Post by antigua on Nov 9, 2017 0:31:40 GMT -5
This is one of the few really great low priced Strat sets on the market. At $65 for the set of three, they about 2/3rds the price of Tonerider's Strat sets, and of course an even smaller fraction of the offerings from the traditional and boutique pickup vendors, who I can only assume are operating on inertia at this point, as these low priced sets from BYO and Tonerider are "boutique" spec, from end to end. A Chinese pickup maker called Donlis deserves a shout out, though I'd describe those as fractionally priced GFS/Artec type pickups,which at roughly $40 a set, they're the lowest priced, high quality pickup you can buy. BYO also makes equally killer Tele and PAF sets.
If you view the pics below, you can see that these are not you're typical $22 Strat pickups. They have real fiber flat work. Carefully cloth taped coils, staggered AlNiCo pole pieces, premium cloth pull back wire, not that nylon stuff Artec uses (which is fine too, it works), but best of all, hand written DC resistance and pickup position details. Hand signed pickups, for $22/pc. The electrical measurements below show that these pickups are constructed flawlessly, with a very low capacitance, sometimes sold as "scatter winding". All things considered, these are comparable to Lollar, Bare Knuckle, David Allen, etc.
Looking closely at the BYO offerings shows that some of the flat work appears to be shared by domestic pickup makers, who do outsource some or all of their raw material needs. For example, the BYO Tele bridge has the same peculiar bevel as a David Allen Tele bridge pickup. So, it seems the cost savings here are not due to a compromised product, but mainly in cutting out domestic middle men who, somehow, cause the price per piece to multiply five fold.
Mfg. website: www.byoguitar.com/Guitars/Storm-Vintage-Strat-Pickup-Set__BYO-STORM-SET.aspx
Measurements:
BYO Storm Bridge
- DC Resistance: 6.48K ohms
- Measured L: 2.685H
- Calculated C: 88pF (98 - 10)
- Gauss: 1150G (AlNiCo 5)
BYO Storm Middle
- DC Resistance: 6.35kK ohms
- Measured L: 2.486H
- Calculated C: 94pF (104 - 10)
- Gauss: 1150G (AlNiCo 5)
BYO Storm Neck
- DC Resistance: 5.89K ohms
- Measured L: 2.292H
- Calculated C: 94pF (104 - 10)
- Gauss: 1050G (AlNiCo 5)
Bridge unloaded: dV: 15.9dB f: 9.81kHz (black)
Bridge loaded (200k & 470pF): dV: 6.7dB f: 3.94kHz (red)
Middle unloaded: dV: 15.4dB f: 9.92kHz (green)
Middle loaded (200k & 470pF): dV: 6.3dB f: 3.98kHz (gray)
Neck unloaded: dV: 15.4dB f: 10.3 kHz (green)
Neck loaded (200k & 470pF): dV: 7.0dB f: 4.22kHz (gray)
The most important detail here the loaded resonant peak, which all land right around 4.0kHz, and 4.2kHz for the neck pickup. This is a relative sweet spot for Strat pickups. The Texas Specials range from 3.5kHz for 3.8kHz. Fender Fat 50's are all around 3.9kHz, while the highly regarded 57'/62' and CS 69's sets come in around 4.2kHz, so at 4.0kHz and 4.2kHz, this set compares with the lower output, brighter sounding '57/'62's CS '69's. The "white" bottom bobbin and block bobbin top is apparently a color scheme Fender had going during the 60's, and these pickups were supposedly known to be wound lower, hence the low output CS '69'. This set therefore thematically aligns well with the Fender's 60's era Strat pickups.
The internal coil capacitance calculates out to around 92pF, which is indicative of looser "hand wound" Stratocaster type coils wound to about 6k ohms. Low capacitance has been observed in Tonerider pickups also, they claim to use a machine winder than mimics hand winding in some fashion. It could be true, the evidence doesn't contradict their claim. I have all four of Lollar's Strat sets, which are hand guided pickups, and which also measured at roughly 90pF. More tightly machine wound coils from Fender and others usually show a capacitance closer to 110pF up to 140pF. A lower capacitance can help to retain brightness when you roll off on the volume control, as this isolates the pickup's capacitance of the pickup from the guitar cable.
