Hi everyone, I have just noticed. One of the pickups my tech uninstalled has a broken copper wire . Luckily is not the lead that makes connection with the coil, but one of the many wraps around the eyelet in the coil. Does anyone know if this means the pickup is no longer working? its just one of many wraps... could this be fixed with a drop of CA or sth?
Are you talking about the large coil of very thin wire around the bobbin? That's all one piece of wire, so breaking that will render the pickup dead. I believe it could be repaired if it is a rare or valuable pickup. Can you post a picture?
If you're saying that the thin wire running out of the wrap to the place where it is soldered to the larger wire running to the control is broken at that point... then no, not a huge problem. In most cases that can be easily repaired. If you are saying that the thin wire wrapping around and around the pickup (bobbin) is broken...it depends upon where it's broken. If it's just a matter of unwinding a turn or two...maybe not much.... But if it's broken somewhere inside and unknown how many wraps, then it could be a problem. I have a Seymour Duncan pickup where such a troublesome break occurred and SD suggested that I throw it away and buy a replacement. I've a 1964 Strat pickup that if that happened to, spending a few hundred to carefully unwrap, repair using the original wire to the extent possible, and rewrap would be money well spent.
As long as the leads to the main coil are intact, I think it should be working. I think those small wraps are just for reinforcement, but I could be wrong.
Thanks, no its not the wire around the bobbin? Is one of the few wraps around the eyelet. Do u think a bit of CA to make it be in contact with the other wraps is a solution?
Yea that’s exactly what I was wondering thanks man. That’s why I was considering just dropping a tiny drop of CA on there
Those tiny wires in that location are quite vulnerable to being disturbed or broken when swapping pups, changing pickguards, or anything that involves movement of the pup. I learned the hard way: it was on my totally original 1995 MIM Strat. The neck pickup quit working and I must have tried everything in the book to figure out what happened. Looking closely at the base of the pup where those tiny wires are wound around the base to connect to the output wire "pole" you can see that there are about 4 or 5 of them in that "wrap". If just one wire is broken, the pup usually works, but if most or all of them are broken, the pup will not work, Yes, it can be fixed, but I just replaced the pup. Some newer pups run those wires in a recess in the base to lower their vulnerability to damage.
If it's the end unwrap a turn, De-solder the lead from the eyelet. Clear the eyelet of solder Take the wire and pull it through the eyelet several times. Now this is the hard part. put the lead back through the eyelet. Now solder it in place. You have to get the eyelet hot enough to melt the insulation off the coil wire. This is a balancing act, Too hot, and you can cook the wire. Not hot enough, the insulation won't melt and you won't have a good connection.
Does the pickup test good for continuity ? What is the reading at the lead ends ? If it coil wire is still connected to the leads, the frayed end that wraps around the eyelet can be disregarded. I don't think there's any problem here. Regardless any issue with the connection(s) superglue will not be the correct fix.
As I said in your other thread - you should be able to test if it's working by plugging the guitar in. If you get sound, it's OK, leave it alone. I agree with Tone Guru - if it's broken, it'll need to be repaired/resoldered - CA is not the solution. From the questions you've asked, I wouldn't recommend you do this as you probably don't have the experience. But find another technician.
I've had the broken wire at the eyelet thing many times, it's an easy fix, but very fiddley (detailled) - it does require a good level of manual dexterity.