Creating an Eddie Hybrid Pickup

Zoso

Hi there,

Recently got myself a set of these pickups here http://www.tonerider.co.za/rockzebra.html

I have read that Eddie Van Halen's famous bridge humbucker pickup had one of its coils shorted out and reading a lot lower than the other coil. I want to remove some wiring from one of the coils on my Rocksong bridge to create a similar vibe and hear what it sounds like.

Does anyone have suggestions? I mean the Rocksong bridge is a dead ringer for that EVH tone as it is, but I want MORE! ?

AlanRatcliffe

Zoso wrote I mean the Rocksong bridge is a dead ringer for that EVH tone as it is, but I want MORE! ?

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Working on coils is a tricky business at the best of times, so if you can't afford to ruin the pickup, don't take a chance.

Many manufacturers already wind most of their humbuckers with asymmetric coils. Have you measured your two to see how they compare?

MikeM

There's more to the story than that, and Alan is EXACTLY right. One slip and you've killed your pup. I can attest to this personally, and possibly another forum member or 2 that I know of.

Zoso

hmmmmmm, I get the idea! Be VERY careful then!

I've actually removed all the cloth tape and exposed the coils and I just KNOW how careful you got to be. As it is I've broken one wire already but I have a fancy Weller soldering iron and re-soldered it, no problem. I measured 6.04k and 5.98k respectively on the coils and on the black coil the winding is such that I can unwind it fairly easily from the outside inwards.

I'm going to carry on since I've ALREADY been busy with it but I'm just wondering how much of the coil windings to remove for it to make a noticeable difference.

I can check from time to time and measure the dc resistance but how much to remove and what reading I should stop at - that's the question!

Zoso

Alan Ratcliffe wrote asymmetric coils

Please explain Alan!

dan77

Zoso wrote I mean the Rocksong bridge is a dead ringer for that EVH tone

Fully agree! Had a Rocksong built into a HSS Strat Frankenheimer and it's just a killing machine. I hear from a reliable source that Tonerider is going to increase their prices soon so don't break the thing, rather use it like it was designed to be. ?

I don't think you're going to improve anything, screw it up yes, but improve - No! ?

MikeM

I wouldn't go lower than 5.5k on the screw coil. Leave the slug side as it is.

AlanRatcliffe

Zoso wrote
Alan Ratcliffe wrote asymmetric coils
Please explain Alan!

What we are discussing - unmatched coils.

As you unwind more from one coil, you'll get more of a single-coil quality to the sound. You'll also start picking up more hum, so don't go too far. I probably would aim for about 5.8K, and like Mike, no lower than 5.5K. Easier to remove more windings later than add some back. ?

Zoso

Results!

I got the coil down to about 4.8K and re-soldered everything, broke a wire yet again, lost another 30 minutes but eventually got the pickup back together and looking like it did before. Total dc resistance now about 10.8K. It's an interesting sound and has both humbucker and single coil qualities. With saturation distortion it sounds quite good and I can hear a lot of Eddie's "Live Without a Net" DVD sound, but it's lost some balls too.

I'll have to play with it for a few days but my immediate reaction is:
a) I don't play with a live setup like Eddie's and I get my overdriven tones via pedals instead of a with a 120Watt amp's overdriven channel so this is a major factor
b) I think I preferred the pickup the way it was, with more balls and tone, works better in my setup!

So, you were all correct in your infinite wisdom! I think I shoulda left it alone in the first place! :?

Manfred-Klose

and

c) eddie is a great guitar player, he can get good tone out of anything

Zoso

Manfred Klose wrote and

c) eddie is a great guitar player, he can get good tone out of anything

? I'll give you that! Enough said!