DCR and cheap-ish meters.

Artie

Artie

Peaveyologist
I've noticed quite a few threads on the DC resistance of pups lately. I'm guessing that most of us don't have lab grade DMM's. The good news is, even inexpensive modern DMM's are fairly accurate, but if you want to be sure, there's an inexpensive way to verify your meters accuracy. Simply buy one really good precision resistor, say 10k, for pickup testing, and use it to check your meter.

You can get a .1% resistor for a couple bucks. (+/- 10 ohms @ 10k.)

https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/vishay-dale/PTF5610K000BZEB/PTF10KDCT-ND/2273733

About $5 will get you into .01% accuracy. (+/- 1 ohm @ 10k)

https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/vishay-dale/PTF5610K000TXEB/PTF10KHCT-ND/2273735

And then, if you want to be real anal, you can go about $20 for a .001% resistor. (Probably overkill for guitar work.)
Anyway, thought I'd throw that out there. Happy metering.

Artie
 
Re: DCR and cheap-ish meters.

I guess that, once you know where your meter sits (reads high/low) then anything you read can be adjusted accordingly.

I think however a 'DCR myth' thread should really be a sticky.......maybe a great post that incorporates not only the typical things that can influence what you read on the meter (for example temperature), then also include the typical differences in ohms/foot that the various wire gauges used in pickups have.
 
Re: DCR and cheap-ish meters.

It would be fun to take a pup out on the back porch, (in our unseasonably low Florida weather), put it into a little toaster oven, with a meter on it, and watch the DCR change as it goes from around freezing up to 80 or so degree's. :scratchch
 
Re: DCR and cheap-ish meters.

About 10 years ago I tested a pickup after putting it outside in -20 weather for an hour and at room temperature and the difference was 1.7K.
 
Re: DCR and cheap-ish meters.

That's what I would expect. However, the significance of that, tonally, is if you play in a bar at -20 or room temperature. :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top