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Author Topic:  BL 705 Reissue Pickups
Lee Baucum


From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
Post  Posted 8 Feb 2018 2:28 pm    
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It appears that these pickups have really gotten popular. I have one in each of my two S-10 guitars and am very satisfied with them.

I have found, on both of my guitars, that these pickups perform much better when raised up pretty high. Usually, with single-coil pickups, using U.S. Quarters (coins) to measure, I end up being almost able to slide three quarters between the strings and the top of the pickup...almost, but not quite.

My guitars lose both volume and sustain when the 705 is set that low. I have raised the pickups and now I can easily slide one quarter, but not two, between the strings and the magnet/bars. The volume and sustain are much better set that way.
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Bill C. Buntin

 

Post  Posted 8 Feb 2018 4:39 pm    
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de

Last edited by Bill C. Buntin on 23 Mar 2018 6:03 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Jody Cameron

 

From:
Angleton, TX,, USA
Post  Posted 9 Feb 2018 9:56 pm    
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I love the 705s personally. I have them on both necks in Mickey’s Blue MSA that I’m using. Very happy with them. I had one of the original chrome ones in a Sho-Bud Professional a long time ago as well. Just great all around pickups IMHO.
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Jim Bob Sedgwick

 

From:
Clinton, Missouri USA
Post  Posted 11 Feb 2018 7:04 am    
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I seem to remember that Bill Lawrence stated he used the chrome surround as part of the grounding system. The black surround uses copper inside the pickup to ground. I have played both styles, and both sound the same to me. Bill stated the copper made for a quieter pickup. I have them on both my Williams guitars. They are super IMHO. Smile
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Ron Hogan

 

From:
Nashville, TN, usa
Post  Posted 11 Feb 2018 7:15 am    
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Jody,
Have you tried the 10.1 pickup? I tried one in an MSA when they were displayed here in Nashville by Mickey. Liked it a lot. Thoughts?

Ron Hogan
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Jody Cameron

 

From:
Angleton, TX,, USA
Post  Posted 11 Feb 2018 9:44 am    
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Ron, I have not had the opportunity to try a 10-1, but I’ve been wanting to try one. I hear they are very good.
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Mickey Adams


From:
Bandera Texas
Post  Posted 12 Feb 2018 9:02 pm    
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Yep, the 705 reissue is every bit as good as the original...Thats JMHO...The new Telonics 34 is another up and comer!!
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Mark Addeo

 

From:
New Jersey, USA
Post  Posted 18 Mar 2018 5:51 am    
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Of all the different pickup choices with regard to pedal steel guitar, in my opinion, the single coil vs. humbucker seems to be the biggest significant choice to make.

The BL 705 lets you have your cake and eat it to. I have used one with an on/on/on toggle switch on a pedalmaster to give humbucker/series/parallel or tapped single coil.

Most recently I used one an Innovative Guitars lap steel with a pot (ala Stringmaster) to roll off one coil. This works great on the 705 because you can find the sweet spot for a more single coil sound somewhere between full humbucker and single coil. That Leo Fender was a pretty smart guy. Winking

My next trick will be the roll-off pot on a pedal steel guitar hidden underneath.




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Bill C. Buntin

 

Post  Posted 18 Mar 2018 6:10 am    
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de

Last edited by Bill C. Buntin on 23 Mar 2018 6:03 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Jack Goodson

 

From:
new brockton,alabama (deceased)
Post  Posted 18 Mar 2018 6:21 am     705 pickups?
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I tried to put one in a emmons pp and had a problem installing it, reason being that the wire on the pickup is located in the middle of the pickup. Some one had some listed about a year ago on eBay that the wire comes out the end of pickup. I just cannot find those listed anymore....thanks jack
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Bruce Derr

 

From:
Lee, New Hampshire, USA
Post  Posted 18 Mar 2018 5:14 pm    
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That was the same seller that's been listing all of those NOS Sho-Bud factory parts.

http://stores.ebay.com/Gear-Guy-Guitar-Drum-Cymbal-Gear/Sho-Bud-Pedal-Steel-/_i.html?_fsub=4282798011&_sid=576311581&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322

His 705s were originals, not reissues, but they were the black-wrap version, and with the 2-conductor (coaxial) cable. He listed quite a few of them over a long period of time. His prices were lower than what a new reissue sells for, and I remember being surprised that he got so few bidders. If they had been the chrome-wrap version there would have been a feeding frenzy.
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Jack Goodson

 

From:
new brockton,alabama (deceased)
Post  Posted 18 Mar 2018 6:20 pm     705?
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I sent him an email and evidently he no longer has them anymore. Anyone have a suggestion on how to install the re issue on an emmons pp?....thanks jack
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Chance Wilson


From:
California, USA
Post  Posted 18 Mar 2018 6:39 pm    
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In the past, I made,repaired, customized and designed thousands of steel pickups. Last night a long time electronics hero/mentor came and visited and I put a pile of old steel pickups on the table incl chrome 705/905 etc. He was friends with the real Bill Lawrence aka Wilde pickups, not billlawrenceusadotcom and not the guy who was making all black 705s 10 yrs ago. I don’t know who makes 705s now , or where they are made but in my personal experience, American made magnets and magnet wire of a significantly higher quality than what I’ve seen from Asia and Europe. Anyway, I always have assumed the plastic was real chrome plated. I remember having cut it off before and seeing white right under the chrome. I had always assumed the chrome acted as a partial farady cage but my friend says it doesn’t and I trust him. So if the current all black 705 is made in America with American materials, the surround shouldn’t be an issue. I’ve never had an all black one so I can’t do a direct comparison.
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Jack Goodson

