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Topic: pick up output vs. usable amplifiers |
Olli Haavisto
From:
Jarvenpaa,Finland
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Posted 19 Nov 2011 6:53 am |
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I recently got an MSA Legend 12-string, a great guitar with the quick change pup option. It`s been a revelation to be able to use different pickups:
I have an Alumitone and two Truetones, a 19,5 (about 17-18 on a 10 string) and a 16,5 ( 14-15 on a ten str.)
Having the low output Truetone has opened up a world of amps I couldn`t use before: Vibrolux, Deluxe and Princeton all sound fantastic with the low output pup, a 20k humbucker overloaded the preamps of those old Fenders way too easily.
So, why on earth are the steel pups so hot these days, making it necessary to have an amp designed for steel guitar ? I`m glad Jerry winds to any specs you want but If I`d want a lower output humbucker I don`t know of one.
Maybe an output pot on a Freeloader would work ?
Just some random thoughts, feel free to comment....
BTW, the low output pup has a clarity to it that a higher output single coil doesn`t match, IMO.
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Olli Haavisto
Finland |
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Brad Sarno
From:
St. Louis, MO USA
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Posted 19 Nov 2011 11:47 am
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WIth a FreeLoader there to have a nice low-z output, you can use the second jack on a Fender amp to get a 50% pad and not worry about overload.
B |
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Georg Sørtun
From:
Mandal, Agder, Norway
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Posted 19 Nov 2011 11:51 pm
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| Isn't hard or costly to add in an attenuator. Two resistors (at most) with values selected to where attenuation is wanted and degree of attenuation. |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 20 Nov 2011 4:49 pm
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It just seems to be part and parcel of the "volume wars" that went on with six-strings, too. The difference is that in the six-string world, the knowledge of the differences in tone between weaker and stronger pickups has become better known - though even using the word "weaker" sounds wimpy, huh?
There's always a co-evolution between an instrument's construction, it's pickups, the cords, the amp, even the volume pedal and effects. I suspect one driving force behind the pedal steel guitar's pickups escalating to 18 and 20K was the physical, mechanical noise that came from old Sho-Buds, MSAs, Emmons and all. The "signal-to-noise" ratio led to some clacking and banging coming out of the instrument, but with the more modern delrin bearings that noise is diminished.
It's easy enough to attenuate the signal to match up with an amp's input; I used to use a stompbox as just a volume control, like a compressor or something set to no-compression, just turned down. Keith Hilton put a volume control on the VP he built for me and now I can run an Alumitone full up. |
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Chris Reesor
From:
British Columbia, Canada
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Posted 25 Nov 2011 3:54 pm hot pickups vs. tube amp inputs
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Olli, you might try subbing a 12AY7 for the the 12AX7 as the first preamp tube. Works well to get more clean headroom in my Deluxe RI. I also use the second input without much loss of top end, without a buffer, just a pot pedal and George L's cords. Worth a try.
Cheers, Chris
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Excel Superb U12, MIJ Squier tele, modified Deluxe Reverb RI, Cube 80XL, self built acoustics & mandolins |
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