L-710 Pickup Magnets

[Dean Holman]

I bought some 710 pickups several months ago, and thinking about installing in a guitar. But, the magnets, stick out about an 1/8th of an inch or a little more , from the bottom of the bobbin. Not really a big deal, as I’ll use some spacers to sit the pickup on. Is there a reason they started making them that way? Does the longer magnets, create something different in tone? Just curious! Also, I have XR-16 pickups, in my Rittenberry Prestige, and 705 Reissue pickups, in my older lacquer Rittenberry. First, I have to say, the Presley’s theatre, was not wired to be a music theatre, it was intended to be a boat storage building, and along with some of the strobe lights, I still get a little bit of hum, and buzz, even with humbucking pickups, but it’s worse with the XR-16 pickups, than it is with the 705 pickups. Has anyone else ever experienced that, and what would cause such a difference? My guess, could it be the XR-16 is a hotter pickup?

[Jerry Overstreet]

Is it like this one? I know there were some other odd looking 710s, for whatever reason, I dont know. I have one on the C neck of my buddy's Carter he's letting me use.

[David Higginbotham]

I had a set of these years ago with the same question. I soon sold them to Jerry Roller at a very reasonable price as Jerry was a gem for freely offering valuable guidance on many topics unrelated to steel guitar. I’m happy to say he helped me several times with his vast knowledge. His passing was a great loss to our community. But this was the response I received.
Dave
viewtopic.php?t=276742&highlight=710+pickup

[Dean Holman]

Is it like this one? I know there were some other odd looking 710s, for whatever reason, I dont know. I have one on the C neck of my buddy's Carter he's letting me use.

No, mine have the complete housing, but, instead of the magnets being plush, with the bottom of the bobbin, the magnets stick out just a little over an 1/8th of an inch, from the bottom. These are not the older 710’s, that didn’t have the complete housing. In fact, I don’t think these pickups are very old, but the magnets aren’t plush, not like they are on my XR-16 pickups. Just curious as to why. I thought maybe they had a technical reason, and possibly something that they felt made an improvement.

[Jerry Overstreet]

I see.....Some discussion here:

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?

[Dean Holman]

Back around ‘96 or’97, I borrowed a Zum that Bruce Bouton had at that time, and it had some of the first batch of 710’s at that time, that didn’t have the full housing, and that was how I felt about the earlier 710’s. But, back when I was neighbors with Jimmie Crawford, and he started building the JCH guitars again, Bill Lawrence had switched to the full housing, and winding them heavier, and those pickups weren’t near as shrill. Jimmie Loved those pickups, and that’s what he started using on his new JCH’s, but those pickups were like 28k to 30k ohms. Then, Bill started using a heavier copper wire, and was winding them to around 18.7k ohm’s, give or take a little. That’s how I know that mine are the current 710’s, because of what they read. I think the smaller wire, resulted in the thinner shrill sound. I don’t know, I guess I may just have to drop one in my guitar, and see how it compares.

[Derek Puckett]

I’ve contacted her to put a ticket base on to fix this issue but she blew me off. It’s dumbs one little fix it will also make the pickups set correct.

[Marco Schouten]

My new XR-16 pickup was the same. It didn't give any problem with the installation in my JCH.

[Jerry Overstreet]

So is the extended pole pieces pickup the current or newest?

How many versions of these are there>

I don't know the build date on this one, but it was flat on the bottom plate...no extensions.

I bought it to put in the Carter, but decided to stay with the existing odd 3 plate one pictured in my first post and so I sold it.

Also, there seems to be a wide range of DC resistance in these 710s. Guess one has to measure and examine to know.

[Jim Cooley]

Dean - Jerry Overstreet posted a link above, to the same question I asked about these pickups. The best determination was that Wilde started manufacturing these with the pole pieces extended below the bottom of the base plate after they purchased the rights from Bill Lawrence. I was never able to learn the reason for the change. I believe that Mitchell Smithey told me MSA had received these Wilde 710s, and that they were the same as yours and mine.

Regarding the difference between XR16 and 705, I have used both.To my ears the 705 sounds hotter, with tighter lows and more pronounced mids and highs.

[Marco Schouten]

[quote="Jim Cooley" The best determination was that Wilde started manufacturing these with the pole pieces extended below the bottom of the base plate after they purchased the rights from Bill Lawrence.[/quote]

Did they actually bought the rights? I believe that the pickups are made by Bill Lawrence's widow and daughter.

[Jerry Overstreet]

Yes, I believe that is correct. The Bill Lawrence that we know that built the original chrome 705s is the same Bill Lawrence that started the Wilde company.

Best I recall, he first built the Wilde standard 6 string guitars, then the pickups.

His wife Becky just continued the pickup business after Bill passed on.

I know nothing about the reasoning for all the different versions of these Wilde 710 models.