Bill Lawrence Blade - Real or knock-off?

Michael Holland · Post by **Michael Holland** » 8 Mar 2003 12:32 pm

Found this at the vintage guitar show last weekend. I've read that there are knock-offs of these pickups. Any ideas as to what this is?

There are no markings on the pickup, two P-head screws on the bottom (only one of them is black), and it has two mounting holes on one end tab and only one on the other. There is some faint lettering on the cable, but I can't make out what it says.

The dealer I got it from told me it came in on a trade; a 'Frankenstein' six string and said that it sounded great in the guitar. I haven't hooked it up.

Bob Tuttle · Post by **Bob Tuttle** » 8 Mar 2003 6:10 pm

It looks like a Lawrence 705 with a Sho-Bud mounting plate on the bottom.

jerry wallace · Post by **jerry wallace** » 8 Mar 2003 11:09 pm

Micheal,I agree with Bob, It does look like a Bill lawrence 705..

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Brian Herder · Post by **Brian Herder** » 9 Mar 2003 10:07 am

According to an earlier thread/posting, the real ones have a chrome ring (like pictured), and a knock off would have a black ring.

Bruce Hamilton · Post by **Bruce Hamilton** » 9 Mar 2003 10:41 am

I have a couple of knockoffs and they have plastic surrounds. They also have a sticker on the bottom that has a U.S. Patent number. There must be an interesting story behind the knockoffs but I suppose there would some litigation involved if all the facts became apparent.

Bill Crook · Post by **Bill Crook** » 9 Mar 2003 3:05 pm

I,too, feel that it's a 705..

My "MARRS" S-10 on a double frame came with a 705 and it's about 19.6k ohm in resistance.

I think the mounting plate has been changed out on yours tho. Mine has a hole in each corner of the plate.

Vernon Hester · Post by **Vernon Hester** » 10 Mar 2003 2:34 am

I have both a 605 and 705,they look identical they ony difference is the windings the 705 is 22k and the 605 is 19k.
nice sounding pickups
Vern

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 10 Mar 2003 11:19 pm

That "Is" a 705 and the 805's have the black ring.
The knock offs have two single wires coming out.
Ricky

Golf2steel · Post by **Golf2steel** » 11 Mar 2003 5:16 am

I have two of the knock offs,also one of the older ones. They sound the same to me but,I don't have "Bobbe's" ear for tone.
Harley Helton

Mike Weirauch · Post by **Mike Weirauch** » 11 Mar 2003 6:04 am

The Lawrence versions of the 605, 705 & 805 ALL had the chrome band around the pickup and are identical in looks. The knock off was the one with the black band. I have all of the above originals from Lawrence and you can't tell one from the other by looks.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 11 Mar 2003 7:42 am

Bill Crook
The four-hole mounting plate you have is for Emmons guitars. Back in the 1980's I got a pair of 705's and they came with both mounting plate types.

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