pickup

Dana Murphy · Post by **Dana Murphy** » 12 Jun 2001 2:13 pm

I have a BL710 pickup that reads 23.4 k Ohms. is that what it should be. I am getting a little distortion. thanks dana

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 12 Jun 2001 4:58 pm

That sounds like it's "in the ballpark" to me. Pickups very seldom cause distortion, since they're limited anyway by the guitar, and foot volume controls.

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 12 Jun 2001 6:04 pm

Screw the pickup screws in more such that the pickup is further away from the strings. This will weaken the signal and help keep from overdriving your amp. It should be at least the width of three quarters (25 cent pieces) from the strings.

jerry wallace · Post by **jerry wallace** » 12 Jun 2001 7:43 pm

Dana, the 23k is ok on the 710..It sounds like you are overdriving somewhere..What do you have inline between the pickup and amp?
if its a effects unit ,stomp box etc.you maybe overdriving it..Some units have a gain control that you can cut back.Some have a LED that shows when your overdriving...The 710 is a high output pickup..

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Jerry Wallace- "98 Zum: D-10,8+8, "96 Zum: D-10,8+5,Nashville 1000,Session 500 ,Tubefex,ProfexII, Artesia, New Mexico

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 13 Jun 2001 2:45 am

The "standard" distance from the strings for a 710 is 3/16". If you get it too close you will get some distortion.

I have them on my Franklin and I have them set a loose 3/16" and there's plenty of output, no distortion, great tone etc.

Dave Van Allen · Post by **Dave Van Allen** » 13 Jun 2001 9:23 am

I had a "mystery distortion" in my BL 712 that came with my ZumSteel... I tried lowering the PU to the point the tone really suffered but there was always a "break up" on more than two notes at a time. Sounded GREAT on single note stuff (at a proper distance from the strings), but chords were problematic even at the most extreme adjusted distance from the strings.
I had to trouble shoot this in the studio at a session, and eliminated cables, volume pedal and amp as culprits, tracing it back to the PU itself.

Seeing as Bethlehem PA is a relatively short drive,I took my PU to BL's shop and after several hours of testing and equations and Bill telling me incomprehensible stuff about It wasn't the ohms it was the henrys

and the like, Becky took a sheet of Bill's calculations into the back room and built me a customized 712...that I am EXTREMELY happy with.

It MAY have been an interesting interaction with the metal plate the PU mounts to in my guitar... or not. I never really comprehended what Bill changed, but I am glad he did.

I would suggest you contact Bill and Becky directly .

becky@billlawrence.com
(610) 974-9544<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Dave Van Allen on 13 June 2001 at 10:25 AM.]</p></FONT>

Hiro Keitora · Post by **Hiro Keitora** » 20 Jun 2001 1:55 am

So what is causing this "funny" distortion? I hear some P.U. breaks up even you back down on volume pedal. I love talking to Bill in "mystery" language anyway, but I really can't put my finger on the symptom.

Dan Dowd · Post by **Dan Dowd** » 20 Jun 2001 7:42 am

My 12 string 712 measures 32 k ohms. However being a humbucker there are 2 coils in series so the actual pickup ohms is 1/2 of that or 16 k ohms. Im not sure if a 12 string PU because of the longer length of the PU is wound to a set number of turns or to a ohm/inductance value. I have 2 Emmons single coil PU's and one is 14.6 k ohms and has a green wire in the shield and the other is 18.7 k ohms and has a white wire in the shield. I wonder if the color wire identifies it as a C6th or E9th position pickup.

Jeff Peterson · Post by **Jeff Peterson** » 22 Jun 2001 6:19 pm

Ohms readings mean nothing. There is no 'standard' distance from pickup to strings. You can 'load' a pickup just like your Chevy. The half-life of a pickup magnet is about 500 years. Bill Lawrence designs pickups.....others wrap wire around magnets. Compared to Bill, no other manufactuer has anything close to quality-control. Bill's a great, close friend....if I had to chose between that and a pickup......I'd be hard pressed.(kiddin') I think Becky's hot.(not kiddin').
C'mon guys, contact Bill....the fog will lift, I promise.