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Post by robn on Aug 27, 2007 15:57:26 GMT
I've got one of Dave King's pickups. For some reason I can't get it to balance with phosphor bronze strings; the plain gauge strings are way too loud (13-56 sets of Newtone Nationals). I've used it with nickel strings, which give a balanced output in terms of string to string volume but too much bass boost (requiring lots of eq). It may well be that the pick up is just not suited to my guitar/amp combo.
I like using pure nickel strings. Any suggestions for a cheap surface mounted mag pick up that would suit?
Tark - by coincidence, I took my Dave King pickup off my guitar yesterday. Send me a pm with your address and I'll pop it in the post so you can try one out.
Robn
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Post by Michael Messer on Aug 27, 2007 16:30:43 GMT
I am currently having a senior moment and am therefore unable to remember the name of the people who manufacture Dave King pickups! Robn, it should be fine on your guitar. You should call Dave and ask his advice.
This is only my opinion and not that of the majority, or of the manufacturers - but I don't believe any magnetic pickup works as well with bronze and phosphor bronze strings, as they do with nickel strings. I have tried many different brands and none of them compare to a magnetic pickup with nickel strings. Lots of players use them as they they get less string noise than with under-saddle piezo systems, but they don't sound great to me.
Robn, you should be able to get a cheapo soundhole pickup and strip it down so it fits on your guitar. Used with your nickel strings it should work better than any of the new-fangled acoustic magnetic pickups. To stop boomy bass or tinny top end, you need to make sure the pickup is the correct distance from the strings.
Shine On, Michael.
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Post by tark on Aug 27, 2007 18:26:47 GMT
Snakehips -
My point about the string balance thing refered to 'acoustic' magnetic pickups in general, not specifically to reso magnetic pickups. Those pickups without adjustable poles (probably all that are suitable for resos, cos there isnt room for abjustable poles on a surface mount pickup) have to be balanced by the manufacturer for a typical string set. So for acoustic guitar the pickup would be balanced for lighter plain strings than for a reso. If designed for a reso the pickup would be balanced for heavier plains.
Deep pickups with long polpiece screws can be EQ'd by setting all the polepieces further in or out of the core and then adjusting the overall distance of the pickup from the strings. On the Baggs M1 which has very long pole piece screws this can make a huge difference to the tone.
Michael - You are of course right about the sound of magnetic pickups. They don't usually provide a really acoustic sound, more of a warm electric guitar sound. Those pickups with built in body vibration sensing like the Baggs and the Sunrise come a little closer to an acoustic sound. Neither of these pickups unfortunately can easily be fitted to a resonator guitar although they work pretty well on Weissenborns.
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