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Topic: Bill Lawrence 705 P/U's |
Tim Sergent
From:
Hendersonville, TN, USA
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Posted 24 Oct 2007 10:18 am |
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Contrary to popular belief...you can still get Bill Lawrence 705 pickups. I just ordered 3 straight from the Bill Lawrence company. The only difference from what they tell me is they changed the chrome band around it to a black one. I just put one in my Mullen and it sounds great.
Jim Pulsifer is the contact out there at the company and he gave me permission to put his phone number here on the Forum. I'm sure you can also order off the website if you choose.
Jim's phone number is ....(866) 280-1076
Order up! I think you'll love 'em. |
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Brint Hannay
From:
Maryland, USA
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Posted 24 Oct 2007 10:54 am
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I'm not really well-informed about this, but I've gathered here and there that there's some sort of can of worms involving the Bill Lawrence brand name.
There's a notice on Bill Lawrence's website (www.billlawrence.com) that says:
"Disclaimer:
Designer Bill Lawrence
is Not associated with
Jzchak Wajcman dba Bill Lawrence Products"
I've spoken with Becky Lawrence on the phone recently--she is the contact person, when Bill himself doesn't answer the phone--and she stated in response to my inquiry that they don't make the 705 any more.
I suppose none of this necessarily means that the pickups in question aren't good pickups, and I have absolutely no personal knowledge of what the can of worms arises from, but I just thought I'd mention what little I know FWIW.
Here are some links to past threads on this subject:
http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum11/HTML/002517.html
http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum11/HTML/004334.html
The second one includes this link to Bill's account of the can of worms:
http://www.billlawrence.com/Pages/Bill_Lawrence_Documentary.htm |
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John Fabian
From:
Mesquite, Texas USA * R.I.P.
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Posted 24 Oct 2007 11:34 am
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These pickups are a 705-type design made by Jzchak Wajcman dba Bill Lawrence Products.
Bill Lawrence is not affiliated with Jzchak Wajcman
dba Bill Lawrence Products.
These pickups are NOT the same as the original Bill Lawrence 705 series pickups. Our experience with these pickups leads us to believe they are neither as reliable as the original product nor as good sounding. That has been our experience, your experience may vary.
Last edited by John Fabian on 26 Oct 2007 5:13 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 24 Oct 2007 12:15 pm
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| I agree with what has been said about the "knock off" 705 pickups, based on what I was told by a Nashville Steel Guitar Manufacturer. |
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David Higginbotham
From:
Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA
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Posted 24 Oct 2007 4:54 pm
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Ditto to what John said! I have personally compared both the original and the copy and there was no challenge. The original 705 won hands down!
I have also used the 605 & 805 for comparison. Again, still not as good as the 705.
Dave |
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Jerry Roller
From:
Van Buren, Arkansas USA
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Posted 24 Oct 2007 5:41 pm
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I recently talked with Becky Lawrence and asked her about the 705. She said they do not presently make a 705 but she also said "you never know what may be coming" which led me to believe they might make some more in the future. I did not choose to start anything about this but since it has been addressed, this is my contribution to the subject.
Jerry |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 25 Oct 2007 7:33 am
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| Better check Bobbe's Tips. Just got it a few minutes ago. |
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Jerry Roller
From:
Van Buren, Arkansas USA
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Posted 25 Oct 2007 7:44 am
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Well, Bobbe has cleared it up. Bill and Becky are not making the 705 but another company is. Thanks Bobbe, you have come thru again.
Jerry |
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Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
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Posted 25 Oct 2007 5:30 pm
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| So, are the 705's Bobbe is selling the same thing as those that Tim Sergent purchased? |
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Dave Mudgett
From:
Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
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Posted 25 Oct 2007 5:59 pm
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I just looked at Bobbe's site - the caption says "The folks making this pickup bought the rights to do so from Mr. Bill Lawrence.", and they appear to have the black ring. Unless there's someone else out there doing these, I would have to conclude they are the same.
The L-705 is - to my tastes - probably the best-sounding pickup I've ever heard for pedal steel. I just love them, and just spent more than that for a pair of originals.
I would, of course, love it if Bill would re-create the original so we could buy them from him. But if they don't do that, I may well try a couple of these. I think Tim's a good endorsement, and a bunch of other mighty fine players swear by 705s. |
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John Fabian
From:
Mesquite, Texas USA * R.I.P.
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Posted 26 Oct 2007 5:17 am
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The electrical characteristics of these pickups are not the same.
