Happiness Does Exist! An Easy Way to Make a Magnetic Pickup
We use affiliate links. If you purchase something using one of these links, we may receive compensation or commission.
In one of my previous related posts DIY Pickup in 4 Easy Steps. I was explaining how I make the magnetic pickup from the sewing bobbin and a copper coil of a transformer.
Oh, and the neodymium headphone element, of course.
It included the winding with the use of the ordinary drill.
Well. No more winding!
No more hassle with disassembling the transformers and cracking the old headphones!
The fast and easy way to make a magnetic pickup is as follows:
1. Transformer: take it but do not break it.
According to many other reports, the best choice is a 110/12 VAC transformer.
If you can’t find the transformer itself you can find any old power supply/charger for any electronic device.
2. Neodymium magnetic element.
Not necessarily a neodymium one.
But in my experience, the neodymium is the most effective and cheap magnet you can find.
With more magnets you can set up a stronger signal from your magnetic pickup will you get.
Q.: Where can I get the neodymium magnet?
A.: I’d suggest the same source as in “DIY Pickup in 4 Easy Steps.” post: the old broken headphones. Don’t have any? Ask your friends, co-workers, relatives. You’ll be surprised how many people keep the garbage “just in case”. In the worst-case scenario, buy the cheapest neodymium magnets on Amazon.
3. Copper Wire.
I use the copper wire from the electrical cable, the one for grounding without an isolation coat.
But actually, it can be any thick copper wire which you can find.
It just has to be long enough to make a loop which runs over the smaller coil frame of the transformer and around the magnets.
4. Putting everything together.
Firstly I’ve removed the smaller coil from the transformer to have enough space to push through the copper wire.
Maybe it’s not that necessary.
And it takes quite a bit of time to do it.
Maybe in my next experiment, I will not remove it if the copper wire goes through anyway.
Then I made a loop with the copper wire as described above.
I secured the magnets and the surrounding wire with the piece of scotch just for the sake of the experiment.
Later I will find a better more reliable solution.
Here’s what it looks like:
OK. I admit that this is a “quick and dirty” way to do things.
But it’s only to share an idea.
Of course, the final version has to be done the right way.
The final step is testing.
Here’s what it sounds like.
Sorry for the humming noise: no shielding.
The amp is the Fishman Loudbox Mini.
Wow that is cool and clear..how would you shield it? Interested.
Well. It obviously depends on the particular construction. Usually I use a self-adhesive copper foil.