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Well guys, here's what we've got.
I tested the re-wound pickup over the past few days and it smokes! It really sounds awesome. But I have two problems.
1) Although this pickup sounds terrific, totally blows away the MIM Re-issue, and has a unique sound of it's own, the latest version sounds less like the original.
2) I have also found some new, yet conflicting information about the original pickup. I have read that the original bobbins have 5000 winds each, and then I have read elsewhere that they have 6800 winds each.
Now, 6800 winds certainly explains the 10.6k reading, and it also explains the sound of the original pickup being saturated the way it is. But 6800 winds with alnico v magnets is not really a good thing. If I were to do a pickup with 6800 winds per coil and alnico v magnets, it would be VERY LOUD and over saturated so, we're going try something a little different.
The next incarnation of this thing will have about 6400 winds and we're going to cut about 3/16" off the magnet's length to reduce the overall magnetic strength of the pickup. The original CuNiFe magnets are not very strong. That may be the reason there is a thin bar magnet under the bobbins and 10.6k worth of windings. The new version with the cut magnets should get much closer to the sound of the original. I was going to post sound clips of the current pickup we have but will wait a while because I don't want to confuse the issue with the goal here.
We intend to continue on this path in getting the pickup to sound like the original. In the meantime, the current version absolutely sings! I played it on a gig last night and was extremely pleased. Very unique, cool sound. The closest thing I could call it is a "Fender Les Paul." The best attributes of both! It's sounds like an extended range P90, or the fattest single coil, chimiest humbucker you ever heard. It has the smooth highs of a humbucker with the tighter lows of a P90 and none of the darkness often heard in humbuckers. I'll put this pickup aside for future use!
Anyway, that's the story as it stands right now. We have an awesome pickup that doesn't sound close enough to the original for me. But we're getting there. I just love a good project!
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