DIY GUITAR PICKUP - a Decent project

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  • Опубліковано 6 чер 2018
  • - SUBSCRIBE if you want more on this or my other GREAT projects!
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    This is my in depth video for how I made my own electric guitar pickups for my reclaimed plywood guitar. You can check out that full build video here:
    • DIY ELECTRIC GUITAR F...
    If there's anything you think I should know for modifying this project or before building another one, let me know in the comments.
    It was a total DIY project, using as many reclaimed materials as I could manage.
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 292

  • @GrazMakes
    @GrazMakes 5 років тому +131

    please continue to make stuff. you are good at it.

    • @KeithDecent
      @KeithDecent  5 років тому +9

      ok FINE

    • @GrazMakes
      @GrazMakes 5 років тому +2

      @@KeithDecent ❤️

    • @ACNailedIt
      @ACNailedIt 5 років тому

      Bwahaha great minds...

    • @robinmatthew8030
      @robinmatthew8030 4 роки тому

      Does it do a rock, distortion sound?

    • @GrazMakes
      @GrazMakes 3 роки тому +1

      @@iridios6127 yeah, you're right. he's better.

  • @ruthlesscutthroat4030
    @ruthlesscutthroat4030 2 роки тому +16

    this is basically a post apocalypse build of a guitar. good work man!

  • @74dartman13
    @74dartman13 5 років тому +47

    It's amazing how good these can sound! I needed a pickup for a 3 string cigar box guitar, so I used the same basic design and it sounds fantastic! I definitely recommend people who are into making their own instruments, give this a try. They work!👍😎🎸🎶

  • @bartkerswell
    @bartkerswell 6 років тому +102

    That is one Mad Max Fury Road looking guitar. Sound good to 👍👍

    • @KeithDecent
      @KeithDecent  6 років тому +4

      thanks! yeah its very post apocalyptic haha

    • @davidpfeiffer7053
      @davidpfeiffer7053 5 років тому +2

      Bart Kerswell: According to spellcheck you and I both spell our last names wrong. Oh, darn, your time limit on editing has run out for your comment I'm replying to. Ah well, these things happen; ...you misspelled a word. You left one "r" out of "furry" in your reference to Mad Max's furry guitar. Was that in a sequel? I missed it. I never knew Mad Max had a guitar, furry or otherwise. -David, a.k.a. the ConnMan.

  • @TheLowest
    @TheLowest Рік тому +7

    Using the drill as a winder for the copper is completely genius, that's never occurred to me and I always thought I'd need to modify a sewing machine or something. Great one

  • @Raceb8420
    @Raceb8420 Рік тому +3

    Automotive relays have more easily accessible magnet wire spools inside them. For what it's worth. Great video, keep them coming!!

  • @fransvenrooy4760
    @fransvenrooy4760 5 років тому +4

    This is damn creative!!! I have the most respect for you!! Awesome to see how you build your own guitar from used materials!! Keep up this awesome work.

  • @marshal-d-123
    @marshal-d-123 3 роки тому +4

    Honestly this is great content, and I don't understand why you don't have more subscribers. This video well explains how to do a simple project like this without giving too much information (it's short and to the point which I like).

  • @bestestinventions7032
    @bestestinventions7032 5 років тому

    that guitar looks rad AF!!!! love the pickup build too, this is exactly what i'm looking for!

  • @muhammadhisyam6072
    @muhammadhisyam6072 3 роки тому +11

    would love to see you build a double coil/humbucker pickup. You're awesome and you probably saved me from spending $100+ on branded pickups haha. I'm currently on a budget 😬😬

  • @ethanchouinard4157
    @ethanchouinard4157 4 роки тому +1

    This was a really great video. Cool guitar too!

  • @rileybarringer9823
    @rileybarringer9823 4 роки тому

    Wow looks horrendously amazing.

  • @davebauerart
    @davebauerart 6 років тому +1

    Awesome build. Perfect pickup for that guitar. Don't stop talking! That's the good stuff.

  • @escobar64
    @escobar64 4 роки тому +1

    Cool! Thanks for sharing, that's inspiring a lot of people!

