pick up change

Stan Knowles · Post by **Stan Knowles** » 24 Jun 2005 8:08 pm

I was wondering about changing out the pick up on my Carter Starter.What I want to go with is a Wallace true tone, as I find the sound a little "muddy" above the 12 fret along with the lack of sustain. The amp I'm using now is a Mesa Boogie FR 50. Granted the amp is not the perfect steel amp, but would the pick up swap help?
Thanx, Stan

Billy Carr · Post by **Billy Carr** » 24 Jun 2005 9:37 pm

It might make a little difference but I think I would maybe sell the Carter starter and move up to a used S-10 with at least 3 pedals and 4 KL's, pro model. I don't think I would put anymore money into a beginner model. You'll see a big difference when you change guitars. This is just my opinion and everybody's situation is different. Good luck with whatever you decide and keep pickin'!

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 25 Jun 2005 2:10 am

Although no one wants to tell someone that they need a "better" guitar, that is really a good suggestion.

The Carter Starter is a very good and perfectly adequate "starter" guitar, but don't expect the same qualities out of it that the "professional" model Carter or any other "professional brand has. The pickup in the starter guitar, as I understand, was specially designed for the guitar, replacing it with some other pickup may not make a difference and could even have a negative result. Sustain is really an overall thing, not just related to one component. Even the bar you are using, the picks, and where you place your hand and how you pick will affect sustain and tone.

Your "tone" can also be affected by the volume pedal. If you use a "guitar" volume pedal, such as an Ernie Ball, they can have a negative affect on tone as they use a 250K pot instead of the 500K that is used in Steel Guitar volume pedals.

Same way with the amp, some great guitar amps make poor steel guitar amps and no matter how you change the EQ it just won't cut it. Speakers are "voiced" (designed) for the guitar as are the overall cabinet response. <font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Jack Stoner on 25 June 2005 at 05:34 AM.]</p></FONT>

Stan Knowles · Post by **Stan Knowles** » 25 Jun 2005 7:36 am

Thanks for your replies.I am trying to get a pro steel now but money is tight, so I thought about tweaking the guitar that I have now.
Thanks again
Stan

Mark van Allen · Post by **Mark van Allen** » 25 Jun 2005 8:49 am

Hi, Stan. A lot of my students have Carter Starters, and from looking at the pickups, I'm pretty sure replacement with any aftermarket steel pickup would at the least require routing on the body, they're not a "stock" size or shape. I think that's a lot to tackle for what would at best be a marginal improvement. After changing out pickups on many brands of steels, my opinion is that different pickups do sound somewhat different as far as clarity, string separation, and to some degree tonal balance, but basically they're all just amplifying the sound of the guitar you start with...

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