How to make a pickup!

Where do you wish to start? I began by doing a search on YouTube for pickup winding. From there a little web searching for the materials. I am traditionalist as I use standard materials such as forbon, others use wood, mica or all sorts of found materials. The basics are a magnet (s) and bobbin which can be pretty simple to fabricate. Here is a simple tele type single coil with alnico rod magnets.

You simply cut, drill and use a little gel super glue to assemble. I like to use a little spray lacquer to coat the magnets to prevent any sort of shorting after I assemble the bobbin. Once it is at this point it is just a matter of spinning wire onto it. As Dave pointed out there is a free info area on Stew-Mac's web site that shows a page of how to turn a drill into a winder. A simple hardware store mandril, a piece of wood attached and some foam double sided tape to hold it in place. The details also show using bar clamps to hold the drill down. If you decide you like doing these, most graduate to converting a old sewing machine into a winder. Probably the most difficult part is the soldering of leads to the delicate and fragile wires. I use some 800 grit emery paper and sand the enamel off the wire. Some wire the coating is designed to melt off but I never had much success with that. In the picture you see a couple of soldering ferules. I have a setting tool but you can also use copper foil to solder both the lead and wire to. I use this method on my thin pickup design.

This pickup is a single ceramic bar magnet sandwiched between some thin insulation fiche paper. After I solder, I epoxy the ends to the paper. Both of these styles are with in reach of anyone handy enough to make a guitar out of a box. You'll get into question of how many winds and how do I know how much to wind it. Does it matter? Not at this point. I made my first pickup and was first amazed that it worked but then was more amazed that it sounded really pretty good. I have a few new designs I am working on this winter, so you could say, I've caught the bug.

Good luck.

Don

Replies

Edmund January 14, 2013 at 3:53am

Hi Don, thank you for the detailed reply, much appreciated. I will check out the website and start preparing soon. I may be back for a few more tips!

Thanks again,

Ed
Don Goguen January 13, 2013 at 9:34pm

Where do you wish to start? I began by doing a search on YouTube for pickup winding. From there a little web searching for the materials. I am traditionalist as I use standard materials such as forbon, others use wood, mica or all sorts of found materials. The basics are a magnet (s) and bobbin which can be pretty simple to fabricate. Here is a simple tele type single coil with alnico rod magnets.

You simply cut, drill and use a little gel super glue to assemble. I like to use a little spray lacquer to coat the magnets to prevent any sort of shorting after I assemble the bobbin. Once it is at this point it is just a matter of spinning wire onto it. As Dave pointed out there is a free info area on Stew-Mac's web site that shows a page of how to turn a drill into a winder. A simple hardware store mandril, a piece of wood attached and some foam double sided tape to hold it in place. The details also show using bar clamps to hold the drill down. If you decide you like doing these, most graduate to converting a old sewing machine into a winder. Probably the most difficult part is the soldering of leads to the delicate and fragile wires. I use some 800 grit emery paper and sand the enamel off the wire. Some wire the coating is designed to melt off but I never had much success with that. In the picture you see a couple of soldering ferules. I have a setting tool but you can also use copper foil to solder both the lead and wire to. I use this method on my thin pickup design.

This pickup is a single ceramic bar magnet sandwiched between some thin insulation fiche paper. After I solder, I epoxy the ends to the paper. Both of these styles are with in reach of anyone handy enough to make a guitar out of a box. You'll get into question of how many winds and how do I know how much to wind it. Does it matter? Not at this point. I made my first pickup and was first amazed that it worked but then was more amazed that it sounded really pretty good. I have a few new designs I am working on this winter, so you could say, I've caught the bug.

Good luck.

Don
the anonymous pick January 13, 2013 at 5:57pm

then there's this .. i have also used an electric razor .
- the anonymous pick > the anonymous pick January 13, 2013 at 5:59pm
  
  my razor guit .
  
  Find more videos like this on Cigar Box Nation
Edmund January 13, 2013 at 5:52pm

Thank you very much, I'm sure this question is asked all the time, I will check it out, Ta.
Dave Hartman January 13, 2013 at 5:48pm

Check out the StewMac website. I saw a pretty detailed set of instructions for making simple pick-ups.

It was in their "free information" section somewhere. Sorry, I cannot give you a specific link right now.
Edmund January 13, 2013 at 5:40pm

Hello, sorry, magnetic....
Clock The Wolf January 13, 2013 at 5:32pm

What kind of pickup? Magnetic? Piezo?

This reply was deleted.