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Topic: I've been slow to change... |
Miguel e Smith
From:
Phoenix, AZ
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Posted 29 Sep 2005 9:05 am |
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Back when humbucking pickups were coming into style, I didn't give them a chance and decided to wait until something really struck me sound-wise. I mean, what was the rush? I've loved the sound of single coils and didn't want to mess with a good thing. But, I recently was having an unusual amount of hum (at least in my mind) and even though T (my wife) said it was probably just me focusing in on the hum, I decided to make the change.
I installed the Lawrence 710's this last weekend and have since done a live gig and several studio things. After tweaking the EQ as well as the PU to string spacing, I'm really digging what I'm getting. I've always backed off of volume use at a certain point due to the rising noise floor but I can certainly see a new freedom and expression now being available.
By the way, when I took off my single coils, I found that both had the housings broken on the bottom of each. Probably just too many flights without inspecting afterwards and they more than likely started out as small cracks and then got worse. No wonder there was too much hum going on. Nonetheless, I'm glad I finally went with humbuckers and I'm looking forward to how my playing will change accordingly.
I'm sure there are many fine pickups on the market, but a special thanks to Bill Lawrence and Company for these particularly fine units. Isn't technology cool!
Mike
www.mikeandt.com
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Doug Earnest
From:
Branson, MO USA
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Posted 29 Sep 2005 9:58 am
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| I had a 712 on my keyless Zum for awhile and later swapped it for a 912 (12-string versions of the 710 & 910). Having played both, I think I liked the 712 better. It seemed to have a "bite" that I really liked. |
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Hook Moore
From:
South Charleston,West Virginia
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Posted 29 Sep 2005 2:10 pm
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Mike I agree. I have used 710`s in my Emmons P/P several years and have XR16S in my Carter.
Hook
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www.HookMoore.com
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Larry Behm
From:
Mt Angel, Or 97362
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Posted 29 Sep 2005 4:21 pm
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Mike you are going to think you have died and gone to heaven with the humbuckers, you will look forward to playing every chance you get. Your big smile will get even bigger, wish I could be there to share it with you.
BUT YOU WILL GO BACK, give it one year or less, write it down.  You will miss the edge.
Larry Behm |
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Billy Easton
From:
Nashville, TN USA
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Posted 29 Sep 2005 8:16 pm
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Mike...
If your playing is going to sound any better, I don't know how I can handle it!! Keep in touch.
Billy Easton |
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Theresa Galbraith
From:
Goodlettsville,Tn. USA
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Posted 30 Sep 2005 3:58 am
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I'm with you Billy!
Mike.....We miss ya here in Nashville!
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Miguel e Smith
From:
Phoenix, AZ
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Posted 4 Oct 2005 11:07 am
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OK, it's been a little over a week now...still loving these things. I'm actually starting to push the volume more and more to just hang a little longer with the sustain. My old habits of backing off are a bit in conflict with the new ability but I hope I can still learn new tricks!
Larry, hope you're wrong but I do understand what you're saying even now.
Billy, thanks dude. I've just about got all my feeling back in my right hand and in many ways I feel as if I'm starting over again (which ain't a bad thing).
Theresa, thank you too. I miss all of you more than you realize and that's basically the only downside to me being out here. Say hi to Greg, P. Victor and your folks for me.
Mike |
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T. C. Furlong
From:
Lake County, Illinois, USA
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Posted 5 Oct 2005 5:40 am
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Mike, Your playing is so unique and brilliant, how can you go wrong when you make a change that you feel is better? Have you noticed a difference when playing harmonics (chimes)?
If you do end up missing the "sparkle" on the highs that a single coil has, have you considered wrapping the single coils in copper foil? Most times, that is not enough though, especially when compared to a humbucker.
The additional hum from a single coil really only is an issue for me when recording. I have almost decided to have a humbucker equipped steel for sessions and a single coil equipped steel for live.
All the best,
TC |
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John Macy
From:
Rockport TX/Denver CO
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Posted 5 Oct 2005 9:24 am
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| Hey Mike--glad it worked out. I went to the 710's about 6 or 7 years ago and will never go back . I have plenty of edge with mine, and love the tone... |
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Darvin Willhoite
From:
Roxton, Tx. USA
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Posted 5 Oct 2005 10:12 am
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TC, the new MSA guitars have interchangeable pickups. I have Lawrence XR16's in one guitar and George L's TW pickups in the other. I used them both Sunday night, it takes about two seconds to change. You have the capability of having several pickup choices you can use for different songs in the same set without having to change guitars. I'll probably get a single coil Truetone or similar before long for mine. The TW seems just a little brighter, but there is really not much difference.
