Favorite 8 string lap steel pickup for a fat mid range sound

Carey Hofer · From: South Dakota, USA

I play on an 8 string Melbert lap steel with a Sentell pickup. The pickup I have in it now is the fourth Sentell I have had in it. It is a nice modern sound but I am looking for more of a classic mid range Hawaiian sound . . . Whatever that is.
I was listening to a Rom Com movie last night about a romance in Hawaii. It was full of lapsteel music that sounded so gorgeous and timeless.

I don't listen to all that much Hawaiian lap steel music but I sure like the tone. I like playing Jazz standards and great American Songbook stuff and would like to get that Hawaiian type sound. Any ideas?

Nic Neufeld · From: Kansas City, Missouri

You know, its a good question and the sort of thing I've thought a lot about myself, given that I'm probably *mostly* interested in Hawaiian music.

My opinion...the pickup you are looking for may or may not exist. If you look at the pickups that were used by the great Hawaiian players, they spanned the gamut. Fender pickups used by players in the 50s and 60s (Stringmaster, Fender 400), Rickenbacker horseshoe pickups in fry pans or Bakelites used especially in the 30s/40s, Magnatone pickups (of a variety of styles), some early players used Gibson laps, I think, and then there were miscellaneous vintage guitars used by various players Dickinson, etc. And modern players use things like Canopus, and Alan Akaka uses an Asher signature that uses, wait for it, a modern EMG pickup!

My point being, while if I was forced at gunpoint to pick a pickup that has the classic Hawaiian sound, I might pick the Rickenbacker horseshoe...Hawaiian players have used a broad variety of pickup types, and they always kind of sound like themselves. And the only way I know of getting a true 8 string horseshoe is to order a fry pan from Todd Clinesmith (that's what I did!), so I'm not saying that is the right course anyway especially just starting to tinker with Hawaiian music.

I was (editor: remain) obsessed with Jules Ah See, his tone on the Tapa Room Tapes...made me go out and source a D8 Magnatone steel like the one he used. It's a great guitar...but I still sound like me, not Jules. So I'd say guitar is a small part, even if still somewhat important, of getting the hawaiian sound. If I was even more foolish I'd try to find a 1950s Magnatone amp like he used and after spending a small fortune to get one of those, I'd likely find...I still sound like myself, not Jules! Mr. Green

Most of the sound is in the technique. Connecting notes, the way you slide, the p'tah, all of that. I remember when I first started taking lessons from Alan, he horrified me by saying I sounded "country" (I was not a country musician), but I think that is one of the more common problems when mainlanders like me start trying to play Hawaiian music...fast slides, unconnected notes.

Listening to lots of music helps too! Listening to some early artists that played more single note...Andy Iona, Sol Hoopii, Dick McEntire...the less chordal styles help you focus on getting the feel of connecting notes. Later players (Jules Ah See, Barney Isaacs, Jerry Byrd, Billy Hew Len) were a lot more chordal.
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Nic Neufeld · From: Kansas City, Missouri

That said...shortest shortcut to the cliched Hawaiian sound...slow 1 fret slides into the chord in C6 tuning. Strum the strings the fret behind the chord you're playing and just slide it up leading into the 1 of the measure. Honestly, if you play Jules fills and licks, you impress guys like me in the audience, but if you do that magical sixth chord one fret slide, you make all the normal people think they are at a luau! Very Happy

(also I EQ my amp really, really dark...my guitars have plenty of treble already)
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I hear the rolling surf calling
Calling and calling to me

Jim Newberry · From: Seattle, Upper Left America

I agree with Nic on all that. Between the tone control and amp settings, I can usually get the Hawaiian sound I want. I was never successful with getting a sound I like with a Stringmaster, though. For that classic tone, I’m a big fan of the Ricky and Clinesmith horseshoe pickups.
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Carey Hofer · From: South Dakota, USA

Thanks guys. Cool

Tim Toberer · From: Nebraska, USA

I would say find out what guitars are played on your favorite recordings. You can get reproductions or have one custom made. When you say fat mid range, I think of Fender Tweed, or similar amps from that period with Jensen speakers. This sound is so far from the modern pedal steel sound, I wonder what happened!
There are so many variables and many ways to get there. I like blade picks wound with larger gauge wire like Bigsby or old Gibson pickups. Ironically I am finding I love my new amp modeling multi effects pedal, which has fabulous early Fender amp tones along with an insane array of other options. With one of these, you can make your steel sound like anyone you want. I still love my amps, but this is what I use 95% of the time now.
https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=398543&highlight=

Mike Neer · From: NJ

If you aren’t completely satisfied with the tone you’re getting from guitar—->amp connection, you can experiment with rolling back the volume on your guitar and turning up the amp, and also adjusting the tone controls on both amp and guitar. Sometimes these little changes affect sound greatly. Even adjust the pickup height if you’re able—another difference maker.
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Michael Lester · From: Illinois, USA

All good responses...

A couple of thoughts...

Bob Allen, working with Steeltronics, has begun installing a bespoke lap steel pickup with an emphasis on improved mids.
I can testify comfortably that this pickup does just that. Bob installed it on my latest lap steel and it's a significant improvement over others I've tried.

Secondly, you might consider a modeling amp. I've been fooling with "Spark" Positive Grid amps for a couple of years now and I've been able to dial in several saved 'tone patches' that I downloaded from the Spark site. The 'tones' are generally created by other steel players (several of whom are members of this Forum). The 'tones' are downloaded to the amp and saved. They can then be used as is or tweaked and saved as edited. (I don't have any connection to Positive Grid except as a consumer).

I can get very close to the tone of a '50s Stringmaster on one setting and a fair pedal steel 'bite' with another.

For laughs, I even have a patch that pretty successfully emulates the saxophone intro to Bob Seger's 'Turn the Page' - on lap steel.

Steven Pearce · From: Port Orchard Washington, USA

I agree with Michael 100%. The Steeltronics pickups that Bob is installing in his Melbert steels are the best in my opinion. I had him build me a double six and we decided on Steeltronics. I’m playing through an Evans SE200, and it’s the first time I didn’t have to use different pedals trying to get that nice full clean sound. They’re really great.
Steve
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Steven Pearce · From: Port Orchard Washington, USA

Good stuff!

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Carey Hofer · From: South Dakota, USA

All good advice guys, and food for thought. I have tried a lot of these suggestions which are getting me closer. Think I will talk to Bob about his new steeltronics pickup.

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