The Steel Guitar Forum

I'd like to build a starter 8 string sort of like the SX sixstring but with 8 strings, kind of a rough project. Is there an elcheapo Chinese pickup available. I will only use one pickup. I've been checking eBay but haven't found anything yet.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but there is no such thing as a cheap import 8 string pickup. I suggest you go to www.jerrywallacemusic.com and drop $70 on a truetone 8 string pickup, which is a the best deal around for a new one. Or try searching in the for sale section of the forum, or on ebay for a used pickup for cheaper(good luck).

Or, you can go to www.dynalap.com and get a whole 8 string lap steel kit you can put together yourself for $230, with a truetone pickup included. It's a pretty good deal.

Another option is to use Jazz Bass pickups....these can be bought off ebay for around $10-$20 used. They may be a bit on the mellow side though

I'm kind of on the look out for the same thing.
this one looks interesting, though it's a little bit more expensive then I'd like.
http://www.rondomusic.com/cepheusalpha.html

Most any bass or guitar pickup will work fine as long as it is long enough to cover all the strings. Also any pedalsteel pickup will work.

Do you mean you are l©©king for a cheap-sound? Kinda sounds that way!

The first steel I made (many years ago) was an 8-string plank with a p-bass pickup. Sounded fine - no need for a tone control because you'll want to keep all the trebles it produces.

In building some 8-stringer's recently, I've been using a few Bill Lawrence Stringmaster pickups I got a couple of years back. Seems like they were a little bettr priced than others, but I can't remember exactly what the cost was. They sound really good as does every Bill Lawrence pickup I've ever used.

I played an 8-string at the TSGA gathering this weekend with the Tru-tone pickup and I thought that sounded really wonderful.

If you want to stick with a 7 string, you can get a single coil guitar pickup reasonably priced from AllParts. I have a 7 string lap with one of those and it's never failed to satisfy for everything from over-driven swamp-blues to clean-tone country and swing.

Even if you don't spend a mint on just the right pickup, you'll get a very satisfying instrument out of it.

Have fun!!
J A

Ulric Utsi-Åhlin wrote:... the fabled "Lipstick" P-U is available in a slightly longer version that works for 8-string ... Dano-type ... I just put one in my 8-string Dobro,and it works fine.

Thanks for the info, Ulric. I was looking at one of those the other day and wondering if it might not work for eight strings. One question, though: What is the string spacing at the pickup on your Dobro?

Some good ideas here. Thanks a lot guys. I wonder how a Pbass pickup would work as it's split into 2 parts? Maybe they could be angled a bit to get the proper string spacing?
The problem with buying online lately has been that when you add international shipping to Canada, customs duty, and the exchange on the money it gets scary. I ordered the adjustable legs from Rondo for my SX 6 string lapsteel, price $39US. $115 by the time I got my hands on it.

Hi Warren - I have some 8 string pickups i took off an old steel. I can send you pics if you are interested in one, i would guess $30 each inc shipping I have 3 of them. I was going to put them up on the forum this weekend.I think they are about the same spacing as a stringmaster and I believe 8k output I can check later today. thanks Bill Q

Warren Pederson wrote: I wonder how a Pbass pickup would work as it's split into 2 parts? Maybe they could be angled a bit to get the proper string spacing?

The pole pieces on the P-bass pickups are very nearly the same spacing as the stringmaster single coil. You just have to stagger the two parts to allign with the proper overall spacing. If you find an old DiMarzio, it'll be relatively hot and have adjustable pole pieces, so you can dial in the string balance. If you've got access to a repair shop or music store that does repairs, chances are you could find a take-off either free for the asking or for just a few bucks.

Sounds like Bill Quinn's got you covered, though...a working pickup for $30 sound like a pretty good deal.

Warren -

Here are the pu's I have, I have 3 of them. Brand unknown anybody know these?

They all read about 8.5k and have the same spacing and screw hole spacing as Fender Stringmaster pus.I plugged them in they seem to work fine.

If Warren isn't interested in one I will post these for sale later Thanks BQ