Review: Benson '63 Strat Pickup Upgrade

[Andy40]

Gav, Great videos. look really good. Thanks for taking the time to do all of this for our benefit. It's really interesting to see the comparison.

I don't suppose anyone with a bit of pick up knowledge could explain the differences in tone we are seeing here?

[tonyw]

Gav, Great videos. look really good. Thanks for taking the time to do all of this for our benefit. It's really interesting to see the comparison.

I don't suppose anyone with a bit of pick up knowledge could explain the differences in tone we are seeing here?

This ceramic bars across the bottom of those Pitbulls is why they sound so icepick, also not knowing whether they are underwound "sharp" or over wound "less treble"

A combination of A5 neck and middle and A3 in the bridge and they way they are wound, is why they sound warmer, the bridge being A3 on the Bensons means it wont be as sharp as an A5 magnet, A3 is the softest/weakest of all magnets, very delicate and open sounding. If i am asked to wind a 63 era pickup to spec i use 42AWG Formvar, 8300+ turns CW rotation to about 6.37k using all A5 mags polarity South facing, this gives you a slightly warmer pickup but with some spank, as i said the A3 in the bridge takes out some of the attack and warms it up and clears it up.

Good pots and switches would improve it even more.

I take those ceramics off the bottom and replace them with Alnico slugs, makes the Chinese pickpus heaps better.

[Andy40]

This ceramic bars across the bottom of those Pitbulls is why they sound so icepick, also not knowing whether they are underwound "sharp" or over wound "less treble"

A combination of A5 neck and middle and A3 in the bridge and they way they are wound, is why they sound warmer, the bridge being A3 on the Bensons means it wont be as sharp as an A5 magnet, A3 is the softest/weakest of all magnets, very delicate and open sounding. If i am asked to wind a 63 era pickup to spec i use 42AWG Formvar, 8300+ turns CW rotation to about 6.37k using all A5 mags polarity South facing, this gives you a slightly warmer pickup but with some spank, as i said the A3 in the bridge takes out some of the attack and warms it up and clears it up.

Good pots and switches would improve it even more.

I take those ceramics off the bottom and replace them with Alnico slugs, makes the Chinese pickpus heaps better.

Thanks Tony, great explanation. (confession - I did read it 3 times before I got it!)