Rewinding a pickup vs. new?

[richedie]

hey all,

This is something I have wondered for a while. Would having your stock Gibson or Duncan for example rewound by a good winder, sound very close or almost identical to their new pickups?

I am assuming the actual quality or ALL the parts come into play and am willing to bet the winder who builds the pickup fromt he ground up will sound best as opposed to rewinding something like a Gibson. Maybe I am wrong. If not, maybe I should just send in all my stock pickups for a rewind.

Does this seem accurate?

 

[Nugget]

In my case the answer's no. I source my components a lot more carefully than they do so just a rewind will not do the trick.

 

[richedie]

Kind of what I thought......all parts make a difference. I was wondering if just better wire, magnets and a better wind on my Gibsons could sound as good as 'from the ground up' hand wounds.

 

[Nugget]

Some stock pickups can be greatly improved but the cost of doing so is barely economical.

 

[richedie]

Some stock pickups can be greatly improved but the cost of doing so is barely economical.

Well, I can have stock Gibsons rwound for about $50-$60 or spend for new hand wounds.

 

[b-squared]

But for $50 you're not getting premium wire or parts. You might get a more customized sound, but it won't sound the same as a winder's premium sets.

BB

 

[richedie]

But for $50 you're not getting premium wire or parts. You might get a more customized sound, but it won't sound the same as a winder's premium sets.

BB

Actually I talked to Mick at Manlius pickups recently since posting this thread and he uses his own wire and sometimes his magnets....so wire, magnet and hand wound you get....Not sure about Wolf or Hinesley, etc.

Most I have talked to say you would have a hard time hearing the difference with a rewind compared to new....but it wouldn't be exact.

Money is tight now, or I would just keep getting new ones.

I could have Wolfetone do $50 rewinds on my Gibsons or just buy new pickups(MCP,WOlfe,whatever...).

I am trying to figure out why the big difference in price with rewinds next to their own pikcups from the ground up. Maybe the parts are that much better and expensive. If that is the case, I'll sell my Gibsons on ebay and use the extra cash for the 'from the ground' up pickups. Ha.

 

[WolfeMacleod]

The Gisbon parts quality is pretty dang good. About as good as the parts used by most of the smaller builders. Better than some of Duncan's parts. I hate Duncan's bobbins, bu tthe rest of the parts are OK.

Bobbin quality and dimensions come into play, as well as polepeices and magnet quality. Polpeieces are pretty standard, though. Magnets vary a bit from one manufacturer to the next.
Cover quality matters, too.

When I rewind, I'll use my own wire of course, and usually my own magnets unless it's a single coil or a vintage pickup.

About the only pickups I feel aren't worth rewindings are cheap Asian pickups and Dimarzios. Gibson, Fralins, Duncans are great candidates for rewinds in terms of parts quality. Again, I Hate Duncan bobbins...they're too soft, flexible, and strip out threatds easily...but the rest of the parts are great.

 

[Nugget]

The Gisbon parts quality is pretty dang good. About as good as the parts used by most of the smaller builders. Better than some of Duncan's parts. I hate Duncan's bobbins, bu tthe rest of the parts are OK.

Bobbin quality and dimensions come into play, as well as polepeices and magnet quality. Polpeieces are pretty standard, though. Magnets vary a bit from one manufacturer to the next.
Cover quality matters, too.

When I rewind, I'll use my own wire of course, and usually my own magnets unless it's a single coil or a vintage pickup.

About the only pickups I feel aren't worth rewindings are cheap Asian pickups and Dimarzios. Gibson, Fralins, Duncans are great candidates for rewinds in terms of parts quality. Again, I Hate Duncan bobbins...they're too soft, flexible, and strip out threatds easily...but the rest of the parts are great.

Duncan is using butyrate bobbins which are a little softer.

I've seen you knock Duncan products a few times lately. I thought you were good buddies with Seymour and ex-wife. Most pickup-makers I know think Duncan's quality and atention to detail is greatly improved.

 

[richedie]

Again, Wolfe is the man.

One thing I notice with various pickups is some have noticable smaller pole pieces and some are quite large. Some are very small and some like Anderson use huge pole poieces.

 

[5F6-A]

About the only pickups I feel aren't worth rewindings are cheap Asian pickups and Dimarzios.

What's so wrong with DiMarzios??

 

[richedie]

I bet a properly wound pickup using new wire and magnet on a GIbson frame(so to speak) would be darn near close to the hand wound pickup from the ground up....or difficult to tell the difference in a test. Maybe I am wrong, as we are all different.

 

[refin]

I had a Gibson and Duncan rewound by Wolfe and they were super.

 

[WolfeMacleod]

Duncan is using butyrate bobbins which are a little softer.

I've seen you knock Duncan products a few times lately. I thought you were good buddies with Seymour and ex-wife. Most pickup-makers I know think Duncan's quality and atention to detail is greatly improved.

I am friends with Seymour and Catchy. Good people.
I don't intend to "knock" thier pickups at all. Good stuff in general. I find the bobbins to be too soft and flexible for my winding style though, and it causes coils to wind lopsided for some reason I can't quite figure out. Plus, the softness tend to strip out the bobbin mounting screws.

There's nothing inherently "wrong" with the bobbins at all really, I just like a good stiff bobbins.
I'm pretty bitchy about the parts I use.

 

[WolfeMacleod]

What's so wrong with DiMarzios??

I don't like the glass-filled nylon bobbins or the "feet" that are moulded into the bottom of the bobbins (vs. wooden spacers) - while the "feet" idea is great, I jest don't like it...
A great deal of the Dimarzio's I've come across also use a goopy substance to hold everything together. Pain in the arse. Donh't know if it's whale jizz or what, but that stuff is terrible to deal with.
Every single Dimarzio HB I've seen uses brass base-plates. Hate them.

And last but not least, I have serious personal issues with Larry himself.

 

[5F6-A]

I see...

 

[lexluthier]

Wolfe rewound some 57 Classics for me a while back and they sound outstanding.

 

[kevinT]

A great deal of the Dimarzio's I've come across also use a goopy substance to hold everything together. Pain in the arse. Donh't know if it's whale jizz or what, but that stuff is terrible to deal with.

That is their secret "tone goo" that they inject into each one of their pickups. But beware of using any kind of goo...Larry has a trademark on it.