| Author |
Topic: New Lap steel pickups |
Bob Gleason
From:
Hawaii, USA
|
Posted 17 Sep 2021 9:52 am |
|
| I posted this in the electronics section, but maybe it will be seen more here.I am making a new lap steel 6. In the past I have only used height adjustable pickups. I would like to try the George L flat mount pickups. They are very tall, 13/16", so I assume that a recess has to be made in the body or the strings will be a mile high. Is the distance from the strings just guesswork then? I also see that the pickup can be wide or narrow mounted. I don't know what that means. It also says that the pickup can be used for 6, 8, and 10 string steels. I guess that must mean that there are no individual pole pieces and that string spacing does not matter. Any feedback appreciated. or suggestions for other pickups welcome too. Thanks, Bob |
|
|
|
Mike Auman
From:
North Texas, USA
|
Posted 17 Sep 2021 5:27 pm
|
|
The George L's do use blades, so as long as they're wide enough to cover all your strings, you don't have to worry about spacing for pole pieces. I have an 8-string Melbert lap steel with a 10-string George L pickup, and Bob Allen (Melbert) said he usually sets these to a 0.093 inch gap to the bottom of the strings. You can use springs, surgical tubing, foam, etc to provide some resistance between the bottom of the pickup lugs and the bottom of the routed hole, and make the height a little adjustable, rather than mounting the pickup hard against the body.
_________________
Long-time guitar player, now wrestling with lap steel. |
|
|
|
Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
|
Posted 17 Sep 2021 5:56 pm
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
|
Posted 17 Sep 2021 6:59 pm Re: New Lap steel pickups
|
|
| Bob Gleason wrote: |
| I posted this in the electronics section, but maybe it will be seen more here.I am making a new lap steel 6. In the past I have only used height adjustable pickups. I would like to try the George L flat mount pickups. They are very tall, 13/16", so I assume that a recess has to be made in the body or the strings will be a mile high. Is the distance from the strings just guesswork then? I also see that the pickup can be wide or narrow mounted. I don't know what that means. It also says that the pickup can be used for 6, 8, and 10 string steels. I guess that must mean that there are no individual pole pieces and that string spacing does not matter. Any feedback appreciated. or suggestions for other pickups welcome too. Thanks, Bob |
by "lap steel 6".....are you saying this is a 6 string lap steel? if so, why would you use the george L 10 string pickup? there is no need to use this for 6 strings, even though its a fine enough pickup. they used to make a pickup for 8 strings. that might be better.
there are MANY fine six string pickups you can use and most are less costly than the george L. i only use the george L pickups in my builds if i am making 8, 9, 10 or 12 string instruments. for six strings, i chose from 6 string pickups of all kinds.
now having said that. if you use the GL pickup, you need to first decide your height of the strings via knowing what your nut/bridge/fretboard relationship is. when you determine the height of the string over the flat section of the body where the pickup will be installed then you need to find out from GL what they recommend for the distance from the top of the pickup to the string. on the E66 pickup, its about the thickness of a quarter. this distance makes a very big difference in the sound of the guitar, so find out what they use.
when you find that measurement, then you need to decide if you want a static install or the ability to change the height of the pickup. static....you just rout out for the pickup and bolt it to the body. it does not move. if you want to be able to adjust it up and down, then you will have to rout a bit deeper and under the pickup you put some dense foam. then when you screw the pickup down, you will have a bit of adjustment down to the point where the foam compresses all it can and then when you want to raise, you have support for the pickup when the foam expands. i really dont think you will have much luck using the fender guitar method of surgical rubber or springs between the pickup tabs and the body. thats another thing....the pickup tabs on the GL are not so robust that you can honk down on them with screwdrivers and pressure, so be careful.
personally, i use velcro to install my GL E66 pickups i use. i measure the correct distance i want, then apply heavy duty velcro to the under side of the pickup and the body. works great, but is not easily changed, but it can be if necessary.
can you post a link to the GL pickup you are going to use? thx. |
|
|
|
Bob Gleason
From:
Hawaii, USA
|
Posted 17 Sep 2021 6:59 pm
|
|
| Mike- That's a big help. Thanks. Jon-A little dense here. Sorry! Does the pickup come with 2 different bottom mounts, or are there 2 versions of the pickup? I still don't understand how the wide and narrow mount works. Thanks, Bob |
|
|
|
Bob Gleason
From:
Hawaii, USA
|
Posted 17 Sep 2021 9:48 pm
|
|
Bill- Yep, 6 string.Thanks for the reply. I have tried those various foam, surgical tuning alternatives under pickups, but much prefer the standard Fender style springs. As long as the cavity is big enough to allow for adequate clearance, the springs work great for me. I have tried a lot of other pickups, but mostly have been using a vintage style Fender pickup knockoff made my Seymour Duncan. Unfortunately they have discontinued them.The reason i want to use the George L pickup is 2 fold. One is that i have heard they are great pickups and two I have been asked about different string spacings. The blade style of pickup allows me to vary the spacing. i have actually tried filing the blades on standard electric guitar pickups flat. That worked, but the blades rust quickly in our Hawaiian humidity. I am just feeling this out, so don't know which George L I'm heading for yet. I make just a simple lap steel. No fancy hardware. Through the body string mounting and a regular electric guitar bridge. Wanting to make my own bridges, but did not like the couple I have done. These guitars are a real nice break from my acoustic work. Takes months to make an acoustic guitar, and a simple lap steel can be made in days.
