Pickup winding machines?
- Thread starter walters
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Re: Pickup winding machines?
Fender winding machines:
using a machine to turn the pickup bobbin, while a worker would guide the wire onto the turning bobbin. In 1965, Fender changed to "machine winding", as it is a completely automated process. Machine winding takes away much of the character of the pickup. A lot of the sound of old Fender pickups is due to the random layering and variable winding tension of the wire, which effects the tone. With machine winding, this is all very sterile and consistent. If you see the chart below, notice how consistent the Strat pickup specs get when machine wound (after 1964). Not much variance from year to year with machine winding.
Fender winding machines:
using a machine to turn the pickup bobbin, while a worker would guide the wire onto the turning bobbin. In 1965, Fender changed to "machine winding", as it is a completely automated process. Machine winding takes away much of the character of the pickup. A lot of the sound of old Fender pickups is due to the random layering and variable winding tension of the wire, which effects the tone. With machine winding, this is all very sterile and consistent. If you see the chart below, notice how consistent the Strat pickup specs get when machine wound (after 1964). Not much variance from year to year with machine winding.
Rev Donzo
Mad Tone Scientist
Re: Pickup winding machines?
I asked how to do it here in a custom/production made pickup user's guitar players forum.
Same how I learned to work on cars and rebuild motors -- I got a job at a Car Wash and they had all the knowledge on every little piece of the car that they washed..
I'm being a smart butt---
Buy a Shattner winder $369.00 and get 2 pounds of wire 42 awg -- cut the wire off of some old pups and get busy-- thats all there is to it-- the rest is trial and error -- or someones elses hard earned trade secrets--
Theres no meat left on the bone to feed off of--
lots of winders and no customers--
some good guys are struggling to make ends meet--
Theres only room at the top--
if your just another guy with a winder and no special secret sauce--
then your going to have to keep your day job..
I asked how to do it here in a custom/production made pickup user's guitar players forum.
Same how I learned to work on cars and rebuild motors -- I got a job at a Car Wash and they had all the knowledge on every little piece of the car that they washed..
I'm being a smart butt---
Buy a Shattner winder $369.00 and get 2 pounds of wire 42 awg -- cut the wire off of some old pups and get busy-- thats all there is to it-- the rest is trial and error -- or someones elses hard earned trade secrets--
Theres no meat left on the bone to feed off of--
lots of winders and no customers--
some good guys are struggling to make ends meet--
Theres only room at the top--
if your just another guy with a winder and no special secret sauce--
then your going to have to keep your day job..
Rev Donzo
Mad Tone Scientist
Re: Pickup winding machines?
Shattner winder $369.00
Can i do hand winding with a Shattner winder?-----YES
Why do u like the shattner winder?-----IT HAS A CLUTCH LIKE RUBBER DRIVE BELT --THAT SLIPS--AND IT'S NEVER BROKE THE WIRE OUT OF MY GRIP
Did fender use the shattner winders?---hOME MADE WINDERS WITH FORGIVING DRIVE BELTS TO PREVENT SNAPING THE WIRE (tHE BELT WILL INTENTIONALLY SLIP)
Shattner winder $369.00
Can i do hand winding with a Shattner winder?-----YES
Why do u like the shattner winder?-----IT HAS A CLUTCH LIKE RUBBER DRIVE BELT --THAT SLIPS--AND IT'S NEVER BROKE THE WIRE OUT OF MY GRIP
Did fender use the shattner winders?---hOME MADE WINDERS WITH FORGIVING DRIVE BELTS TO PREVENT SNAPING THE WIRE (tHE BELT WILL INTENTIONALLY SLIP)
Rev Donzo
Mad Tone Scientist
Re: Pickup winding machines?
LET ME TELL YA HAND WINDING PICKUPS IS NOT FUN-- IT TAKES YOUR FULL ATTENTION FOR UP TO 20 MINIUTS EACH-- YOU CANNOT ANSWER OTHER EMPLOYEES or visiting friends QUESTIONS WHILE WINDING BUY HAND -- or the phone --
If ya want to spend long hours 8-to-16 hours a day in the above mentioned condition -- trying to make ends meet--
Then buy a winder and quit your day job--and learn some special trade secrets fast!
If that sounds like solitary confinement at San Quintan too ya -- ( It does me!)
then you can always --Play that guitar and make CDS and travel--
I got a winder so I could further my quest to mimic Roy Buchanans pickups, I posted some shots on my web site and made it look like I'm a rewinder -- to try to earn money to pay for my R&D -- I'm still in the hole -- But I did figure Roy Buchanans 1953 Bridge pickup that he had in his Tele he nicked named "Nancy" -- that alone is priceless!! because nobody really turlly honestly had "Nancys" sound -- there all FULL OF BEESWAX-- theres 2-3 Guys claiming they have it -- and one listen to Roy Secound Album and two notes from their BS Roy Buchanan pickups is all ya need to know it's a **** and bull story!
