The Steel Guitar Forum

Hi. I'm based in Scotland and finding it pretty much impossible to get my hands on ANY replacement pickups for my Dekley D-12 pedal steel guitar over here, other than a Geroge L E-66. I'm pretty sure that's going to be be too 'thin' sounding for my tastes though.

I'm looking for a bit of advice really.

I sense that my best option might be one of the Bill Lawrence pickups - most likely the L712 from what I've read around the internet.

Any 12-string players out there got one? If so, would you recommend it? If not, what would work best?

I'm looking for a high output, fat and warm tone. Bright, 'twangy', traditional country stuff is not really what I get much call to do here.

I do a lot more fat, warm, textural, atmospheric kind of thing.

I've heard a few demos of the L710 and think that sounds lovely, but curious as to whether that is the fattest/warmest pickup?

If so, does anyone have one to sell?

I have one on my Emmons and I love it.

I have 1 for my Excel and I love it.... I prefer the TA12 as well. Those are my 2 choices. I want to try the telonics, as I hate good things about them on 10 strings.

MHO[/b]

I have 1 for my Excel and I love it.... I prefer the TA12 as well. Those are my 2 choices. I want to try the telonics, as I heard good things about them on 10 strings.

MHO[/b]

I tried the 712 on my Williams which is a bright guitar. I would not describe the 712 as fat or warm. It is a very quality sound. More on the twangy side.
Many of my favorite 10 strings players use the 710. I think it depends on the guitar.
More on darker side, would be George L pickups. The original Telonics is a nice loud and solid tone.
John

Hi Iain, a Dekley is a pretty rare thing here in the UK never mind a double 12. Are you looking for a tone like Bruce Kaphan got on his Dekley? I have tried a few pickups on my 12 string, and like you I don't particularly want a bright twangy sound. I have a 712 in at the moment and have previously used an E66. I also have a Truetone which I tried for a while. They all are good quality sounding, but I have to roll off the high end on all of them, so it probably is the guitar that makes the difference. I think you may find that the Dekley is quite a bright guitar. I have quite a sophisticated rack setup using various valve preamps and a 1176 limiter which is great for damping the any shrill top end, but that's an expensive solution. There are some good cheap clones available. Hope someone comes up with some other suggestions. Good luck, Dave.

I have a 1975 MSA Super Sustain pickup available.

Yes I have a Dekley S10....I have had a few Dekley S12And one thing about the ones a I have had are they have big tone both the 10 and 12. The pickup housing only big enough for the stock pickup... routing will be needed. The GL12-1, TA12(IF you can find one) and the Telonics(untested)would be my choices. These would fit with minimal routing of the neck. These in my Opinion are are well worth the effort.


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Iain,

Mike Johnstone gifted me years ago with a Lawrence 9-12 humbucker, just a single row of magnets show so it masquerades as a single coil, but he thought it was as close to SC as a humbucker could get, and he'd played through about every pickup known to man. I have it on my Mullen pre-RP D12 E9 neck, love it a lot, but it's not quite as punchy on the lowest strings as I'd like.

Received another gift from Chuck Back at Desert Rose Guitars a bit ago, a George L EON 12-string pickup which he uses in his personal steel, and swears by. For me it's still uninstalled as yet, may try it in my Zum or Rittenberry down the road.

I'm tempted to also give the latest from Telonics a try.

So many options!

I second the Telonics notion.....I am going to purchase one myself.

Dwight

I have a Bill Lawrence 712 pup in great condition.

Thanks

Dwight

You could also ask Scott Swartz about his 2 models of single coils, 2 threads in Accessories for sale: https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=361409

I don't understand the Lawrence situation, I *think* there's 2 companies making Lawrence pickups, but the XRs and 712 are listed for sale, also you can't see in the photo but the pole pieces do stick out of the base plate a little.

https://www.wildepickups.com/products/steel-guitar

.

Iain, if you don't want the pickup from Dwight, I'd like a shot at it. I was going to order from Wilde pickups but they're out of stock right now.

Dave send me your address, please.

Dwight