broke the little wire from the pickup winding to the connection

[denmalley]

This is on a single coil pickup, and that wire is really thin.

 

Am I screwed? I don't think I can try to unwind around to get slack for a fresh connection, because it is pretty much waxed in, and the end I broke looks like the one that started the winding, so it's buried. I thought about putting a drop of solder on there, but I'm not sure that'll be sufficient, nor am I confident that it wouldn't get knocked loose during play.

 

Any suggestions?

 

EDIT:

 

Here's a pic of my predicament

 

[TheAxeMan]

Is there any way to get a picture of it?

[Schtang]

I have done that to two SD pickups - both are {censored}ed now.

[denmalley]

 

Is there any way to get a picture of it?

 

 

i'll post a pic a little later, watchin the pens get their ass kicked right now:mad:

[denmalley]

Pic is now posted in OP

[dcindc]

If it's the inner end, sux ta be you. If it's the outer end, unwind it a turn.

 

Since you said it likely is the inner end. here's the rub. The wire is enameled and you need to sand or scrape the enamel off to get a good solder connection.

 

That's the point where it usually goes bad for me. If you do get a blob on there and it works, put some glue gun goo, or silicone over it to hold it in place.

 

Good luck!

 

 

 

nah not really, yer screwed.

[denmalley]

nah not really, yer screwed.

 

it's fun to watch the denial mechanism fail right before your eyes!

 

Yeah, I'll just have to suck it up and get a new one.

[datstrat]

I think that is totally fixable. Here's what I'd do:

 

1. Get a few inches of some fairly fine wire approximately 30AWG or so. This could be either wire wrap wire or single strand taken from a typical stranded hook-up wire. Make sure to tin it well before starting the repair. This section of wire will be the repair jumper.

 

2. VERY carefully and delicately scrape the end of the broken winding with an exacto or similar blade. This is to remove the insulative coating from the magnet wire so solder will adhere to it.

 

3. Solder one end of the jumper to the eyelet with the white wire.

 

4. Carefully make a solder connection to the winding.

 

5. Clip off the excess jumper wire.

 

6. Encapsulate the entire repair area with a small bead of RTV silicone to protect the repair.

 

I think this should work. Good luck.

[Norcal_GIT_r]

Here's a way you can fix it.

You'll need a thin strip of copper foil shielding with adhesive back.

Run the strip from the eyelet toward the coil so it goes under the broken wire.

Now carefully solder the broken wire to the copper foil and then carefully solder the strip to the eyelet and or the other broken end.

This coil wire is poly or SPN and does not need to be stripped. The solder will melt through the insulation.

It's not too hard to do. I've done this for people in the past and it works just fine afterwards.

 

Good luck.!!!

[Doctor Morbius]

Here's a way you can fix it. You'll need a thin strip of copper foil shielding with adhesive back. Run the strip from the eyelet toward the coil so it goes under the broken wire. Now carefully solder the broken wire to the copper foil and then carefully solder the strip to the eyelet and or the other broken end. This coil wire is poly or SPN and does not need to be stripped. The solder will melt through the insulation. It's not too hard to do. I've done this for people in the past and it works just fine afterwards. Good luck.!!!

From the man himself.

 

[dcindc]

Brilliant, Brian!

[tumbleweeed]

 

Here's a way you can fix it. You'll need a thin strip of copper foil shielding with adhesive back. Run the strip from the eyelet toward the coil so it goes under the broken wire. Now carefully solder the broken wire to the copper foil and then carefully solder the strip to the eyelet and or the other broken end. This coil wire is poly or SPN and does not need to be stripped. The solder will melt through the insulation. It's not too hard to do. I've done this for people in the past and it works just fine afterwards. Good luck.!!!

 

will this alter the tone much?

[Norcal_GIT_r]

No..Shouldn't change the tone at all.

[tumbleweeed]

 

No..Shouldn't change the tone at all.

 

 

Wish I woulda figured that out before I tossed an old mia Tele neck pup:mad:

[Pillimees]

I've fixed a GFS Fatbody this way - soldered the broken winding together. I also broke it at the beginning of the coil, and the ironic part is, I had just covered it with a piece of tape to protect it before installing the pickup, and accidentally cut the wire when trimming off the excess tape. Talk about frustration. I slept on it, though, fixed it the next morning and it has worked fine since, for about a half year now.

 

So definately give it a shot before you scrap the pickup.

[denmalley]

Thanks for the advice, I'll have to collect the materials and give it a shot. I'm not too good with a soldering gun, but this'll be a nice little challenge for me - if I screw it up I'm no worse off than I am right now.

 

If I'm successful, I'll post pics when I'm done.

[tumbleweeed]

 

No..Shouldn't change the tone at all.

 

OOOO! I just found my dead neck pup from my '93-'94 mia Tele in a box. I guess I didnt toss it.

I tried to remove the chrome cover but its attatched to something. Do you/anyone know whats holding it to the base of the pup? Is it grounded or something?

Im gonna try the shield tape trick....yay

[the new guy]

 

Here's a way you can fix it. You'll need a thin strip of copper foil shielding with adhesive back. Run the strip from the eyelet toward the coil so it goes under the broken wire. Now carefully solder the broken wire to the copper foil and then carefully solder the strip to the eyelet and or the other broken end. This coil wire is poly or SPN and does not need to be stripped. The solder will melt through the insulation. It's not too hard to do. I've done this for people in the past and it works just fine afterwards. Good luck.!!!

 

 

I learn something new here almost every day...........

 

Today I actually learned something worthwile.

 

Thanks, Brian

[WRGKMC]

Good rule of thumb if youre removing your pickups for some reason leave the covers on.

 

I've had to do a few repairs myself.

I solder some thin solder wick to the eyelet, (That part of the thin wire isnt needed anymore anyway), tack it in place with a drop of crazy glue, then solder the coil wire to the other end. Once its working I'll put a thin layer of epoxy over it just in case of vibrations or the cover contacting it etc.

 

The ones that really suck are pickups like the texas specials. The coils are wrapped over the magnet poles. If the poles take a shot they can break the coil inside and youre screwed. As a preventitive measure I reinforced the bottom of the pickup bobins with a brass Strip and epoxy. Brass wont affect the magnetic field and they will have to take a major hit now to move the poles.

[dman11]

Totally fixable. I would just make the wire ends touch and put a bead of solder on it, holding the tinned iron with solder on the conection a few seconds longer than normal so as to melt the insulation.Last time this happened to me I was fortunate to be able to unwind the wire one or 2 turns and then passed the flame of a lighter over under the end of the wire to melt the insulation then resolder in the original hole.

[Cletus Spuckle]

I've done something similar and fixed it with Bryan's advice. Do we need a Norcal GIT r appreciation thread?

[assassinator]

 

I DID IT !... took a copper wire and flatten on end with hammer. Wrapped wire around lead wire post eyelet and soldered. Then I soldered the hair thin wire to the flattened end of the new post wire. IT WORKS !

 

Gonna put hot glue over top to complete.

 

Fuk YA ! to the guy who said get a new one.......you of little faith !

[assassinator]

THANKS NOR CAL !!!!