The Steel Guitar Forum

Anyone ever experience a loss in volume? I've got a Derby S10 with a George Lo's E66. All the leads are in good shape. I've ruled out the volume pedal and chords. The guitar has a practice level volume with a Fender Deluxe Reverb on 10.

First, check the speaker wires! Next, plug a chord into the amp, and just touch the tip of the plug on the other end. This should give you a VERY loud hum, even with the volume on 4 or 5. Is this a tube amp? LOOK at the tubes to make sure they're all lit up, and then wiggle them a little in their sockets to make sure they're not loose.

I should have mentioned that I checked the amp with my guitar and it performs normally. So the problem is definitely somewhere in the steel, thanks though...

Go back and double check to make sure it is the guitar. Connect a guitar cord direct from the guitar to the amp. If that is OK, check the jack on the guitar. Does the Derby have a tone control, like the Emmons or is it just pickup to the jack? If it has a tone control, check the switch for that. Double check the wiring from the pickup to the jack. Sometimes wires run near moving metal parts and the wiring insulation could have been worn through or nicked and is grounding out. Move (wiggle) the wires and see if it makes a difference.

If nothing changes, the next step is to remove the pickup so you can check the wiring coming fromt he pickup. Pickup failures are rare so double and triplecheck everything.

Thanks for the info. All the leads are in good condition, and the wiring is pristine. I'm having my repairman check it out, but with everything in such good shape I'm thinking something is wrong in the pickup.

I had a steel drive me nuts because I suspected everything else except the P/U. I had to turn the volu,me to seven just to hear it.