  • @WatchMeDIYIt
    @WatchMeDIYIt 6 років тому +1

    Really awesome, Keith! I learned something new!
    Also, I saw your shoutout in the Modern Maker video recap. Thanks!

  • @johndevaney3054
    @johndevaney3054 8 місяців тому

    Holy cow that's really cool makes me want to try this out !

  • @matiasgoinheix366
    @matiasgoinheix366 4 роки тому +1

    that guitar looks amazing

  • @charlie4300
    @charlie4300 4 роки тому +1

    Used these for a guitar last year and am making them again now for a bass works great cheers bro

  • @metcalfsmediocremelodies3294
    @metcalfsmediocremelodies3294 4 роки тому

    That’s amazing i need to try this

  • @pcparabobos2361
    @pcparabobos2361 Рік тому

    thank you so much, i was searching for a video like this for a week or so!!

  • @johnathanprice8255
    @johnathanprice8255 Рік тому +1

    That's so awesome

  • @trial4787
    @trial4787 4 роки тому

    simple and clear Explanation , love brooo

  • @phunkissartisticcreations2316
    @phunkissartisticcreations2316 6 років тому +5

    So that's how pickups work, thanks!

  • @AngelsINIDemonsCafe
    @AngelsINIDemonsCafe 2 роки тому

    quick & simple teachings. excellent video.

  • @IdealGrain
    @IdealGrain 6 років тому +3

    Awesome work dude! You definitely don’t see anyone doing work like that these days.

  • @loganricherson3749
    @loganricherson3749 2 роки тому

    Thanks for the video. I'm looking to custom build an electric violin using the unique pickup method that Fender used in his electric violins and, being as there isn't anything using that method that's commercially available, I'm going to need to build them myself. This video seems very helpful in the basics of what I need to do. I'll probably just salvage most of the components from a crappy guitar pickup that I have lying around but this video is still very informative

  • @supremoadze
    @supremoadze 2 місяці тому

    thx bro i'm doing a violin pickup and i needed to make sure i had it right in my mind how everything works ;)

  • @FellDestroyedMusic
    @FellDestroyedMusic 6 місяців тому

    So awesome!

  • @lapinus
    @lapinus 4 роки тому

    Today I'm gonna make one but for the bass. It's the same but I just need 2 more screws and magnets for a 4 strings bass. Cool video man!

  • @TrevorM4ZT
    @TrevorM4ZT 3 роки тому

    Love the video!

  • @fieraci8500
    @fieraci8500 4 роки тому

    Love the video. I do notice your string spacing (e to E) on the pickup is too wide but.....it’s a win. I am doing something rather similar and will be posting videos about it. Your video here has given me some ideas. Ideas of which I have too many of, and as such tend to leave a lot of little things lying around half finished for too long.

  • @funkybunkii6190
    @funkybunkii6190 5 років тому +1

    yep, new pickups for my acoustic, thanks!!

  • @bitterbladeco
    @bitterbladeco 5 років тому +3

    Just discovered your channel, I love it! Now I have to find some Transformers.

  • @stevenharrison488
    @stevenharrison488 5 років тому

    loved it chuckled too and learned from it thanks .

  • @metaltherapy5307
    @metaltherapy5307 2 роки тому

    i don't know why, but seeing this dude cutting that old ruler made me an instant subscriber

  • @GBGN
    @GBGN 5 років тому +3

    What!
    So it's that easy
    no way!!!!!!
    WoW

  • @another_ashl3y
    @another_ashl3y 4 місяці тому

    that guitar is super cool

  • @shantahsieh4833
    @shantahsieh4833 4 роки тому +84

    woodprix is good solution for every woodworker.

    • @garzonlaperle9403
      @garzonlaperle9403 4 роки тому +2

      I love that Shanta

    • @TLAS
      @TLAS 3 роки тому +1

      Absolute spammy site. You want good woodworking instructions complete with video tutorials go the traditional route with Fine Woodworking and Woodsmith. Avoid Ted's (and the like) at all costs.

    • @shantelguetgen4157
      @shantelguetgen4157 3 роки тому

      Absolutely fantastic plans. I love it Shanta !

  • @EiDO_Everything_Exclamation
    @EiDO_Everything_Exclamation Рік тому +1

    This is helpful, I'm planning to make an electric guitar just for fun.

