Quality of pick ups for older Fender Dual Steel Guitars

[Anthony DiDonato]

I need some expert information about Fender pick-ups from the early 50's. My dad had a 1954 Fender dual 6 steel and added a 2nd pickup to the close side. One of the guesses might be that the original pick was unreliable and he added a "back up" in case he needed it. Since it came into my possession, I find that both original picks up are fine. Any idea why he might have installed it? I removed the added pickup. Does anyone have any experience or information with Fender pickups?

[Fred]

Multiple pickups give you multiple sounds. It's common on electric guitar. Not very common on steel guitar.

[Tim Whitlock]

I wonder if he might have been inspired by the Stringmaster configuration. The dual pickups provide a much wider variety of tones, although the pure trapezoid pickup one trick pony sound is hard to beat. Trap pickups are notorious for their inner bobbins degrading and collapsing over time. Nick Fryer rebuilt my Custom's three traps with new bobbins. He would be able to answer any questions you have.

[Tony Oresteen]

I added a second pickup to my Champ:

download/file.php?mode=view&id=106

It allows a different sound & I wired in a blend knob.