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Topic: National New Yorker pickups |
Steinar Gregertsen
From:
Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.
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Posted 26 May 2004 6:01 pm |
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Got my first National New Yorker today, and was pleasently surprised (to say the least!) by how full and warm it sounds.
When I bought it I wasn't quite sure what to expect, since I've read many varying opinions about the sound of the New Yorkers.
From what I have seen, there's been used quite a few pickup systems on these guitars over the years,- 'Supro' style string-through pickup, one 'regular' humbucker, one humbucker plus two more under the fretboard, one huge square humbucker like the one on my Dynamic (though I suspect it's really a regular humbucker with a huge cover), and - like on this one - two humbuckers 'back to back'.
How come? Couldn't National decide on a signature setup that would identify the 'New Yorker' sound, or what? Does these variations follow a certain time line? Mine is a 1957 model....
The blend control works great, ranging from a very thin and much too trebly sound for my taste, to a beautiful warm and mellow sound.
The biggest surprise came when I kicked in the overdrive,- I've never thought of New Yorkers as 'rock' lap steels, but this one blows every other lap steel I've played out of the water as far as 'rock' tone is concerned.
Anyone has any information regarding their line of pickups? Was it just a matter of "let's take whatever's available"?
Steinar
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www.gregertsen.com
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Russ Young
From:
Seattle, Washington, USA
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Posted 26 May 2004 8:36 pm
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George Gruhn lists them this way:
1935 - 1937 (while the guitar was known as the "Electric Hawaiian Model"): 3-pickup "sextet" arrangement (large pickup/bridge combination with bar pickup with notch at 3rd string, 2 additional pickups beneath fingerboard extending to 12th fret
1937 - 1942 (the guitar was renamed the "New Yorker" in 1939): visible pickup w/ split bar, 2 concealed pickups
1942 - 1949: Rectangular pickup with poles in straight line, no concealed pickups
1949 - 1951: Large square pickup
1951 - 1967: Large rectangular pickup
Like is so often the case, I wouldn't be surprised if several of you have guitars that offer evidence to the contrary ... |
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Craig Prior
From:
National City, California, USA
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Posted 26 May 2004 8:39 pm
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Steiner: I have NO information regarding their line of pickups. So I can't answer your question, making this post is kind of useless. So let's just sit 'n chat for a couple of minutes.
My New Yorker is from the '40s, I believe. It has a single coil pickup and 2 knobs: a volume knob (round) and a "chicken head" tone knob that acts a little peculiarly. The pot doesn't span from treble to bass but instead purports to go from a "harp" sound to "chimes" or some such nonsense. The treble setting is somewhere in the middle.
The fretboard inlays are color-coded Roman numerals which are actually quite handy. I think mine is the cleanest one I've ever encountered - it's pretty pristine although I had the original connector replaced with a quarter inch input.
The original case is blonde tweed and shaped specifically for that guitar. Unfortunately the leather handle started to fall apart sometime in the '80s. I try to be careful how I handle it. I prefer not to replace it.
I agree that the sound of these guitars is nice and full, with a nice meaty mid-range and a very expressive high-range. I have always enjoyed the sound of this guitar. People recognize the New Yorkers as being a wonderful bit of art deco kitsch, but few comment on their playability and great sound.
I've never had the urge to shop for another lap steel because I'm quite happy with the sound of this one.
Craig.
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Steinar Gregertsen
From:
Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.
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Posted 26 May 2004 8:55 pm
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Russ,- mine doesn't fit any of those categories, since it's quite obviously two pickups. The serial number - X72929 - indicates that it's a 1957 model though.
Here's a close up of the pickups:
Craig,- while I've always been fascinated by the New Yorker design, I really never imagined I would enjoy the sound as much as I do with this one. Mine also has one of those 'chicken knobs' and it has a scale that goes from 0 to 100, with 100 being the brightest. So far it seems as if the 'sweet spot' is somewhere around 20-30.
I always believed the Dynamic was Nationals 'roughest' model, but this one kills my Dynamic with one look.....
Steinar |
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 27 May 2004 3:13 am
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I remaged forumite Chris Walke's (I think, I've done lots for folks ... magnets I remember ... owners names get jumbled up) National ... they were this type (or very similar).
The hardest remag I've ever done.
Jason told me that I may short the coil if I tried to pry open the case ... so I had to use my gaussmeter to "chart out" the location and orientation of the magnets
They have 4 bar magnets per pickup ... two laying parallel to the coil on each side ... encased in a ferrous enclosure.
The orientation of the bars was (S) facing up with a (N) conduit running underneath and up to the pole pieces.
Basically the top of the pickup had the outer fringes (S) while the pole pieces were (N).
I had to come up with a plan to do the re-mag all 4 bars at once ... and having it "bi-polar" on each side made the standard set-up for re-magin' impossible.
I was "sweatin' bullets" when I applied the juice ... but it all went well and I got them all up to around 800 gauss (they were at 350 prior).
Chris ... never heard how you liked 'em ???
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www.horseshoemagnets.com |
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HowardR
From:
N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville
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Bob Stone
From:
Gainesville, FL, USA
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Posted 27 May 2004 6:39 am
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| How about "Gaussmeister" for Aiello's moniker? (Fluxmeister is too close to Jerry Douglas' handle.) |
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Donald Ruetenik
From:
Pleasant Hill, California, USA
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Posted 27 May 2004 3:06 pm
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| Don't need a helmet, Howard. One of these aluminum foil hats works just fine. Keeps the government from transmiting instructions into the brain. |
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Chris Walke
From:
St Charles, IL
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Posted 28 May 2004 6:17 am
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Hey there.
Yes, Rick did a wonderful job on my pickups. I didn't realize that it was such a project. Thanks Rick!
One of my friends was concerned when I told him that I was sending my pickups out. The National had that tone, but it was inconsistent across the strings and necks (D-8 console). My friend thought I'd end up losing that tone. I explained the tone was great, but I wanted more of it - and that's exactly what I got.
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