Alumitone-style ribbon transformer/motor

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lernith

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 25, 2005
Messages
59
Location
Eugene, OR
This was just added to my project queue:
The Alumintone is a guitar pickup that acts as a transformer-- the face plate forms a loop around two magnets and is then "inductively coupled to a small secondary".  I can't tell if there is a core but I would assume there is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZI8sMJVjHrY

I was thinking one could replace a section of that aluminum loop with a ribbon and experiment with how that whole coupling thing works.  It seems like a good way to get a high ratio with as few windings as possible.

Let me know what you think/find out :)
 
Yeah I am familiar with Alumitone's... They have amazing sound for guitars... Never even though about modding them work for a ribbon mic. Interesting concept. I am not sure if they do have a core though... If you look behind them, they just curve up and are flat in the back. It's not like a big solid square like a humbucker... Instead it looks like a thick strip of metal with two long legs holding it in place. I almost got some of these suckers for my strat, but instead opted for the regular Lace Sensors instead. They claim the Alumitone's are very neutral though... as if what you are hearing is just the speakers and effects pedals... The electric clean is supposed to sound almost like an acoustic plugged in. I am sure it doesn't sound like this exactly, but that's what I read.

Anyway I am interested to see where this goes.

-Grant
 
an interesting thought although the underlying mechanics of the system are different.

In a ribbon motor, the ribbon is in a field and when it moves, becomes a current generator, much like the wires in a guitar pick are.

In a guitar, the string is in a field but is a field modulator for a Faraday system.

They both work because of the Faraday laws but using different methods.

That being said, the ribbon could definitely modulate the field just like a string but to an unknown effect.  The amount the ribbon moves is very small compared to how much a string vibrates.  You would need a much stronger field I think.

 
Well from what I understand the Alumitones are actually different than normal guitar pickups... Something about it being a "current driven design" instead of voltage based. Not sure if that matters, but they are supposed to have louder output levels, so maybe that means they are more sensitive... Sensitive enough to pick up a ribbon moving? Who knows... but worth a try.

-Grant
 

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