Best way to peel away some windings

[adamsapple]

Folks, i just picked up some SSL-2 pickups which both measure about 6.8K dc resistance. This is a little too much for my taste for vintage tone. I was wondering if it was possible to peel away say about 800 ohms of resistance in the wire and what is the best way to do this. I tried this a while ago on a pickup and after removing about 50 winds the wire broke and ruined the pickup. any suggestions appreciated. (i was thinking of blowing some hot air on the wind from a blow dryer to loosenup the wax a little.)

 

[jake_xms3_punk]

Re: Best way to peel away some windings

never tried or even thought about it TBH, why dont you just get different pickups or order under wound ones from the custom shop?

 

[adamsapple]

Re: Best way to peel away some windings

i got these used for a cheap price. going thru the custom shop would be way out of my price range.

 

[Natman]

Re: Best way to peel away some windings

You have to be ready to lose the pickup on the operating table because there is a good chance that something might go wrong and the pickup becomes useless. That wire is EXTREMELY thin and breaks very easily, so be warned! A couple of people have managed to do this however so it's not impossible. Best of luck!

 

[kmcguitars]

Re: Best way to peel away some windings

You have to be ready to lose the pickup on the operating table because there is a good chance that something might go wrong and the pickup becomes useless. That wire is EXTREMELY thin and breaks very easily, so be warned! A couple of people have managed to do this however so it's not impossible. Best of luck!

+1 Very well put. If I was going to attempt this? I would practice on a few junk Asian PuPs 1st, And get a feel for working with the thin wire. Delicate surgery indeed.

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: Best way to peel away some windings

Heat is probably a good idea. Just don't send them back for warranty repair!

Did you try them yet? DCR does not tell the whole story, as I'm sure you already know. The flat magnet stagger deviates from vintage as well, perhaps that 800k you're looking to lose is just as well lost or gained with the pickup height adjustment? I'd wire them in first.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Best way to peel away some windings

Heat is probably a good idea. Just don't send them back for warranty repair!

Did you try them yet? DCR does not tell the whole story, as I'm sure you already know. The flat magnet stagger deviates from vintage as well, perhaps that 800k you're looking to lose is just as well lost or gained with the pickup height adjustment? I'd wire them in first.

YES!

you think 6 k is too hot? seriously? I have pickups 3 times as powerful!

play with the height.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Best way to peel away some windings

+1 on trying your pickups first. Set them a little low compared to your previous pickups.

If you absolutely MUST do this, desolder the "finish" end of the coil from the eyelet and very gently unwrap the free end of the copper wire. On no account attempt to hurry or force the procedure.

After a few hundred turns, cut the copper, leaving at least four inches to work with. Thread the end through the eyelet. Resolder.

Normally, this proceedure is only followed AFTER the coil has broken. (e.g. Lee Dickson repairing Eric Clapton's black Stratocaster.)

 

[hamerfan]

Re: Best way to peel away some windings

+1 on trying your pickups first. Set them a little low compared to your previous pickups.

If you absolutely MUST do this, desolder the "finish" end of the coil from the eyelet and very gently unwrap the free end of the copper wire. On no account attempt to hurry or force the procedure.

After a few hundred turns, cut the copper, leaving at least four inches to work with.

* strip off the lacquer surface of the wire and measure the resistance - then *

Thread the end through the eyelet. Resolder.

Normally, this proceedure is only followed AFTER the coil has broken. (e.g. Lee Dickson repairing Eric Clapton's black Stratocaster.)

see additional text

 

[GoldenVulture]

Re: Best way to peel away some windings

(i was thinking of blowing some hot air on the wind from a blow dryer to loosenup the wax a little.)

Try a hairdryer , on low heat at first.

 

[adamsapple]

Re: Best way to peel away some windings

thx, for the responses. I installed them and they do sound really good. They have a muscular mid quality to them and yet they still have some chime to them. You CANT go wrong with Duncan pickups in my opinion! I'm just used to some old fender single coils from my '79 strat that are like 5.8k and sound real chimey clean. I may or may not try to unwind the duncan's in the future, the jury is still out for me. thx.

 

[trevorus]

Re: Best way to peel away some windings

thx, for the responses. I installed them and they do sound really good. They have a muscular mid quality to them and yet they still have some chime to them. You CANT go wrong with Duncan pickups in my opinion! I'm just used to some old fender single coils from my '79 strat that are like 5.8k and sound real chimey clean. I may or may not try to unwind the duncan's in the future, the jury is still out for me. thx.

I would sell them and buy what you'd actually want.

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Best way to peel away some windings

Your DC resistance will vary up to 1.2k just due to changes in ambient temperature.

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Best way to peel away some windings

Most of the time the wax is too thick to bother with unwrapping, usually results in a break that you'll never find.

 

[ACH91332]

Re: Best way to peel away some windings

Just tap them dont rip them apart you WILL ruin them.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Best way to peel away some windings

dont do it! If you want cooler pickups buy a set more to your taste and maybe sell the ones you dont like.

 

[adamsapple]

Re: Best way to peel away some windings

fyi, i was able to CAREFULLY remove about 10 layers of wire on my SSL-2 pickup and got the resistance down to about 6.02K from 6.8K. the results are pleasing, got the glassyness i was looking for. Im wondering if they use 43 gauge formvar on these cause at 6.8k there was still room to add at least 2k worth of windings too it.