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Topic: Alumitone question |
Susan Alcorn
From:
Baltimore, MD, USA
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Posted 18 Dec 2011 2:19 pm |
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About eighteen months ago, I bought a Lace Alumitone pickup for my early 80's MSA U-12. We put in the pickup, and it sounded nice, but I was unable to get a decent volume with it.
Is there something I've done wrong with the installation?
Do you need to have a volume control or some kind of pot in the guitar?
Does it matter which side goes to the hugh strings and which go to the low? All I have is the jack.
Please excuse my ignorance on this, and thanks in advance for any advice or help you could offer.
- Susan
_________________
www.susanalcorn.net
"So this is how you swim inward. So this is how you flow outwards. So this is how you pray."
- Mary Oliver |
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Earnest Bovine
From:
Los Angeles CA USA
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Posted 18 Dec 2011 2:28 pm
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| That's odd. My Alumitone pickup puts out a very high level signal, much higher than the Shields pickup on the other neck. |
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David Higginbotham
From:
Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA
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Posted 18 Dec 2011 2:37 pm
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| Quote: |
| That's odd. My Alumitone pickup puts out a very high level signal, much higher than the Shields pickup on the other neck. |
This was my experience as well. I have plenty of volume and a bit more output than other pickups. I don't believe the direction of the pickup has any affect regarding high vs lower strings. Maybe a an issue with the pickup or a solder issue. I just listed my Alumitone for sale if you find you're in the market for another one.
Dave
Last edited by David Higginbotham on 18 Dec 2011 2:43 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Susan Alcorn
From:
Baltimore, MD, USA
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Posted 18 Dec 2011 2:43 pm
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Thanks, Ernest and David. On the underside of your steel guitars, do you go directly from the pickup to the jack? Or do you have some sort of capacitor or pot on the inside that you attach it to first?
_________________
www.susanalcorn.net
"So this is how you swim inward. So this is how you flow outwards. So this is how you pray."
- Mary Oliver |
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David Higginbotham
From:
Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA
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Posted 18 Dec 2011 2:45 pm
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| Directly to the jack. Orange to the positive and green & white to ground. |
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Earnest Bovine
From:
Los Angeles CA USA
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Posted 18 Dec 2011 2:45 pm
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| Susan Alcorn wrote: |
| do you go directly from the pickup to the jack? |
Yes; there's just a switch for the 2 necks.
Pickup is very close to the strings. I'm sure you thought of that. |
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 18 Dec 2011 7:27 pm
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My experience is the same as Earnest's. I have an Alumitone on the E9th neck and a stock Zum S/C on the rear neck. The A/tone has noticeably more output. It sits about barely one quarter's thickness away from the strings. Low as it will go. I just wired it into the existing circuitry same as the original one.
The orientation makes no difference. Had it mounted both ways.
I've not heard of any problems with these, but you may possibly have received a faulty sensor. |
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Steve Norman
From:
Seattle Washington, USA
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Posted 19 Dec 2011 12:56 am
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_________________
GFI D10, Fender Steel King, Hilton Vpedal,BoBro, National D dobro, Marrs RGS |
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Steve Norman
From:
Seattle Washington, USA
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Posted 19 Dec 2011 12:59 am
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looks like a bad link...
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GFI D10, Fender Steel King, Hilton Vpedal,BoBro, National D dobro, Marrs RGS |
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rodger_mcbride
From:
Minnesota
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Posted 19 Dec 2011 5:49 am Alumitone height
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I prefer mine @ 3/16. It seems to balance out better and gives it an almost acoustic response. It still has plenty of volume.
rodger |
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Carl Kilmer
From:
East Central, Illinois
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Posted 19 Dec 2011 6:46 am
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I have the Alumitone pickups on both of my Rittenberry's
and the space is 2 quarters from the pickups to strings.
They have high output and very clean sound & seperation.
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aka "Lucky Kay"--Custom built Rittenberry SD10 3X5, Walker S/S, NV-112, and Hilton Pedal |
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Susan Alcorn
From:
Baltimore, MD, USA
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Posted 19 Dec 2011 9:21 am
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Ernest, David, Jerry, Steve, and Norman,
Thank you so much for your help. We soldered (as in, my husband soldered and I held the flashlight) the pickup just like you explained, and the pickup works perfectly. The sound is really nice - clear, rich, and well-balanced. Now I can play in peace (and worry about other things - like how to play the instrument itself).
Thanks again,
Susan
_________________
www.susanalcorn.net
"So this is how you swim inward. So this is how you flow outwards. So this is how you pray."
- Mary Oliver |
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