  • @shawnlennon1947
    @shawnlennon1947 2 роки тому

    so cool!

  • @SkullyWoodMetal
    @SkullyWoodMetal 5 років тому +6

    I don't play guitar, but for some reason I want to build one. How would I ever know if I did a good job? It doesn't matter, it would make me happy just to build it. Great video, I now understand how the pickups work and I feel inspired.

    • @natanaeldamian2192
      @natanaeldamian2192 4 роки тому +3

      Leo Fender invented the solid body electric guitar and he wasn't even a musician. So you have the potential to do something great.

  • @MrMetalclay
    @MrMetalclay 4 роки тому

    Great building! I tried this it seems like the heavier gauge size works better and it should be easier to work with. I'm trying to build one for a three string and pulling apart an old pickup that was potted is impossible.

  • @mvx201
    @mvx201 6 років тому +1

    You are a true McGyver disciple. Well done compadre.

  • @WePlayWOLF
    @WePlayWOLF 3 роки тому

    Hinge Tailpiece/Bridge is pretty sick

  • @youknoweverything7643
    @youknoweverything7643 2 роки тому

    I built my own pickup like yours before I saw video abd damn I had to hand wind mine never thought if a bolt with drill

  • @rowlandstraylight
    @rowlandstraylight 5 років тому +19

    You need about 8000 turns of wire to get a good sound and usable output. For that you need 42 gauge wire or thinner.
    A sewing machine works ok as a winder, a microswitch and a digital counter helps.
    The more turns of wire the more output you have, but the less top end. A massively underwound pickup will sound obnoxiously bright.

    • @KeithDecent
      @KeithDecent  5 років тому +4

      good tip!

    • @TheErilaz
      @TheErilaz 4 роки тому +4

      That's 0.063 mm wire, thin as fuck.

    • @Brandonh-vc6hd
      @Brandonh-vc6hd 2 роки тому

      Doe a thicker brass wire effect the sound and what if you use 2 different sized brass wires and use both on a pick up will that effect the sound

    • @rowlandstraylight
      @rowlandstraylight 2 роки тому

      @@Brandonh-vc6hd this is a contentious one. Not for the same number of turns and the rest of the pickup design being the same, provided you have the pickup in a regular guitar control circuit and plugged into something that behaves at least on the input side like a guitar amp. If you have no load or external capacitance across the pickup (no vol pot, near infinite amplifier DC resistance, no long coax cable), for example just using oscilloscope probes, there is a measurable difference but as soon as you simulate the rest of the circuit the difference is swamped by much larger capacitances and resistances. If the difference in wire gauge is huge then the difference in coil area will change the inductance. But you can totally make 42, 43 and 44 awg coils with the same turn count that sound and measure identical under real world conditions.
      This is used by pickup manufacturers to obscure what they're doing for example the Dimarzio Evolution has one coil of about 7000 turns and one of about 7200 IIRC but one is 43AWG and the other is 44AWG so they have very different DC resistances. They are slightly mismatched, but actually less so than a conventional PAF with slugs and screws as the amount of core material alters the inductance, and my understanding is the 7200 coil replicates a slug coil and the 7000 coil replicates a fillister screw coil, whereas the actual construction is set screws (whatever the US size nearest M5 is) which are somewhere in between the two in behaviour.
      DC resistance is only useful for comparison with the same wire gauge and the same construction, wherein it's a proxy for inductance.
      Yes lots of people say they don't like pickups with 44AWG because it sounds so dark. What they really mean is they don't like pickups with so many turns on them that have to be made out of 44awg because that many turns of 43 and 42 awg won't fit.
      I'm not convinced by wire insulation thickness either as the difference in capacitance might be 10 to 20pF but the capacitance of an instrument cable can vary between 300pF for a short good quality one and over 1000pF for a long awful one.
      Shielded hookup cable like you'd use on a humbucker can be particularly high capacitance, like 320pF/metre whereas twisted pair can have good noise rejection and a capacitance of well below 50pF/metre and is getting to the point where me holding the probes alters the results so I don't have good numbers. I could set up stands in a test rig but mostly it becomes about measuring the test rig.

