The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
  1. #1

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    Anybody here have a McCarty pickup set up?
    Or as it's supposedly properly called a Gibson finger-rest pickup

    I was curious if someone did if they could measure the DC resistance of the pickups, individually.

    I was going to make my own version and though I suspect I know how the pickups are made (P-90 coils with alnico slug magnets)
    I was curious as to the specs.

    Thanks

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  3. #2

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    I'm using old McCarty pickguard/pickups on my L-7's and L-4c and have a few extras around...
    If I remember right most of mine measured in the lower to middle of the 6-7K range.
    I'll check again just to be sure.

    So back again and measured a couple......6.2K on one and about 6.4K on the other.
    Last edited by zizala; 12-07-2019 at 09:01 AM.

  4. #3

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    I over-wound my coil and then un-wound it to this resistance.

    McCarty pickup DC resistance?-img_1207-jpg
    McCarty pickup DC resistance?-finished-closeup-jpg


  5. #4

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    That is a beautiful sound!

  6. #5

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    unless you know the exact gauge of the wire used for the original wrap, the resistance numbers are meaningless...the polepieces are indeed alnico rods...but again which specific alnico??..

    that pup was patented in 1948..so i wouldn't just assume #42 wire and alnico v rods

    other slim pickups of that era were using #44 and #45 wire!!

    also, very similar to a jazzmaster pickup!

    cheers

  7. #6

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    Specs of my pickguard:


    43AWG enamel wound to 6.6K
    Clockwise wind
    Alnico V, North Up pole pieces
    0.195" x 3/8" (Pole magnets are all the same length, but the "B" is recessed via a hole in the backing plate)
    1/16" flatwork
    2" string spacing
    Low Carbon Steel Backing plate
    Bobbin Size: per patent drawings
    250K Volume and Tone pot
    0.047 Tone cap.
    "50's Wiring"

  8. #7

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    specs are close to a mid 60's tele neck pup..#43 wire..alnico rods...right around same resistance...only bobbin is different...

    nice work


    cheers