| Visit Our Catalog at SteelGuitarShopper.com |

Post new topic Question: Pick ups and using guitar pedals
Reply to topic
Author Topic:  Question: Pick ups and using guitar pedals
Mick OGrady

 

From:
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Post  Posted 3 Oct 2022 7:22 am    
Reply with quote

I tried to hook up my steel to my guitar pedal board which is the usual collection of Boss guitar pedals and was not crazy about the sound. I recently saw an interesting video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSechPmC20U) where Russ Pahl was being interviewed by Zak Child talks about how he had to make his own pick ups to reduce the ohm-age so that certain pedals, particularly overdrive pedals, would be useable. Any thoughts on this? (PS I am using Bill Lawrence pickups on my E9 necks).
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Bengt Erlandsen

 

From:
Brekstad, NORWAY
Post  Posted 3 Oct 2022 8:22 am    
Reply with quote

Waaaaay easier to bring the bring the level down (so it wont overload the pedals) by using a voltage dividing resistor network with maybe a bleed capacitor instead of winding new pickups.

Just for a test, try hooking up the effect-pedals after your volume pedal and see if you can get the desired sound without overloading the pedals by slowly pressing the volume pedal while playing anything from soft to really digging in on the strings. Effect-pedals might start overloading even before your volume pedal is half pressed.

If things sounds ok at/until a certain point on the volume pedal, then it is not rocketscience to get hold of a potmeter and maybe a capacitor to duplicate what your volume pedal did in front of the effects so you can hook up your original volume pedal after the effects or somewhere in between if that is desired.

Even a DI box that can pad down the signal to an appropriate level might do the trick in front of those effect pedals so they wont overload.

B.Erlandsen
View user's profile Send private message
Jack Stoner


From:
Kansas City, MO
Post  Posted 3 Oct 2022 8:27 am    
Reply with quote

I had a 1982 Franklin D-10 (bought new) with first Lawrence 705's and later 710's. No problems with some stomp boxes and tone problems with some.

I used a Boss DD-5 and no "tone suck" but I used (tried) some other stomp box types that did slightly change tone. even in bypass. The change was not noticed with a Telecaster but evident with the steel. That may be what you are hearing.

I now have a GFI with a Lawrence 710. I'm using a Keeley "Caverns" reverb/delay unit and no problems.

If its distortion, the pickup may be too close to strings. 710 is 3/16" distance or even a little more. Mine were set a loose 3/16 and Mr Franklin told me I had mine set correctly.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Bill McCloskey

 

Post  Posted 3 Oct 2022 8:39 am    
Reply with quote

Couldn’t something like a kemper eliminate those problems?
View user's profile Send private message
Donny Hinson

 

From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
Post  Posted 3 Oct 2022 10:55 am    
Reply with quote

Béngt is right, all you need is a voltage divider (volume control) to lower the output of the steel pickups. It's easy to install a volume control into a guitar, and it's certainly cheaper than new pickups or adding another expensive gizmo into the signal chain..
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
D Schubert

 

From:
Columbia, MO, USA
Post  Posted 4 Oct 2022 4:23 am    
Reply with quote

I've had good luck using the amp EFX loop, rather than the signal chain to the amp, when using pedals designed for sis-string guitars.
_________________
GFI Expo S-10PE, Sho-Bud 6139, Fender 2x8 Stringmaster, Supro consoles, Dobro. And more.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Bob Hoffnar


From:
Austin, Tx
Post  Posted 4 Oct 2022 5:13 am    
Reply with quote

Bill McCloskey wrote:
Couldn’t something like a kemper eliminate those problems?


It would but then you would be playing through a kemper….
_________________
Bob
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Jack Stoner


From:
Kansas City, MO
Post  Posted 4 Oct 2022 5:36 am    
Reply with quote

One thing I missed, or wasn't stated in the initial post by the user is where in the effects chain is the volume pedal.
I see the volume pedal as the last thing in the chain in some guitar effect chains. The volume pedal, usually in pedal steel, is between the steel guitar and effects and/or amp.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
ajm

 

From:
Los Angeles
Post  Posted 4 Oct 2022 7:53 am    
Reply with quote

We can guess as to what the problem(s) might be to try and help.
However.........

The original post did not say what pedals (including the volume pedal) specifically were being used and what the order is.

The original post did not say what exactly about the sound he was not crazy about. Was it overdriven? Dull? Something else?

The original post did not say where in the LONG video the discussion was located.

The original post did not say what problem the player in the video was having and how modifying the pickups helped/fixed the issue.

The original poster did not say what pickups he is using, which may be a part of the problem.

The original post did not say what amp he is using, since it may not have an effects loop.
View user's profile Send private message
Erv Niehaus


From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
Post  Posted 4 Oct 2022 8:03 am    
Reply with quote

Sounds like the Spanish inquisition. Whoa!
Erv
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Jump to:  
Please review our Forum Rules and Policies
Our Online Catalog
Strings, CDs, instruction, and steel guitar accessories
www.SteelGuitarShopper.com

The Steel Guitar Forum
148 S. Cloverdale Blvd.
Cloverdale, CA 95425 USA

Click Here to Send a Donation

Email SteelGuitarForum@gmail.com for technical support.


BIAB Styles
Ray Price Shuffles for Band-in-a-Box
by Jim Baron