    • @rowlandstraylight
      @rowlandstraylight 2 роки тому

      @@TheErilaz I've got some 0.050mm and I think one step thinner. For reference, printer/copier paper is usually around 0.10mm thick.

  • @ed7474
    @ed7474 4 місяці тому +1

    Drill the holes for the first piece of wood just put that on top of the second piece and then drill through the first holes. It'll line up easily that way

  • @JonnyBuilds
    @JonnyBuilds 6 років тому +10

    Cool vid, brother!

  • @reforzar
    @reforzar 6 років тому +1

    Almost at 3k! Keep it up!

  • @MakeSomething
    @MakeSomething 2 роки тому +1

    Perfect!

  • @Johnmannish
    @Johnmannish Рік тому

    Great! would be amazing if you show how to do another one and how to connect the cables that come from the pickup

  • @deadontime2601
    @deadontime2601 3 роки тому +1

    This dudes a hero

  • @ccook31
    @ccook31 3 роки тому +2

    It's funny to read the comments attempting to steer this incredibly creative project towards orthodoxy, as if you/we are not aware. In fact, the more one knows about the conventions of a guitar pickup the more fun this is. Fantastic.

  • @MediaBelajarKita
    @MediaBelajarKita 5 років тому

    Wow....amazing

  • @90FF1
    @90FF1 5 років тому +1

    Re-purposing discarded stuff is a good thing. Would large iron nails make better magnets than the (slightly) hard machine screws? As a kid, when we made electro-magnets and small motors, nails were preferred because of their permeability. Nice Jules Verne looking guitar. Thanks for posting.

  • @barbarianblood2316
    @barbarianblood2316 Рік тому +1

    Decent pickup man!🤘

  • @a.liutaio2207
    @a.liutaio2207 2 роки тому

    Good work )

  • @chewbactimusprime
    @chewbactimusprime 3 роки тому +4

    He forged his own pickup from shit layin' around in the garage. Awesome.

  • @doxen756
    @doxen756 5 років тому +1

    cool, i built self CBGs and crazy guitars too...

  • @Saf1ouane
    @Saf1ouane Рік тому

    thanks about sharing this

  • @DankradMP
    @DankradMP 3 роки тому +1

    I actually followed that tutorial and made new pickups for my brand new guitar. Nothing like home made.

    • @KeithDecent
      @KeithDecent  3 роки тому

      thats awesome! if you're on Instagram I'd love to have you send me a link! Im @keithdecent

    • @DankradMP
      @DankradMP 3 роки тому

      @@KeithDecent I'd love to but I was joking haha. Great video though :)

  • @jenstrudenau9134
    @jenstrudenau9134 3 роки тому

    Amazing. Thank you

  • @slapdashpt
    @slapdashpt 6 років тому +16

    You could sell it has a boutique pickup. :)

  • @ericrose3877
    @ericrose3877 5 років тому +1

    F-ing wonderful thank you!!!

  • @alihassoun10
    @alihassoun10 5 років тому

    What the heck is that video!!! 😍😍😍😍😍DAAAMN That's awesome!!!

  • @zengold988
    @zengold988 4 роки тому +1

    Fkn Awesome Thanx Bro

  • @HowlingUlf
    @HowlingUlf 3 роки тому +1

    Ooooooooooh! Totally lovely! Just go for it! :D

  • @egrono1
    @egrono1 Рік тому

    Nice!

  • @eliasbinde2629
    @eliasbinde2629 6 років тому +34

    You could have improved it so much with the thin wire and more turns! Going slower while winding the coils takes patience but it's worth it.

    • @KeithDecent
      @KeithDecent  5 років тому +12

      yup, that would make it a lot better for sure, but it was late and i didnt want to go buy thinner ire (or wait for it to come in the mail) so I went with what I had.

    • @freedommatters9596
      @freedommatters9596 5 років тому +4

      This is the guitar you pass around to your freebird hollering savages over a case of beer in the garage to keep them away from your Les Paul or Strat. A random stray dart toss away from your baby and into this thing just gives it more character. This thing will attract stories, and become legend of the watercooler.

