The Steel Guitar Forum

I have an old New Yorker that a friend gave me and it has the original screw-on style cord. When I'm playing the guitar the connection cuts in and out because I can't get the wire to stay in contact with the base of the screw-on connector. I would try to solder it, but the connection needs to be made about 1 inch into an opening about the size of a pencil. Any suggestions?

Also the lower two strings don't seem to be picking up very well in relation to the 4 high strings. I've already adjusted the screw-up pickups to their maximum height under the low strings and screwed down the pickups under the high strings to try to balance it out. Any advice here?

Replace the connecter w: a regular jack
male on the cord & female on the new yawker
yeah i know some are jump & shout about depreciatin' it's value

I bought a 20' Astatic JT30 Microphone Cable with Screw-On/1/4" connectors from Angela Instruments on ebay, and it works perfect. Here's a link for one on ebay right now:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/20-Astatic-JT30 ... 0583925830 . It's a high quality cable and will save you a lot of grief trying to get the old one to work..

As far as the pickup problem, I really can't help you.

Good luck.

Andy Fekete

I went through several amphenol to jack cables (the contacts wore out pretty fast) but then I got some adapters; a simple screw on adapter that gives you a female jack on the New Yorker. I have had these for years and they still work fine.

Could not find a direct link to buy one but I highly recommend this over the cable or modding a vintage lap steel.

Cheers,

Fred

I agree with Fred, here's a link to the adapter that he's talkin about. Click Here

It appears by the photo,you may have Accoustic guitar strings on that guitar,if so you will get the imbalance you describe.
Try a new set of strings ,that shoild do it ,if not then its most likely the bass side magnet down on power,a common problem with this type of pickup.


Cheers Kelvin

Good link, Andy. Sure saves someone looking as I did a while back. Couldn't beat the site price. I ordered a couple for a '53 Gretsch and coiled up the original cord for some future purist.

I still have the original cord with my '50 New Yorker. It's cloth covered shielding. Never had any problems with it since new, but I did make up another cord as a spare.

Hey guys, thanks for the help. I'll definitely get that adapter. Seems like the way to go.

As for the low strings not working those very well could be acoustic strings on there. As a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure they are. Hmmmm who put those on there? Any recommendations for strings for this puppy? Hopefully it's not trouble in the pickup.

Click the Strings link at the top of the page, Rick. Good prices and very prompt service. Not too many guitar/music stores that stock lap steel sets. Then, it depends on what tuning(s) you want to play. The C6/A6 set is a good place to start. A6 is my favorite.