Strings for Tricone

STAN REMICK · From: Mukilteo, WA, USA

I have a square neck 1928 National Tricone. I had a Pickup the World #27 pickup installed with an external pre-amp. The pickup is so hot (even at minimum gain) that the bar/string noise, when sliding, is way too noisy.

What strings can anyone recommend to reduce the bar noise? Or is a different pickup recommended?

Any help will sure be appreciated.

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

Is the bar/string noise as noticeable when you DON'T use the pickup? I'd say offhand you need to adjust the pickup in some way but I'm not familiar with that particular pickup, so I can't say what options you might have.
I doubt that strings will make that big a difference.

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Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

Mike D · From: Phx, Az

Where is the #27 mounted and with what adhesive? I put them on the front or backside of the T-bridge, right under the saddle and use a silicone adhesive to attach them (I found SuperGlue to be too brittle sounding).

Also brittleness in a piezo is often an indication of too little gain, not too hot a pickup, and the PUTWs don't have all that much output. I run a PUTW pre-amp into a mixer or another pre-amp and then to a PA or acoustic amp. Directly into any kind of standard guitar amp will sound pretty harsh.

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Half-assed bottleneck and lap slide player. Full-assed Builder of resonator instruments.

[This message was edited by Mike D on 03 November 2004 at 10:42 AM.]

Dana Duplan · From: Ramona, CA

I've had really good luck with my PUTW #27, like Mike said, into the preamp and then into the PA. My pickup too is very weak sounding without the preamp, but with, it's very natural sounding. I put a smooth layer of clear silicone on the inside of the T-Bar bridge, on the tailpiece side, then just used the self-stick adhesive that comes on the pickup. I know that if there are rattles, buzzes, etc. they will be amplified. Are you running into a guitar amp by chance? That could account for a possible problem.
Dana

STAN REMICK · From: Mukilteo, WA, USA

Thanks for the input. It looks like I have some tinkering to do to find out how I can improve the sound.

The bar noise is not too noticeable when playing acoustic. It just gets horribly noisy when using the pickup.

The times I tried to play with the pickup, I went out of the PUTW pre-amp direct to my Mackie board and out to the Makie 450 mains. I think I need to try it again and see if I can get some improvement by tweeking at the board.

The pickup is mounted on the back side of the T bridge using a pliable adhesive. I had a local luthier install it.

I did get a nice response back from Cheth at Beard Guitars suggesting the Di'Arddio Flat Top strings (semi-flat wound). So I guess I'll try them.

Thanks again for the input guys.

Stan

Dana Duplan · From: Ramona, CA

I'm using the regular bronze wound Beard BR-79's. They are pretty hefty and sound great. Prior, I used the Elixer Polywebs--last forever and very smooth--that would be another option to reduce string noise--but i prefer the tone of the Beards.
D

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