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Author Topic:  Aiello Fountain Pickup
Mitch Druckman


From:
Arizona, USA
Post Posted 8 Feb 2008 9:11 am     Reply with quote

It looks like Rick Aiello is at it again. Check out this link to the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association's tech forum.

http://www.hsga.org/forum/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1202070707
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Eddie Cunningham


From:
Massachusetts, USA
Post Posted 11 Feb 2008 1:27 pm     M R I pickup ?? Reply with quote

Every time I go for a M.R.I. I think of the potential power in that magnetic field ! Has anyone ever tried double winding a pickup and running a small current ( small 1&1/2 or 9 volt battery ?? ) thru one set of windings to boost the E M F magnetic field power output ?? Would this work ?? Any body ever try it ??? Eddie "C" ( the old geezer )
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Rick Aiello


From:
Berryville, VA USA
Post Posted 11 Feb 2008 2:39 pm     Reply with quote

Mr. Green

Eddie ... "Field Coil" technology (as in old 30's amps) ... essentially an electromagnet ... could certainly be used to generate a field for a guitar pickup. I even know a guy who's contemplating one Cool.

The plethora of permanent magnet materials available now-days ... is enough for me to experiment with, though ... Laughing Laughing Laughing

Speaking of which ... I should have a "Fountain Pickup" in my buddy Terry F.'s Superslide ... pretty soon ...

All my stuff came while I took the family for a 5 day vacation at Disney World ... we just got home. Oh Well

Hey Steinar ... I took my girls to a "Princess Character Lunch" in Epcot's (Norway) Akershus Royal Banquet Hall.

I asked our server (a guy ... Evil or Very Mad ) if he knew you ... he said not personally ... but knows of your work ...

Pretty cool huh ... Cool Cool Cool
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Steinar Gregertsen


From:
Arendal, Norway
Post Posted 13 Feb 2008 6:02 pm     Reply with quote

Rick Aiello wrote:

Hey Steinar ... I took my girls to a "Princess Character Lunch" in Epcot's (Norway) Akershus Royal Banquet Hall.

I asked our server (a guy ... Evil or Very Mad ) if he knew you ... he said not personally ... but knows of your work ...

Pretty cool huh ... Cool Cool Cool


Oh, he was probably just being polite.... Very Happy

Steinar
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"Play to express, not to impress"
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Rick Aiello


From:
Berryville, VA USA
Post Posted 13 Feb 2008 6:22 pm     Reply with quote

I think he did know ... Cool

He made that "gesture" ... you know ... hands moving "lap style" ...

He said "lap slide" ... but, I didn't want to get into that with him .... ha, ha Evil Twisted

Very cool ... the whole "Norway Experience" ... Mr. Green
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Rick Aiello


From:
Berryville, VA USA
Post Posted 21 Feb 2008 4:47 pm     Reply with quote





The Fountain next to a George L 10-5



This prototype ... with a string sensing length of 3.875" ...

Temporarily in my Excel JB Frypan ... will be driving over to Baltimore Saturday ...

To meet Dave "The Hula Monster" Giegerich ... Laughing Laughing Laughing

Then it's going to be pulled out ... and sent to New Mexico ... to live in my buddy Terry Farmer's 12 string MSA Superslide ... Winking

If you are wondering ... the mold was made of white oak and even though I sealed the wood with acrylic lacquer ... the RTV silicon picked up the wood grain ... Oh Well Cool

Doesn't look like much .. but I'm very pleased with it ... Mr. Green
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Harry Dietrich


From:
Robesonia, Pennsylvania, USA
Post Posted 21 Feb 2008 11:22 pm     Reply with quote

Quote:
If you are wondering ... the mold was made of white oak and even though I sealed the wood with acrylic lacquer ... the RTV silicon picked up the wood grain ...


That's cool Rick...when people look at it they'll think it's made out of wood.

Harry Very Happy
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Rick Aiello


From:
Berryville, VA USA
Post Posted 22 Feb 2008 10:34 am     Reply with quote

Laughing

Maybe the next one ...

I'll cast using brown, black and a touch of red ... whirled and swirled ... Mr. Green
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Gerald Ross


From:
Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
Post Posted 22 Feb 2008 10:41 am     Reply with quote

Good work Rick! Keep pushing the pickup envelope.

Did you make it to the Polynesian luau when you were at Disney World last week?
_________________
Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'

A UkeTone Recording Artist


CEO, CIO, CFO - UkeTone Records
Gerald's Hawaiian Steel Guitar/Ukulele Website
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Rick Aiello


From:
Berryville, VA USA
Post Posted 22 Feb 2008 11:26 am     Reply with quote

Well sadly Crying or Very sad ... nope.

