Pickups on a Fessy?

Steel guitar amplifiers, effects, etc.

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Ron Sodos
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Joined: 27 Oct 2003 1:01 am
Location: San Antonio, Texas USA

Pickups on a Fessy?

Post by Ron Sodos »

What do you think are best. I have 710's and was just wondering. I like my sound but curious what else you guys are using. Anybody know what Danny Sneed in Phoenix are using. His videos on youtube are amazing.
Although his playing is truly phenomenal.
Jim Park
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Joined: 25 Sep 1999 12:01 am
Location: Carson City, Nv

Fessy pickups

Post by Jim Park »

I am using ToneAligners in my D-10, they are in the 16.7-8K range
Tom Gorr
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Joined: 12 Sep 2000 12:01 am
Location: Three Hills, Alberta

Post by Tom Gorr »

My Fessy came with George L EONs ... the studio engineer I worked with on a project said the guitar needed almost no eq to sit properly in the mix. To my ear the guitar in that mix sounded a little too reedy above the 12 fret....but...can't say I notice that it generally sounds like that. .m it doesn't. ..they are pretty good sounding and seem to translate the natural timbre of the instrument reasonably well. They don't rock my world. .. but they don't offend it either. What's a pickup supposed to do other than to produce an easy to use tone that reflects the timbre of the instrument? So. ... a success by that criteria.

It also came with a set of true tones but I have never had the curiousity to change them out to hear the difference. A prior owner changed them out in favor of the Eons.. I never learned of the rationale. Maybe it was Hum Management...maybe it was tone. ...?

One of my favorite steel tones based on youtube videos is a Fessy with BL705s. ... and if I were placing a pickup order today. .. that is what I would choose. To me. .. my tone with the EONs is a very good example of generic whereas the 705s made my hair stand on end.... maybe the higher purpose of a pickup is coloration rather than transparency.

Maybe it was the amp. ...the best sounding Fessys I have heard were being played through a N112...whereas I use a Vegas.
John Macy
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Post by John Macy »

I changed over from 710's to 705's on my Fessy's...like them a lot...a bit smoother and more defined for me...
John Macy
Rockport, TX
Engineer/Producer/Steel Guitar
Robert Bunting
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Joined: 18 Sep 2011 8:54 am
Location: New York, USA

Post by Robert Bunting »

Tom Gorr wrote:One of my favorite steel tones based on youtube videos is a Fessy with BL705s.
Tom,
Can You post a link of an example?
I'm debating Tonealigner vs Bl705 at this time.
Tom Gorr
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Joined: 12 Sep 2000 12:01 am
Location: Three Hills, Alberta

Post by Tom Gorr »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFzvkJ5ig6M

To my ear. .. there are solid lower mids that put this guitar tone moreso in the shobud camp. Of course amp eq has a large influence. I like the way the tone wraps around the singers voice while leaving a bunch of space for it too. Peewee Charles is the player... famous Canadian steel guitarist.... ..

Eons take the tone in an Emmons direction with a smoother high end than an E66.

OTOH...JimPitman designed the original ToneAligner with a Fessenden so that is also a great choice. .. Ive never heard one... but if someone has a link to that I would be interested in hearing it.
Jim Pitman
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Location: Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA

Post by Jim Pitman »

The Tonelaligner in my Fessy, on Born on the Bayou, The Stonecold Roosters live at Middle Earth in VT about 10 years ago. Steel guitar solo starts at 1:45. The sound quality isn't great but it will give you the BI. At about 10 min threw on the Leslie affect.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bZLieh1-s4
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