Emmons push/pull pickups

[Dave Zirbel]

I have a GS10 student model but it has a replacement humbucker BL 710. I can dial in a real good tone with it, but I want the classic push pull sound. I've heard 12k is what the GS10 pickup was wound too, and the wraparounds. I have a non working Emmons pickup that needs a rewind...just wondering what spec to wind it too to get "that sound". I like midrange. Where some of the later models wound a little hotter? I would be curious to know the differences of pickups through the different eras of push pulls. I don't have a lot of knowledge regarding push pulls. Thanks!

[Bob Hoffnar]

There are many variables but with all things being the same the wrap around that I owned had pickups wound to 15k. The new emmons guys have pretty much nailed it with the pickups they use. Later model emmons pickups were wound to around 18k. At least with the guitars I have owned.

[Mike Polansky]

The GS10s are wound lighter (around 12k) but they sit closer to the strings and aren’t adjustable so if you wind hotter you might not get the results you want. I’ve been thinking about modifying my GS to be adjustable just to replace the stock pickup as I think that’s definitely the weakest point on the student models. If you’ve got a 710 on there that’s probably a better pickup than the the stock GS10 pickup.

[Bill Terry]

I had a pickup go 'weird' on my '66 bolt-on, it was 'working', but really bright, and when I measured it, the meter showed open, no continuity.

I contacted Scott at Steeltronics and we exchanged a couple of emails about rewinding the questionable pickup (He advised it is possible for a pickup with a broken winding to still work). He recommended a rewind at something around 15.5K, based on my description of what I was looking for tone-wise, and his experience with what other players had liked. He turned the pickup around quickly and nailed it. Still tons of that P/P 'sheen' but not tinny, punchy with lots of clarity on the low strings.

I'd recommend him highly. The customer service and willingness to ask questions to find out what I wanted was great, and a rewind is a VERY cost-effective option. You can contact him through the website.

https://www.steeltronics.com/

[Dave Zirbel]

Thanks guys. All good advice! I like punch and midrange but not mudrange! LOL! When I heard 12K, I was surprised, although it might be accurate and what others prefer, I thought I might want a few more windings.

I also like Mike Polansky's idea of modding the guitar to have a height adjustment for the pickup.

[Doug Palmer]

Dave, I have a used Emmons GS10 pickup wound to 15K if interested. $110 shipped USPS.

[Larry Chung]

Hi Dave:

The p/p pickups I've played over the years have been anywhere from 12k through 18k, as Bob Hoffnar points out above. The 12k on my student Emmons is super clear and has great cut, but that also has to do with the guitar, too. It's featherlight and very resonant, very late 60s or early 70. Most of the "classic" Emmons tone I like is generally in the 14k-15k range, but again, depends on the guitar. I have a wood neck mid 70s D-10 that has 17.5k pickups which sounds incredible, clear and super-balanced. But it's black, too. (:

I'm sure you can get some decent tone out of just about any pickup, so I'd say take the plunge and try out one or another. Or have Nick Fryer rewind an old one for you, he does excellent work. I believe the student model single coils are slightly shorter than the "Pro" models, too, fwiw.

Welcome to the Emmons thang. Hope you're well.
LC

[Brett Lanier]

Hi Dave,
Does your GS10 have a tone control? Something to keep in mind about the old Sho Buds and Emmons’ with lightly wound pickups is that they often had a tone knob. Trimming the high with a tone knob will sound different than dialing those highs out on the amp, and I think that’s a part of what we hear on the old recordings. I’ve noticed that the tone controls on a lot of Emmons’ don’t sound particularly good. It could be worth it to put a good pot and capacitor in there, especially if the pickups are sub 15k.

My new favorite old Marlen has 15k pickups with taps that bring them down to 9.5k. I prefer the sound of 9k with the tone knob rolled back, but end up using 15k a lot too.

[Jack Hanson]

I have two 1973 GS-10s; both have their factory pickups. One measures 12.3K; the other measures 13.3K. Both sound great to my old ears.