Derby repair questions

[Adam Aymor]

1. My BL705 is microphonic and I will be replacing the pickup. Anyone have and George L pickups for sale? Also, I just happen to be in Nashville next week and was curious where I could buy a pickup in person down there?

2. The Allen screw for the vertical knee lever is stripped and the knee lever moves around (doesn’t hit its stop) on the cross shaft due to this. Any recommendations for how to easily fix? Do I need to drill the hole for the next screw size up? Or just use some kind of Loctite?

[Jim Pitman]

I may have an unused George L 10 string pickup I could sell you. I'll check when I get home.
Here's another solution that avoids buying a new pickup.
If your pickup is simply wrapped in tape and not enclosed airtight in a case, you could pot it with wax. I've had to do this is in the past and it;'s real effective.
Pretty easy:
Set up a double boiler that is one large pan with water, and a smaller pan in the water of the large pan. Put he wax in the smaller pan. This limits how hot the wax can get and prevents it from catching fire. Turn on the heat and melt the wax. The deeper the wax is the quicker it will saturate the pickup coils. You will see bubbles coming out of the wax. Keep it on the heat until there are no more bubbles coming out. Remove the pickup with tong and put it on a plate in your freezer. Voila non-microphonic pickup.
I don't know enough about a Carter to coach you on the other issues.

[Jim Pitman]

Pickup is unused. It measures 17.5k. A piece of ferous metal sticks to it so magnet good. $100.00 you pay shipping. I prefer Venmo. I’d send a pic but i have forgotten how to do that.

[Adam Aymor]

Thank you Jim! Do you by chance know which model the pickup is? E-66 or EON are both 17.5 according to the list from the George L website …….



E-66: 17.5 Ohms The E-66 was designed by George L. Lewis for Buddy Emmons to give that 1966 sound that made him famous!

EON: 17.5 Ohms The EON is similar to the E-66 but with a different blade adding warmth.

TW: 18.6 Ohms Tommy White, a Nashville premier session artist and Grand Ole Opry staff steel player has mastered his innovative sound in this pickup.

PF-I: 18.6 Ohms The sound that Paul Franklin, Jr. demands being a top session artist in Nashville.

SS: 19.5 Ohms The SS is similar to the 10-1, but with a special blade adding a bit more bite!

10-1: 19.5 Ohms The sound of Jimmy Day never rang truer than in this pickup. It works great on any steel! Warm highs and full bottom!

PF-II: 20 Ohms An outstanding full-bodied pickup!

[Jim Pitman]

Unfortunately, it has no markings. Is that a clue as to what model it is? I also have no history on it. It’s something i acquired when i was making pickups and i don’t recall the circumstance. What really makes a difference in pickup tone is the inductance so i suspect all the models you mention exhibit different inductance values. This can be controlled by the mass of the core (blade or poll pieces) and the number of windings. I don’t believe a single manufacturer publishes that. I did. I imbedded it in the serial number. I’ll take a photo of the George L pickup and can text you that if you like. Contact me with a steel guitar forum private mail.

[Jim Pitman]

Check your private mail. I sent you a pic.
It's unusual for a company not to write the model name on their product so it may not do you any good.
According to some research I did, since it measures about 17.5K, it is ether the ION or the E66.
Keep in mind the winding resistance changes dramatically with temperature. My house is 71 degs.

[Joseph Carlson]

Do you have a picture of the VKL? I think I have a spare I could send you in exchange for a donation to the forum and shipping.

[Jim Pitman]

Adam, I will lower the the price of that pickup to you to $75.00. I play a 12U and have no use for it.
Let me know if you are interested, elsewise I will post it in the for sale section.
Looks like my pic I thought I sent you is stuck in my outbox.
Anyone - do you know what the significance is of a message in the "outbox" vs one in "sent"?

[Adam Aymor]

Jim- I have been on the road and tried to respond to your message but every time I hit send, it doesn’t work and I get sent back to the sign in screen on the forum. I left you a phone message though if you like to get in touch that way. Really appreciate the offer as well and will purchase that pickup.

Joseph- here is a pic of the underside of the Derby. I don’t have a close up of it at the moment but can send one in a few days once I get back home. Thank you!

[Joseph Carlson]

Here is the part I have, I think it should work.

[Adam Aymor]

Thanks Joseph! It looks to be the part I need, but I will double check when I get home and then send you a private message. Really appreciate the assistance!