The Steel Guitar Forum

I posted this earlier in the "Electronics" section, but haven't had a respsone. I'm sure someone here knows the answer to this: What is the "proper" resistance for a Stringmaster 8 string pickup from the early 50s? I've got a 1953 Stringmaster T-8 with some electronics issues on the front neck. There are a number of issues with this neck, but the primary problem is probably the fact that the neck pickup reads about 6.5K while the bridge pickup reads 8.5K. The replacement pickup set that Jason Lollar sells has equal resistance of 8.6K for both neck and bridge. I'm assuming this isn't an accident, and that the Fender originals had basically this same reading. Anyone agree or disagree that 8.6K is close to the "correct" reading?

Thanks in advance.

Hi, Seymour Duncan has a replacement pup in his Antiquity line that is said to be 8.87K.
Regards, Zig

Hi Lee, Jason Lollar has a replacement pickup for the Stringmaster. Here's his info on it. Click Here

I have a couple stock fender stringmaster pickups on my workbench right now. One meters out at 8.05k and the other at 7.75k.

Thanks to all who replied, guys.

Since starting this thread, I bought a copy of "The Fender Inside Story" by Forrest White, and it not only has many original wiring diagrams, it also has a table called "Early Years Pickup Specifications," which provides that a 1954 "Stringmaster-6" pickup had 1800 turns of #42 P.E. copper coated magnet wire, and a minimum resistance reading of 6200 Ohms, with a maximum of 7000 Ohms.

A 1954 "Stringmaster-8" used 1800 turns of the same wire, but had a minimum resistance reading of 8300 Ohms, with a maximum of 9300 Ohms.

Sounds right, Deluxe 6 had shorter bobbins = less wire = less resistance.

This particular table actually differentiates between the "Stringmaster-6" and the "Deluxe 6." I believe I've heard it argued that there was no 6 string Stringmaster. However, Mr. White's chart lists one, and the pickup specifications are different from the "Deluxe 6." According to Mr. White, the "Deluxe 6" had only 1600 turns, as opposed to 1800 for the "Stringmaster-6," and a range of only 5600 to 6200 Ohms, less than the "Stringmaster-6."

This book also includes an old advertisement which mentions a single neck Stringmaster. Again, I've heard it stated that there was no such animal.

Who knows?