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1978 Seth Lover interview

BobMello

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Joined
Jan 1, 2006
Messages
818
It's interesting to read about the string gauge and its affect on tone. He says the strings used back then were .12 for the E and went up from there.

Today people use 8,9,10, etc. It sounds like the PAFs were not intended for that kind of light gauge wire.

What do the experts think?

:hmm
 

Stevedenver

Active member
Joined
Jul 17, 2001
Messages
2,565
ok so whats electrostatic coupling he mentions relative to not having pup covers?
 

el84ster

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 10, 2001
Messages
1,420
Yeah, reading that took a lot of the "mojo vibey-ness" out of them for me too. They freaking just put the things together with the cheapest materials they could source. It sounds like they did some adjusting based on player opinion, but nothing like what the myth is usually built up to be.

He's like, "enamel, poly wire...who cares just use something." Lol.
 

Mikester

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Joined
Aug 26, 2005
Messages
868
ok so whats electrostatic coupling he mentions relative to not having pup covers?

ElectroStatic Discharge (ESD) directly to the pickup coils when the covers are off. That could cause a coil winding to burn open. With the covers are on, ESD goes to ground first, knocking the level down.

ESD is when you walk on the carpet in winter and build up a charge.

When you walk up to your amp and are about to touch the metal 'On' switch - Kablammo! The spark jumps to ground. You've coupled the electrostatic charge to ground. This can be as much as 40kv - 40,000 volts. Maybe more.
If you walk up to your guitar in the winter on carpet and pick it up, you just discharged your ESD thru your guitar. It's sorta like lightening in that it doesn't just disappear. It jumps on everything even tho it's grounded, then dissipates over a very short period of time.

Electronics don't like ESD.

:salude
 

Excalibur

Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2003
Messages
435
Very interesting Mikester, thanks. I always like my pickups with the covers on although many good players take them off to get more "bite". it always seemed to me as if the covers create an even magnetic field but maybe I'm wrong. in any case, I like how they look with the covers on better.
 

WBPickups

New member
Joined
Jan 7, 2007
Messages
154
It's interesting to read about the string gauge and its affect on tone. He says the strings used back then were .12 for the E and went up from there.

Today people use 8,9,10, etc. It sounds like the PAFs were not intended for that kind of light gauge wire.

What do the experts think?

:hmm

I am in the heavy string club (11-52 for Standard & 1/2 step. 12-54 for drop tunings). I feel the heavy strings just sing more to me. More mass, more tone to me.
 

Mitchell

New member
Joined
Feb 20, 2002
Messages
3,012
I am in the heavy string club (11-52 for Standard & 1/2 step. 12-54 for drop tunings). I feel the heavy strings just sing more to me. More mass, more tone to me.
Most were flat wounds back then, but Im in the heavy gauge club too..
Back in the mid 80's, I was playing a metal head type of Kramer w/the Floyd, VH strap, LoL, etc. No shirt on, playing aggressive and the high E broke/snapp'd and came back across my chest like a horse whip, split me open and I bled a bit. No more light strings for me since then.. :rofl
 

WBPickups

New member
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Jan 7, 2007
Messages
154
Most were flat wounds back then, but Im in the heavy gauge club too..
Back in the mid 80's, I was playing a metal head type of Kramer w/the Floyd, VH strap, LoL, etc. No shirt on, playing aggressive and the high E broke/snapp'd and came back across my chest like a horse whip, split me open and I bled a bit. No more light strings for me since then.. :rofl

Oh Damn! I had one snap off while I was tuning up before a gig and sliced my eyelid open... Bled on & off while I played. It was a mess... :2zone
 

el84ster

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 10, 2001
Messages
1,420
I used to play with 9s, but I'd often have to bring a backup guitar to the gig as those'd often break. Then I went to 10s and while it didn't happen too often, those would break once in a while, but since going to 11s I haven't broke one in years and years!

Yeah, the extra mass of the string definitely has an effect on the sound. Lighter strings sound brighter and just less meaty. Also heavier strings give you a better signal to nnoise ratio. Very important in this ungrounded house I'm living in!
 
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