From Thobacks site regarding the The Leesona 102 Vintage Pickup Winder:
In the late 40's Gibson purchased two Leesona 102 coil winders to take over the ever growing pickup winding duties. Ultimately the Leesona 102 was destined to wind the Gibson Patent Applied For humbucker pickup. The Leesona 102 is a very large machine that is designed to wind 3 coils as large as 3 inches in size. When adjusted down to the 1/4" size of a 50's vintage P.A.F. the tolerances of the machine and runout of the chucks begin to play a very important role in the the peculiar winding patterns of the pickup coils wound on the Leesona 102. Thankfully, in the hands of a skilled operator these peculiarities add up to tonal magic when it comes to winding pickup coils.
Pickups made on the Leesona 102 are rich in the double tones and dynamics that are associated with the best of vintage 50's Patent Applied For pickups. Vintage Leesona 102 winding machines are very rare. Only one other guitar pickup manufacturer owns a Leesona 102. Even rarer is finding one that is operational. Fortunately ThroBak Electronics owns an exceptionally well maintained Leesona 102, complete with original tensioners, chucks and wire guide pulleys. Updated with digital auto stop counters, the ThroBak Leesona 102 is tuned to perfection.
The Slug 101 Vintage Patent Applied For Pickup Winder
A one of a kind Gibson made and designed machine, the "Slug 101" had been sitting dormant, in a state of disrepair, for decades in the old Gibson Kalamazoo Parsons street facility. Until now! In 2008 ThroBak Electronics purchased this historic Patent Applied For slug coil winder to once again bring it back to it's rightful role as vintage 50's P.A.F. coil winding tone machine. There is no other machine like the Slug 101. Designed and hand made in the 50's by a Gibson pattern maker to wind 50's vintage P.A.F. slug bobbins, this machine is the holy grail of vintage 50's Gibson coil winders. It's existence was speculated over for years. Previously only known as "the small 4 bobbin winder," its existence was the stuff of mystery and myth. But, once more, the Slug 101 lives again!
The pickups made with the Slug 101 are exceptional, as is the machine is itself. The Slug 101 was used by Gibson to wind slug coils for Patent Applied For and Pat # humbuckers whenever the need arose to put it to use. Due to the slow winding and set-up speed of the Slug 101 there are proportionally fewer vintage 50's Humbuckers with Slug 101 coils in them. But pickups that do contain these special coils have a clarity and focus that is imparted by the unique winding pattern of the Slug 101. Radically different than the Leesona 102, the winding pattern of the Slug 101 is a function of the one of a kind, hand made traverse and tensioning mechanism of this exceptional machine. I have blacked out a portion of the unique traverse mechanism I want to keep secret. A little mystery never hurt when it comes to vintage mojo.
How I happened upon the Slug 101
In January 2008 I visited Heritage Guitar Inc. which occupies the old Gibson Parsons Street factory building in Kalamazoo. The purpose of the trip was to pick up a custom order guitar. Prior to the visit I asked Bill Paige if they still had any old Gibson pickup winding machines on the premises. When I arrived at the historic Parsons Street building Bill graciously showed me the Slug 101. My jaw dropped, I immediately recognized its importance. Other former Gibson employees at Heritage confirmed the historical significance of this machine. In June 2008 I purchased the Slug 101 and picked it up from the old Gibson factory building in Kalamazoo now occupied by Heritage Guitar Inc.. The Slug 101 was conceived and born in the old Gibson Kalamazoo building and resided there for half a century. Restored to it's former glory the Slug 101 is back to making incredible sounding 50's vintage P.A.F. style pickups in the ThroBak Electronics facility in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
