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Topic: Lap steel setup |
Tom Johnson
From:
Texas, USA
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Posted 30 Aug 2012 7:32 am |
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I am new to lap steel. I bought a Fender Champ to get started with. I was wondering if there are adjustments that can be made to help with uneven string volume. The first string has a much lower volume than the rest.
Thanks,
Tom |
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 30 Aug 2012 10:54 am
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The Champ lap steel doesn't have a user-adjustable pickup (not so you could adjust that one string, at least). I'd suggest contacting Jason Lollar, Seymour Duncan, so a local repair person who is familiar with this type of pickup.
_________________
Brad’s Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
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Posted 30 Aug 2012 11:15 am
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| Doug Beaumier wrote: |
| ... Also, try puting new strings on the guitar. Sometimes changing the strings does wonders. |
For sure try a new set of proper gauge strings first. From there, if it still needs a little tweaking, sometimes a little higher gauge string for the low output one helps.
Whats at work here is that higher mass / bigger strings interact with the magnetic field differently and will generate more output.
_________________
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Tom Johnson
From:
Texas, USA
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Posted 30 Aug 2012 5:41 pm
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Thanks for the input. I am thinking that the strings may have something to do with this. I will try that first. Any suggestions on gauge?
I am mostly working with G6 tuning so far.
Thanks,
Tom |
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Stephen Cowell
From:
Round Rock, Texas, USA
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Posted 30 Aug 2012 6:50 pm
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Those old pickups can profitably use a re-magging... you can test the poles with a screwdriver tip to see if the outside one pulls less... this is often the case, I understand.
If you're playing in G6 you'll need some monster strings on there... high string is a high B? Put a .016-.017 on there and see what you get.
_________________
New FB Page: Lap Steel Licks And Stuff: https://www.facebook.com/groups/195394851800329 |
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Tom Johnson
From:
Texas, USA
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Posted 31 Aug 2012 3:08 am
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I tried the screwdriver test and found a stronger pull from the 6th string area compared to the 1st. I am coming to the lap steel from the dobro so a lot of what I know is in the open G tuning. I went to a workshop taught by Reece Anderson where he showed us a lot of things in G6 and that made me want to explore that more. I think I will first experiment with a little heavier gauge string and go from there. Thanks for all the ideas.
Tom |
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Tom Johnson
From:
Texas, USA
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Posted 28 Nov 2012 4:44 am
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Jerry Wallace solved this problem. He rewound the pickup and now it sounds great!
He is a great guy to work with. Quick turnaround too.
Tom |
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Andy Sandoval
From:
Bakersfield, California, USA
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Posted 28 Nov 2012 8:57 am
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| Jerry's the man! |
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Tim Whitlock
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 29 Nov 2012 9:02 am
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I know I'm stating the obvious, but since it hasn't been mentioned I'll go ahead. Using the pickup height adjustment screws to raise the weak side of the pickup should help.
And here is a link to b0b's string gauge chart:
http://www.b0b.com/infoedu/gauges.htm |
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Tom Johnson
From:
Texas, USA
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Posted 30 Nov 2012 4:36 am
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Thanks Tim.
Since I'm new to lap steel what may seem obvious to you was something that did not occur to me. I really appreciate having this forum and you all for giving advice to help people like me.
I looked at Brad's post and realized he was saying adjustment was not possible for the individual strings. I mistakenly took this to mean that adjustment was not a player for this problem.
After having actually removed and reinstalled this pickup I saw that of course you can adjust the distance between the pickup and the strings. Since there are two screws you can adjust treble closer than base or the opposite but this will also affect the strings in between.
I suppose it was time for this 50+ year old pickup to be worked on anyway and I'm happy with what I have now.
Tom |
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Michael Snellin
From:
Essex, UK
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Posted 3 Dec 2012 8:56 am Pick up adj !!!!
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Hi, everyone i think Tom Johnson, was mentioning about adj of the string, which was a bit low on volume to the rest?? the problem that i seem to have is that the third string does seem to be a bit low on volume the guitar is a Rickenbacker steel bodied.in wonderful condition also how do you get to the vol/tone controls???????  any suggestions will be appreciated. |
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Michael Snellin
From:
Essex, UK
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Posted 3 Dec 2012 8:56 am Pick up adj !!!!
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| Hi, everyone i think Tom Johnson, was mentioning about adj of the string, which was a bit low on volume to the rest?? the problem that i seem to have is that the third string does seem to be a bit low on volume the guitar is a Rickenbacker steel bodied.in wonderful condition also how do you get to the vol/tone controls??????? any suggestions will be appreciated. |
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 3 Dec 2012 9:30 am
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Michael,
Please start a new discussion about your Rickenbacker lap steel rather than adding on to this discussion about Tom's Fender lap steel. That way you'll have a higher chance of getting proper answers to your own question.
Click on the "New Topic" button and try again.
_________________
Brad’s Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars |
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