 |
|
|
|
Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
|
Posted 18 Sep 2021 5:09 am
|
|
| wonderful looking guitar! best to you in your instrument building. |
|
|
|
Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
|
Posted 18 Sep 2021 5:18 am
|
|
| Bob Gleason wrote: |
| ......Jon-A little dense here. Sorry! Does the pickup come with 2 different bottom mounts, or are there 2 versions of the pickup? I still don't understand how the wide and narrow mount works. Thanks, Bob |
Bob -- most (steel guitar) pickups are available 'either/or'. You have to select. I don't have anything to examine right now to be able to refresh my memory as to whether most mounting options are in the molding of the case or are in the choice of baseplate. |
|
|
|
Bob Gleason
From:
Hawaii, USA
|
Posted 1 Oct 2021 2:37 pm
|
|
| Bill- I have been off looking at all kinds of pickups the last few weeks. The Seymour Duncan pickups that I had used in the past, but are no longer available, had pole pieces that were not staggered in height. You said you had used all kinds of 6 string pickups. So, I assume you used those with staggered pole heights because that is what most of them are. Were there any problems with string balance? Thanks, Bob |
|
|
|
Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
|
Posted 1 Oct 2021 4:32 pm
|
|
| Bob Gleason wrote: |
| Bill- I have been off looking at all kinds of pickups the last few weeks. The Seymour Duncan pickups that I had used in the past, but are no longer available, had pole pieces that were not staggered in height. You said you had used all kinds of 6 string pickups. So, I assume you used those with staggered pole heights because that is what most of them are. Were there any problems with string balance? Thanks, Bob |
The Duncan’s I like to use are the strat size buckers with adjustable poles.
The other non adjustables I have used are cheap fenders with flat poles.
I also like the old Lawrence blade pickups. |
|
|
|
Bob Gleason
From:
Hawaii, USA
|
Posted 1 Oct 2021 10:34 pm
|
|
| Bill- Thanks. I guess I'll try a couple of those SD hum buckers with the adjustible poles. Can go too far wrong. |
|
|
|
George Piburn
From:
The Land of Enchantment New Mexico
|
Posted 2 Oct 2021 4:18 am Winder
|
|
You might consider purchasing a winder machine and the various components for making your own Pickups.
Since you are a teaching facility and make several steels per year.
It only takes a dozen or so pickups to break even on the machine, then you can make any configuration you choose so far as spacing of magnet poles and so on.
Many of the known builders do this as it saves money in the long run and you expand your teaching too.
Another eyedeer is to make the bobbins and send them to a rewind service; this is what GeorgeBoards did hundreds of times with great success and created a custom sound too.
_________________
GeorgeBoards S8 Non Pedal Steel Guitar Instruments
Maker of One of a Kind Works of Art that play music too.
Instructional DVDs
YouTube Channel |
|
|
|
Greg Forsyth
From:
Colorado, USA
|
Posted 2 Oct 2021 6:50 am Sentell Pickups
|
|
Bob,
I recommend Sentell Pickups for you steel guitar builds. Recently I purchased the Tennessee Honey P90 steel pickup and am very pleased with the sounds and tones I'm getting out of it. Very fair pricing and fast turn around on my order. Also, Jerry Sentell was very good about communicating with me. They also make blade pickups for steels. Here's a link:
https://www.sentellpickups.net/steel |
|
|
|
Bob Gleason
From:
Hawaii, USA
|
Posted 2 Oct 2021 9:27 am
|
|
| George- Yes, I have already put together the winder and parts for making pickups. Looking forward to doing that as time permits. Seems there is always too much to do and too little time. I'm not really a teaching facility. Just a 75 year old luthier, with 45 years of projects, and a student from time to time. George, that is an interesting selection of pickups from Sentell. Thanks for the link.-Bob |
|
|
|
G Strout
From:
Carabelle, Florida
|
Posted 4 Oct 2021 5:34 am
|
|
I second the suggestion to check out Sentell. Jerry has a large selection and will work with you on whatever you want.
_________________
Melbert 8, Remington S8, Silk 6 string, Rick B6, Tremblay 6 lap steel, Marlen S-10 4&4, Prestige Guild M75 and Artist Award, Benedetto Bravo, Epiphone Century Electar (the real one) and a bunch of old lap steels.... mostly Ricks and Magnatones' |
|
|
|
