Scatter winding is a method of winding the coil wire onto the bobbins/coil formers in a random pattern so that as the coil of wire is built up each turn of wire and each layer is non uniform. This doesn't create bass, mids , treble etc - remember a pickup is a transducer and translates what comes off the string and cannot generate frequencies that don't exist - however you can extend the frequency range that the pickup is capable of 'hearing' from the string by scatterwinding. As each turn and layer of wire isn't so tight to each other and is crossing at random points, thousands of microscopic air gaps are created in the coil which helps prevent the build up of capacitance(as capacitance increases, treble response decreases). Therefore scatterwinding produces a wider frequency response and subsequently a clearer, more dynamic tone.
It is true to say that no two scatter wound coils are the same - it would defeat the point if they were - and no two winders scatter in the same way. This doesn't mean that the wire can be guided on in any old way as you'd end up in a right mess - tension, how much scatter, coil shape and the way the coil is built up are all crucial factors in producing a good, and more importantly, consistent scatter wound pickup.
I do teach my way of scatterwinding to the rest of the team that wind alongside me and coils are checked rigorously throughout the process for consistency and quality - ultimately by finally play testing every pickup before we ship.
Is my way of scatterwinding the best? Who knows. All I will say is it's the only way I know how to wind, it's the only way I've ever wound and it's the way I and the rest of my staff will always continue to do so as I personally believe it produces the best results.
