Difference between 1 or 2 tenths DC resistance on Strat pickups?

[MetalManiac]

I noticed that in one case, the difference between the 55 Stratb pickups and 56 are about two tenths the neck of the '55 pickup being 5.5 DCR , whereas the neck of the 56 being 5.7. I'm pretty sure they were wound the same with same exact materials , yet one winder markets them as different pickups. Is there really going to be a noticeable difference within this range?( the difference between the the 56 and 57 is even closer- 1/10th across the board).

 

[AlexR]

Re: Difference between 1 or 2 tenths DC resistance on Strat pickups?

Once again, DCR is never an indicator of output nor tone.

I have a p90 set from the 50's where the 1k less DCR pickup has way more output - such that it is fitted in the bridge and is the same volume as the higher DCR one in the neck.

And you should already know that wind patterns are key. Which is why the various A2 PAF type pickups that Duncan offers are so different in tone.

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: Difference between 1 or 2 tenths DC resistance on Strat pickups?

Once again, DCR is never an indicator of output nor tone.

I have a p90 set from the 50's where the 1k less DCR pickup has way more output - such that it is fitted in the bridge and is the same volume as the higher DCR one in the neck.

And you should already know that wind patterns are key. Which is why the various A2 PAF type pickups that Duncan offers are so different in tone.

The old Strat pickups were basically all wound the same during those few years I'm talking about. The winder stuck it on the machine, randomly hand scatterwound ( well on a machine guided by hand). There was no studied approach in this method to diffrentiate one year from another.All the same materials were used.

So back to my original question, all things being equal,(which they were for all intents)what would be the difference in those small DCR reaadings?


EDIT- unless possibly there is a difference in wire and magnet s between those years that makes them sound different( which the particular winder I reference makes a big point in claiming there was). Otherwise it would be simply a mere matter of a few more or less turns of the same gauge wire on the exact same bobbins and everythign else.

Of course we all know a big difference between 1955 5.6K DCR plain enamel, and 6.3 1963 Formvar ( if I have the wire types correct) , thats not at all in question.

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: Difference between 1 or 2 tenths DC resistance on Strat pickups?

Once again, DCR is never an indicator of output nor tone.

I have a p90 set from the 50's where the 1k less DCR pickup has way more output - such that it is fitted in the bridge and is the same volume as the higher DCR one in the neck.

And you should already know that wind patterns are key. Which is why the various A2 PAF type pickups that Duncan offers are so different in tone.

I don't mean to minimize this- that is a very interesting point. Both 50's P-90's you own are so different, and why?-the wind made all the differenc?e( assuming all same basic materials ( maybe magnet composition and wire type wasn't exactly the same?). But the wind pattern, well, didn't know it could make such a difference! Then again, wind pattern was random during the 50's, so you couldn't pin one type over another per any specific year in withing a certain time window I think?

Anyway, well, yeah , the wind makes a huge difference; this winder guy I mean, I think has about the best materials, but I think there are guys who know how to do a better hand guided scatterwind for better tone.Supposedly Don Mare has about one of the very best winding techniques so I've heard.Maybe one day I'll have him rewind one of the pickups form this other guys materials.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Difference between 1 or 2 tenths DC resistance on Strat pickups?

Back in the day strat pickups weren't necessarily the same either.
Certainly the wire specs varied even if the nominal gauge was the same, but also the metals had higher degrees of impurity. I'd say that 'all things being equal' would apply to no part of any vintage pickup. The fact that no year difference was intended doesn't change the fact that differences on averagehave been measured as the years change (using Seymour's figures).....such that boutique winders as well as Fender themselves do differentiate. Whether machine adjustment, materials changes or operator induced variance is the cause I haven't found evidence to support.

And if you then start to include modern pickups that try and clone a certain year then all bets are off. This starts to include modern materials and methods compensating for old ones.