The Steel Guitar Forum

I have a Guyatone 6 string lap steel that I inherited from my late Grandpa. I play blues and found that it squealed like a pig at a gig this past weekend when I switched to my dirty channel. After some research, I learned about microphonic pickups and that's definitely the problem with it, so I wax potted the pickups last night and it didn't make the slightest difference from what I can tell.

I want to replace the pickups, but standard sized single coils are slightly smaller and the mounting holes do not line up. The Guyatone pickup is a larger and the mounting holes are 3/8" wider. Does anyone have any recommendations? I'm thought making a new pick guard for it so I can use standard sized pickups, but it sure would be easier if I could find something that fits.

Also, I know I could get someone to custom build some pickups for it, but I'd rather not put 300 custom pickups when the guitar is only worth $300. I just want to fix it up and play it, that's what my grandpa would want:-)

Jody ,
I replaced one of my Guyatone pickups with a Seymour Duncan Antiquity as it’s an exact replacement size.

Thanks Alan, this is good news. My Guyatone looks just like yours. Do you recall which model pickup fit? I'm searching Seymour Duncan website for Antiquity, but I'm not seeing one that will fit based on the measurements.
I've attached a picture that shows the screw holes are 3 1/4" apart centered, and all of the ones i see at Seymore duncon are 3". Note, my tape measure was centered, I guess that my

What was your procedure for wax potting the pickup? I find it hard to believe that the pickup would respond exactly the same after wax potting. At worst, it should have had some effect on the microphonics.

I heated paraffin was up to 160/170f and soaked the pickups for 30 minutes. I refererd to youtube as well were several individuals gave a step by step. I didn't do a DB test or anything, so maybe it did improve some after waxing, but it is still extremely microphonic to the point that I can't use the guitar with my style of playing. Apparently these pickups are know for being extremely microphonic from what I've read. I'm no pro when it comes to pickups, but with they way they are built I'd guess it explains the reason they are so microphonic? I'm looking at a strat pickup and a Jason Lollar P90 now everything is glued or welded, nothing on those pickups is going to come apart wihtout some prying.

Everything is loose and nothing is welded with the guyatone pickup. Here's a photo of the Guyatone pickup taking apart, everything just slides ride apart with ease.



The Guyatone pickups are 5.7k and 5.6k. I just took one of them apart to show you what I'm talking about. The wax certainly was holding some things together a bit better than before waxing.

Jody,
Here’s the pickup https://www.seymourduncan.com/pickup/an ... ap-steel-3
I seem to remember having to mount it differently onto a base , notice the different screws, but it fits perfectly into the cavity.