Pickup on old Kay

[Lee Hiers]

Hi all...

I've got a Kay-branded six-string, I'm guessing from the 1940s.

The top two plain strings are much hotter than the wound strings. I can get OK (but not great) overdriven tone, but the clean tones are pretty thin. I'd like to have more even response across the strings.

Since the pole pieces aren't adjustable, I'm wondering if a new pickup would help? I've tried a few different string sets, but none sound any better than the other.

The string spacing at the pickup is a hair over 2-1/8", so I was thinking about some kind of blade pickup - maybe a Charlie Christian type pickup.

Any thoughts/insights/suggestions would be appreciated.

[Noah Miller]

Stainless-wound strings are likely to give you the best balance in that situation.

But if they're still not working, then yes, that pickup is limited by its design. You can replace the pickup, but frankly, I think you're better off just replacing the steel altogether. That's not a standard-sized pickup, and any replacement is likely to involve removing wood or adding new holes, which diminishes the instrument's resale value.

If you prefer to just replace the pickup, the first question is what are the dimensions of the pickup rout. We'd need to know what format pickup can fit there without major surgery.

[Lee D Kaiser]

Here are some things to try short of ditching the steel or replacing the pickup.

Move the treble side of the pickup farther from the strings and the bass side closer.

Try lighter gauge strings on the treble side.

Re-magnetize the bass-side magnets (search internet for how to do this).

Good luck.

[Lee Hiers]

Stainless-wound strings are likely to give you the best balance in that situation.

I'll have to give those a try - I've never used SS strings...thanks!

You can replace the pickup, but frankly, I think you're better off just replacing the steel altogether. That's not a standard-sized pickup, and any replacement is likely to involve removing wood or adding new holes, which diminishes the instrument's resale value.

If you prefer to just replace the pickup, the first question is what are the dimensions of the pickup rout. We'd need to know what format pickup can fit there without major surgery.

I'm not real concerned about resale value, honestly. I was measuring the cutout for a new pickup, hence having the photo of the pickup available. I would probably have to do some filling on the hole that's there, as well as re-routing. I think the surgery involved would be somewhat major, but not undoable.

[Lee Hiers]

Move the treble side of the pickup farther from the strings and the bass side closer.

Try lighter gauge strings on the treble side.

Re-magnetize the bass-side magnets (search internet for how to do this).

I don't think I would be able to angle the pickup without major hacking on the guitar.

I should try lighter plain strings though...

As far as re-magnetizing, I think the large blocks on the ends are the magnets - I may investigate that as well.

Thanks!

[Per Berner]

You can get a pickup with any string spacing you want from Sentell pickups. I had them make a Console Grande-style with custom spacing, good quality at a very reasonable price. Choose wisely and you won't need to cut any wood.

[Lee Hiers]

You can get a pickup with any string spacing you want from Sentell pickups. I had them make a Console Grande-style with custom spacing, good quality at a very reasonable price. Choose wisely and you won't need to cut any wood.

Thanks, Per - I wasn't aware of Sentell.

[Jim Sliff]

Stainless steel strings tend to make most Kay and other low-budget lap steels and guitars sound very brittle. I find pure nickel wrap to be smoother on those types of guitars.

Does the pickup have a ceramic (or alnico) bar magnet underneath, or are the polepieces alnico magnets? If the former, a pickup change is needed regardless of strings. If the latter, many rewinders can remagnetize the poles -

- which may balance it out, or increase the output and still be unbalanced!

I usually suggest replacing the pickup with one that will mount the same (or a mount be fabricated that doesn't require any new holes or permanent mods). Save the original in case you ever sell it.

[Lee Hiers]

Stainless steel strings tend to make most Kay and other low-budget lap steels and guitars sound very brittle. I find pure nickel wrap to be smoother on those types of guitars.

Well, I've ordered some SS strings, so we'll see!

Does the pickup have a ceramic (or alnico) bar magnet underneath, or are the polepieces alnico magnets?

I'll have to check and see if the pole pieces are magnetic - there is no magnet beneath the pickup. I think the two large "boxes" on the end are the magnets.

I usually suggest replacing the pickup with one that will mount the same (or a mount be fabricated that doesn't require any new holes or permanent mods). Save the original in case you ever sell it.

I was thinking I could put some shims in where the "boxes" are to fasten a replacement. The route is only about 1.25" wide, so I don't have a lot of leeway there. Too narrow for a standard HB. A mini HB or P-90 would probably fit, as would one of the vintage vibe Charlie Christian pickups. And that might be easiest to mount with the odd route (the route under the "boxes" doesn't go all the way through the body. I've got more measuring to do. It would be nice to have adjustable pole pieces, but I may need a blade-type pickup just to make sure I've got coverage.

I've got a strat-sized blade middle pickup on my Tele I could try...but I don't really want to take that apart!

[Lee D Kaiser]

Another thought, if wiring permits, rotate the pickup 180 degrees--bass to treble, treble to bass. Maybe the balance is better that way.

[Lee Hiers]

Another thought, if wiring permits, rotate the pickup 180 degrees--bass to treble, treble to bass. Maybe the balance is better that way.

I'll check...good idea - thanks!