What's the generic term for those pups.....

[Zerberus]

Re: What's the generic term for those pups.....

Generic name for any pickup built similarly would be "Humbucker", because the only real difference is the way the Pole setup is "split".

That´s why everybody is saying "Fender Wide Range Humbuckers", because the only step above that is "Humbucker" which is probably more vague than you want....

 

[Thermionik]

Re: What's the generic term for those pups.....

Well now, sorry Empty Pockets for having so many caps for emphasis, my bad.
But my thanks to you all for trying to help - especilly Tele-Bob (awesome knowledge) :cool2:
and Zerberus (the ability to 'put it in a nutshell') :notworthy

And I DO get it - they are called Fender Wide Range Humbuckers.
And I DO also get that the original Seth Lover units from the seventies are waaaay nicer sounding than Fender's more recent versions of them. That is why I asked the question about a generic term for them.....

I played an old Tele (Custom '72 I think it was called, though dated at either '79 or '80 confusingly) which had the Fender Wide Range in the Neck position and it sounded really very, very nice. I also played, at the same time, a MIM Tele which had a pup which looked very similar but sounded really very, very ordinary (just like any 'bucker).

Now no way can my budget run to an original,
so I was looking to see what else I could find with similar characteristics,
but here's the thing.

I did not know what to ask for. :doh:

But now I do. heh heh heh..... :lmao:

Pickups like the Fender Wide Range please, no, not the later Mexican ones, nor the Japanes ones, but the earlier ones with CuNiFe rod pole-pieces and around 6800 turns giving about the 10kohm mark with a resonant peak around 7135Hz, please.

 

[Tele-Bob]

Re: What's the generic term for those pups.....

Well now, sorry Empty Pockets for having so many caps for emphasis, my bad.
But my thanks to you all for trying to help - especilly Tele-Bob (awesome knowledge) :cool2:
and Zerberus (the ability to 'put it in a nutshell') :notworthy

And I DO get it - they are called Fender Wide Range Humbuckers.
And I DO also get that the original Seth Lover units from the seventies are waaaay nicer sounding than Fender's more recent versions of them. That is why I asked the question about a generic term for them.....

I played an old Tele (Custom '72 I think it was called, though dated at either '79 or '80 confusingly) which had the Fender Wide Range in the Neck position and it sounded really very, very nice. I also played, at the same time, a MIM Tele which had a pup which looked very similar but sounded really very, very ordinary (just like any 'bucker).

Now no way can my budget run to an original,
so I was looking to see what else I could find with similar characteristics,
but here's the thing.

I did not know what to ask for. :doh:

But now I do. heh heh heh..... :lmao:

Pickups like the Fender Wide Range please, no, not the later Mexican ones, nor the Japanes ones, but the earlier ones with CuNiFe rod pole-pieces and around 6800 turns giving about the 10kohm mark with a resonant peak around 7135Hz, please.

If you liked the sound clip and would like to get a set of pickups that look identical to the vintage Fender Wide Range Humbuckers for about half the price of the originals, tap me a line. telenator@earthlink.net

There are some very good sounding pickups out there that will do the job for a lot less, but none look like the original or sound like it. Until now!

This a little basement project I started last year and have enough parts left to make about 5 more of these.

 

[Thermionik]

Re: What's the generic term for those pups.....

Tele-Bob - my thanks for the offer, and you are a gentleman too,
but I pulled the trigger already a couple of days back (doh)......

Are you talking about those MIM re-issues you retro-fitted with your own bobbins and alnico v magnets ground round and slotted to look like screw heads, though they do not turn? The ones you posted April '08 on MEF - they sounded interesting. And a lot of work for you too. Surely there must be some takers out there with Teles or whatever.

I did recently try a guitar fitted with a GFS "Vintage Split" - but I think they were just a cosmetics copy, 'cause it didn't sound much different to the MIJ and MIM re-issues (like a stadard 'bucker, with brightness basically). In the end, I pulled the trigger on a pair of Duncan's 59's - 'buckers with a bit of brightness, a real compromise sound-wise and they don't have the look of the Wide Range Humbuckers, but they were a lot cheaper and get me a little of the brightness in a different way! I was aiming for a pair of Wide-Range 'Buckers on my archtop, but these Lover inspired 59's are at least sonically brighter than many standard buckers - I had them on a Sheraton already so I know I can live happily with the sound. Oh for an unrestricted wallet.....

All this chatter has done two things though:
[1] Prevented me from wasting money on MIJ or MIM copies that fall way, way short.
[2] Made me wonder why a pup maker doesn't bring out a good CuNiFe copy of them.
[3] Did I say two..... it also made me realise what a cool bunch of knowledgeable guitar people hang out here. My thanks to you all for your input.

 

[Tele-Bob]

Re: What's the generic term for those pups.....

Tele-Bob -All this chatter has done two things though:

[2] Made me wonder why a pup maker doesn't bring out a good CuNiFe copy of them.

CuNiFe is no longer made. And no one seems interested in manufacturing it again at any cost.

Good luck with your new pickups. They're going to sound great!

 

[Thermionik]

Re: What's the generic term for those pups.....

Now that's weird - as a former medical research lab engineer, I was aware of Fernico and Cunife, having used them as lead-out wires through glass (same coeff. of thermal expansion = no cracking or leaking on heat/cool cycling). I was also aware of it in sea-water projects (it resists corrosion by sea-water extremely well) where the high cost was more than offset by it's longevity.

So I did a little digging - and it is still made today. Example:
CuNiFe fittings made by Parker Hannifin GmbH are approved by Germanischer Lloyd and specified for use in various applications at well-known shipyards.
The Norwegian company Alesund Armatur AS stock CuNiFe 90/10 tubes, elbows, reducers, saddles, flanges and welding socket/ends for plumbing sea-water and other corrosives.

The implication is that sources for blank stock DO exist, and manufacturers of the metal exist too. The supply is theoretically NOT a problem, though the cost is high. Seymour Duncan himself rates it highly because (as you pointed out way back) it is machinable. If only we could put the pup manufacturers on to it.....:naughty:

 

[Tele-Bob]

Re: What's the generic term for those pups.....

Interesting.

I was wrong in stating that it isn't made any more. In my research on the Wide Range Humbucker, I searched for months to find a source for the material in the necessary .220diameter but came up with nothing. I too found that it does actually exist for use in the exact environments you pointed out but could not find anyone who would sell any .220 rod. I did find that some people would make it but the minimum order was prohibitive.

You're right. It does exist. It just may not exist in the correct size for for pickup manufacturing.

One must also be aware that all CuNiFe is not the same. There are different blends. The one required for guitar pickups is 60/20/20.

 

[LtKojak]

Re: What's the generic term for those pups.....

My guess is that they're not popular because of their size. They don't fit a normal HB route, so a non-reversable routing is required to fit your guitar, so... nobody thought it was worthwhile to try.

Those Tele-Bob p'ups are magnificent.

Seth Lover was a genius. He'll be sorely missed.