    • @striveforsuccessstudysmart3509
      @striveforsuccessstudysmart3509 4 роки тому +2

      @@freedommatters9596 ... You're speaking my language Mr Freedom

    • @zengold988
      @zengold988 4 роки тому +1

      @@KeithDecent had same thing happen with a girl ...lol

    • @jenstrudenau9134
      @jenstrudenau9134 3 роки тому

      A thinner wire means more turns you can wrap around and this gives you more output. If I understood that correctly.
      But does ist cange the tone as well?

  • @yacobshelelshaddai4543
    @yacobshelelshaddai4543 3 роки тому

    I wana see more that was cool.

  • @markvickroy6725
    @markvickroy6725 2 роки тому

    Super cool project and I really dig the guitar. I've been building guitars out of found material for 15 years or so. As far as the pickup goes I wouldn't exactly say it sounds great. But I'm going to guarantee that's because of the gauge wire that you used. I would harvest the thin wire another one of those Transformers. For your Winder if you want to use an electric drill you're going to need to put it of course on the slowest speed you're going to need something to tape or hold the trigger down and you're going to need something to slow down the speed even more. Two different size pulleys and some sort of little belt, two wooden circles with groove cut around the circumference oh, you get it. Mount Your pulleys kind of close to each other diagonally offset on some nails or shank bolts with the smooth Part near the head, you can use some washers for spacers or bearings set up a little stand on the back side of the board that you have mounted these pulleys on, stand the board up vertically. You're going to want to space things so that the battery of the drill or the handle touches the table as does the edge of the mounting board. The bolt that is going to attach to the drill needs to go all the way through the wood so you can Chuck it in the drill. I can't do much better explaining in a UA-cam post but I am sure you can figure it out from there. I would get it going pretty slow. Like 100 RPM or less. Wire tension with wire that thin is the most critical thing. I just use my fingertip, in a glove, after much "testing" i.e. screwing up I got the feel for it.
    Also a quick shut off that kills the power to the drill or something would be handy, if the wire breaks and doesn't tangle which in my experience usually doesn't happen at those slow speeds if you can shut the drill off pretty quickly, you can literally burn off the enamel on both busted ends. Tie together. Dot of nail polish, clear enamel paint etc. Do 10 or so turns by hand, and have at it

  • @justinbanks2380
    @justinbanks2380 Рік тому +1

    Very cool!
    Just found your channel from your upcoming collab on YT art project.
    I had no idea that's how the pickups worked.
    If you do again, using nails instead of screws would probably help with the snagging while winding as you wouldn't have threads to catch on.
    Does the polarity of the magnets direction matter? Like all south or north facing same direction?
    Ok, well now to binge all your videos, as the painting that led me here is inspiring, but the wood working and general tinkering that seems to be your style is definitely more in my wheelhouse!

  • @moimeme7839
    @moimeme7839 5 років тому

    Really cool🤘

  • @fransaacs
    @fransaacs 3 роки тому +1

    'Potted' with hot glue? Nutter.
    Liked and subscribed.

  • @hakanaxlund4316
    @hakanaxlund4316 23 дні тому

    Cool!

  • @phisitja01
    @phisitja01 4 роки тому

    Nice. Thank.

  • @kh8189
    @kh8189 5 років тому +1

    I love how amazing that guitar looks that is legit inspiring

  • @michelefrogan7150
    @michelefrogan7150 9 місяців тому

    Sensacional!!

  • @keeperofthegood
    @keeperofthegood 5 років тому +4

    Always good to see diy. Need to armchair some advice; wire works better on smoothness, wrap a layer of tape first as screw threads are terrible.. As to noise hot glue does nothing, the wire to wire capacitance is working to absorb that in this pickup, the other way to go is to use foil wrapped once without touching itself and connecting one end to the pickup wire as your final outside layer.

    • @keeperofthegood
      @keeperofthegood 5 років тому +1

      Actually, getting back to the glue. When I first watched this I was thinking ac/radio noise, but yes, glue/varnish/wax will stop the wires from physically moving causing vibration noises. Of the options, wax is a good one, it soaks in but doesn't stop you from fixing the pickup in the future.

