What pickups for new Zum?

Fred Murphy · Post by **Fred Murphy** » 1 Apr 2002 1:49 pm

A friend of mine has ordered a new Zum, and would like suggestions for which type pickups to have put in. He would prefer it to sound as much like an Emmons as possible, and since no studio recording is anticipated, noise is not a major factor. Thanks for your suggestions.

Roger Crawford · Post by **Roger Crawford** » 1 Apr 2002 4:25 pm

Fred...I had a chance to talk to John Hughey about this subject at the Saluda,SC show back in Ferbuary. He uses Lawrence 910's on his guitar, but recording engineers give you all kinds of grief about hum. His statement to me was that if recording was not an issue, he would use single coils. Convinced me, that's what I ordered on mine!
Roger

Bobbe Seymour · Post by **Bobbe Seymour** » 1 Apr 2002 7:30 pm

I have much experience with the Zum pickup situation. The best thing we have found so far is the Lawrence 910, as has been so stated, and the Geo. L. 10-1. These pickups are as good as it gets on this guitar for richness and clairity, the nod go's to the Lawrence on our testing. We sell both brands so there is no bias here.
Bobbe
www.steelguitar.net

Patrick Ickes · Post by **Patrick Ickes** » 1 Apr 2002 9:26 pm

I would go a Lawrence L-910 on the E9 neck, and an L-710 on the C6.
Pat

Dennis Detweiler · Post by **Dennis Detweiler** » 1 Apr 2002 9:28 pm

How does the 910 compare to the 10-1 in tone coloration? Compared to the E-66?
How about structural design?
I'm using a 12-1 on my U-12 Zum.
Dennis

Fred Murphy · Post by **Fred Murphy** » 2 Apr 2002 5:10 am

If I used a 910 on the E neck and a 710 on the C6th, would they match up tone wise? You wouldn't want to have to reset your amplifier every time you swithced necks. That was one of the big drawbacks I had with my Sho-Buds. When I changed from the E9 to the C6th, I needed more treble.

Mike Weirauch · Post by **Mike Weirauch** » 2 Apr 2002 6:16 am

I just received a pair of Lawrence XR-16's that I'm putting in my Zoom. I'll let you know how they sound when I get done.

Bobby Boggs · Post by **Bobby Boggs** » 2 Apr 2002 3:39 pm

I would like to know the answer to the question Dennis Atkins asked.Also how does a George L 10-1 compare to say an Emmons single coil?I assume they would sound more like a 19 or 20 ohm?? Or a 17 ohm? Oh I give up.Help me Bobbe or anyone in the know. bb

Dennis Detweiler · Post by **Dennis Detweiler** » 2 Apr 2002 5:00 pm

B,B,B,....which vehicle do you prefer to drive to your gig? Your Navigator or your Caravan? Maybe one of the pickups?
Dennis,Dennis,Dennis

Bobby Boggs · Post by **Bobby Boggs** » 2 Apr 2002 5:25 pm

I drive my Navigator to the gig.I haul off the trash with my pickup.

--bb

Roger Crawford · Post by **Roger Crawford** » 2 Apr 2002 6:57 pm

Bobbee...you got my attention. Tell me more about the difference between single coils and 910's. Differences in tone, clarity, punch,sweetness & anything else you can think of. I don't care if you're biased or not...you have a professional opinion and I'm proud to be able to ask for it!
Roger

Mike Weirauch · Post by **Mike Weirauch** » 2 Apr 2002 9:03 pm

I just installed the XR-16 in my Zoom. It has made a new guitar out of it. String separation is great, it's not razor cutting like a 710, it just made it sound 10 times better than great. They are keepers in my book but it's only a page and a half long.

Patrick Ickes · Post by **Patrick Ickes** » 2 Apr 2002 9:03 pm

Fred,
Tone wise they are very similar. The 910 takes some of the "edge" off the high notes of the E9. The 910 power output seems slightly lower than the 710, but you can make that up with a little more volume pedal.
Pat

Fred Murphy · Post by **Fred Murphy** » 3 Apr 2002 8:32 am

I haven't heard of the Xr-16s yet. Does anyone know if anyone who will will be playing in Chatanooga be using them? If I could have the tone I preferred, it would be like Mike Johnsons. I recently heard him at the NTSGA meeting, and he was awsome. Of course I know most of it was the player not the necesarily the guitar.

Johnny Cox · Post by **Johnny Cox** » 4 Apr 2002 4:00 pm

I personally prefer the Lawrence 910.

------------------

Johnny Cox
Zumsteel Tripleneck
E9th/E13th/C6th
(this week)

Roger Crawford · Post by **Roger Crawford** » 4 Apr 2002 8:27 pm

Fred...check with Tommy Dodd when you're in Chattanooga. I believe he has an XR16 on his E9th. Not sure what he has on the C6th.

Reggie Duncan · Post by **Reggie Duncan** » 4 Apr 2002 9:19 pm

I was told that Hal Rugg uses the 910's.

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 5 Apr 2002 9:05 am

The Lawrence 910 (or 912 in my case with a 12 string) is a very cool design. It's called a sidewinder. It has a single row of magnets but it has two coils inside facing inward not upward. So it's sort of a hum-less single coil. The single row of magnets means that the string is being picked-up in one, not two places, so you eliminate the phase issues that a standard two coil pickup create. Maybe a cleaner sparkle on top, I dont know exactly. Mine is dead quiet. My Mullen single coil was too noisy in the bars where I play. The 912 fixed that. The tone of the 910 (912), I'm told, is great for Zum and Mullen. Darker than the 710 but more single coil sounding than the 710 too. I love the tone.

Brad Sarno
St. Louis
Mullen U-12/Twin/BW

Brian Willey · Post by **Brian Willey** » 5 Apr 2002 9:27 am

Has anyone ever changed out the pickup on a Zum Stage One? Is it possible? Simple? If so which pickup? I have a Stage One on order and am concerned with single coil hum.

Fred Murphy · Post by **Fred Murphy** » 7 Apr 2002 5:06 am

Thanks to everyone who posted. I will print this out and give it to him.

Jeff Peterson · Post by **Jeff Peterson** » 7 Apr 2002 8:06 am

The 910 sounds great in a Zum because it was designed for it. And ALL of Bill's pickups are noise-free.

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 7 Apr 2002 10:01 am

The Sidewinder pickups (910 and 912) are great pickups. They pick up a lot less hum than a single coil pickup. But they are not noise-free.

The George L E-66 is essentially noise-free. But it doesn't sound nearly as good to me, so I use the Lawrence 912.