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Karl Monetti
`Olu`olu
USA
756 Posts |
 Posted - 01/27/2011 : 1:25:33 PM
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OK, not pickup lines for steel guitarists!
I am going to build a solid body steel, probably an 8 string. I am looking for advice on the type of pickup to use and also, a source for same. Slipry? Konabob?
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Karl
Frozen North |
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Konabob
`Olu`olu
USA
928 Posts |
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2183 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2011 : 05:09:47 AM
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| Slipry1 would probably recommend checking with Scotty. |
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syungen
Aloha
USA
22 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2011 : 07:06:00 AM
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It would be worth contacting Larry Pollack at Aero Pickups (based in Hilo, HI). The website is: http://www.aeroinstrument.com/index.html
I ordered one of their four pole bass pickups to replace the original 'six pole' in a Fender Musicmaster. Very happy with the results and improvement in sound. They make four, six, seven, eight and ten pole pickups for a variety of instrument needs. |
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Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
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slipry1
Ha`aha`a
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - 01/29/2011 : 09:29:45 AM
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| If you can find them, Irecommend either the 2 pickups for a Fender Stringmaster or an old Rickenbacher, my favorites. George L makes excellent pickups for pedal steels, but I've seen them on lap steels as well. They'll build you pickups to your specifications. the suggestions in this thread are also good. |
keaka |
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Karl Monetti
`Olu`olu
USA
756 Posts |
Posted - 02/03/2011 : 09:20:22 AM
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Jack,
What specifications??? I know absolutely nothing about pickup design or mechanics or physics. I know I want a good fat tone with lots of sustain (assuming perfect playing technique).
So, what do I ask for??? |
Karl
Frozen North |
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Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
Posted - 02/03/2011 : 1:24:22 PM
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quote:
So, what do I ask for???
I think you answered part of that question.
quote:
good fat tone with lots of sustain
Amen to that. All any self respecting axe grinder would ask for.
All things being equal (which they aren't), single coil pickups tend to emphasize the top end ever so slightly--think Fender Strat.
Fender steels use single coils.
Humbuckers tend to sound, well, juicier. Think Les Paul.
The Ric "Horsehoe" pickup is Holy Grail for steel for many folks. Huge, fat, and oh-so-sweet.
As for the rest: number of strings and string spacing would be a good thing to have in mind. Also the number of pickups you want. One is really enough, but hey... with two you get more tonal variety.
Active vs passive? Don't know as that is an option here. Go passive, be massive.
I think that would give you enough to start the conversation with a designer. It ain't rocket science.. even though Slip is a rocket scientist.
Or close enuf, anyway.
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2183 Posts |
Posted - 02/03/2011 : 2:34:20 PM
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| Slip even knows where the sweet spot is on a Dobro for best amplification and why. |
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slipry1
Ha`aha`a
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - 02/04/2011 : 07:14:39 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by thumbstruck
Slip even knows where the sweet spot is on a Dobro for best amplification and why.
With the Dobro on your lap, place the mike at one o'clock just off the rim of the resonator. I really don't know why, just a lot of experience. I used to use a contact mike there, but it was more trouble than it was worth. btw, you get some volume control by raising and lowering your right knee, and thus the Dobro, toward and away from the mike. |
keaka |
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slipry1
Ha`aha`a
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - 02/04/2011 : 07:21:17 AM
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| I agree with Mark totally (as usual) on the subject of pickups. I was very disappointed with my Jerry Byrd Frypan because it does not have a Rickenbacher pickup. The big metal pieces are just for show. Not a bad tone, tho. I have 2 Fender Stringmasters, a single 8 and a double 8. They have 2 pickups and a fader knob under the heel plate to move from one pikup to the other. I keep them in the middle, which gives me a richer tone than a single pickup. My seach for an 8 string Rickenbacher continues. Oh - I saw a "How It's Made" show where they explained that a major difference in sound between Fender and Gibson is that Fender uses poplar, emphasizing treble, and Gibson uses maple, emphasizing the lower frequencies. |
keaka |
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Karl Monetti
`Olu`olu
USA
756 Posts |
Posted - 02/07/2011 : 9:06:14 PM
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Where should the pickup go? The old lap steels seem to all be located by the bridge. Are any put by the end of the fretboard?
Slip, a friend has an 8 string Stringmaster with case, legs, matching amp for $1200. Is that a reasonable price?
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Karl
Frozen North |
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slipry1
Ha`aha`a
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - 02/09/2011 : 4:42:12 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Karl Monetti
Where should the pickup go? The old lap steels seem to all be located by the bridge. Are any put by the end of the fretboard?
Slip, a friend has an 8 string Stringmaster with case, legs, matching amp for $1200. Is that a reasonable price?
Excuse the pun, Carl, but it's a steal ("steel") at that price. Get it as soon as you can. They're going for $2K to $2.5K on e-Bay. |
keaka |
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Basil Henriques
Lokahi
United Kingdom
225 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2011 : 06:43:58 AM
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| Just to correct the misconception that the Stringmaster uses two individual single coil pickups.. Not so, it's a "Humbucker" with the two coils opened out..That's why it's a fat sound when they are both on, incidentally the "fader Knob" referred to, is actually called a blend control, that selects either the bridge pickup coil, OR blends in variable amounts of the other half of the humbucker. |
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slipry1
Ha`aha`a
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2011 : 12:03:27 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Basil Henriques
Just to correct the misconception that the Stringmaster uses two individual single coil pickups.. Not so, it's a "Humbucker" with the two coils opened out..That's why it's a fat sound when they are both on, incidentally the "fader Knob" referred to, is actually called a blend control, that selects either the bridge pickup coil, OR blends in variable amounts of the other half of the humbucker.
Right, as usual, Bas. |
keaka |
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Topic |
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pickups for steel guitar
