Ebay 1980 L1K Auction Question

I thought the earliest (80/81) L1K bass guitars had slot-pole pickups. I suspect the answer is more complicated.... - ed

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120592313650&fromMakeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:watchlink:top:en

I thought the earliest (80/81) L1K bass guitars had slot-pole pickups. I suspect the answer is more complicated.... - ed

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120592313650&fromMakeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:watchlink:top:en

Looks to be correct. Here's some info from Greg Gagliano's webpage on the 1980 L-1000:
The earliest L-1000s (1980) have large allen head pole pieces. These were changed to slot head pole pieces in 1981-82 and then to small allen head pole pieces by 1983. Here's the reference page: http://www.ggjaguar.com/80l-1000.htm for you to check out. There is more info about the difference in pickup covers.

Hope this helps.

That's extremely interesting, Craig. Thanks!

It does make me wonder what was behind the change from the large allen head pole pieces to the slot head pole pieces then finally to the smaller allen head pole pieces within the course of those first two or three years. From a purely economic (or even electormagnetic) perspective, it doesn't seem to make obvious sense. Do you have any info or maybe a theory here? - ed

That's extremely interesting, Craig. Thanks!

It does make me wonder what was behind the change from the large allen head pole pieces to the slot head pole pieces then finally to the smaller allen head pole pieces within the course of those first two or three years. From a purely economic (or even electormagnetic) perspective, it doesn't seem to make obvious sense. Do you have any info or maybe a theory here? - ed

Check out patent D4686881 for info about the slotted pole piece pickups. I have no info about why the change from large to smaller allen head pole pieces.

Hope this helps.

Hmmmm. Seems to me it's possible then that G&L moved away from the slot pole because of a situation where once the pole height was adjusted to taste, the sound characteristics might not be as desired (or conversely when sound was adjusted to taste, the pickup height might not necessarily be optimal)? I'm going to have to play with my slot pole pieces now, because I'm actually a bit skeptical about the orientation of the screw having a noticeable impact on the sonic characteristics as described in the patent materials.

And then there's the issue of why go from large to small allen head screws ultimately. I'm guessing that the large would actually be a bit easier to adjust...... Interesting indeed! - ed

And then there's the issue of why go from large to small allen head screws ultimately. I'm guessing that the large would actually be a bit easier to adjust...... Interesting indeed!

As a physicist I would say it is how the shape of the pole piece affects the magnetic field. It is easy to see that a slotted head has only a 2-fold symmetry: it looks the same only in its current position and when you rotate it 180˚. A allen screw has a six-fold symmetry and hence has more positions where it looks the same. The ideal would be a circle where it would look the same no matter how much of a twist you give it. But you would be able to device a tool that would be useful. I guess the transition to small allen screws has to do with trying to minimize the amount of material that is absent to make the magnetic field as uniform as possible. Bt one would have to do finite element analysis to really support all of these statements.

Don't forget your oscilloscope; I'll bring my old green one...

As a physicist I would say it is how the shape of the pole piece affects the magnetic field. It is easy to see that a slotted head has only a 2-fold symmetry: it looks the same only in its current position and when you rotate it 180˚. A allen screw has a six-fold symmetry and hence has more positions where it looks the same. The ideal would be a circle where it would look the same no matter how much of a twist you give it. But you would be able to device a tool that would be useful. I guess the transition to small allen screws has to do with trying to minimize the amount of material that is absent to make the magnetic field as uniform as possible. Bt one would have to do finite element analysis to really support all of these statements.

People who have owned both the slot pole and hex pole beasts have reported that the the hex pole pickups work as expected; they vary the output volume of their respective strings. The slot pole, OTOH, varies the volume and changes the timbre a little bit. Fine tuning generally leads them to keep all the slots aimed the same direction, regardless of height.

Strong magnets and soft iron - whatta combination.

Ken...

Don't forget your oscilloscope; I'll bring my old green one...

Oooh. Sometimes I yearn back to the days I first operated an old Tektronics scope with the rubber cover and the big red knobs. You having a scope at all makes me jealous