Lace Music Products Dobro Sensor Pickup

Very basic single coil pickup. Stick on mount.

1974 Dobro square neck.

Weak output. I expected a hotter pickup. I play my Dobro through a Crate 125 watt acoustic amp. It is very mellow sounding with phosper bronze strings. It might be hotter and brighter with nickle wound strings. I play bluegrass and gospel music styles and this pickup is decent for my application. It does not sound very "country," however.

It installs easily, although there were no directions from the manufacturer. I bought it from Musicians friend and they were no help with installation-in fact they offered bad advice. It took two weeks but Jeff Lace himself contacted me with intallation instructions. A mini CD was included with the pickup but it did not show how to install; it did contain info on wiring a telecaster with a different pickup, however. I wish the dobro pickup had more output, but I am satisified with the sound.

Pickup features: Humbucking style, passive
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: National Tricone Style 1
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: None
Other pickups on guitar: None
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Blues, slide guitar
Reason for pickup change: Looking for a great resonator pickup

Perceived output level: Output is ok
Tone: Middy
Sonic evaluation: Rolands, Fender, PA systems.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable:

Comments: I originally wrote the above article but want to further comment on the pickup. I later got to use the pickup at higher volume levels.
The 1st and 2nd string volumes were quite a bit louder that the rest of the strings. So lould it was not comfortable playing slide at all. The first 4 string however were nicely balanced but the first two strings not good. The overall design and application is great but it needs to be balanced better.

Pickup features: Humbucker - no batteries required
Impedence or other specs: do not know

Model of guitar or bass: National Style 1 Tricone
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: None
Other pickups on guitar: None
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Slide, blues
Reason for pickup change: The never ending search for a great resonator pickup

Perceived output level: Seems to be very good. I unpluged my other acoustic guitar and plugged in this one and had same level output
Tone: Very evenly balanced across the strings. Rich sound!
Sonic evaluation: My main amp is a Roland Acoustic 60. Also use a few others. Fender Keyboard amp, Fender PA and a Roland 30 Blues Amp. But mostly the Acoustic 60.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable:

Comments: I have tried a few other resonator pickups. They were ok but just didnt suit my needs. If you want a GREAT pickup for your National this is one if not the best. It only sits 1/4 inch off the deck. It measures 1 1/2 x 3 inches. Mine has a nickel plated cover. I think National is making other covers also that will match other National guitar colors etc. This is not a basic magnetic sensor. It is masterfully a humbucker in a flat package. You stick in on with two sided tape or I will be trying come other adhesive. It has an attached end-pin jack. Can be left external or drill a hole in the body and attach it interal also. This is a new venture with National Guitars and Lace. Be prepared to be on a wait list. These are not mass produced China junk. The quality is equal to your prized National looks and sound wise. If it were lost or stolen that would mean my National is gone aslo. Would not be good for the person found with them.

Pickup features: Low Profile for National, Dobro, and other Resos
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: 1936 National Style O
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: PUTW #27
Other pickups on guitar: None
Artists using this pickup: ?
You musical style(s): Acoustic Blues (Chris Whitley)
Reason for pickup change: Needed something a little less feedback prone

Perceived output level: Hot without feedback
Tone: Fairly Balanced, but leaning towards bassy because it's so close to the end of the fretboard.
Sonic evaluation: 1936 National Style O straight into a Fender Super Champ.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Chris Whitley, and Instrumental Blues Type Stuff.

Comments: Definitley buy another one. I've been playing over 30 years. I also own a Sterling single cone reso with a Lace Dobro Pickup, it's for the weird tuned stuff. The only other product I've ever seen that can do the job, are the old flat Barcus Berry's. I can't find any of those, they are long gone. But one of these days, a real smart company(like Lace) will make a super flat, humbucker for this job. Hint, Hint, Hint!!! The Lace Company is also very good about service. I had one of their pickups that wasn't quite right, and they had no problem excahnging it for another one. Very good people to deal with.

Pickup features: Single Coil
Impedence or other specs: Don't know

Model of guitar or bass: Gretsch Historic Series Resonator
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: none
Other pickups on guitar: none
Artists using this pickup: Not sure
You musical style(s): Delta Blues,Bottleneck Slide`
Reason for pickup change: I needed something other than the crappy Transducer pickups being offered by Mcintyre,Fishman,Schatten,etc.

Perceived output level: Medium output
Tone: Very Well Balanced tone
Sonic evaluation: I use various Overdrive pedals,mostly Tube Screamers modified
by myself.
I use either a Peavey Ecoustic 1-12 125 watt amp (for a more Acoustic tone) or Vintage Fender and Marshall Tube amps (for a more Dirty Delta Blues sound)
This pickup does not Feed Back,doesn't need excessive EQ'ing.
Thats more than I can say for those Transducer pickups I've tried.
Its absolutely a No Frills setup.
Just plug and play.
You can't beat that.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play High-Energy Bottleneck Blues,much like what Eric Sardinas does.

Comments: I would definitely buy this pickup again.
It goes from a full Clean sound to Dirty Delta to over the top at the flick of a switch.
Unlike most Reso pickups,the Lace DOES NOT need a Pre-amp.
I've tried a bunch of Transducer pickups and nothing can do what the Lace does.
All this crap about this pickup not capturing the "true" sound of the cone is a bunch of BS.
Nothing can capture the sound of the cone but a good mic.
However,When you play this pickup thru an amp,it sounds like a Reso,
NOT an Electric guitar as many people so readily assume without trying this pickup.

Pickup features: Lace sensor technology
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Beeton Brass Resophonic 'O' Style
Position: middle
Pickup being replaced: none
Other pickups on guitar: none
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Bottleneck and Delta Blues
Reason for pickup change: I needed a magnetic pickup to amplify my National style
single cone resophonic guitar, especially when playing
with other instruments through a PA. The Lace Dobro pickup
mounts on the surface of the guitar. It has a specially low
profile to fit under the strings with normal action.
It is balanced for the B string. I checked out the
Barcus Berry Dobro pickup, but it is larger, and no
longer available. I've done an AB comparison, and the
Lace is much cleaner and has better string definition.

Perceived output level: Works directly with amp, but I run it through a DOD Tech 4 to get extra tone, effects and gain when necessary.
Tone: Warm, clean, quiet. Well balanced, especially with white phosphor bronze strings.
Sonic evaluation: I use the pickup with a Peavey Ecoustic 100 Watt amp. I have also
played it through a DI into a PA. It sounds great, and does a great job of capturing something of the acoustic quality of a resophonic
guitar. Great in combination with a microphone when playing solo.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Slide blues. Really only suitable for Dobro or National style resophonic guitars

Comments: There aren't a lot of options for this kind of pickup, so it's just as well that this one is great. It may not be for purists, but it is a professional quality means of amplifying resophonic guitars in difficult sonic situations, where microhones are not an option.