BL 705 vs 710

Bill R. Baker · Post by **Bill R. Baker** » 3 May 2004 4:44 am

What is the difference between the BL 705 and the 710? Thanks.

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 3 May 2004 5:18 am

Some seem to like the 710,
I have a 705 that came with the Bud,
and can't wait to put in a Trutone.

David Higginbotham · Post by **David Higginbotham** » 3 May 2004 4:05 pm

Specs wise, the 710 will measure about 30k dc ohms and the 705 will measure 18k-20k. Tone wise, major difference. The 705 is a very crisp & clear, but not brassy, pickup with a bit of bite to it. Kind of a grainy sound. The 710 gives a more mellow tone and better on the lower end. Not nearly as crisp sounding and not very crisp on the highs as the 705. The design is differnt as the 710 has pole peice magnets and the 705 has the blade magnets. A design that many wished Bill Lawrence was still making. My obvious preference is the 705. Closest in a hunbucker is the XR-16 or in a single coil would be Jerry Wallace True Tone wound to about 18.5 to 19.5. Just my opinion tho!

David, if you decide to sale that 705, you will have a list to choose from. I know Bob Snelgrove wants one and Ricky Davis wants two.

Dave

------------------
'74 MSA D-10 8&4 W/705's, Rocktron Short Timer, Profex II, Nashville 400

<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by David Higginbotham on 03 May 2004 at 05:06 PM.]</p></FONT>

Wayne Cox · Post by **Wayne Cox** » 7 May 2004 8:40 pm

DAVID, you referred to an XR-16 pickup? What is that and who makes it? The name sounds kind of like a jet plane!
~~W.C.~~

David Higginbotham · Post by **David Higginbotham** » 7 May 2004 9:38 pm

Hey Wayne, I think that is the new line from Boeing! The LXR-16 is a very good pickup made by Bill Lawrence who also makes the 710 and did make the 705. The xr-16 is a pole peice humbucker wound to around 30k ohms. I like these pickups because they have a very broad range with a clear crisp tone. You can find the sound bytes on www.steelguitar.com. They have sound comparisons for various pickups on thier site.
Thanks,
Dave

Dan Tyack · Post by **Dan Tyack** » 7 May 2004 9:44 pm

The main reason I stuck with a 705 (versus a 710)is that when you are playing through a cranked tube amp, the 705 really screams, you can easily get those Roy Buchannon harmonics, whereas the 710 sounds squashed.

For many steel players this wouldn't be an issue, but it was important to me.

Gene H. Brown · Post by **Gene H. Brown** » 11 May 2004 6:09 pm

I have XR16's on both necks of my Carter and they are great pickups. Lots of bottom and lots of top, good round sound.
Gene