The Steel Guitar Forum

I have a Mosrite Dobro with the magnetic pickup. I've been using nickle strings on it, because of the pickup, but I recently put a set of phosphor bronze strings on it, and it really sounds a lot better acoustically. Does anyone make a magnetic pickup that works well with the bronze strings? I'm hoping to find something that will fit (more or less) the footprint of the old pickup.

The Holy Grail ! I want some too, there are some being developed as soon as I get more info i'll post it up, but meanwhile I'll be glued to this post.

Not sure what your point is Kevin.

Sorry a bit misleading, 'magnetic pickup that works with phosphour bronze strings would [/i]be ideal' is my main point. However on the reverse side there are phosphour bronze strings being developed that will work with mag pickups, I'll keep you posted on that one.

What made me think of it are the Fishman Rare Earth and Neo-D soundhole pickups for flat top acoustic guitars. They are advertised as working well with PB strings. It's also been suggested to me to try the white bronze strings. I was hoping that there was something made specifically for Dobro. The stock pickup on my guitar is not very good sounding-not nearly like the Mosrite guitars, so I'd like to replace it anyway.

I have a Lace pickup on my Beard reso, and it works very well with bronze strings. The pickup is made specifically for the dobro and is about the size of a single coil. Mine is attached with a piece of double-side tape.

I have used a Sunrise pickup for years with all types of accoustic strings with no issue also the Fishman Rare earth is set up for accoustic strings as well.

Cheers

I have Elixir bronze strings on an archtop that has a humbucker; it works fine. I think the only difference with bronze is maybe their volume is lower magnetically than steel or nickel, so you just turn the amp up more (only the windings are bronze, the core is (I think) steel, or something magnetic as bronze isn't).

I like the Zebra strings from DR. Half nickel wound and half bronze. They're made for just this situation.

Keith C

GHS used to have strings called "White Bronze" that worked well with magnetic pups.
With regular bronze strings I have had to remove the adlustable screw for the B string on my Sunrises to get some kind of balance. I now use nickel strings on my Weissenborns, for balance reasons.

Thanks, everyone. I'm going to try some of those strings!

I have a Fishman Rare Earth on my Wies copy and it sounds fantastic.