Vintage Mod on Brand New Pickups (i.e. swapping out wires for cloth wires)

rodeo_joel · May 10th, 2008, 12:58 AM

Just wondering if anybody else has done this before. I'm wanting to do a bit of vintage mod work on my "in the process of being built" strat. I got the pickups in the mail today (Fender Vintage Noiseless), and i was wondering if it can wreck the pickups if you swap out the wires they came with and solder on different wires. I've got a few rolls of vintage style cloth covered wire (AWG 22 Gauge i belive).

If it's possible, how do i go about doing this? I would have to re-solder the wire directly to the pickup right? If that proves a bit difficult, is it also possible to mod an extension wire off the pickup? (like leave maybe an inch of the original wire and twist & solder the new wire together)

much appreciated to anybody who can offer advice
~Cheers~

fancychords · May 10th, 2008, 06:36 AM

i would buy pickups with cloth wire rather than what you're doing..also too. what purpose does it serve...

telex · May 10th, 2008, 07:00 AM

I did it to an American standard bridge pickup. I also added a copper plated base plate. I can't say if it sounded different, but if you are careful with the fine magnet wire you should be just fine.

bowlfreshener · May 10th, 2008, 07:19 AM

Is there any way to just put the cloth over the existing wire, so it looks vintage? That seems like it might be easier to do (to me at least) than rewiring the pickups with the vintage wire...

eryque · May 10th, 2008, 07:20 AM

"Ruin" is an awfully strong word. You could break the tiny little coil wire. If you break the wire that's on the outside of the coil, you can simply unwrap it one turn and try again. If you break the end on the inside, well... that's tougher.

What purpose does it serve?

blacklinefish · May 10th, 2008, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bowlfreshener

Is there any way to just put the cloth over the existing wire, so it looks vintage? That seems like it might be easier to do (to me at least) than rewiring the pickups with the vintage wire...

I think that's a pretty good idea. Some of that cloth just slides right off. Solder the ends together, and then slide the cloth onto it's new home.

--gh

mjb1967 · May 10th, 2008, 12:39 PM

be careful, some of those bobbins melt in a hurry...Ive done it before, and supposedly the solid vintage wire transmits the signal better, ie; cleaner than stranded copper wire. Can't swear to the validity of this, but that's what I have heard

Big John · May 10th, 2008, 12:45 PM

Is someone going to tell me they can hear a difference or is this just a cosmetic thing (that only the builder would see).

About now someone should break out the report where some hi-fi 'experts' heard music through some fabulously expensive cables and WIRE COAT HANGERS and couldn't hear the difference !!

Mark Davis · May 10th, 2008, 12:52 PM

The vintage cloth wire actually has more resistance than regular 22 gauge braided wire with plastic coating.

The ONLY reason that cloth covered wire was even used is you dont have to strip it to solder so it saves time you just pull back the cloth covering instead of having to strip it.

SO believe it or not regular old radio shack 22 gauge braided wire plastic covered is actually better than the vintage wire.

rodeo_joel · May 10th, 2008, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by telex

I did it to an American standard bridge pickup. I also added a copper plated base plate. I can't say if it sounded different, but if you are careful with the fine magnet wire you should be just fine.

Cool, ya that's kinda what i'm lookin' to do. Thanks for the pics. So if i solder the connection right at the point where the original wires were then i should be fine? as long as i don't melt any other parts of the pickup, right?

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjb1967

be careful, some of those bobbins melt in a hurry...Ive done it before, and supposedly the solid vintage wire transmits the signal better, ie; cleaner than stranded copper wire. Can't swear to the validity of this, but that's what I have heard

It's hard to say whether the vintage style is better sounding or not. And believe me, I am NOT in any way saying that i can hear a difference. This is purely for aesthetic value. Plus i've got a few spools of vintage cloth, this way i can color code the wires better.

to everybody else, like i said just a second ago this is purely for aesthetic purposes.

Thanks,
Joel

gtech · May 10th, 2008, 06:02 PM

This is what I call Mojo wire... It will do what you want it to do

This is a good example of very good wire to use. And it is shielded.

http://www.mojomusicalsupply.com/ite...809&id=2112015

Gauge 22 is bigger than gauge 24 so normally it should have less resistance than gauge 24 wire.

This one is not shielded but is still gauge 22 for the same resistance.

http://www.mojomusicalsupply.com/ite...809&id=2112000

It also looks more vintage. I like the look of some black and some white vintage wire inside a guitar, especially a Tele. And it is a nice wire to work with. I wouldn't even think of doing that to my other non Tele guitars...

Add a vintage style capacitor to that and you will get all kinds of comments when you show the inside of your Tele

http://www.mojomusicalsupply.com/ite...974&id=5162035

Btw, be sure to use a soldering iron that is powerful and hot enough so that it can melt the solder fast enough. That's the secret to work on pickups without damaging them.

