Coil winder

Scatter wound vs Machine wound

The difference between hand wound pickups and machine wound ones is the method of getting copper wire onto the bobbin. Most often, a ready made machine wound pickup is wound with a very uniform way, the wire is laid out in an orderly manner onto the bobbin.

Machine wound pickups are cheaper than hand wound pickups because machines are smart enough to wrap a pickup without supervision, resulting in hardly any accidents. Hand wound pickups are more expensive than machine wound pickups since an individual must remain at the machine while winding, and accidents may occur more frequently.

Scatter wound pickups have a lower capacitance due to the fact that the wire is laid irregularly onto the bobbin. Every pickup wound by hand is uniquely different. Varied amount of tension and speed during the winding creates varied capacitance in every wind. Many guitarists prefer a more dynamic and open tone and will favor inconsistency in order to obtain a truly unique tone.

So which method is the best you may ask? The best method is the method you like the best.

There are many opinions as to which method provides the best tone and results. Hand wound is the preferred method among guitarists for their open tone, high end frequencies and dynamic range. Machine wound also find its place with players and custom shops when you need repeatability, something that is extremely difficult to do by hand. Guitarists who play with overdrive or heavy distortion may prefer this method for a warmer and more pronounced sounding than hand wound pickups.

So if you are on a quest for the perfect vintage tone and love the idea of something hand crafted then hand wound pickups are best for you. But if you play mostly with overdrive or distortion and like consistency and predictable tone then machine wound pickups may be a better choice for you.