Lipstick on my Rondo

[Bob Borzelleri]

Same pots (500K) and capacitor .47uf.

PU is GFS Lipstick single coil at $30 or so.

Even without changing the pots or capacitor, the range of tone control is pretty striking. The low end is more clear than with the stock PU and the highs are in the howling range. Single note clarity and tone quality within a chord strum is a big improvement.

I'm off to solder up a GFS Mean 90 single coil (P-90 clone) in my Fouke Industrial to replace the OEM PAF.

[Tom Pettingill]

Thanks for the feed back on the GFS lipstick pup.
I've used a few of their other pickups and found them to be a great bang for the buck.

[Mark Mansueto]

Thanks for the pic's Bob, it sure does look cool. Have you tried it with distortion yet?

Can you describe "howling range?"

I actually did not know that these Rondo's came with 500k pots. I just assumed that they were 250k like other single coil equipped guitars.

Let us know how you like the mean 90.

[Bob Borzelleri]

Thanks for the pic's Bob, it sure does look cool. Have you tried it with distortion yet?

Can you describe "howling range?"

I actually did not know that these Rondo's came with 500k pots. I just assumed that they were 250k like other single coil equipped guitars.

Let us know how you like the mean 90.

Mark...

I haven't tried it with distortion yet. Maybe later today.

The howling thing is more a reference to a crystal clear and VERY bright high end that is a bit painful to me. Obviously, there is a tone knob, but I can envision no scenario where I want to pump that sound out unless I happen to be playing when a home invasion occurs.

I think the pots should be 250K for this pickup. I haven't tested them with a multimeter, but the wiring diagram at Rondo shows them as 500K with a .047uf capacitor.

As for the Mean 90, the difference between it and the OEM PAF HB that came on the Fouke is pretty remarkable. Where the PAF was somewhat muddy across the board, but mainly in the lower ranges, the Mean 90 reveals the single notes in chords very nicely. It is a big improvement tonally throughout the range. That is to say that it matches my idea of what this guitar should sound like. And the price is right.

...Bob

[Bob Borzelleri]

I just tested the SX pots. They are 500K. I'm gonna get a couple of 250K mini's to replace the stock pots.

[Roman Sonnleitner]

Bob,

if the high end is too extreme, a 250k pot will indeed help a bit - but you could also try experimenting with "load capacitors" (I hope that's what they are called in English...) - try a wiring a small value capacitor between the two outside lugs of the volume pot, that will bring the resonance frequency down a bit.

Just get a couple of small value silver mica caps (I'd guess something in the 300 to 680 pF range would work best, but get a couple values lower and higher than that - they cost next to nothing, anyway...), and temporarily clip them to the lugs on the pot, so you can try what value works best for you.

[Dave Sky]

Bob Wrote: I just tested the SX pots. They are 500K. I'm gonna get a couple of 250K mini's to replace the stock pots.

Where is a good place to get the 250 k mini's?

Also where is a source fro the GFS lipstick single coil?

Thanks for your help.

Dave

[Tom Pettingill]

Dave, you can find the GFS pickups here http://store.guitarfetish.com/pickups.html
They also sell pots and caps, but I don't think they have mini's.
Is there enough room in the cavity for a regular sized pot?

[Jim Mitchell]

I see there are three types of windings you can buy
what is the differance in them ?

Pro Tube "D"- BLACK- Fits Danelectro- Three windings available I89_I90_I91

[Dave Bader]

Here's one source for mini pots.

http://www.guitarpartsresource.com/elec ... nipots.htm

Or here for mini push/pull pots. You could use the switch for spliting pickup coils or trying different cap values or just about anything.

click here

[Tom Pettingill]

I see there are three types of windings you can buy
what is the differance in them ?

Pro Tube "D"- BLACK- Fits Danelectro- Three windings available I89_I90_I91

Jim, the different windings are for bridge, middle, and neck.
But, for the Rondo, you do not want the D tube, it has a different mount and size and will not fit without modification.
The Lipstick that is Strat sized is here
http://store.guitarfetish.com/gfsprlifistc.html

[Jim Mitchell]

I just got mine on Friday 02/15/2008
My Valintin gift to me
Rondo SXLG1 Lap steel

It is light blue no nicks or dings
I think it was dipped in paint

WHAT CHINA + PAINT = Lead

No children will be playing with it

Steel Guitars players are grown ups right

I have not tried it yet still got the paper on the strings

I am here at BOEING WORKING THE WEEKEND

[Dave Sky]

Thanks everyone for the information!
I'll order a pickup and pots today.
I appreciate you taking the time to send the web page the item is on, too! You guys with experience make learning and working on the steel guitar easier than trying to figure this stuff out alone.

I don't have much experience with pickups and pots but I am looking forward to doing the modifications.

