Page 1 of 1
Vintage toaster pick-up specifications
Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2003 6:11 pm
by bails
I'm trying to create my own toaster pick-up from scratch and need the magnet type, sizes, strength, wire type, number of windings etc. Was wondering if anybody out there has this information, as after a quick web search, I wound up with nothing. (pun fully intended!)
Before anyone starts to say "It's not worth the hassle": this is a personal interest project for my home-built guitar, which would cease to be "home-built" if I installed factory made pick-ups!
Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2003 6:35 pm
by dave4004
Hopefully Sergio Silva will see this and come to your assistance.
I do know that all Rickenbackers use AWG #44. The toasters use magnets as polepieces (rather than steel polepieces with a magnet below). The magnets are 1/4" diameter but I don't know the type or length. The resistance and number of winds has varied a great deal over the years but the current reissues are scatterwound to 7.4K.
You might also want to look at previous threads here in The Vibrola, including the 2000-2001 archives.
Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2003 1:18 pm
by rickcrazy
Well, Mark, I'm afraid I can't provide you with much more information than Dave already has regarding toaster pickups.
Yes, the magnets are 1/4 " in diameter and 3/8" long (if they are the short type, that is - I assume the long type to be approx. twice that length). As for magnet strenght, that's getting a bit too technical. Hopefully you should be able to find some such magnets off a dead or old pickup (but please don't turn to a vintage Rick pickup in order to obtain suitable magnets!) And as for the number of windings on a toaster pickup, well, I'd rather rely on an ohmmeter than a turn counter.
One piece of information I can provide you with is the exact dimensions of a toaster pickup bobbin, should you be contemplating making one of your own. Wind on!
Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2003 9:55 pm
by bails
Wire type, resistance, magnet sizes, and bobbin dimensions are just about all I need to get started. I can have a go at making this up, and then try a few different magnets with the same dimensions. Where can I get the bobbin dimensions from?
Thanks for the help.
Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2003 2:20 am
by rickcrazy
Bobbin dimensions:
Length, width and thickness of both top and bottom plates of bobbin: 2 3/4", 1" and roughly 3/32" respectively. Gap (= coil height) between both plates is 3/16". The central core which receives the polepieces and holds the pickup together is 2 1/4" long and 3/8" wide (and 3/16" tall, of course).
I trust this will be of some help to you.