Pickup Failing? Distortion when picked hard...

Ben Cartwright · From: Portland, Oregon, USA

Hey,

I have a fessenden s-10 with a bill lawerence 710 pickup. I just noticed that when I pick really hard my amp distorts. At first I thought it was the amp, but when I turn it down and pick a chord strong, it distorts worse which tells me when the pickup is pushed, it's distorting. When the amp is really loud and I pick softly, no distortion.

I have an evans fet 500 and understand that these sometimes might distort so I tried the effects loop trick and it still didn't work.

I plugged the fessenden in my dr. z. and deluxe reverb and it distorts a bit there too (however, both those amps are not clean at low volumes so it's hard to tell.)

Anyway, what do pickups sound like when they start to fail? Do they start distorting when pushed? Is there an overload in the pickup wiring?

Thanks for any help.

Bob Tuttle · From: Republic, MO 65738

The 710 is a pretty hot pickup. Perhaps it is too close to the strings. Have you tried lowering the pickup?

Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

710's can overload the input of some amps. Since you are overloading the amp at the input turning the amp down won't do anything. On Fenders you can plug into the slightly attenuated 2nd input. That worked for me. There are 2 inputs next to each other on each channel. Try the one on the right in other words.

I have also used a Goodrich matchbox with a volume control as a buffer to bring down the signal.

Or you can try lowering your pickup.

Whatever it takes to make it not so hot.

That distortion is most likely not coming from the pickup.
_________________
Bob

Ben Cartwright · From: Portland, Oregon, USA

It must be the amp because I've had this guitar for a year and the pickup height has never changed and it's never done this before to any other amp at any volume.

Ken Metcalf · From: San Antonio Texas USA

Try bypassing the volume pedal if it is a pot type.
I had that happen, no scratchy-ness just distortion.
_________________
MSA 12 String E9th/B6th Universal.
Little Walter PF-89.
Bunch of stomp boxes

Ben Cartwright · From: Portland, Oregon, USA

Thanks but it's doing it straight from the guitar to the amp with no pedal, tuner in the chain.

Brad Sarno · From: St. Louis, MO USA

It's pretty easy to clip many amp inputs if you plug a steel pickup straight into the amp. The signal voltage, especially from your pickup, is very hot. In most cases, the volume pedal fixes this because you'd typically pick the strings with the volume pedal down half way or often much lower. This greatly reduces the signal voltage at the input to the amp and removes all distortion.

I really don't think it's the pickup failing, but more likely an electronic condition of clipping or overloading.

Is this only happening when you plug the steel straight into the amp? Does it do it with a volume pedal used with significant volume reduction on the pick attacks the way a typical steel player would use one?

I recall this discussion with John Hughey. He said he typically played down at about 20% of full volume on the volume pedal, and then had 80% left over for adding sustain. I think Buddy Emmons is closer to the 50% arena.

Brad

Ben Cartwright · From: Portland, Oregon, USA

Hey Brad,

I think this is it. When I use the voulume pedal and a matchbox there is no issue. That's what I get for practicing without my volume pedal! So, I think you guys got it. Guitar straight into the Evans clipped it. Strange that this never happened with my sessions 500 when I went direct. Same wattage right?

Awesome. Thanks a lot everyone.

Lee Baucum · From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier

Ben - Did you try plugging into the 2nd input of the Evans? The first input on the FET-500 doesn't like hot pickups.

Lee

Ben Cartwright · From: Portland, Oregon, USA

That works well too. I can go direct into that without buffering the signal. Thanks. I'm used to Fenders where both inputs will take hot pickups.

thanks!

John McClung · From: Olympia WA, USA

Ben, glad you found a solution.

I had the exact same problem onstage one time, took everything out of line, all boxes, effects, even volume pedal. Even had a spare amp, same distortion when playing semi-hard.

Turned out to be a bad George L cord, that was the only thing I hadn't changed. Clipped off both ends a tiny bit, reconnected, problem gone. Weird, huh?

When diagnosing, start simple!
_________________
E9 INSTRUCTION
▪️ If you want to have an ongoing discussion, please email me, don't use the Forum messaging which I detest! steelguitarlessons@earthlink.net

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

One added note for others with a somewhat similar problem.

If you are using any guitar-type effects...especially MXR or some older distortion/OD units, and ALL older phasers - you will almost always get distortion unless you use a Matchbox or other buffered item BEFORE the signal hits the effects (I use a Steeldriver II). On the outside chance your guitar actually has a volume/tone circuit, roll the volume off 25-50% and the tone around 10% and that's a stopgap "fix". Most vintage-styled pedals do not like pickups with high DC resistance AND high output. My GFI II with its 11.8 (or so)k pickup works OK - but will distort with a few things if I don't use the Steeldriver. Fenders - even my 3-pickup monster of a 400 - have no problem. Also, most active electronics systems, even though output can be VERY high, are fine.

I often hear pedal complaints from steel players - this is often the reason.
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional

Forum Index > Electronics		Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic

All times are GMT - 8 Hours	Jump to: