Bought an old seymourizer II, One coil seems dead, Options?

[DSM107]

Guys,
I bought and old Seymourizer II of e-bay to put in another guitar I am building. This pickup matches another I use that I love. When I got it resistance was very high like 250Kohms instead of around 12K. I removed the fabric tape and checked each coil. The slug reads 6.2K and the screw coil seems to be the culprit at 250Kohms. The pickup is in good shape and can't see anywhere where the coil turns are going to ground both leads coming off the coil are in good shape still the coil reads very high.

What are my options at this point?

Is it a dead pickup and chalk it up to an old coil?

Have it rewound at the custom shop which at that point it is no longer vintage?

I am pretty disappointed the e-bay seller stated excellent but did not disclose actuall Ohm reading of the pickup. My fault I guess for not asking or the seller really didn't know. I didn't think it would be a problem. Some guys aren't techs.

Thanks!

 

[Artie]

Re: Bought an old seymourizer II, One coil seems dead, Options?

IMHO - The old Seymourizer II is just a Duncan Distortion. Buy a new one rather than spending the money to have that one rewound. On the bright side, (pun intended), the coil thats left over makes a great single-coil. Or better yet, potential hybrid fodder.

Artie

Edit: It also occured to me, since it is a Distortion, they wouldn't have to rewind it per se. They may just attach a new coil for not too much. You'll just need to ask them.

 

[DSM107]

Re: Bought an old seymourizer II, One coil seems dead, Options?

The thing about it is I love these pickups in the bridge position. They were originally neck pu with the 12K resistance versus the disortion bridge at around 16 or 17K. But I by accident installed one in my bridge years ago and it has become my signature tone. Nice cruncy meaty midrange without too much output like a JB.

I thought that might me the case. I am not sure if the bobbin thickness would be the same as today's manufacturing specs.

This one has a very thick magnet versus todays and wood shims under the bobbins. I may e-mail seymours customer service.

Bummer I wanted to have another of these around from the same era.
Thanks,
Mark

 

[Artie]

Re: Bought an old seymourizer II, One coil seems dead, Options?

Hey Mark; I also have a Distortion neck. It measures around 12k, has the thick magnet, and wood shims. Thats why I suspect its the same. Maybe not. Hopefully someone who knows for sure will chime in.

 

[Marcel]

Re: Bought an old seymourizer II, One coil seems dead, Options?

Why not get a Distortion neck?

 

[Artie]

Re: Bought an old seymourizer II, One coil seems dead, Options?

I just realized, mine might be the old "Seymourizer II" also. I know its old, and it has the "SEYJ" sticker on the bottom. (Seymourizer, wound by MJ.)

 

[Aceman]

Re: Bought an old seymourizer II, One coil seems dead, Options?

I'm with Artie. Say you custom wired it as a single coil, because you wanted it that way and the proximity of the other coil reduces the hum about 60%

 

[DSM107]

Re: Bought an old seymourizer II, One coil seems dead, Options?

Artie,
SEYJ is a seymourizer II, I have another one like that in another guitar but some bone head painted one of the coils Tan to make it a zebra. I know alot of guys pushed the 10K pickup but they should try one of these in the bridge position the lower mids and low E are very focused and tight versus my JB with the A-5 magnet. I tried to like the Screamin Demon but just too litle output at 10K. The seymourizer on the other hand is just about perfect output range versus the 14k of the C/C which is too compressed sounding with the A-2 magnet. I've had my original pickup for years probably since 1985 and always got compliments on my tone.:scared:

I could swap the black coil off a newer sh-6n that I have with the tan slug coil.

 

[Artie]

Re: Bought an old seymourizer II, One coil seems dead, Options?

I thought so, but wasn't sure. This pickup is one of the reasons I didn't jump on the "Brobucker" wagon. I love this thing, especially split. Right now I'm trying an A5 mag in it. Its "ok" but lost a bit of its original character. I'm going to put the ceramic back in it. Maybe I'll stick it back in the bridge to try that out. Sounds intrigueing.

 

[DSM107]

Re: Bought an old seymourizer II, One coil seems dead, Options?

Artie,
Give it a try. The pickup is very tight and artciulate without to over the top ouput of the JB. Very George Lynch or EVH to my ears. Don't get me wrong I love the JB but the 12K output with the mid crispness of the ceramic magnet really put this pickup in a class by itself. It isn't as sterile as you might think with the ceramic magnet, it actually is just very articulate. If you think somethimes the a-5 bass response is too much like I did in the C/C then you may like sh-6n in the bridge. For me 12K is just about a perfect balance for ouput to drive the front end of the amp enough without too much and not get buzzsaw sounding. That is what I felt when I tried a modern sh-6 bridge model. It had no soul, the newer neck model I have sounds damn close my original Seymourizer II. And that is in an all maple Kramer, My original is in an all basswood bodied Kramer both from 1983-1984.

Give it a try tell me what you think.

If the bobbins thickness match up to the newer one I have I may transplant the good coil to the seymourizer or viceversa rather than have seymour rewind the one coil. It is still an option though.

 

[DSM107]

Re: Bought an old seymourizer II, One coil seems dead, Options?

So i take that once a coil goes dead like this is off to pickup heaven huh aside from getting it rewound?

Hybrid maybe with a JB?

 

[theodie]

Re: Bought an old seymourizer II, One coil seems dead, Options?

Hmm...I have always wanted to try a DDN in the bridge!!!