Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

When the magnetism of a horse shoe pickup is lost, can the magnet of a "lap steel guitar" be recarried? How is a size etc. different?

Good question Atsushi. I'd try asking Sergio at the "Winding up with the Best" topic on the forum "Topic" page. Just scroll down toward the bottom and you'll find it.

Excuse me, but I believe I am the master here....

The 1.25" horseshoe magnets on the lap steels are the same ones used on the bass pickups. Lap steel afficianados have a bounty on my head for the shoes I've ripped off of original steels.

My 1964 4001 has rusty and weakened Magnets on it. If I can get one or two magnets, I want to change to more powered ones.
Where can I find these odd things??
I don't want to buy the good lapsteel to brake in many parts...But do I need to do so?

"Excuse me, but I believe I am the master here...."

Atsushi, you may not need to do this. The weakness of your pickup may be due to the .0047uf capacitor? This makes the pickup sound soft and weak compared to the toaster. Look for it and short a wire across it. It is the cap that is connected directly to the switch.
And, the rest of you, I did it first... so that makes me the master...Grasshoppers

Yes, the magnets of a 50's -60's 6, 7, or 8 string steel will work in bass pickups. Weak magnets can be regaussed. Contact Jason Lollar for details on this service.

It is completely possible to take the shoes from an old lap steel WITHOUT redering steel unusable. All you have to do it rebuild the steel pickup with an under string magnet. While not period correct and could earn you the ire of devout steel players will work just fine. I have done this 3 times using student grade steels that I bought cheaply because they were damaged or in one case, disassembled.

the shoes on a horseshoe pickup are magnetized steel ... steel is prone to degaussing ... what we consider magnets are quite often made of iron, aluminum, cobalt, and nickel and they are quite often heat-treated to hold a magnetic charge ... the heat treating consists of gaussing the magnet while it is heated ... this gives the magnet a predisposition to hold a magnetic charge ...

the horseshoe for a bass and a lap steel are pretty much the same thing ... the main difference is the number of pole pieces ...

I have often thought that if done properly the addition of magnets to a horseshoe pickup could improve its performance ...

Yup,

Gerry had me wheelin' and dealin' here way back when you could pick up the whole assembly for well under $100...

Those were the days....

The true purpose of a vintage lap-steel IS to sacrifice it's shoe's for a 4001...

Sorry "Oh Master", for I am humbled in your presence.

"The true purpose of a vintage lap-steel IS to sacrifice it's shoe's for a 4001..."

I have limited my harvesting to those very common (student?) models. It would be bad guitar kharma to dismantle a rare or interesting instrument just for the shoes.

Just a joke Ted.

I know. I just don't want to encourage the indescriminant destruction of good guitars.