 

From:
new brockton,alabama (deceased)
Post  Posted 18 Mar 2018 6:47 pm     705?
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I have heard a lot of input on the new re issue and most seem to rate them good. My problem is if you are installing on an emmons pp it is too tall to fit the emmons, other problem is the wire comes out in the middle of the bottom of the pickup. Any suggestions???....thanks jack
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Jerry Roller


From:
Van Buren, Arkansas USA
Post  Posted 18 Mar 2018 7:28 pm    
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Jack, I removed the mounting plates and made thin aluminum plates for the original chrome surround 705s and put them on my LeGrande III and have proper space between pu and strings.
Jerry
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Chance Wilson


From:
California, USA
Post  Posted 18 Mar 2018 7:31 pm    
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In the past, I made,repaired, customized and designed thousands of steel pickups. Last night a long time electronics hero/mentor came and visited and I put a pile of old steel pickups on the table incl chrome 705/905 etc. He was friends with the real Bill Lawrence aka Wilde pickups, not billlawrenceusadotcom and not the guy who was making all black 705s 10 yrs ago. I don’t know who makes 705s now , or where they are made but in my personal experience, American made magnets and magnet wire of a significantly higher quality than what I’ve seen from Asia and Europe. Anyway, I always have assumed the plastic was real chrome plated. I remember having cut it off before and seeing white right under the chrome. I had always assumed the chrome acted as a partial farady cage but my friend says it doesn’t and I trust him. So if the current all black 705 is made in America with American materials, the surround shouldn’t be an issue. I’ve never had an all black one so I can’t do a direct comparison.
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Mike Scaggs


From:
Nashville, TN
Post  Posted 19 Mar 2018 5:47 am     Re: 705 pickups?
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Jack Goodson wrote:
I tried to put one in a emmons pp and had a problem installing it, reason being that the wire on the pickup is located in the middle of the pickup. Some one had some listed about a year ago on eBay that the wire comes out the end of pickup. I just cannot find those listed anymore....thanks jack


Hey Jack,

I can promise you Chrome 705s will and do fit in a PP, I have done many. Take a look


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Bruce Derr

 

From:
Lee, New Hampshire, USA
Post  Posted 19 Mar 2018 6:11 am    
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When I put a reissue 705 in my GFI Ultra I had the same problem. The hole through the guitar top didn't line up with where the cable exited the pickup, and the pickup cavity was too shallow to allow the cable to be routed laterally to the hole. So I drilled a new hole. I probably don't need to say it, but if you do this, measure twice and drill once. Might want to bevel the hole's rims a little with a countersinking bit (or bevel using a large drill bit with the drill running in reverse).
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Jack Goodson

 

From:
new brockton,alabama (deceased)
Post  Posted 19 Mar 2018 6:37 am     What Bruce said
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Is the problem I had, and just wanted to prevent drilling holes. I reckon that is the only way....thanks jack
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Jack Goodson

 

From:
new brockton,alabama (deceased)
Post  Posted 19 Mar 2018 6:39 am     Chrome?
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Mike, just noticed that you said chrome, doe,s the wire come out near the end of the pickup or in the middle?...Jack
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Mike Scaggs


From:
Nashville, TN
Post  Posted 19 Mar 2018 7:04 am     Re: Chrome?
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Jack Goodson wrote:
Mike, just noticed that you said chrome, doe,s the wire come out near the end of the pickup or in the middle?...Jack


Not 100% sure but I believe they are the same.

The way I do this is I mount the PU directly to the aluminum plate on a PP. The same 3 adjustment screws with springs are used so the PU can be adjusted. Take a look.


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Jack Goodson

 

From:
new brockton,alabama (deceased)
Post  Posted 19 Mar 2018 7:24 am     Photos
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Mike, that was the way I tried to mount it, your second photo shows the wire coming out the end. Which means you have to drill a hole in the mounting plate and also thru the body....thanks jack
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Mike Scaggs


From:
Nashville, TN
Post  Posted 19 Mar 2018 7:26 am     Re: Photos
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Jack Goodson wrote:
Mike, that was the way I tried to mount it, your second photo shows the wire coming out the end. Which means you have to drill a hole in the mounting plate and also thru the body....thanks jack


Mounting plate yes, body, no way...
_________________
I can explain it to you but I can't understand it for you

Zum double Hybrid 8x9, 64 Twin (JBLs), p2pAmps Bad-Dawg, p2pAmps Tremendous Reverb, Visit my website www.p2pamps.com
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Jack Goodson

 

From:
new brockton,alabama (deceased)
Post  Posted 19 Mar 2018 7:32 am     705
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Mike, I wish there was a way to do it like you show in the photo, but the wire being in the middle (like Bruce said) the only way you could mount it would be to drill the body, but I will not do that on a 1973 pp. just wish I could find an old chrome 705....thanks jack
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Mike Scaggs


From:
Nashville, TN
Post  Posted 19 Mar 2018 7:40 am     Re: 705
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Jack Goodson wrote:
Mike, I wish there was a way to do it like you show in the photo, but the wire being in the middle (like Bruce said) the only way you could mount it would be to drill the body, but I will not do that on a 1973 pp. just wish I could find an old chrome 705....thanks jack


Jack, the advantage I had on the last (3) 73 PP I did this too was I did it all with the necks off first. I did not have to drill the body in all three instances...
_________________
I can explain it to you but I can't understand it for you

Zum double Hybrid 8x9, 64 Twin (JBLs), p2pAmps Bad-Dawg, p2pAmps Tremendous Reverb, Visit my website www.p2pamps.com
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