Has Anybody Seen a BL710 like this? (Info added)

Jim Cooley · From: The 'Ville, Texas, USA

I recently bought two BL710s. The pole pieces extend well below the bottom of the pickup. I mounted one in my Derby steel. This results are piercing, icepick highs. The Derby has a standard Emmons style mounting plate. I lowered the pickup as far as it will go. The strings were less than 1/8" from the pole pieces. No amount of EQ adjustment compensates for the piercing highs without completely muddying the tone, regardless of amp.

The pickup is 3/4" high from the base to the top. The pole pieces are 7/8" including the ends that extend below the base. Has anyone seen a BL710 like this? Any ideas?

Jerry Roller · From: Van Buren, Arkansas USA

All my 710s are 7/8â€ high so I would guess the Derby changer brackets are thicker than Emmons.
_________________
http://www.littleoprey.org/

Butch Pytko · From: Orlando, Florida, USA

Well, how in the world do you mount a pickup like that with the poles sticking out that far--with spacers/washers or just let it rest on the protruding poles on the mounting plate? Then, the pickup height from the mounting plate would be higher than normal--decreasing the amount of height adjustment.

Also, if that's the normal way the pole pickups are made, with the poles sticking out that far, then I already know they won't fit on any of my guitars. I'll have to try and check on that before I buy any brand of pole pickups.

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

I have "real" Lawrence 710's on my Franklin. The pole pieces do not stick out.

FWIW, 3/16" distance from the strings is what is needed. Too close and it will get all highs and can even distort.
_________________
GFI Ultra Keyless S-10 with pad (Black of course) TB202 amp, Hilton VP, Steelers Choice sidekick seat, SIT Strings
Cakewalk by Bandlab and Studio One V4.6 pro DAWs, MOTU Ultralite MK5 recording interface unit

Mitchell Smithey · From: Dallas, USA

We got a batch at MSA last week that was the same way. Magnets are sticking out the bottom.

Jim Cooley · From: The 'Ville, Texas, USA

Jack Stoner - Are you saying you think these are knock-offs, fakes, that these BL710s are BS710s?

Mitchell - Will they fit the MSA mounting system like that or do they have to be modified?

Douglas Schuch · From: Valencia, Philippines

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought Bill Lawrence sold the rights to his 705 pickup (and thus, someone else builds and sells them) but kept the rights to the 710. If so, all 710's would be "real", but not all 705's would be built by Bill Lawrence or his company.

Bill passed away in 2013 (link to mention in "Gone Home" section: https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=255048). So maybe the quality control problems are coming from people building them who are not as familiar with the methods?

Edit: Perhaps, Jack, you mean built when Bill L was still alive and running things? They are still built by his company/family.
_________________
Bringing steel guitar to the bukid of Negros Oriental!

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

I originally purchased the 710's direct from Bill Lawrence at his booth (room) at the ISGC in St Louis. I had original (version 1) pickups but had some tone problems with them. Bill changed some component in the version 2, I think the metal used in the pole pieces, and they swapped my pickups for the new version. That was probably around 1998/99.

In any case, all the 710s I've seen the pole pieces do not stick out the bottom.
_________________
GFI Ultra Keyless S-10 with pad (Black of course) TB202 amp, Hilton VP, Steelers Choice sidekick seat, SIT Strings
Cakewalk by Bandlab and Studio One V4.6 pro DAWs, MOTU Ultralite MK5 recording interface unit

Mitchell Smithey · From: Dallas, USA

These are not fakes they were ordered from the Wllde online store. We had to make some slightly thicker bases to make room for the magnets.

Marco Schouten · From: Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Mine looks very different.
_________________
----------------------------------
JCH SD-10 with BL XR-16 pickup, Sho-Bud Volume Pedal, Evidence Audio Lyric HG cables, Quilter Steelaire combo

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Evidently, the manufacturer got a really good buy on the incorrect length magnets. Laughing

Look, common sense tells us that if people just stop buying them, they'll probably fix the issue.

But if people and builders go on buying and accepting them that way, they'll go right on doing what they're doing...and people will have to redesign/cobble things together.

I call that "the tail wagging the dog".

Jerry Roller · From: Van Buren, Arkansas USA

Jerry The overall height of a 710 is 7/8". The early ones used 7/8" magnets with a coil about 1/2" thick so the magnets extended thru the bottom plate of the coil and had a third plate on the bottom of the pickup with the magnets going thru that pottom plate and were flush with the bottom plate. Later 710s used 3/4" magnets in a conventional type bobbin then added a bottom mounting plate which finished out to be 7/8" thick. It appears they used 7/8" magnets in these pickups but used the later design that left the ends of the magnets extending past the base. This should work the same on an Emmons mounting design the same as the other types. I have 710s in my LeGrande II and have almost 1/4" clearance which is perfect. My guess is the Derby has less clearance in the pickup cavity than Emmons. Perhaps the changer pillar brackets are thicker and the magnets are hitting them. You probably need to sell these to an Emmons guitar player and go to a thinner pickup for the Derby. I would be very interested to know if anyone has 710s in a Derby.
Jerry

_________________
http://www.littleoprey.org/

Forum Index > Electronics		Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic

All times are GMT - 8 Hours	Jump to: