Vintage Telecaster Pickup Rewind

[GuitarAttack Forum]

Much of the pickup work I do is rewinding old pickups and getting them back to original specs. This video was one of the first I did featuring an old pickup I rewound in my shop. This pickup came out of a killer 50's Telecaster which belongs to a long-time friend.

These old Fender Tele pickups were not potted in wax; rather, they were dipped in lacquer to control squeal and microphonics of the cover. This particular pickup had cracking lacquer due to age, and the lacquer cracked some of the fine 43 AWG wire in the pickup. These are wound with enamel-covered wire, and the enamel - when coated with lacquer - tends to get very brittle. The neck pickup's wire is thinner than the wire found on the bridge pickup, which features 42 AWG wire. While it is hard to see the difference, it does make a difference when you wind and it tends to break much easier during the winding process.

After winding the pickup and reinstalling the cover, I put it in one of my test guitars - a beauty from Rogue - and fired it up. Here is a little video of some of the tones coming out of that vintage pickup.

If you have any questions or comments, post away.

John

[dnic]

Great sound and great playing. It's been a few years since that rewind. I remember talking to you while you were doing that job.

[GuitarAttack Forum]

Thanks, Dane. The purpose of the video was to show that even low-end guitars can sound good, and that if you are going to get serious with pickup winding you must have a test guitar.

Here is a link to the story about how I wound up with the Rogue.

www.guitarattack.com/winder/tester.htm

John

[GuitarAttack Forum]

The one I rewound after this one was incredible. The magnet under the Low E was broken! This is a pretty rare condition, but it is something to consider if your old pickup starts to act up.

The guy I was working with said that the "Low E had lost some energy"....no kidding. This is an extreme example of the lacquer shrinking.

John

[dnic]

That's pretty wild. Yeah, lost some energy. That's great just sharing a little A magnet energy.

[Deleted]

Wow! that is something. wonder if it was that way form the factory? I wish I would have gotten into making pickups a long time ago. But now I will leave that part of guitar building up to you experts.

John, the pickups you did for my T are great! As Well as the ones you did for me a long while back for my LP. Both guitars have a great sound, and stand out from all my other guitars.

I have told a lot of people about you. I hope at lest some of them get hold of you.

I don't know if I'll be building anymore guitars from scratch. But I do plan on doing a kit guitar (jazz). Once we get into our new place here in FL and things settle down. If I do that build I will be contacting you to make another set for that guitar.

Have ever done any humbuckers that are called "wide range"? The come on the Tele Deluxe.
EB

[GuitarAttack Forum]

I’ve rewound those before. They sound pretty good once they are rewound!

John