The Q factors, with the peak amplitudes of 15dB unloaded and 6dB loaded are higher than typical Strat pickups, which are usually 12dB and 5dB respectively. This suggests the AlNiCo 5 formulation has a lower conductivity than is average. The Gauss readings are also a little stronger than typical, 1150G compared to 1050G, which actually means this AlNiCo is superior, in a technical sense; higher Br, and lower resistance loss. Since the tone controls and pot values shift the Q factor otherwise, these aspects are not at all detrimental. Given that Q factor, and magnetic strength can be taken away (add parallel load, or lower the pickup, respectively), but not added back in, it's generally better to have too much rather than too little.
Pics:
If you view the pics below, you can see that these are not you're typical $22 Strat pickups. They have real fiber flat work. Carefully cloth taped coils, staggered AlNiCo pole pieces, premium cloth pull back wire, not that nylon stuff Artec uses (which is fine too, it works), but best of all, hand written DC resistance and pickup position details. Hand signed pickups, for $22/pc. The electrical measurements below show that these pickups are constructed flawlessly, with a very low capacitance, sometimes sold as "scatter winding". All things considered, these are comparable to Lollar, Bare Knuckle, David Allen, etc.
Looking closely at the BYO offerings shows that some of the flat work appears to be shared by domestic pickup makers, who do outsource some or all of their raw material needs. For example, the BYO Tele bridge has the same peculiar bevel as a David Allen Tele bridge pickup. So, it seems the cost savings here are not due to a compromised product, but mainly in cutting out domestic middle men who, somehow, cause the price per piece to multiply five fold.
Mfg. website: www.byoguitar.com/Guitars/Storm-Vintage-Strat-Pickup-Set__BYO-STORM-SET.aspx
Measurements:
BYO Storm Bridge
- DC Resistance: 6.48K ohms
- Measured L: 2.685H
- Calculated C: 88pF (98 - 10)
- Gauss: 1150G (AlNiCo 5)
BYO Storm Middle
- DC Resistance: 6.35kK ohms
- Measured L: 2.486H
- Calculated C: 94pF (104 - 10)
- Gauss: 1150G (AlNiCo 5)
BYO Storm Neck
- DC Resistance: 5.89K ohms
- Measured L: 2.292H
- Calculated C: 94pF (104 - 10)
- Gauss: 1050G (AlNiCo 5)
Bridge unloaded: dV: 15.9dB f: 9.81kHz (black)
Bridge loaded (200k & 470pF): dV: 6.7dB f: 3.94kHz (red)
Middle unloaded: dV: 15.4dB f: 9.92kHz (green)
Middle loaded (200k & 470pF): dV: 6.3dB f: 3.98kHz (gray)
Neck unloaded: dV: 15.4dB f: 10.3 kHz (green)
Neck loaded (200k & 470pF): dV: 7.0dB f: 4.22kHz (gray)
The most important detail here the loaded resonant peak, which all land right around 4.0kHz, and 4.2kHz for the neck pickup. This is a relative sweet spot for Strat pickups. The Texas Specials range from 3.5kHz for 3.8kHz. Fender Fat 50's are all around 3.9kHz, while the highly regarded 57'/62' and CS 69's sets come in around 4.2kHz, so at 4.0kHz and 4.2kHz, this set compares with the lower output, brighter sounding '57/'62's CS '69's. The "white" bottom bobbin and block bobbin top is apparently a color scheme Fender had going during the 60's, and these pickups were supposedly known to be wound lower, hence the low output CS '69'. This set therefore thematically aligns well with the Fender's 60's era Strat pickups.
The internal coil capacitance calculates out to around 92pF, which is indicative of looser "hand wound" Stratocaster type coils wound to about 6k ohms. Low capacitance has been observed in Tonerider pickups also, they claim to use a machine winder than mimics hand winding in some fashion. It could be true, the evidence doesn't contradict their claim. I have all four of Lollar's Strat sets, which are hand guided pickups, and which also measured at roughly 90pF. More tightly machine wound coils from Fender and others usually show a capacitance closer to 110pF up to 140pF. A lower capacitance can help to retain brightness when you roll off on the volume control, as this isolates the pickup's capacitance of the pickup from the guitar cable.
The Q factors, with the peak amplitudes of 15dB unloaded and 6dB loaded are higher than typical Strat pickups, which are usually 12dB and 5dB respectively. This suggests the AlNiCo 5 formulation has a lower conductivity than is average. The Gauss readings are also a little stronger than typical, 1150G compared to 1050G, which actually means this AlNiCo is superior, in a technical sense; higher Br, and lower resistance loss. Since the tone controls and pot values shift the Q factor otherwise, these aspects are not at all detrimental. Given that Q factor, and magnetic strength can be taken away (add parallel load, or lower the pickup, respectively), but not added back in, it's generally better to have too much rather than too little.
Pics: