Question about soldering pickup wiring process related

[modorange]

Before I ask, some or all of these questions may be answered in the service manual. And if they are addressed in the service manual, where are they addressed?

Some questions about wiring rhodes pups:

What kind of wire is used between the pickups?
How do you solder/unsolder the pickups so that they don't get messed up?
Is it more effective to wire them after they've been connected to the harp, or before?
Is there a good use for bad (open) pickups?
Should the later white-tape pickups have the same impedance values as the earlier clear-tape pickups?
Why are so many of the white-tape pickups bad?

[Rob A]

http://www.fenderrhodes.com/service/pickups.php
http://www.fenderrhodes.com/service/rewinding-pickups.php

non-manual resources that are very worthwhile.

[modorange]

Thanks for the links. I read them, but I am wondering still what type wire goes between the terminals of each of the pickups? I suppose I could simply use the extra wire from all the dead pickups I got (all of which are the circa 1980 type with the white tape covering the coils). Also, when soldering back together large numbers of pickups, is it better to de-solder all the terminals and start from scratch, or is this a waste of time? Thanks!

[Tim Hodges]

Thanks for the links. I read them, but I am wondering still what type wire goes between the terminals of each of the pickups? I suppose I could simply use the extra wire from all the dead pickups I got (all of which are the circa 1980 type with the white tape covering the coils). Also, when soldering back together large numbers of pickups, is it better to de-solder all the terminals and start from scratch, or is this a waste of time? Thanks!

7 strand tinned copper is the original specification wire. I would only solder the ones which are really required, you limit the risk of breaking the pickups coil and melting the nylon.

When I first started I had the exact same idea but purely for cosmetic reasons, after breaking my first pickup I though b*llocks to that I left the rest.

T