Even Seymour once said he never ever was able to find another Tele that would sound -- like Roy's Nancys -- Ya know why? Nancys bridge was not in-spec-- maybe even rewound by someone who knew nothing about rewinding pickups -- yet in lots of peoples opinions that pickup sounded better then any other Teles to this day -- so Moral of the story is get a winder and go-- cause what ya don't know may be just what creates the most beautiful tone the world has ever known..
LET ME TELL YA HAND WINDING PICKUPS IS NOT FUN-- IT TAKES YOUR FULL ATTENTION FOR UP TO 20 MINIUTS EACH-- YOU CANNOT ANSWER OTHER EMPLOYEES or visiting friends QUESTIONS WHILE WINDING BUY HAND -- or the phone --
If ya want to spend long hours 8-to-16 hours a day in the above mentioned condition -- trying to make ends meet--
Then buy a winder and quit your day job--and learn some special trade secrets fast!
If that sounds like solitary confinement at San Quintan too ya -- ( It does me!)
then you can always --Play that guitar and make CDS and travel--
I got a winder so I could further my quest to mimic Roy Buchanans pickups, I posted some shots on my web site and made it look like I'm a rewinder -- to try to earn money to pay for my R&D -- I'm still in the hole -- But I did figure Roy Buchanans 1953 Bridge pickup that he had in his Tele he nicked named "Nancy" -- that alone is priceless!! because nobody really turlly honestly had "Nancys" sound -- there all FULL OF BEESWAX-- theres 2-3 Guys claiming they have it -- and one listen to Roy Secound Album and two notes from their BS Roy Buchanan pickups is all ya need to know it's a **** and bull story!
Even Seymour once said he never ever was able to find another Tele that would sound -- like Roy's Nancys -- Ya know why? Nancys bridge was not in-spec-- maybe even rewound by someone who knew nothing about rewinding pickups -- yet in lots of peoples opinions that pickup sounded better then any other Teles to this day -- so Moral of the story is get a winder and go-- cause what ya don't know may be just what creates the most beautiful tone the world has ever known..
Gibsononly
New member
Re: Pickup winding machines?
It's Schatten pickup winder not Shattner. You can get it from Stewart MacDonald, along with the wire and all the parts you need. It's a good place for a novice winder to start.
Once you get the machine it is pretty self explanatory how to use it. Stew-Mac has some great free info on their site as well. Also try to find Jason Lollar's book and Guitar Electronics for Musicians. These two books sort of prop each other up.
It's Schatten pickup winder not Shattner. You can get it from Stewart MacDonald, along with the wire and all the parts you need. It's a good place for a novice winder to start.
Once you get the machine it is pretty self explanatory how to use it. Stew-Mac has some great free info on their site as well. Also try to find Jason Lollar's book and Guitar Electronics for Musicians. These two books sort of prop each other up.
Rev Donzo
Mad Tone Scientist
Re: Pickup winding machines?
stay inside the bobbins -- dont pinch the wire to tightly -- it will stop the machine -- and it may cause shorts in the coil --
the winder has two face plates-- one is for winding RW/RP
Pickup winding usually requires the bobbin to spin and draw hair-fine coil wire about it. Alternatively, a feed system could be contrived to wrap the wire about the stationary bobbin, thereby replicating the motion of winding entirely by hand. However, the former method is more common where the bobbin is rotated by a machine which is linked to a 'turns' counting device. During such winding operations, the wire is drawn under controlled tension exerted by hand, or a machine tensioner. For those looking for a 'step by step' handbook to create such a machine, Jason Lollar's Book, 'Basic Pickup Winding' (see update notice below) will prove informative. This web site offers other suggestions for those with some engineering skills and a little inventiveness.
Update: April, 05. Jason's book is no longer published and therefor unavailable, but his web site does offer other information.
stay inside the bobbins -- dont pinch the wire to tightly -- it will stop the machine -- and it may cause shorts in the coil --
the winder has two face plates-- one is for winding RW/RP
Pickup winding usually requires the bobbin to spin and draw hair-fine coil wire about it. Alternatively, a feed system could be contrived to wrap the wire about the stationary bobbin, thereby replicating the motion of winding entirely by hand. However, the former method is more common where the bobbin is rotated by a machine which is linked to a 'turns' counting device. During such winding operations, the wire is drawn under controlled tension exerted by hand, or a machine tensioner. For those looking for a 'step by step' handbook to create such a machine, Jason Lollar's Book, 'Basic Pickup Winding' (see update notice below) will prove informative. This web site offers other suggestions for those with some engineering skills and a little inventiveness.
Update: April, 05. Jason's book is no longer published and therefor unavailable, but his web site does offer other information.
However, if you are a beginner with limited skills and equipment, you might take a look at my 'Woodshop Winder' project in the Autumn (Fall) 2000 Stewart MacDonald Guitar Shop Supply catalog. This winder is a simple, DC powered, rechargeable, reversible, low tech, low production machine which is well suited to constructors as a 'starting out' project.
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