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Topic: Alumitone Height From Strings |
Brian Henry
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Posted 25 Mar 2013 1:42 am |
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What is the optimum space between an Alumitone and the strings?
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Ken Metcalf
From:
San Antonio Texas USA
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Posted 25 Mar 2013 4:50 am
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An Alumitone pickup is a Bass guitar pickup and you would need to experiment by adjusting up and down to find your personal preference.
That being said my finding was that they are not that touchy in this area and can have somewhat more than average distance between the strings and PU.
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MSA 12 String E9th/B6th Universal.
Little Walter PF-89.
Bunch of stomp boxes |
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Paddy Long
From:
Christchurch, New Zealand
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Posted 25 Mar 2013 2:12 pm
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2 quarters worked for me when I had them on one of my Zum's
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Jarek Anderson
From:
Ontario, Canada
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Posted 25 Mar 2013 2:46 pm
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| Yea, Paddy has the right idea. I've got it about 2-2.5 quarters away on my Carter |
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Jim Priebe
From:
Queensland, Australia - R.I.P.
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Posted 25 Mar 2013 3:40 pm
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I have mine at 4mm (5/32") clearance and any closer and the output (they do crank it out) may make them tend to go harsh.
I would prefer a little more clearance but I need to rout the guitar top to do this and I'm too lazy to do that ha ha. It only needs two small slots about 2mm deep for the Alumitone legs to drop into so one day I will try it (maybe).
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Priebs GFI ('09)Short-Uni10. GFI ('96)Short-Uni SD11. ('86)JEM U12
www.steelguitardownunder.com |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 27 Mar 2013 9:40 am
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| Paddy Long wrote: |
| 2 quarters worked for me when I had them on one of my Zum's |
Is that the same as a half?
| Ken Metcalf wrote: |
| An Alumitone pickup is a Bass guitar pickup... |
Is that true? Is the Alumitone pedal steel pickup really just a bass pickup that's been reassigned to a pedal steel?
If so, are there other bass pickups that would work well for pedal steel?
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Jim Priebe
From:
Queensland, Australia - R.I.P.
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Posted 27 Mar 2013 2:27 pm
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B0b
The reason the Alum' is Ok is because of it's very flat and wide response curve right through the frequencies unlike most humbuckers/single coils which are tailored/targeted around certain frequencies to obtain their "sound".
Flat response makes them ideal to EQ to your liking - just use a quality unit in the signal chain. There would be very few other bass PUPS that would be suitable IMHO.
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Priebs GFI ('09)Short-Uni10. GFI ('96)Short-Uni SD11. ('86)JEM U12
www.steelguitardownunder.com |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 27 Mar 2013 4:39 pm
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| They may go harsh if they're overloading the preamp with signal, but they they seem to have much less tone change related to distance than regular pickups. And they have seemingly no string pull problems - alien species, that. |
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Jim Priebe
From:
Queensland, Australia - R.I.P.
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Posted 27 Mar 2013 4:56 pm
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Hope this isn't getting off subject but my test gear showed only a slight difference in output with differing distances from the strings - within the normally accepted string clearances. I also have a Sarno BB in my signal path so that is relevant.
I do wonder if this (harshness) could be due to the strings actually being positions slightly differently in the magnetic field - I have no way of confirming this but if you take for instance the way Telonics suggest to adjust the poles etc. on their pickups then I feel this must change the field shape and as a result the position of the string/s and their movement within the required area. Different types of material used in the magnets would also change the field and thus the tone. Lace (conventional?) pickups have played with this for years with their 'combs' around the magnet and windings.
So, if i put the steel vertical and trap some iron filings on a slide or paper I might be able to test this - well maybe in another life !
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Priebs GFI ('09)Short-Uni10. GFI ('96)Short-Uni SD11. ('86)JEM U12
www.steelguitardownunder.com
Last edited by Jim Priebe on 27 Mar 2013 5:01 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Ken Metcalf
From:
San Antonio Texas USA
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Posted 27 Mar 2013 4:57 pm
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| b0b wrote: |
| Ken Metcalf wrote: |
| An Alumitone pickup is a Bass guitar pickup... |
Is that true? Is the Alumitone pedal steel pickup really just a bass pickup that's been reassigned to a pedal steel?
If so, are there other bass pickups that would work well for pedal steel? |
Yep the correct term is an alumitone bass bar... I bet there are PUs and bass amps that could be used and marketed as PSG equipment.
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MSA 12 String E9th/B6th Universal.
Little Walter PF-89.
Bunch of stomp boxes |
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Ken Metcalf
From:
San Antonio Texas USA
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Posted 27 Mar 2013 5:04 pm
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I should say.. The Alumatone Bass Bar has never been marketed as a PSG PU.
Except by Carter and that was a keen observation on John Fabians part as it is an outstanding PSG PU..
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MSA 12 String E9th/B6th Universal.
Little Walter PF-89.
Bunch of stomp boxes |
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 28 Mar 2013 8:48 am
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http://www.lacemusic.com/Tonebar.php
The pedal steel pickups are called Tonebars. They may just be 4,5,6 string Bass Bars, I don't know.
There used to be a pic of Paddy's Zum loaded with AT's on the site. |
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Ken Metcalf
From:
San Antonio Texas USA
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Posted 28 Mar 2013 12:35 pm
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I am glad Lace see's some value in the PSG market..
New News to me from when I got mine..
http://www.lacemusic.com/Bassbar.php
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MSA 12 String E9th/B6th Universal.
Little Walter PF-89.
Bunch of stomp boxes |
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Godfrey Arthur
From:
3rd Rock
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Posted 9 Aug 2014 11:18 pm
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Anyone know of any sound clips/vids using one on psg?
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YES it's my REAL NAME!
Ezekiel 33:7 |
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Jeff Spencer
From:
Queensland, Australia
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Posted 11 Aug 2014 3:03 am
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| Jim and Paddy should have some sound files. I have tried them on a lap steel and loved them. Bought 3 more since so as to put them into lap steels and put one into my Perina S10. Very crisp sound and note separation IMHO. Yes I did read somewhere about them being a bass pup. |
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jay thompson
From:
east peoria, il USA
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Posted 11 Aug 2014 3:46 am Alumitone Height From Strings
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Alumatones.
The Alumatone's magnetic strips on my three guitars were all set at 5/32" below the strings, and they sound very, very good. The '84 LeGrande has been a test bed for most SG pickups made. The Alumatones are the best yet.
Not shown is an '96 Zum.
Regards, Jay Thompson |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 11 Aug 2014 4:23 am
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Off subject, but related to "flat" pickups.
One year at the ISGC, George Lewis (George L's) demonstrated using the magnetic strip on a credit card as a pickup.
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Don Sulesky
From:
Citrus County, FL, Orig. from MA & NH
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Posted 11 Aug 2014 9:05 am
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I just had Martin install an Alumitone on my Weenick this morning.
I will be testing it out on my amps today to compare it with the E-66 I had on this steel.
Don
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