Winding/building a flatpup humbucker

Posted by Robert Killen on January 2, 2016 at 4:57am

Truth is...I've been focusing on CBG acoustics. Electronics haven't interested me much. But now I have this Flathead box that just yells out "plug me in!"

So here I go...

I prefer the broad smooth humbucker sound over standard pickups. I pulled apart a cheap 9 volt wallwart and a couple headphones and used the larger wire for a test wind (the thinner wire was too tangled and fragile to use). I got sound, which was nice. I also picked up talk radio, but that happens.

Questions:

  • When winding your own humbucker do you use wallwart wire or is it wiser to buy it?
  • Wow, is that wire really supposed to be that thin?
  • Should I ground the strings?
  • If I have to ground anything outside the pup, what do I ground it to?

Cheers!
  Robert

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Replies

  • Dave Lynas January 2, 2016 at 4:27pm

    I think the input you're getting is great. I like a volume control on the instrument. I like tone too as i like a deep bass tone from my pickups. The volume control lets you adjust to the band while playing and you can pump up for the solo. 

  • Robert Killen January 2, 2016 at 2:10pm

    Thanks for the valuable input everyone! Great suggestions top to bottom.

      Dave (et al) - Is on-board volume considered a standard part of the pup assembly?

      Wayfinder - I appreciate the 'wallwart or buy' advice. I might wallwart this one, though that growly sound is not where I'm drawn.

      Skeezix- Thanks for the warning. If I were looking at 8000 winds I'd be auto-winding for sure. The article you linked (which I had meant to link in my post) references 400 per side. That sounds like a couple nights worth of walking dead. See...I'm a glutton for all types of punishment.

    The image below is the style of pup that I'd like to become good at making. (It's from http://www.original-flatpup.com/)

    Thanks again for all your help!

    flatpup%203%20and%204.jpg

  • Skeesix January 2, 2016 at 1:17pm

    The standard wire for pickups is 42 AWG, which as the others are saying, is about as thin as a human hair. 

    If you want to keep your sanity, you'll need to come up with a pickup winder to assist in winding it. There are various cheap/low tech ways to make a pickup winder. A drill is probably the best. 

    On the other hand, here is a guy who used thicker wall wart wire and hand wound it - http://onestringmusic.blogspot.com/2013/03/winding-1-string-humbuck...

  • Dave Lynas January 2, 2016 at 6:35am
    Yes, ground the strings. I've used a metal saddle on the tail piece or metal saddle on the bridge or a metal hard tale. A ground wire from one of these soldered to the back of the volume pot.
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