8 string pickups

Herby Dunkel · Post by **Herby Dunkel** » 3 Jan 2000 2:18 am

Hi folks! I didn't post here for a long time but this time I could use your advice again. I'm planning to build me a D-8 console. I think I can get all the parts I need here in Austria except the pickups. Can somebody tell we which 8 string pickups are available and where to get them (online ???). The only ones I've found are the Bill Lawrence 608 and 708 but I still don't know who sells them.
Any advice would be highly appreciated ...

thanks,
Herby

Ed Naylor · Post by **Ed Naylor** » 3 Jan 2000 6:26 am

Herby- I would go with the Lawrence PU. I have 2 or3 models to choose from. A lot depends on what kind of sound you are looking for.Ed Naylor Steel Guitar Works 1-800-749-3363

Andy Alford · Post by **Andy Alford** » 3 Jan 2000 4:46 pm

Get a MSA Super Sustain.I have one in a new lap steel and it is out of sight.

Jon Light · Post by **Jon Light** » 3 Jan 2000 4:53 pm

Herby--of course I don't know what sound you are looking for but I believe Seymour Duncan
makes a Stringmaster reproduction pickup. And Jason Lollar (sorry if I mangled your name, man) makes Stringmaster type pickups as well. I don't have online info for either--maybe someone else can come up with that for you.

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 3 Jan 2000 7:28 pm

Jason Lollar made me and Archie some stringmaster style pickups for my new ten string hawaiian steel we are building and I would highly suggest Jason for those pickups. There is a link to Jason Lollars sight on my homepage and here is the link now.
Ricky
http://hometown.aol.com/sshawaiian/RickyHomepage.html

Jason Lollar · Post by **Jason Lollar** » 3 Jan 2000 7:39 pm

I lost you guys for a few days. I make 2 styles of 8 string pickups but as Ricki knows I can do custom jobs to your specs.
Http://lollar.hypermart.net
I have done alot of work for the steel people including re-winds so thanks everyone.[This message was edited by Jason Lollar on 03 January 2000 at 07:39 PM.]

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 3 Jan 2000 11:59 pm

Yes indeed Jason does custom work to your specs. Check this out. Archie and I designed this hawaiian steel; to where, the string spacing that comes off the bridge gets slightly smaller as they head towards the nut; and thanks normal. Well; so the pickup that is closer to the bridge is ever so slightly larger in maganet spacing so that the strings are directly over ever maganet on both pickups. I know thats kinda anal; but that's the way I am. Well Jason made these for us perfectly to the exact dimension and talkin' about a custom job. Well I think Jason Lollar is way "The Man" and thanks Jason.
Ricky

John Tipka · Post by **John Tipka** » 4 Jan 2000 4:48 am

And, if Jason gets too busy, I'd be happy to handle his overflow on the Stringmaster style or any special order for that matter.

http://www.iwaynet.net/~steelgtr/pickups.html

John
http://www.iwaynet.net/~steelgtr [This message was edited by John Tipka on 04 January 2000 at 04:53 AM.]

Herby Dunkel · Post by **Herby Dunkel** » 4 Jan 2000 5:06 am

Wow, that's more than I expected. The Bill Lawrence pickups still look interesting to me but I'll think it over until I make my final decision ... thanks meanwhile!

Herby

Jason Lollar · Post by **Jason Lollar** » 4 Jan 2000 11:23 am

Gee John thats the same bobbin jig set up I have!
I just got started making a vacuum forming machine for the pickup covers, hope you dont have one of those yet!
I still have some real nice high speed electronic turn counters left if you dont have one on your machine yet.
Looks like your making Tele bridge pickups too.
Both of us can testify that the pickups made on these winding machines have better frequency response than the original units, what do you say John?[This message was edited by Jason Lollar on 04 January 2000 at 11:25 AM.]

John Tipka · Post by **John Tipka** » 5 Jan 2000 7:06 pm

Jason,
You're all alone in making the vacuum forming machine and way ahead of me.

I'm using an old odometer-type Veeder-Root counter out on the end of the main shaft.

The frequency response of the pickups I have been winding is very good. On a 8 string guitar I just finished for Bernie Endaya in CA, with a C13th tuning, there is no falloff in output from the pickup until you reach the 22d or 23rd fret. Then, it is down only 0.6 dB at the 27th fret, but I built the guitar with only 27 frets.

Keep building!

Regards,

John
http://www.iwaynet.net/~steelgtr

Jason Lollar · Post by **Jason Lollar** » 6 Jan 2000 7:28 pm

I have come to rely more on a turn counter over time, I wound some coils last week that were 7-1/2" long and almost got my knuckes busted!
You cant go wrong with a scatterwind, well almost...
non-pedal steel guitar pickups have come to dominate my buisness in the last year, seems that 8 strings are becoming the instrument to play.