May 10th, 2008, 12:58 AM	#1 (permalink)
rodeo_joel Tele-Holic Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Calgary, Alberta Age: 21 Posts: 518	Vintage Mod on Brand New Pickups (i.e. swapping out wires for cloth wires) Just wondering if anybody else has done this before. I'm wanting to do a bit of vintage mod work on my "in the process of being built" strat. I got the pickups in the mail today (Fender Vintage Noiseless), and i was wondering if it can wreck the pickups if you swap out the wires they came with and solder on different wires. I've got a few rolls of vintage style cloth covered wire (AWG 22 Gauge i belive). If it's possible, how do i go about doing this? I would have to re-solder the wire directly to the pickup right? If that proves a bit difficult, is it also possible to mod an extension wire off the pickup? (like leave maybe an inch of the original wire and twist & solder the new wire together) much appreciated to anybody who can offer advice ~Cheers~ __________________ *-I've Got Friends In Rodeo Places* "Are you sure Hank done it this way?" "No, but do it anyway!" http://www.myspace.com/joelostrom

May 10th, 2008, 06:36 AM	#2 (permalink)
fancychords Tele-Meister Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: staten island ny Age: 61 Posts: 273	i would buy pickups with cloth wire rather than what you're doing..also too. what purpose does it serve... __________________ "There are no bad notes,only bad resolution.."

May 10th, 2008, 07:19 AM	#4 (permalink)
bowlfreshener Tele-Afflicted Join Date: May 2007 Location: Virginia, USA Age: 32 Posts: 1,383 6 Photos	Is there any way to just put the cloth over the existing wire, so it looks vintage? That seems like it might be easier to do (to me at least) than rewiring the pickups with the vintage wire... __________________ RAMA LAMA FA FA FA

May 10th, 2008, 07:20 AM	#5 (permalink)
eryque Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: albany, ny [not chicago] Posts: 6,928 44 Photos	"Ruin" is an awfully strong word. You could break the tiny little coil wire. If you break the wire that's on the outside of the coil, you can simply unwrap it one turn and try again. If you break the end on the inside, well... that's tougher. What purpose does it serve? __________________ my blog: eryque.blogspot.com Updated 10.27.07 Subscribe_____________________

May 10th, 2008, 12:45 PM	#8 (permalink)
Big John Friend of Leo's Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Suffolk UK Posts: 4,114 32 Photos	Is someone going to tell me they can hear a difference or is this just a cosmetic thing (that only the builder would see). About now someone should break out the report where some hi-fi 'experts' heard music through some fabulously expensive cables and WIRE COAT HANGERS and couldn't hear the difference !! __________________ If you are going to be a bear, be a grizzly !!

May 10th, 2008, 07:00 AM	#3 (permalink)
telex Tele-Holic Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: New Hampshire, USA Posts: 503	I did it to an American standard bridge pickup. I also added a copper plated base plate. I can't say if it sounded different, but if you are careful with the fine magnet wire you should be just fine.

May 10th, 2008, 12:39 PM	#7 (permalink)
mjb1967 Tele-Meister Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: orlando florida Age: 41 Posts: 148 7 Photos	be careful, some of those bobbins melt in a hurry...Ive done it before, and supposedly the solid vintage wire transmits the signal better, ie; cleaner than stranded copper wire. Can't swear to the validity of this, but that's what I have heard

May 10th, 2008, 12:52 PM	#9 (permalink)
Mark Davis Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bakersfield Ca. Age: 57 Posts: 12,257	The vintage cloth wire actually has more resistance than regular 22 gauge braided wire with plastic coating. The ONLY reason that cloth covered wire was even used is you dont have to strip it to solder so it saves time you just pull back the cloth covering instead of having to strip it. SO believe it or not regular old radio shack 22 gauge braided wire plastic covered is actually better than the vintage wire. __________________ I'm so blind my seeing eye dog needs glasses.

May 10th, 2008, 06:02 PM	#11 (permalink)
gtech Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Quebec, Canada Age: 59 Posts: 1,952 171 Photos	This is what I call Mojo wire... It will do what you want it to do This is a good example of very good wire to use. And it is shielded. http://www.mojomusicalsupply.com/ite...809&id=2112015 Gauge 22 is bigger than gauge 24 so normally it should have less resistance than gauge 24 wire. This one is not shielded but is still gauge 22 for the same resistance. http://www.mojomusicalsupply.com/ite...809&id=2112000 It also looks more vintage. I like the look of some black and some white vintage wire inside a guitar, especially a Tele. And it is a nice wire to work with. I wouldn't even think of doing that to my other non Tele guitars... Add a vintage style capacitor to that and you will get all kinds of comments when you show the inside of your Tele http://www.mojomusicalsupply.com/ite...974&id=5162035 Btw, be sure to use a soldering iron that is powerful and hot enough so that it can melt the solder fast enough. That's the secret to work on pickups without damaging them. __________________ Back to practice now...to make my Teles sound good.