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Topic: Sho~Bud pickup resistance |
Marc Jenkins
From:
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
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Posted 1 Sep 2009 10:21 am |
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So, everyone (well. mostly anyways) says that 17.5k is the magic number for DC resistance on a Sho~Bud/Truetone pickup. I have a Truetone in my Bud at 17.5K, and it sounds great. However, the original (1972-3?) is at 12.35k. While it's top is pretty curved, I quite like the tone. I use a tone control, so I can knock down the excessive (to me, anyway) treble response on the 12.35k, but I really like the low end clarity with this pickup, that lacks a little with the 17.5.
So, does anyone know what Sho~Bud wound their pickups to in the late 60's/early 70's? Any other suggestions?
Thanks! |
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James Morehead
From:
Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 1 Sep 2009 11:37 pm
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Hey Marc, thought you'd be using a coiltap pickup. Best of both worlds. I can show you how to set it up with out drilling holes in your endplate, if you ever want.
To answer your question, seems no ryhme or reason on what came out of shobud-depends on what era. (You could have even had a dual coil pickup wired straight for the lower 12K side.) But the thing that's different mostly to those who build new pickups today, is that the wire available today is different than the wire used back in shobud days. 17.5k and coil tap 11.5K seems to work the best.
I really like the low side of my pickups on my Professional, too. |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 2 Sep 2009 1:30 pm
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Here's a quote from Ricky when he was soupin' up my '74;
"Oh and I just got your "coil tap" switch in....This original pickup is PERFECT...it measures 19K and 11K on the tap...which is exactly like it's supposed to."
Hey James! |
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James Morehead
From:
Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 2 Sep 2009 1:39 pm
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Hey John, Ask Ricky now what he recommends, and report back.  |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 2 Sep 2009 1:48 pm
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| Haven't talked to him for a while. My guitar does sound really good through the Twin though. We're talking about a difference of about ten %, and that would be noticeable I would think. Of course then the amp gets into the equation too,,,,, |
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Mark Durante
From:
St. Pete Beach FL
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Posted 5 Sep 2009 4:55 am
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| Just checked the E9 PU on my '60's fingertip, reads: 19.9K and 10.4K |
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Marc Jenkins
From:
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
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Posted 5 Sep 2009 11:25 am
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| Thanks Mark! |
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James Morehead
From:
Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 5 Sep 2009 12:18 pm
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Sure, you will find differently wound pickups in different shobuds. I have found pickups in various model shobuds from various years, anywhere from 24000 down to 8000. There was a lot of experimentation going on in those days, and pickups are no different. Just because a guitar came out with a certain winding didn't mean it sounded optimum. Wind them the way you want. If you keep rewinding them long enough( at about $50 a pop) to try the difference between different windings, you will probably settle on pretty close to 17.5 and 11.5 coiltap anyways---just like Ricky Davis and Jerry Wallace did in THEIR research of what's the optimum winding for shobuds. I have found their research to be pretty valid. Works for me. Afterall, it's subjective, right? Have fun.  |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 5 Sep 2009 12:30 pm
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| James, what did the 8K pup sound like? Somewhere recently, and most likely here, I read of old lapsteel pups being wound with a tiny amount of turns, but with very heavy wire, and using a transformer. I'm curious as to how those sounded. |
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Benton Allen
From:
Muscle Shoals, Alabama, USA
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Posted 5 Sep 2009 12:32 pm
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Well James,
That's probably why my old 69 Crossover sounds so nice. Both pickups are wound to 17Kohm and 11Kohm. Pretty close to optimum for a Bud.
Cheers!
Benton |
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James Morehead
From:
Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 5 Sep 2009 12:45 pm
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Yes, Benton, I bet that baby sounds awesome!!
John, Your asking me to stand up in the open with out a flack jacket, now~~ 
I like to say, to my ear, you get a thinner sound--maybe not really the right words, but to me, I get a real clear acoustical quality with a real low coiltap. To me, if you are looking for more of a '60's twang, go lighter on the coiltap.
The hotter a pickup I have had in my old bud's, the more middy and muddy and dark they became. It's all subjective. You may hear different than I do. Also, What equipment a guy uses and how he eq's it all has an impact.
John, if you want to try out one of my Wallace rewinds, I'll send it up to ya, and you can send it back. |
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