My big thing is now that I am trying to make a guitar pick up out if just random stuff you can find around the house or at your local hardware store. So for I have been sucsesfull with some magnets and phone wire, but nothing great. I get a noise from the amp, But I have to use my distortation pedal to even hear it and there is no crunch, just clean sound.
So, I am guessing, and correct me if I am wrong, please, but the stronger the magnet the better and the more wrapps, I have not wrapped much wire around these things, but I am moving in the rigtht direction I think.
But here is my quistion, I see on a lot of cbg's that the pickups just look like round fridge magnests, and nothing more. Am I wrong on this or amd I missing something. Anyhow, I have some earth magnets out in the garage glued up and drying right now for tomorrow. Some day soon I will get the sound that I want. Heck, about 6 months ago I was using un coated wire.....I have gone leapes and bounds since then.
Also, what does anyone know about active pickups....they kinda sound like a electro magnetic thing....if I could get hooked up with that info...that would be great. Any advice would be great, and I know that the mention of small gauge wireing will come up, and I know, that should be used, but I am going the MaCgyver road here and just trying to use what I can find....I want to be able to walk into a store and buy the things I need to acomplish a good sound on the cheap....I think it is a acheivable goal....wish me luck and any help would be great....thanks.
You need to be a member of Cigar Box Nation to add comments!
Hi Skeesix,
As I have been going around getting parts for my winder machine I have seen many relay type coils, they look like sewing thread bobins wound with copper wire.
The military surplus stores here in San Diego has at least several pounds of them. I think they sell them by the pound. If you are intrested in them let me know.
regards
Bob
Astrochimp said:
Old washing machine is one- use the coil from the water input.
Skeesix said:
Where would you get old relay switches from? Are there any particular appliances where they could be found?
Well, I had a break through today on the pickup building. I was reading some stuff on the internet about transformers that are used in electric apliences....so I had one siting in the garage, took it apart, got out the copper coil, added a bolt and magnet and tried it out. It worked! Not great, but better than my past attemps of wrapping. Anyhow....I had a old dc converter in the garqge, took it apart, added a magnet and it worked! better than the first....so now, 6 of the strong small magnets I have fit real nice and neat stacked in stacks of three in the middle...I have added some tape and a jack and so far, I am Impressed....I have found that it has to be really close to the string, or it's not that great...but this is the first of all of my tests of "Junkt pick ups" I get any kind of a dirty sound out of. I think I might whip up some sort of a diddley bow so I can can do more tests and take the pickup in and out with out any regret. I will get pics up as soon as I can.
I've read that Les Paul used the parts from an electric clock to make the pickups for his "log" (nicec pix at http://mixonline.com/Online_Extras_Main_Page/Les_paul_photo_gallery/ ).
I don't have details on which parts of the clocks he used but it has to be either the alarm or clock mechanism (think about what kind of clocks they had in those days).
Good luck,
PRH
Congrats on producing such a good article - Sorry if I had realised I would have checked with you before posting the link. You should be less shy and promote your workshop info more :o)
Regards,
David
Skeesix said:
Yes - get the microphone and speaker out of the handset too. There are some possibilities there, definitely for the speaker, not sure about the microphone.
When he says add a magnet you can either put a rod magnet down the middle, or if you can't find anything the right size, put a ferrous bolt or screw down the middle and one or two magnets touching it on the bottom. Ferrous means it has iron in it and will stick to a magnet.
Ok, I'm a dummy but what do you mean just add a magnet? Do you unwrap and re-wrap? Take the top apart and push in a magnet? I don't have one handy to look at so I don't understand. By the way, that old dial might look cool on a guitar.....
Also, are there mics in that hand piece that would work like piezos?
Yes - get the microphone and speaker out of the handset too. There are some possibilities there, definitely for the speaker, not sure about the microphone.
When he says add a magnet you can either put a rod magnet down the middle, or if you can't find anything the right size, put a ferrous bolt or screw down the middle and one or two magnets touching it on the bottom. Ferrous means it has iron in it and will stick to a magnet.
Ok, I'm a dummy but what do you mean just add a magnet? Do you unwrap and re-wrap? Take the top apart and push in a magnet? I don't have one handy to look at so I don't understand. By the way, that old dial might look cool on a guitar.....
Also, are there mics in that hand piece that would work like piezos?
I used the Radioshack wire for my first pickup. Like said previously, it does work, but isn't terrific. My second one I used 42 AWG from Stewart McDonald. MUCH better tone and volume. I ordered my magents from KJ magnets online.
I always cheat and go to the local Mom and Pop music store , and dig in their junk box ... Got lots of pups like that for free, or almost nothing ... Much easier than trying to make your own ...
PS , I get tuners the same way , they never have a complete set in the junk box , perfect for my CBG needs ...
Replies
As I have been going around getting parts for my winder machine I have seen many relay type coils, they look like sewing thread bobins wound with copper wire.
The military surplus stores here in San Diego has at least several pounds of them. I think they sell them by the pound. If you are intrested in them let me know.
regards
Bob
Astrochimp said:
Skeesix said:
I don't have details on which parts of the clocks he used but it has to be either the alarm or clock mechanism (think about what kind of clocks they had in those days).
Good luck,
PRH
Congrats on producing such a good article - Sorry if I had realised I would have checked with you before posting the link. You should be less shy and promote your workshop info more :o)
Regards,
David
Skeesix said:
When he says add a magnet you can either put a rod magnet down the middle, or if you can't find anything the right size, put a ferrous bolt or screw down the middle and one or two magnets touching it on the bottom. Ferrous means it has iron in it and will stick to a magnet.
By the way, that's my pickup workshop.
Skeesix
David Lloyd said:
PS , I get tuners the same way , they never have a complete set in the junk box , perfect for my CBG needs ...
-
1
-
2
of 2 Next