This $100 or $109 sx lap, depending when you bought them, is a fun hobby.

Thanks again,
Dave

[Jim Mitchell]

Dave,

If you are just getting started like me
I have tabed some single note stuff
for C6th Tuning

MY SITE GO TO GUITAR PAGE

http://www.geocities.com/insp/SUPRO6420.html

What I Have in there to date

1 A White Sports Coat
2 Bad Moon Risen
3 Steel Guitar Rag
4 Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain
5 Big Iron
6 Sentimental Journey
7 Crazy By Willie Nelson

[James Williamson]

Bob,

Looks really cool and seems to sound pretty good too. However, it seems that if one were to lower the bridge as well as change out the PU, this one might be too high....hard to tell from the photos...what do you think?

[Bob Borzelleri]

Bob,

Looks really cool and seems to sound pretty good too. However, it seems that if one were to lower the bridge as well as change out the PU, this one might be too high....hard to tell from the photos...what do you think?

James...

I think you are right. I have the PU cranked down pretty much as far as it will go and what you see as clearance might be all that is practically available (without some carving). Lowering the bridge more than 1/8" or so will get you too close to the strings, IMO.

...Bob

[Bob Borzelleri]

Bob,

if the high end is too extreme, a 250k pot will indeed help a bit - but you could also try experimenting with "load capacitors" (I hope that's what they are called in English...) - try a wiring a small value capacitor between the two outside lugs of the volume pot, that will bring the resonance frequency down a bit.

Just get a couple of small value silver mica caps (I'd guess something in the 300 to 680 pF range would work best, but get a couple values lower and higher than that - they cost next to nothing, anyway...), and temporarily clip them to the lugs on the pot, so you can try what value works best for you.

Roman...

Thanks for the tip. I picked up a range of capacitors today and will be experimenting this weekend.

...Bob

[Dave Sky]

Jim,
Thanks for the info on your site.

I use GBDGBD tuning but I can use the info when I go to c6th. Plus you have given me the chord changes to the songs. Much appreciated!


Enjoy your SX lap. Let us know what mods you do.
Dave

[Bob Borzelleri]

Bob Wrote: I just tested the SX pots. They are 500K. I'm gonna get a couple of 250K mini's to replace the stock pots.

Where is a good place to get the 250 k mini's?

Also where is a source fro the GFS lipstick single coil?

Thanks for your help.

Dave

Dave...

In case you haven't gotten the info you need yet, here is what I bought for the Lipstick:
http://store.guitarfetish.com/gfsprlitupig.html

I got the mini pots from Guitar Center. Mine are Alpha. CTS also makes good pots.

...Bob

[Bob Borzelleri]

Thanks everyone for the information!
I'll order a pickup and pots today.
I appreciate you taking the time to send the web page the item is on, too! You guys with experience make learning and working on the steel guitar easier than trying to figure this stuff out alone.

I don't have much experience with pickups and pots but I am looking forward to doing the modifications.

This $100 or $109 sx lap, depending when you bought them, is a fun hobby.

Thanks again,
Dave

Dave...

I don't know how much experience you have with soldering these things (it ain't rocket science), but probably the single most common "whoops" is to leave the iron in contact with the case of the pot. It take little or no time to fry the innards.

...Bob

[Bob Borzelleri]

Dave, you can find the GFS pickups here http://store.guitarfetish.com/pickups.html
They also sell pots and caps, but I don't think they have mini's.
Is there enough room in the cavity for a regular sized pot?

Tom...

Only after a bit of router work (maybe a chisel). I am gonna stick with the mini's for now.

...Bob

[Dave Sky]

Thanks Bob,
I have little experience but I make up for that by asking lots of questions!

I am ordering the black lipstick pickup and a LP Junior bridge from Guitar Fetish. I'll head over to Guitar Center for the pots. Thanks for letting me know some brands to ask for.

Thanks for the heads up on the frying the innards. I tend to put solder on like I'm using a trowel.

I have a gig in Winston Salem area on the 26th and hope to have the SX modified by then.

[Chris Lucker]

I got caught with lipstick on my Rondo and let's just say I had lots of splainin' to do.

[Bob Borzelleri]

I got caught with lipstick on my Rondo and let's just say I had lots of splainin' to do.

I was wondering how long that would take...

[Bob Borzelleri]

OK, I just replaced the 500K pots with 250K Alphas. The tone is under better control in the high range (lows sound clearer too, but that might be my imagination).

Anyone going to Guitar Center to get these pots will find that the secondary shaft (the outer one) is too big for the holes in the SX. If you get part #
EP 0185-000 250K Mini Pot, be prepared to use a 25/64 drill bit to hog out the holes in the SX.

For what it's worth, the shafts on the stock pots were pretty oxidized. I can only guess what they look like inside, although other than being the wrong value for a single coil PU, they probably were otherwise OK.