They did away with the "Mickey's Menehune Kids Luau" ... at 5 pm ...

By the later shows ... at the prices they charge now for the show ... Whoa! ... my babies were either all asleep and/or too Grumpy ... for that kinda show ... that late.

I did manage a few Mai Tai cocktails in the upstairs lobby of the Polynesian ... one evening Cool

But by the time I got there ... the Hawaiian solo guitaist/singer ... was on his third set ...

And announced it was time for him to cut loose abit ...

He then commenced to play/sing Jimmy Buffet, Eagles, etc ... Oh Well

I enjoyed it though ... lots of old memories from that hotel Mr. Green
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Mike Neer


From:
NJ
Post Posted 22 Feb 2008 11:33 am     Reply with quote

Rick, that's wild. I look forward to hearing how it sounds.
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Mitch Druckman


From:
Arizona, USA
Post Posted 22 Feb 2008 12:40 pm     Reply with quote

I'm curious how the Fountain will mount in the SuperSlide, since it's so much bigger than the stock pickup. Also looking forward to hearing how it changes the stock sound of the SuperSlide.

Rick, how does the Fountain pickup sound in comparison to your other pickup designs?
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Rick Aiello


From:
Berryville, VA USA
Post Posted 22 Feb 2008 1:28 pm     Reply with quote

This one was made to Terry Farmer's specs ... i.e to fit in ... where his stock 12 string George L presently resides ...

That photo above is the smaller 10 string George L.

It's 4.5" x 1.25" and 1.25" tall ...

The mounting will be done by Terry ... using the existing mount on his Superslide.

No modifications will be required to his steel ...

As far as how it compares to my other neodymium powered pickups ..

This thing "shoots" up a "wall-like" magnetic field ... the flux density is very uniform ... for almost two inches "up from" its source.

I ain't sayin' much more about it though ...

I very well may apply for a patent ... it's that "New and Unique" ... if for no other reason than to have one Laughing Laughing Laughing

I will say the internal repulsions that generate this field ... literally blew the first two prototypes apart ...

As far as the sound ...

I'm having a hard time telling it from my best effort .. The "Potbelly" ...

We'll see what Dave has to say tomorrow ... Mr. Green
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Dave Giegerich


From:
Ellicott City, MD USA
Post Posted 22 Feb 2008 2:55 pm     Reply with quote

Rick,
Looking forward to seeing you and hearing the pickup tomorrow,
Dave
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Bill Creller


From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA
Post Posted 22 Feb 2008 8:37 pm     Reply with quote

Rick, you can have your drawings and sketches postmarked. That will help protect your ideas. I have had stuff like that stamped at the post office.
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Rick Aiello


From:
Berryville, VA USA
Post Posted 23 Feb 2008 5:49 am     Reply with quote

Cool

Thanks Bill ... I'll do that !!!
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Craig Stenseth


From:
Naperville, Illinois, USA
Post Posted 23 Feb 2008 7:48 am     Reply with quote

Rick,
Would a wooden mold stay intact long enough to pour some aluminum into it? Just wondering what a wood-grain frying pan would look like.
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Ron Whitfield


From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
Post Posted 23 Feb 2008 8:57 am     Reply with quote

Rick/Bill, as I heard it, you must keep the envelope sealed after it's postmarked.

Anybody know if this is true, or urban myth?
_________________
State Trooper to the country boy he pulled over - 'got any ID'? The driver - 'about what'?
Coming to Hawaii? - http://hwnsge.5u.com - www.kualoaranch.com
For inspiration - www.rothoriginals.com - www.jerrybyrd-fanclub.com
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Rick Aiello


From:
Berryville, VA USA
Post Posted 23 Feb 2008 9:12 am     Reply with quote

Craig ... no it would "incinerate" as soon as the molten aluminum hit.

That said ... the oiled sand I use is sensitive enough ... to pick up grain ... if its packed tight enough ...

Not as well as the RTV silicon of course ... but the sand is pretty good at it too ..

Ron, I've heard that too ... cheaper than a patent ...

Probably good evidence regardless ...

But my wife is impressed enough to send me to a patent attorney ... who is a patient of hers (he works for US Dept of Patents and Trademarks in DC) ...

I hope Dave is as impressed ... Laughing Laughing Laughing

We'll find out in about 2 hrs ... were packing up the kids for our little day trip right now ... Mr. Green
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Rick Aiello


From:
Berryville, VA USA
Post Posted 24 Feb 2008 3:11 pm     Reply with quote

I'll let Dave speak for himself ... but I sure was pleased Laughing Laughing Laughing

Dave had three amps warmed up & waitin' ...

