LDG Sho~Bud pick-up

Joe Tyson · From: Fort Littleton, Pennsylvania, USA

Many years ago I removed the original single coil pick-up from my LDG. I insalled a double humbucking one either a Lawrence or George L can't remember which. Anyway I found my old pick-up after searching for it for a long time. In the bag was the single coil, three spacers and a black plastic flat piece. The pick-up has a black and a white wires attached and I sure don"t remember what the flat plastic piece is for or even if it applies. Anyway I installed the pick-up the way I thought the wires were originally. My problem is that when you work the pedals or tap on the metal of the guitar you hear it through the amp. What did I do wrong? Sure looks right as far as wires go. I didn"t use flat plastic piece couldn"t figure out where it went if at all. Thanks Joe

Ricky Davis · From: Bertram, Texas USA

Joe the black plastic flat piece you speak of is NOT a original piece to the Sho~bud pickup; but I suggest someone made it to go on the bottom of the pickup either mounted to it or glued or whatever, to block the exposed magnets on the bottom of the pickup. Unfortunately this won't get rid of all the body noise picked up by the single coil shobud pickup; as the pickup itself is mounted by screws into the wood/body of the guitar and that is the main noise prob when the pickup is somewhat microphonic and noisy as they are.
That flat piece or some foam between the pickup and body will help; but not eliminate.
The black wire is the ground and the white is the hot and do go directly to the input jack and the ground prong on the input jact is the one with the metal circle you can see on the inside of the jack and the hot is the prong that is just coming out of the plastic(make sense???). Also for proper grounding of the pickup to the strings; is you want(and there probably is) a small splice in the ground wire exposing bare wire; and that bare wire should run under the raise spring bracket that is mounted to the bottom of the guitar(as long as you have at least 1 raise spring going to the finger); or you can just run an extra wire from the ground prong of the input jack to a screw point on that changer bracket/housing or even a screw point on that RKR knee lever as all that eventually connects to the string point.
Good luck; and hope that helps you or explains a little more info for ya.
Ricky

Joe Tyson · From: Fort Littleton, Pennsylvania, USA

Ricky

There is a jumper wire fastened to the changer plate under the guitar. It is black and that is the side I hooked the black pick-up wire to. It's been over 20 years since I played the Sho-Bud with this pick-up but I don't remember all the noise. I have to watch my right hand while playing that I don't touch the pick-up or I will hear rubbing noise. Also knee levers will make noise through the amp. I wanted to get a single coil sound back to the guitar but this is not acceptable. Your right about the plastic piece. I don't know why it was in the bag or where it came from but it is too wide to fit the pick-up mortise in the guitar
wish I didn't have senior moments so I could remember where that sucker came from.

Steve Hinson · From: Hendersonville Tn USA

Joe,the stock pickup in my LDG is VERY noisy...as pickups get older they often become microphonic.

Joe Tyson · From: Fort Littleton, Pennsylvania, USA

Thanks guys for the input. Any suggestions for a single coil pick-up for the LDG? I know the one I took off had 2 bars instead of round eyes. Can't remember whose it was but wire was shielded and I guess that took care of noise. The guitar is a 1979 model. Thanks again for the input
Joe

Earnest Bovine · From: Los Angeles CA USA

Last I heard, Lloyd Green uses a Lawwrence 710 in his Sho-Bud. It's not a single coil but it does sound good so I recommend that you get one.

Also (from another post):
The noise [microphonicpickup] can be eliminated very inexpensively by immobilizing the wires inside the pickup. Many guitar shops can do it. They immerse the pickup in hot wax (beeswax) in a vacuum.

Bob Tuttle · From: Republic, MO 65738

I would suggest sending the pickup to Jerry Wallace for a rewind.

Ricky Davis · From: Bertram, Texas USA

Hey Joe; sounds like the one you took off was a Bill Lawrence 705 and it's a humbucking pickup. Did it have a chrome casing??
So you can do several things as suggested. You can get the old Shobud Microphonic pickup re-wound or waxed as Earnest suggested; or you can put in a new single coil True Tone pickup that Jerry Wallace makes for a shobud; or you can stick that Bill Lawrence pickup back in or a new Bill lawrence pickup 710 narrow mount and that would eliminate your noise and hum completely.
I sense that you want the single coil sound though; and actually Lloyd Green just put a single coil True Tone pickup in his LDG and is diggin' it; but for recordings he is using and has the 710 back in there now.
Ricky

[This message was edited by Ricky Davis on 26 June 2004 at 10:58 AM.]

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

I"d second the JW rewind. You'll like it immensely. Check the ohms, and tell him what you found, Mine I had rewound to 16k, and I like them a lot. Also he puts a thicker top plate on that's not susceptable to pulling up at the least little catch. This, IMHO above larger magnetted TrueTones for an original sound.

I have no noise in mine when not around a source such as flourescent light ballasts etc. I've never seen the advantage of humbuckers unless you are around stuff that transmits hysteresis.

Price is right, and turn around is fast.

EJL

Joe Tyson · From: Fort Littleton, Pennsylvania, USA

Yes Ricky the pick-up I took off was chrome plated. Your right I want the single coil sound. My Mullen has a single and sounds great. Thanks for all the input(from everyone

George Crowder · From: Richmond, VA, USA

I agree with Bob and Eric. Having Jerry Wallace rewind the pickup is an excellent suggestion. I had Jerry rewind two old Emmons pickups for me and I have been very pleased with the sound. He does good work on those old pickups.

Herb Steiner · From: Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064

I am a single-coil fan as well, and would recommend Jerry Wallace True-Tones; I have a pair in a Fessenden with lacquer cabinet and necks, and am very satisfied with their performance.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

Larry Robbins · From: Fort Edward, New York

I had Jerry Wallace rewind the pickups in my ol SHO~BUD as well and I could not be happier!!

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