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Topic: Flat or muddy sounding Sierra |
Joe Romanchick
From:
Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 5 Mar 2018 12:23 pm |
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I have a Sierra Session D10 that just does not sound well. It has Sierra George L Sierra 1 and Sierra 2 pickups in it. It also has tone switches but they do nothing because I found out that they are wired in but the pickups are not split coils so the switch wiring means nothing. I don't know if the pickups were changed at some point,but they do say Sierra 1 and 2 on them. I was wondering if anyone ever got rid of the modular pickups and replaced them with direct mount pickups such as Alumatone or whatever. I am a a novice but I have an old Marlen that needs a lot of work and sounds very clear from low to high
unlike my Sierra that sounds flat or muddy and if you try to adjust the amp to sound brighter it gets harsh and piercing.... |
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Peter Lindsley
From:
United Kingdom
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Posted 6 Mar 2018 9:44 am
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I had a similar issue with my Session S12 fitted with a Sierra 2 pickup. Switched to an Alumitone & rolled off the Mids a touch now very happy with the tone  .
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Sierra U12 E9/B6
Peavey Session 500 (split Cab) |
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Joe Romanchick
From:
Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 6 Mar 2018 10:09 am
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Hello Peter,
Did you mount the Alumatone directly to the neck..I was thinking of removing the plastic modular parts that is there and screwing it directly so it is not isolated from the guitar... |
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Peter Lindsley
From:
United Kingdom
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Posted 6 Mar 2018 4:26 pm
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Hi Joe,
I didn't have an empty Modular box so I carefully removed the original & replaced it with the Alumitone. Screwing direct to the thin walled plastic of the box as a temporary measure. I had the idea of bonding in some larger pieces of ABS complete with brass inserts but never got round to doing that yet. That was three years ago. Still holding up...
_________________
Sierra U12 E9/B6
Peavey Session 500 (split Cab) |
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Joe Romanchick
From:
Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 6 Mar 2018 5:02 pm
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Hello Peter,
I wondered if it would fit in the modular enclosure and I guess it does..I ordered one today..I am toying with the idea of a direct mount to the neck and see if that would also make a difference rather than the isolation of the plastic box..I will let you know how I do....
Joe |
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Len Amaral
From:
Rehoboth,MA 02769
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Posted 6 Mar 2018 6:48 pm
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| I had several Sierra guitars. The switches were wired differently on both guitars. However, if you used a 2 lead pickup, they worked fine on either guitar. |
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Joe Romanchick
From:
Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 6 Mar 2018 7:46 pm
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| What was confusing to me was that I have two 3-way rocker switches,but I only have two 2-wire pickups and the pickups say Sierra 1 and 2 on them..They would have had to be changed at some point because why would Sierra send it out that way from new....There is also another rocker switch,but that controls the necks.... |
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Len Amaral
From:
Rehoboth,MA 02769
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Posted 6 Mar 2018 8:25 pm
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| Jim Palenscar may have some info on the Sirra pickups and switches. |
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Joe Romanchick
From:
Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 7 Mar 2018 11:40 am
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Hello Peter,
I did get the Alumatone 10 and just placed it in the plastic modular box, it is not screwed down yet, because I am still toying with the idea of mounting it directly on the neck..But,thanks to you putting an Alumatone in yours, I took your advice and I am now amazed at the difference in the sound..It is extremely clear now and you can hear the note separation, whereas before it sounded harsh and muddy,(example,10th fret 3&5 A pedal down) it is like night and day..I also have a working 3-way switch for splitting the coil which I did not have before..I switched back and forth a few times with the Sierra George L and the Alumatone and there is a very noticeable difference..This is exactly what I was looking for..I will spend a few days withit like it is and then decide if I want to try mounting it direct, which would also mean I can't change pickups so easy...... |
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Joe Romanchick
From:
Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 7 Mar 2018 11:53 am
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| I forgot to mention here that my amp is an Egnater Rebel 30..I original bought it for an electric hollowbody guitar because it has a clean channel for that and it is also a tube amp..... |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 8 Mar 2018 5:46 am
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| Keep in mind that the amp you're using was not designed for pedal steel, and the harshness you're hearing may be distortion. It could simply be that the Marlen has single coils, and the Sierra has humbuckers (which will overload some amps). |
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Tom Campbell
From:
Houston, Texas, USA
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Posted 8 Mar 2018 6:34 am
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| I had the same problem you have with my Sierra 12. I was using a popular brand of amp and could no get rid of the shrill highs...I did amp modification kits, swapping out speakers, etc. I have close to a dozen different modular pickups for the Sierra and none of them sounded good through the amp I was using. Finally got rid of that band of amp (I had 4 of them). Purchased 200E Evans and Quilter Steelaire amp...problem solved...outstanding sound with all of the pickups. |
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Joe Romanchick
From:
Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 8 Mar 2018 12:10 pm
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| But I do have great sound now with the Alumatone..Clear as a bell and no distortion..I am very happy with the sound now..I probably will not put an Alumatone on the C6 neck because I don't use that one, but I see no need for any other purchases for this guitar now...... |
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David Ball
From:
North Carolina High Country
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Posted 13 Mar 2018 2:26 pm
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I've been playing my Sierra Crown 10 with a TruTone pickup, and really like the sound. After reading this thread, I decided to try an Alumitone I had sitting around just for the heck of it. The Alumitone fits the tray very snugly--I'll eventually fix it in place, but it's staying put with just a friction fit.
All in all, I still probably prefer the sound of the TruTone, but my main practice room is pretty rough on single coils. Lots of hum on any single coil I use there. The Alumitone comes close to the single coil sound, but it's dead quiet. It probably is a little cleaner sounding up the neck than the TruTone, so that's nice. I like it.
As for now, I'm leaving the Alumitone on the guitar since it is so quiet and still has most of the grit of a single coil. I wouldn't mind finding another pickup tray or two to try a few other pickups I have in my stash, but the Alumitone is a keeper.
Dave |
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Joe Romanchick
From:
Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 13 Mar 2018 4:06 pm
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| I was surprised with the difference in sound with that Alumatone,and did not think it would make the difference it did..Thanks to this forum, I found that out..I am an absolute novice on these things and have an old Marlen (1969) that needs work and I am working on it,and I really like the sound of that one..I am a tinkerer..Something came up and I am needing to raise money now so I think the Sierra Session will have to go along with some other things.. I have 3 steels now, and that is the only one that needs nothing..It will bother me to do it,so if I can get rid of some other things first, then I would keep it...... |
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