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Darvin Willhoite
Riva Ridge Recording
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T. C. Furlong
From:
Lake County, Illinois, USA
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Posted 5 Oct 2005 11:06 am
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Darvin, Thanks for the info on the pickups. I have a Millennium II SD-10 and I have only the Truetone that came in it. I would really like to try a humbucker in it. And you'd like to try a Truetone. Hmmmm Say, I have an idea.
TC |
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John Bechtel
From:
Nashville, Tennessee, R.I.P.
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Posted 5 Oct 2005 12:15 pm
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Mike;
The L–710's are great P/U's (IMHO). If you make sure that you start with at least 3/16” spacing, ‘as recommended’ between the P/U and the bottom of the strings, you'll be fine! Any closer will not be satisfactory!
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“Big John” Bechtel
’04 SD–10 Black Derby w/3 & 5 & Pad
’65 Re-Issue Fender Twin–Reverb Custom™ 15” Eminence
web site
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Miguel e Smith
From:
Phoenix, AZ
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Posted 5 Oct 2005 12:29 pm
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Hey TC, I'd read a lot of posts from folks using the 710's and it seemed as if the general consensus consistently mentioned the mellowness of these PU's. Oddly enough, I've been working on trying to dum them down a bit as they are v-e-r-y bright. I started with the recommended 3/16" spacing and have widened the gap slightly on the smaller string side. The chimes (with both the finger and the palm) are very much up in my face and still bell-like and I can hold on to them soooo much longer now that I'm not worried about the hummm.
John, you were one of the guys who really convinced me to try these 710's (Randy Beavers and Hal were two of the others). As of today, I like what I'm getting so much that I don't see me going back.
I have had to adjust the EQ quite a bit since going to the 710's but I've gotten a handful of compliments on the sound just in the last week I've had them. T and I are working on our new variety music CD which we hope to have out in a few months. Hopefully we'll get the chance to have you guys critique the sound of the guitar and see what you think.
Mike
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Paddy Long
From:
Christchurch, New Zealand
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Posted 5 Oct 2005 6:19 pm
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Mike if you find the 710 a bit bright on the E9th neck, you could try the 910. I have that on the front neck on my Zum (and 710 on C6th) and it provides the best balance for my ears. Nice mids and not too shrill on the highs.
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Mark van Allen
From:
Watkinsville, Ga. USA
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Posted 6 Oct 2005 5:31 pm
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It's a tough world when you really get used to a great single-coil tone- I've had both Truetones and stock Mullen SCs in my Mullen guitars, and replaced the Humbuckers in my carters with truetones.
Unfortunately, some of the venues, and worse, studios, I frequent have hum-inducing wiring, and moving the guitar around just goes so far. I've gone to BLXR-16's in the Mullen and while not quite as sweet as the SCs, the pleasure in flying humless is hard to beat. Compromise like most of life... I've found that as time goes on I get more used to the tone and more able to get what I want out of 'em.
I don't want to go back to hum underneath the tone.
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Stop by the Steel Store at: www.markvanallen.com
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Olli Haavisto
From:
Jarvenpaa,Finland
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Posted 7 Oct 2005 6:52 am
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If your guitar with single coils hums a lot in the studio,will the producer remember you as the guy with the sweet single coil sound or the the guy whose humming guitar wasted half an hour of studio time when we tried to find a spot where the noise was bearable ...
That was my reasoning for going humbucking. Haven`t looked back and won`t.
FWIW , I`ve settled on BL 710`s
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Olli Haavisto,
Finland
[This message was edited by Olli Haavisto on 08 October 2005 at 03:03 AM.] |
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Pete Burak
From:
Portland, OR USA
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Posted 7 Oct 2005 7:57 am
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I anybody wants to hear an excellent recording, get Olli's CD!
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Mark van Allen
From:
Watkinsville, Ga. USA
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Posted 7 Oct 2005 10:13 am
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| Amen, Olli... my thoughts exactly. Also, as Mike mentions, although the SC sound can be sweeter, there's something about not holding back on the sustain end of the envelope that changes when there's just no buzz left in there. I really play differently with humbuckers than single coils. |
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Miguel e Smith
From:
Phoenix, AZ
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Posted 7 Oct 2005 10:30 am
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I can sure tell by the other posts that a lot of you had the courage to change way before me.
Paddy, thanks for the suggestion. Over the last two-weeks I've found my "happy place" with these PU's but I may venture out of my comfort zone again one of these days and try the 910 on the E9th neck.
Mike
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