Advice needed on 1958 Magnatone G65-8W 8-string

Nelson Checkoway · From: Massachusetts, USA

HI - I'm hoping some of you with experience with Magnatones can help me out with this late 50s 8-string. It's the walnut G65 which I just got from Guitar Center vintage online. It's in great cosmetic shape -- see pix below -- but it has some issues that may be minor or not -- and a couple of concerns about comfort and playability.

Issues are the controls: the volume seems to get all its gain in the first 1/4 turn and then is at 100%. And the tone pot doesn't roll off treble like I'd expect - it gets the sound a little bassier midway and then finishes close to the tone it started with. The change is VERY subtle. And it's smooth - not like a hitch in the action that jumps it back to treble. Among these models, is any of what I described close to normal and/or subject to an obvious/inexpensive fix? (There a shot of the pots and wiring below).

Also the pickup is pretty microphonic in that it amplifies the "click" when you turn a pot to a hard stop.

Playability comes in because it's an 8-string with tighter spacing than I have on my Emmons 8-string lap steel. Also the #1 string (I have high C6 with a .011 at the #1 high G) is weak - maybe because it crosses over the very edge of the pickup.

Is this typical -- do most vintage 8-strings out there have tighter spacing like this - and am I likely to find wider spacing on the Mag G65 6-string or another brand?

Also wondering if anyone has experience with this second version of the Alnico VI pickups introduced for this line (the earlier ones had the chrome pu cover) - what to expect sound, color, volume, etc. It's not like you can pull 3 off the rack at a local store and try 'em all out!

I paid $420 - and could probably negotiate a rebate if the components need repair. Seems like a decent price and these (the G65 with 8-strings) seem to be pretty rare.

I love the look and the extra range of an 8-string -and I'm a vintage instrument fan -- but I want I guitar I'll enjoy playing. I'm open to ways to make this more playable or maybe look for an alternative. And if I want to stay with this Mag line - is the 6-string version simply better suited to playing - re: string spacing, pickup coverage, etc.

Any answers, points of reference to other steels or other examples of this model or any other advice anyone can offer (maybe even tuning to which this would be better/best suited) would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your input - Nelson

Paul Honeycutt · From: Colorado, USA

I know little about Magnatones, but I wonder if they use the same pickup for both 6 and 8 string models which would account for the lower output of the high string. What about the low string? I it quieter as well?

I've come across volume controls like that. Maybe it should be replaced with a different impedance? And some steels are wired with tone pots like that. I don't know why.

Nelson Checkoway · From: Massachusetts, USA

Thank you for the perspective, Paul. Yes I think you're right about the same size pickup for both 6 and 8 strings. In fact the first version of this pickup-with chrome cover-has non-adjustable pole pieces and the 1 and 8 string poles on the 8-string version are definitely "add-ons" at the edges to the 6 in the middle.

I'm going to get the circuitry checked out - no big deal - and I little research into other posts suggests that tighter spacing on vintage 8-string models is pretty common.

I played it again today and felt much more comfortable with the string spacing. I took advice from one post that said, in essense, play the guitar don't let it play you.

Despite the thin sound on the #1 string it played and sounded great. To your question, the #8 string is loud and clear - maybe because the string has more mass and generates more flux. I think I'll bump up the gauge on the high G and see if I can up the volume.

Thanks for weighing in - I appreciate it!
-N

Nic Neufeld · From: Kansas City, Missouri

For what it's worth, I have a lap steel that I put the much-vaunted (for pretty good reason!) Alumitone tone bar into, to fix some very painful string balance issues and 60 cycle hum. It mostly did that but compared to my Stringmaster my top string is a lot weaker than the others. Probably another adjustment necessary...

That's a pretty Magnatone! There's a chart going round showing string spacing of famous steels and there are plenty of narrow ones particularly of the older 8 string variety that were famously used to great effect. We as players can sometimes adapt quicker than we initially give ourselves credit for!
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Bill Creller · From: Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)

Maybe you would be OK with A 6th, with a .015 E string on top ? You could just try a .015 or even .016 on top, in E, to see if it helps the problem, then decide about the tuning..
Replacing the pickup with a Lollar or ?, would be the ultimate fix of course..

Nelson Checkoway · From: Massachusetts, USA

Thanks, Nic and Bill, for your thoughts and ideas. I'll go ahead and check out the electronics thoroughly, though it sounds like I'm not facing a big deal. Dropping down to A6th is something I might try. First, though, I'm going to try a thicker high G in my C6 tuning - maybe a .012 or .013 (it the tension will allow). I have a 0.11 on now which is arguably pretty skinny. Yes I agree Nic that we need to give ourselves more credit to adapt from instrument to instrument - that's the attitude I'm taking here! Unless the pickup poses insurmountable problems, I'd like to stick with it - the tone is a nice contrast to my Emmons lap steel. Thanks again!

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