Regular guitar 8 string humbuckers for Lap steel projects?

[Chris Harwood]

Anyone ever try this? Usually these guitar pickups are on guitars geared towards the "heavy metal" crowd, but will have touted qualities as good definition, high output (for driving amps) due to 12k+ ohm resistances, and sparkling high end with a balanced overall EQ. All the 8 pole for steel guitars seem to be of the "Stringmaster" variety...and a pair of humbuckers with coil splits, sounds like a possible positive option.

Lastly anyone ever wire a coil tapped humbucker with pseudo stereo outputs? Is that possible or is just splitting the pickups the best way? ie think Rickenbacker Rik o sound.

[Chris Harwood]

And here I thought this forum is where all the ex-metal gods come to congregate.
Ya know...the wall of Peaveys on the backline!

Any rate...I got a deal on a half dozen of 8 pole humbucker pickups with proper string pole spacing to "fit" properly on my lap and console steels, that use single coils.
I'm really most interested in my Natl dbl 8 that I got with the original monster pickups gone. I therefore just put some Stringmaster pickups at the end of each neck...just one pup per neck too. Near the bridge was too brittle.

I'll report back after I drip some solder on the rug.

[K Maul]

I’ve used Alumitone “Deathbucker” pickups on an 8 string lap steel with good results. They don’t have pole pieces, though. I don’t see any reason that your idea wouldn’t work. I am a guy who likes to experiment and break away a bit from tradition. I’d sure like to hear about your findings.

[Chris Harwood]

Will do Kevin. I've seen those rail pickups too.

[Chris Harwood]

I put temporarily in an 8 pole humbucker, gutted from a rather inexpensive Agile 8 string "metal" guitar in my National console. It measured out at 12.5k ohms. It totally blows away my existing Stringmaster pickup at slightly over half that resistance. Even for a humbucker, it is brighter but yet has much better note articulation...attack and overall note sound....and comes with a healthy volume output increase.
Btw..the National monster pups are long gone...before I acquired the guitar.
I realize this is all personal preference as far as sound, but I feel I can dial in the same as I had plus much more.
This humbucker pickup has coil splitting too and I may at least hear how the individual coils sound on their own and if they are noisy or not as single coils.

Unfortunately my National can only fit in one humbucker per neck..
But there is still room to leave my Stringmaster single coil. Probably two volumes and a master tone per neck will be the final. I'll experiment which is bridge and visa versa.
Pics to come.