Pickups

[John Bertotti]

I have a guitar with a Seymore Duncan Hot rail. Sounds great. Will this style of pick up work very well on a coursed instrument? Do you have to use the slug types on electric mandos. Thanks John

[mandroid]

FWIW: my use of a passive emg select on my 8 strng seems OK, its not a polepiece pickup [retrofit on FM61] strat-type; set askew ; treble end more towards the bridge.

[John Bertotti]

Just ok mandroid, what would you say is a better option? I was thinking about winding my own or having Seymor Duncan do it, depending on cost of course. Thanks John

[mandroid]

Better is subjective, obviously, as I have only one of these, its hard to do much comparison, if i didnt have Tonitis,[loser in the amp watt wars] i could be fussy, about subtiltys of tone qualitys, so that is some of the basis for a better than neutral approval.
Plusses are that as a stacked humbucker it doesnt hum...and at $20 was a good value.
at same time original pickguard of MOT was replaced with plain black , gang pot doubled up the knobs in a spot far enough away from the bridge to not be in the way, and I put a good quality jack in , (left the original stuff intact, all wired together, put back on the MOT piece)
Since the competition is fierce around here and I am just a mundane self taught ear larnin' player still trying 30 years later, to not suck too much.
[reminds me of the old highschool sports cliques some how]

[mandroid]

I would think using common format pickup , one could solder in a small plug making pickup comparisons possible, with minimal fuss.



BTW the Custom 5 string,I ordered is FS, in classifieds, Instrument is great, but I have lost any reason to own it,
[by the time it was done] so I am selling at cost.
high output SD pole piece custom wound pickup. Quality; as good as the best that comes out of fenders custom shop,
P5 patented headstock design , etc, etc.
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[jmkatcher]

FYI, I contacted both Seymour Duncan and Jason Lollar and both of them are willing to make mandolin P90 pickups so there's an additional quality option available. At some point, I want to have an electric octave built and that's what I want on it.

[bjc]

I use an active EMG and it sounds good. Strat type sound. I do wonder what a PHAT humbucker would sound like though.

[Lee]

Steve Ryder not only makes emandos, but also hand-winds the pick-ups as well. He has a nice selection of pick-ups made especially for emandos.

[mandroid]

I note the DIY pickup winding equipment at stewmac,bobbin parts made just for 6 pole guitars, of course.
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

its one coil of wire around the bobbin, arounda blade or several poles seems minor.
distinction without difference?

[Joel Glassman]

I suggest one of these:
http://www.billlawrence.com/Pages/Pickup_Window/500.htm