A big Fender Vibrosonic ... an Evans with a Sarno "Black Box" ... and a Fender Princeton Reverb.

It was exciting watchin' him jump from the JB Frypan to his Sierra ... goin' from amp to amp ...

Thanks Dave ... it was a wonderful day ... all-round Mr. Green

We left Dave's and went to the Inner Harbor (it was quite chilly though) ... Oh Well

Quote of the Century comes from my 4 yr old son Dusty ...

We stopped into Hooters for late lunch and when the waitress came to the table ... he asked her ...

Quote:
Why do all you girls have the same orange underwear on ???

...


Last edited by Rick Aiello on 25 Feb 2008 6:17 am; edited 1 time in total
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Bill Creller


From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA
Post Posted 24 Feb 2008 3:58 pm     Reply with quote

Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy
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Tim Carlson


From:
Arizona, USA
Post Posted 24 Feb 2008 4:16 pm     Reply with quote

Ron Whitfield wrote:
Rick/Bill, as I heard it, you must keep the envelope sealed after it's postmarked.

Anybody know if this is true, or urban myth?

Ahh, the poor mans copyright... Before the advent of CD burners that were readily available, this was the easy way to copyright protect written music. An old friend used to write out his music(on paper/ sheet music), and record it as written, then send the both of them together in a "certified mail" envelope or something like that. He would require a signature for delivery of the envelope, and make sure he was around to sign for it. He'd then tuck it away in a safe, unopened. If ever there was a question of ownership of the music, he'd pull out the envelope and take it to court, to be opened by the judge if necessary. I don't think it ever came to that, though.
I think this no longer works in America, as envelopes can be steamed open, re-sealed, etc. Additionally, I think that in court cases, both sides must be privy to any evidence provided, meaning the envelope would need to be opened prior to the actual court case, negating the integrity of the sealed package. Don't take my word for it, though. I'm not a patent lawyer.
Rick, if you're genuine in your beliefe that this technology can be patented, go through all the steps necessary to do so, even if you don't plan on manufaturing them. At the very least, you could contact a pick-up manufacturer, let them know you've already obtained a patent, and either liscence the technology to them, or sell the patent outright.
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Dave Giegerich


From:
Ellicott City, MD USA
Post Posted 25 Feb 2008 11:04 am     Reply with quote

Another winner from Rick!
The new Fountain pick up is wonderful. Rick and I spent about a half hour comparing my Sierra with the Potbelly pickup and a JB Frypan with the Fountain, and it was hard to pick a favorite. Both sounded full and even across the strings. There was not a noticeable difference in output, they both have volume to spare. The Potbelly was a little deeper and more mellow, and the Fountain had a bit more definition, but again, both sounded great. Some of the difference is probably due to the type of guitar, and where they were mounted on the neck – the Potbelly is closer to the fretboard and the Fountain is near the bridge. The Fountain's under the strings design should make it appealing to pedal steel players and the woodgrain is a nice touch, too.

In the audience at my gig Saturday night was Jeff Bober, who makes the boutique Buddha amps. The first thing he said was how good the steel tone was and asked if it was a Jason Lollar pickup. I told him it was made by Rick Aiello, and he had heard the name. I showed him the Potbelly and he was very impressed by the look, and just raved about the tone.
Once again, great work Rick, and good to see the family.
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Ron Whitfield


From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
Post Posted 25 Feb 2008 2:09 pm     Reply with quote

Too bad you couldn't switch positions per the two PUs and see to what degree the results were reversed and how pronounced the tonal changes were. Obviously, the neck PU will be warmer vs a PU next to the bridge.

Great to have more new options in good sounding PUs becoming available, and the hard work/good fun is appreciated.
_________________
State Trooper to the country boy he pulled over - 'got any ID'? The driver - 'about what'?
Coming to Hawaii? - http://hwnsge.5u.com - www.kualoaranch.com
For inspiration - www.rothoriginals.com - www.jerrybyrd-fanclub.com
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Rick Aiello


From:
Berryville, VA USA
Post Posted 25 Feb 2008 4:06 pm     Reply with quote

Thanks for the kind words Dave ... it was a fun day, for sure. Mr. Green

Tim ... thanks for the info. My wife is gonna set up a meeting with that patent attorney ... I think this one is worth a shot ...

Ron, I usually drop all the new stuff into my Sierra ... and I should have done so this time ... but I had something else planned for the JB and knew I was gonna yank that unit out ... the very next day ...

So I was tryin' to kill two birds with on "pan" ... Laughing Laughing Laughing

The "Fountain" prototype is now on it's way to New Mexico ... Cool


Last edited by Rick Aiello on 25 Feb 2008 5:52 pm; edited 1 time in total
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