Unmatched Humbucker Coils and Different AWG's - How Far Can I Go???

Inspector #20

Inspector #20

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I have a bunch of dead pickups. I found some polished A5's in my stash.

I have a 14k (13.99 exactly) humbucker and a 16k (15.94 exactly) humbucker, each has a shorted coil. We can assume the 14k has 7k bobbins and the 16 likely has 8k bobbins.

I thought that I could combine the two functioning coils (a 7.97k and a 6.99k) to create a 14.96k humbucker with an A5 magnet.

This is almost identical to a Gibson 498T in terms of total impedance and magnet type.

Thoughts???
 
From zhangbucker.com site:

"One part of my recipe is coil mismatching (winding one coil with significantly more turns of wire than the other), which helps by releasing some of those high frequencies back into the signal chain, and without a noticeable increase in noise. My bridge humbuckers (aka Slugbuckers) are all wound with a stronger slug coil for more midrange grunt while my necks (Woodbuckers) are always wound with the screw coil stronger for a more bell-like tone..."
 
Ok,

Here is what I have on the bench:

(1) Slug Coil from a Gibson 500T Measuring 8.03k

(1) Screw Coil from a Seymour Duncan SH5 Measuring 6.90k (Update: had a stripped pole in the SH5, so a coil from a Gibson 498T was used measuring 8.08k)

Connected they give me around 15k ohms

What magnet should I use with these coils????
 
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Testing polarity...

Here you can see the THICK ceramic magnet in the middle. The 500T has two additional "helper magnets" that take the place of the spacers.

20210119_205556.jpg

Wrapping coils...

20210119_210840.jpg
 
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I have no idea what I have created, but here are the specs:

16.35k Ohms - Unbalanced 43AWG Coils (built from two discarded Gibson pickups)

Brass Baseplate to dampen high frequencies

Long, Polished AlNico IV Magnet - North To Screws - 180 Degrees Out-Of-Phase in #2 Switch Position Only

All connections soldered and shrink wrapped.

Slugs adjusted to same height as screw poles

I began to wonder if there are any commercially made pickups that have similar specs??? I found the Seymour Duncan JB - SH4 is a close relative. The Seymour Duncan Website lists it as having 16.6k with A5 magnet.

It's also close to a Bare Knuckles 'Holy Diver' featuring A5 magnet at 15.9k ohms.

To be honest, I am totally afraid to try it....in case it doesn't work and I waste another set of strings...


20210120_002921.jpg
 
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So now the question is....which would be better???

8.0k ohm, scatter wound, nickel silver baseplate, long, polished A4 magnet

or...

16.3k ohm, unbalanced coils, brass baseplate, long, polished A4 magnet

At some point, I will have to take my guitar apart and try them.

I did hook both of them up to my amplifier fir testing and they are both quiet....so I guess I got everything right!!!

So, knowing that our YellowStrat seems to be a tad on the bright side (on the bridge) which of these makes the most sense from that standpoint???

Sorry for all the questions, but I honestly have no idea what I am doing...
 
Ok...

Putting it in this morning...

20210120_074443.jpg


Not happy with the spacing at the bridge, but this could be due to how the pickup sits in this unknown origin, HSS pickguard.

Both bobbins appear to have 52mm spacing. The string spacing measures 52.5mm, or standard import spacing.

The Dirty Fingers I was using was a 'neck' model with 50mm spacing and lined up much better with the strings at the bridge. My 8.0k Artec Classic Standard Bridge is also 50mm spacing.

20210120_085243.jpg

Here's some noodling on the bridge pickup through my Blackstar.

First phrase is clean channel.

Second phrase is tone control turned to '5'

Third Phrase (Journey) is is moderate gain.

Fourth Phrase (Boston) Is moderate gain (no changes)

Final phrase (Dio) is high gain...


Dropbox - Error - Simplify your life

www.dropbox.com www.dropbox.com
 
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Robert Herndon said:
I have a bunch of dead pickups. I found some polished A5's in my stash.

I have a 14k (13.99 exactly) humbucker and a 16k (15.94 exactly) humbucker, each has a shorted coil. We can assume the 14k has 7k bobbins and the 16 likely has 8k bobbins.

I thought that I could combine the two functioning coils (a 7.97k and a 6.99k) to create a 14.96k humbucker with an A5 magnet.

This is almost identical to a Gibson 498T in terms of total impedance and magnet type.

Thoughts???
Click to expand...
When it's un-equal it will hum.
The 2 coils need to be pretty closely matched, in series, and one coil reversed from the other....
However you can subtract windings from a coil if you are brave enough.
UN-equal coils will have better highs but more noise.
Also the inside of the guitar should be shielded.........................
 
I'm thinking a rail of some sort, like the X2N, or a 22 pole Carvin would be a better choice to maintain string volume during bends..
 
Amp Mad Scientist said:
When it's un-equal it will hum.
The 2 coils need to be pretty closely matched, in series, and one coil reversed from the other....
However you can subtract windings from a coil if you are brave enough.
UN-equal coils will have better highs but more noise.
Also the inside of the guitar should be shielded.........................
Click to expand...

Zero noise...

20210108_113258.jpg
 
Robert Herndon said:
Here's some noodling on the bridge pickup through my Blackstar.

First phrase is clean channel.

Second phrase is tone control turned to '5'

Third Phrase (Journey) is is moderate gain.

Fourth Phrase (Boston) Is moderate gain (no changes)

Final phrase (Dio) is high gain...


Dropbox - Error - Simplify your life

www.dropbox.com www.dropbox.com
Click to expand...
If I get past your good playing skills, I'm hearing a tone that is being choked a bit. Unless that is what your going for because you're trying to balance the mix with other guitar players in the band.

Robert Herndon said:
From zhangbucker.com site:

"One part of my recipe is coil mismatching (winding one coil with significantly more turns of wire than the other), which helps by releasing some of those high frequencies back into the signal chain, and without a noticeable increase in noise. My bridge humbuckers (aka Slugbuckers) are all wound with a stronger slug coil for more midrange grunt while my necks (Woodbuckers) are always wound with the screw coil stronger for a more bell-like tone..."
Click to expand...
My old '71 SG Standard is an inherently wooly sounding guitar. I went through a few different pickups before I found the ones that I really love for this guitar. They are made by Fralin and feature mismatched coils, Alnico IV magnets, and are also unpotted. IMO, they are very very slightly noisier than a humbucker with matched coils. With a lot of gain, these are fat and juicy.
 
syscokid said:
If I get past your good playing skills, I'm hearing a tone that is being choked a bit. Unless that is what your going for because you're trying to balance the mix with other guitar players in the band.


My old '71 SG Standard is an inherently wooly sounding guitar. I went through a few different pickups before I found the ones that I really love for this guitar. They are made by Fralin and feature mismatched coils, Alnico IV magnets, and are also unpotted. IMO, they are very very slightly noisier than a humbucker with matched coils. With a lot of gain, these are fat and juicy.
Click to expand...

Ya, I was bummed...I don't think im quite there where I want to be yet.

*sigh*

You mention the unpotted Fralin's...I have a Milestone Series Artec PAF that is 8k, A4 and unpotted, but I'm not sure I could use it at the volume levels I play at.
 
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