Re: Pushing the boundaries...
Maybe try with different gauges either on the same bobbin, or on different bobbins. Some of the clarity can return with offsets
I have done a 'hybrid' wind for a set pickup. It's quite overwound but, does sound pretty nice, in fact.
As to these, the material is what makes the unknown factor here. I have done identical winds on ONE coil with the same gauge wire but, a different material.
One read 131k, the other read 0.261k both had the same amount of turns on it - I'll get them wired up and see what tonal differences there will be.
As long as the wire conducts, you can use any gauge of any conductive material and you will get sound. Not necessarily a good sound (which is what pickups are all about) but, sound.
It would create a 'grid' of where the best tone per material can be found.
For instance:
The world's favourite - the JB is a 16.6k pickup wound from copper.
Material Ohms per circular mil/ft.
Copper 10.3
Aluminum 15.97
Gold 14.14
Silver 9.56
Platinum 63.82
Titanium 252.00
Tungsten 33.22
If we can apply the mathematics with figures taken from the SD website about the resistance of other materials we get these figures (assuming the same wire gauge):
JB Copper - 16.6k
JB Aluminium - 25.73k
JB Gold - 22.78k
JB Silver - 15.4k
JB Platinum - 102.85k
JB Titanium - 406.14k
JB Tungsten - 53.54k
What any of these (besides copper) would sound like - not a clue.
But, you can get a guesstimate as to the thickness of tone you might get - even if titanium is just like hearing the guitar from three rooms away...