Building a 3-pole single coil pickup

by Ian

Nov 22, 2022

Hi All. I'm busy trying my hand out at building a 3-pole single coil pickup for my next CBG (probably a Steampunk). I have started the construction of the bobbin and am using 3 Alnico 5 pole pieces. I have built a jig for putting on the 42AWG copper wire onto the bobbin. I bought a Chinese-made magnetic induction LED counter to count the number of turns. Has anyone got experience of building there own 3-pole single coil pickup and do you have some words of advice? Many thanks! ... Ian

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    Ian

    Brilliant photos! Many thanks Joe. Is the flatpup designed with a bar magnet down the middle and copper wire windings either side? I'm doing it a different way with no prior knowledge! I am taking photos at each stage and will share once finished and tested. Will be interesting! Best wishes ... Ian

    Nov 28, 2022

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      Myron Joe Hickel

      Yes it was going to be a humbucker but I never wrote the windings on it so I don't know what to with it now except to cut off the unfinished side and turn it into a single coil. There are as many ways to make pups as there are people. Each looking for their own sound. I made a couple of single coil pickups out of maple and only the 3 pole magnets were in it no other metal. They sounded good.

      Nov 29, 2022

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        Ian

        I think it is the usual configuration for a flatpup. I show some photos of my attempt. The first construction failed to show any resistance at all so I thought the winding may have broken but I remedied this by re-soldering. This design won't allow me to do more than approximately 4000 turns but does give a coil resistance of 3K ohms which I think is not too bad!

        Nov 30, 2022