The Steel Guitar Forum

Hi All,

I just got a Fessenden SD-10 with a TrueTone pickup through the Forum and I am really enjoying it. It's sort of my dream pedal steel (always wanted a Fessenden) and I'm so happy with it. However I have noticed that I need to really crank my amplifier to get to the volume I had with my last guitar, which had a ToneAligner. Like 3+ notches higher on either my Evans gigging amp or my Roland MicroCube practice amp. Is that normal? Would raising the pickup help? it about 2.5 quarters from the strings which seems about right.

Also, it still has the old strings on it until I get my next set of Jagwires through the mail. Could that be the problem?

Thanks!

Aloha Lana,
I received a new Fessy U-12 on 3/6/12 but not with the same pup. Mine is a 12 string HB Wallace.
A couple of suggestions:
Switch guitar/amp and volume pedal chords.
Run the guitar direct to the amp to make sure it isn't a volume pedal problem or chord.
Make sure the solder connections on the chord jack aren't bad and that the amp jack is making good contact to the amp chord.
I don't know what the Ohm reading should be on a true Tone Pup but I'm sure you can research that on the forum.
If all of that checks out you can always raise the Pup up.
If you like the pickup on your other steel you can always swap them out the next time you change strings.
It isn' that complicated of a task.

Good hunting

Lana, the pup may e a little low. I typically set mine where two $.25's are snug under the strings. I wouldn't think that would cause that much of a drop, though.

After replacing the stock 'George L' pickup in my Fessenden with a Truetone, I found that lowering my volume settings became necessary. Try raising the pickup slightly so that the height is at the previously mentioned " snug two quarters" width. If still too quiet, check the pickup wiring at the jack for a cold solder joint.