The Steel Guitar Forum

I have a 30s National New Yorker lap steel. I really like the instrument but I find the output of the pickups really weak. Also the string-to-string balance seems off on all settings (harp, chimes, Hawaiian). While I have no similar instrument for comparison, I believe my guitar's pickups may need work and possibly the pickups may not be wired properly (there were several previous owners of the instrument). Of course it is possible that perhaps this is just how it is "supposed to be". What do other owners of a similar instrument think? My model is a late 30s, 3 pickup model (with the 2 hidden pickups). Also, who would you recommend as far as someone who could competently evaluate and repair this instrument? Thanks.

I have the same model. The pickups are quite low output,because of their design,which is a very basic set up two small coils and magnet wired in series. There are 4 sets or coils making up two pickups also hidden under the fingerboard. Wired series parallel and each side goes through a capacitor , treble is from memory.047 and bass .1. The switch gives Bridge alone ,Fingerboards alone thru caps, Bridge plus Treble side of fingerboard pickups. I think the early New Yorkers look better than they sound,but that's just my thoughts. Cheers