In the future you will probably have the opportunity to discover that for yourself. |
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Webb Kline
From:
Orangeville, PA
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Posted 26 Oct 2007 5:56 am 705's
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| They've got my vote. Best pups I ever had or heard. I'd buy another pair in a heartbeat if they started making them again. |
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Jim Phelps
From:
Mexico City, Mexico
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Posted 26 Oct 2007 9:05 am
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never mind  |
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Bob Snelgrove
From:
san jose, ca
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Posted 26 Oct 2007 8:44 pm
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I love mine on My Franklin.
Mike Johnson has them on his P/P and sounded awesome at the show
bob |
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Jamie Lennon
From:
Nashville, TN
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Posted 27 Oct 2007 6:15 am
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anyone got one for sale, an original though !!!
_________________
Mullen Guitars, Little Walter Amps, Benado Effects, D'Addario Strings
www.georgettejones.net |
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Bob Lawrence
From:
Beaver Bank, Nova Scotia, Canada
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Posted 27 Oct 2007 6:51 am
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After talking to Paul Franklin Jr about different pickup options for the Franklin guitars, I tried an original (that I got from my dad many years ago.) on my Franklin. It sounds real good!
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Ulf Edlund
From:
Umeå, Sweden
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Posted 27 Oct 2007 8:38 am
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What's the tonal difference between a 705 and a 710?
Uffe |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 27 Oct 2007 9:31 am
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| The big difference between the original Bill Lawrence 705's that came on my 81 Franklin and the 710's is that there seems to be more "string separation" (Clarity?) with the 710's. There is no difference in the "tone" of my Franklin, it sounds the same with either pickup. |
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Ulf Edlund
From:
Umeå, Sweden
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Posted 28 Oct 2007 3:38 pm
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Thank you Jack.
Uffe |
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Francesco Porcu
From:
Italy
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Posted 30 Aug 2017 9:51 am Blill Lawrence 705 Cromed
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Hi, I read all your comments, I'm looking for a BL705 chrome pick up but for now I'm not here on the forum, reading your various posts I read who likes the 705 chrome and who does not like it, I wrote an email to Bill in person asking To him if he could build me a chrome 705 like those he did in the past years that he had the same characteristics, he gave me his answer in the email he sent me and that's what I paired and got involved here: Bill
I started the Bill Lawrence Guitar Pickup company in 1965
I am the same manufacturer making the chrome and the black housing for the 705
Since 1982 we are making a copper shielding inside the pickup
Before, we used the chrome housing to create the shielding by touching the blades.
It was a poor solution than we improved it.
In my new WBS CUSTOM steel there is now mounted an E66 GL, it has a good sound but I wanted to try a real 705 chrome that unfortunately I can not find it as it is rare to be found today in 2017, I read in the Lawrence website (if you like The 705 you buy the XR16) you experts you say? Thanks Francesco from Italy  |
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Francesco Porcu
From:
Italy
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Posted 30 Aug 2017 10:22 am Blill Lawrence 710
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In this video Mike I think I use a 710, I zoomed in and I noticed it has a BL710, a beautiful sound, even though Mike has the touch with his magic hands.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70KyY9GNUPk
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Bob Snelgrove
From:
san jose, ca
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Posted 30 Aug 2017 3:39 pm Re: Blill Lawrence 710
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| Francesco Porcu wrote: |
In this video Mike I think I use a 710, I zoomed in and I noticed it has a BL710, a beautiful sound, even though Mike has the touch with his magic hands.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70KyY9GNUPk
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Yes. but Mike uses Chrome 705's in his push pull Emmons
bob |
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Francesco Porcu
From:
Italy
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Posted 31 Aug 2017 3:02 am Re: Blill Lawrence 710
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| Bob Snelgrove wrote: |
| Francesco Porcu wrote: |
In this video Mike I think I use a 710, I zoomed in and I noticed it has a BL710, a beautiful sound, even though Mike has the touch with his magic hands.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70KyY9GNUPk
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Yes. but Mike uses Chrome 705's in his push pull Emmons
bob |
Hi Bob, I know he's using 705 chrome on his Red Emmons, but what's in the link is a Franklin and the pick up I think is 710 for poles and not blades like 705. Francesco |
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Roger Crawford
From:
Griffin, GA USA
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Posted 31 Aug 2017 5:24 am
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| I see two cables coming from the guitar. What's up with that? |
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Jonathan Cullifer
From:
Gallatin, TN
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Posted 31 Aug 2017 10:45 am
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| Roger Crawford wrote: |
| I see two cables coming from the guitar. What's up with that? |
It's a split output that some Franklin guitars have for running multiple amps and switching outputs from the guitar. |
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