I am very partial to Alumitone pickups and plan on using them in my new lap steel builds. I've contacted Lace Co. (after several attempts and long wait) worked out an acceptable price of multiple units. Tried to contact them again (fellow named Chistopher Varelas) and can get not response!!! Tried calling, emailing, begging,,,PLEASE, PLEASE,,,,,,no response,,,totally amazing!!!!
How difficult would it be to build a pickup with the alumitone concept? Several youtube clips make it look fairly simple?
Alumitone Pick up
Moderator: Dave Mudgett
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Sonny Jenkins
- Posts: 4423
- Joined: 19 Sep 2000 12:01 am
- Location: Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx
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Fred
- Posts: 372
- Joined: 19 Jul 2000 12:01 am
- Location: Amesbury, MA
Re: Alumitone Pick up
I think it might be difficult. The aluminum frame is a single loop around the magnet making an extremely low impedance pickup with a tiny voltage. The little coil hidden underneath is a transformer to change the impedance and voltage to usable levels.
Maybe I’m being pessimistic, but the tiny transformer really throws me.
On a positive note, the patent is expired.
https://patents.google.com/patent/US583 ... oq=5831196
Maybe I’m being pessimistic, but the tiny transformer really throws me.
On a positive note, the patent is expired.
https://patents.google.com/patent/US583 ... oq=5831196
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Jerry Overstreet
- Posts: 14590
- Joined: 11 Jul 2000 12:01 am
- Location: Louisville Ky
Re: Alumitone Pick up
Interesting. The Lace website shows all the Alumitone units marked as sold out...perhaps they have stopped production of them?
A suggestion, contact forum member Scott Swartz at Steeltronics. He seems to have a handle on many of the expired pedal steel pickups.
The Alumitone pickups are unique in design unlike any traditional pickups, but he just might be interested in something similar.
Good luck Sonny. Your new guitars are just stunning!
A suggestion, contact forum member Scott Swartz at Steeltronics. He seems to have a handle on many of the expired pedal steel pickups.
The Alumitone pickups are unique in design unlike any traditional pickups, but he just might be interested in something similar.
Good luck Sonny. Your new guitars are just stunning!
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Mark McCornack
- Posts: 332
- Joined: 25 Jul 2016 11:14 am
- Location: California, USA
Re: Alumitone Pick up
Hi Sonny,
I feel your pain in communication frustrations with Lace. I just went through a bit of this myself in the last couple of weeks. I think they're good folks there though, so try again. This small company lost a key employee this month (passed away) and Christopher Valera (sales) was on vacation until just this last week. Answeing calls and emails has not been their long suit. Between the holidays and other turmoil there, things may be a bit bogged down. Anyway, good luck. Persistance may pay off, but I can only speak from my own experience with them this month.
I feel your pain in communication frustrations with Lace. I just went through a bit of this myself in the last couple of weeks. I think they're good folks there though, so try again. This small company lost a key employee this month (passed away) and Christopher Valera (sales) was on vacation until just this last week. Answeing calls and emails has not been their long suit. Between the holidays and other turmoil there, things may be a bit bogged down. Anyway, good luck. Persistance may pay off, but I can only speak from my own experience with them this month.