  • @holyspiritofgodinperson6957
    @holyspiritofgodinperson6957 4 роки тому

    Nice

  • @funkysod
    @funkysod 6 років тому

    Nice!!!!

  • @edgabriel8358
    @edgabriel8358 4 роки тому +1

    Dope!

  • @Boofedit
    @Boofedit 3 місяці тому

    awesome piece of advice for future builds, use heat shrink to insulate rather than hot glue, youd be surprised how large a diameter heat shrink comes in ive had heat shrink up to a meter in diameter, simply cap the ends with hot glue and youll geta very neat end product

  • @andrewoverheid3883
    @andrewoverheid3883 5 років тому +1

    How did you wire the wires for the jack output (input?) to the single coil tho??

  • @TrailMaker2
    @TrailMaker2 5 років тому +3

    How to conect it to audio
    jack?

  • @mexikanecfilda
    @mexikanecfilda 4 роки тому

    nice...now i can create my own guitar :D

  • @C_U_R_I_E_L
    @C_U_R_I_E_L 2 роки тому +1

    Cool. Thank you for this . My logic oriented brain can't get enough for the info delivery method . Excellent infographics, editing, and pace. It was also actually very very informative to see you build your first draft . I had no idea plugs had copper wire, I suppose I have a new task today. I'm going to try and build this. Do you think that silicone glue sealant would work as a good insulator? If the coiled wires are not perfectly aligned, does it change the sound?

    • @KeithDecent
      @KeithDecent  2 роки тому

      Silicone might work? I don’t see why it wouldn’t but I dunno.
      All great questions, and having similar questions is what drove me to make this, so I guess just experiment! Youll find a lot of the hard-set rules ppl have about these things are really much more flexible than expected.
      Good luck and be safe!

  • @yacobshelelshaddai4543
    @yacobshelelshaddai4543 3 роки тому +1

    That’s cool and all but you left out how you did the electronics for it. I’m wanting to learn so was keen to see how you wired it to the jack etc.

  • @gitaramaker101
    @gitaramaker101 5 років тому

    Nice 😊

  • @samgreer9705
    @samgreer9705 5 років тому +4

    This is awesome! I’m making a slide bass guitar out of scrap wood for fun and this should be perfect! Would this work for a bass guitar?

  • @ACNailedIt
    @ACNailedIt 5 років тому +1

    Please keep making stuff Keith, you're really good at it!

  • @bertrandmajorik6589
    @bertrandmajorik6589 3 роки тому +3

    BASS player here,.......... speechless.

  • @AndyHeisz
    @AndyHeisz 6 років тому +2

    cool project man, try using polyurethane to insulate your pickups next time.

  • @aumhren3480
    @aumhren3480 2 роки тому

    hacksaw for the president ! lol, thx for sharing, have fun, s love nia

  • @atrumluminarium
    @atrumluminarium 2 роки тому

    To have ideal coverage by the magnetic field, the screws must be directly underneath each string. To be honest in this case, I think a rail core would have been a bit more suited. It would also allow you to put more magnets so a stronger field could make the output louder

  • @jamesspencer9472
    @jamesspencer9472 5 років тому +1

    Great video. Is there a video on how you wired it to the output jack? Sorry if I missed that part.
    Thank

    • @KeithDecent
      @KeithDecent  5 років тому +2

      i included it in the main guitar build video, you can see it on my channel page.

    • @jamesspencer9472
      @jamesspencer9472 5 років тому +1

      Thanks

  • @wyattshook2775
    @wyattshook2775 3 роки тому

    Badass

  • @muhammadhisyam6072
    @muhammadhisyam6072 3 роки тому

    how thick is your wooden ruler? I made 2 of these and it works but holy hell, the wooden ruler breaks everytime. Super frustrating but thank you for making this video! Would love to see u make a humbucker

  • @fourkings7897
    @fourkings7897 3 роки тому +3

    You can easily chisel out the EI steel core of the transformer.. 😁😁
    By the way, nice demonstration...

  • @tuckerklutey3042
    @tuckerklutey3042 3 роки тому +1

    This looks awesome! How did you wire the pickup to an output jack?

    • @KeithDecent
      @KeithDecent  3 роки тому

      i left the beginning and the end of the coil wire outside of the coil to form the connection.