Alumitone Height From Strings

Brian Henry · Post by **Brian Henry** » 25 Mar 2013 1:42 am

What is the optimum space between an Alumitone and the strings?

Ken Metcalf · Post by **Ken Metcalf** » 25 Mar 2013 4:50 am

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.

Paddy Long · Post by **Paddy Long** » 25 Mar 2013 2:12 pm

2 quarters worked for me when I had them on one of my Zum's

Jarek Anderson · Post by **Jarek Anderson** » 25 Mar 2013 2:46 pm

Yea, Paddy has the right idea. I've got it about 2-2.5 quarters away on my Carter

Jim Priebe · Post by **Jim Priebe** » 25 Mar 2013 3:40 pm

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).

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 27 Mar 2013 9:40 am

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?

Jim Priebe · Post by **Jim Priebe** » 27 Mar 2013 2:27 pm

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.

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 27 Mar 2013 4:39 pm

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.

Jim Priebe · Post by **Jim Priebe** » 27 Mar 2013 4:56 pm

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 !

Ken Metcalf · Post by **Ken Metcalf** » 27 Mar 2013 4:57 pm

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.

Ken Metcalf · Post by **Ken Metcalf** » 27 Mar 2013 5:04 pm

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..

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 28 Mar 2013 8:48 am

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.

Ken Metcalf · Post by **Ken Metcalf** » 28 Mar 2013 12:35 pm

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

Godfrey Arthur · Post by **Godfrey Arthur** » 9 Aug 2014 11:18 pm

Anyone know of any sound clips/vids using one on psg?

Jeff Spencer · Post by **Jeff Spencer** » 11 Aug 2014 3:03 am

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.

jay thompson · Post by **jay thompson** » 11 Aug 2014 3:46 am

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

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 11 Aug 2014 4:23 am

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.

Don Sulesky · Post by **Don Sulesky** » 11 Aug 2014 9:05 am

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