a Fender technique of wrapping it with string and using a plastic base plate, which would in no way subtract from the pickups characteristics, but would just be for ease of assembly. The plastic cover neither adds or subtracts from the sound, only protects the windings and provides a way to mount the pickup.

 

[AlexR]

Re: 1959 Melody Maker pickup dimensions

Sorry to say I have no way enough knowledge to know specific winding techniques and how they relate to achieving specific tonal goals.

If you can get Zhangbucker to respond he'll have much more to add - he wind some mean pickups, and as a MM style isn't one he does atm so he can probably let a few secrets go. He's also probably a good one to hit up for odd/unusual pickup parts.