Wow, this looks pretty damn innovative!

[SK66]

http://www.agi-lace.com/electric_pic...tone_specs.php

[Mystic]

sounds like a bunch of psycobable on the web site though. Whats important is what it sounds like. HAve you tried one? It looks nice. It's a unique idea (magnets on top)

[Chicago]

Those few who tried them on the "FDP" got over them "pretty fast" and pulled them out.

[David Schwab]

I heard a recording on some website doing a review... and also there was a review in Guitar Player of a guitar with these in it.

It was very bright and clean. Not very warm sounding. Guitar Player didn't seem to like them.. saying they were on the harsh side.

They look very cool though!

This reminds me of a phenomenon that effects me, and probably others... I see some new pickup, and read about it, and think, damn, that sounds cool and innovative... I must have one! (or figure out to make one)... then I actually hear the pickup, and think.. that's it?

On the other hand, Q-Tuners are innovative and sounds pretty good too!

[David Schwab]

sounds like a bunch of psycobable on the web site though. Whats important is what it sounds like. HAve you tried one? It looks nice. It's a unique idea (magnets on top)

It's a freaky pickup. It's just a bent piece of aluminum with slots cut into it with a water jet. The magnets induce a current to flow in the aluminum (aka eddy currents)... sort of like a ribbon mic.

(this is the patent drawing from a transensor pickup)

[Chicago]

Too bad It started out on the wrong foot incorporating a very poor design from the 50’s
IE. A flat ceramic bar magnet style design that place's the ceramic magnet directly under the strings.

Intonation is LOST!

[DrStrangelove]

It's a single loop coil (current mode, they called it) fed into a step-up auto-transformer. If it's like other Transensors, the magnets aren't very strong, either.
-drh
--

[David Schwab]

...A flat ceramic bar magnet style design that place's the ceramic magnet directly under the strings.

Intonation is LOST!

That's how Alembic pickup pickups are made too. No intonation problems.

Those are rubber magnets on the Alumitone ... I think 6 alnico rods will pull the strings more.

[Chicago]

-Those are not "rubber'
-It uses two real ceramic bar's
-The pickup totally sucks.
-And even if it did not suck, it still will not intonate.

Innovative or just looks?
IMHO it's like the guy in the $200.000.00 sports car, he's compensating for a "lack of".

In the Alumitone's case it's tone and adjustability

[Rob S]

http://www.agi-lace.com/electric_pic...tone_specs.php

I can't stop looking at them. Works of are they are.

[David Schwab]

[Rob S]

[David Schwab]

Too bad It started out on the wrong foot incorporating a very poor design from the 50’s
IE. A flat ceramic bar magnet style design that place's the ceramic magnet directly under the strings.

Intonation is LOST!

One of the features listed is:

"Less magnetic string pull eradicating pickup pitch warble and increasing string life"

It doesn't sound like you actually tried these, have you?

Here's an actual review.

Lace Alumitone Pickups

[Chicago]

YO, DS

Hey fellow pup maker, do you understand you have just called me a liar here?

sorry it's came to this~~~~~~~~~~` gheesh!

[David Schwab]

YO, DS

Hey fellow pup maker, do you understand you have just called me a liar here?

Lier? I did nothing of the kind. I said you are incorrect. You are stating that putting a ceramic bar magnet under the strings will lead to intonation problems, and that's not true at all. Alembic makes all their pickups that way... no intonation problems. I've made some pickups with ceramic bar magnets as the coil core... no intonation problems. And having a big ceramic magnet with steel poles is the same thing... look at something like a Duncan Invader... no intonation problems. Oh and rubberized magnets are "real" ceramic magnets. Rickenbacker and Lace use them all the time.

Let's be honest here... three Strat pickups with a total of 18 alnico magnets under the strings exerts a lot more string pull... and only causes warbling problems if you have the pickups VERY close to the strings. Two ceramic magnets wont do such a thing.

If you are having intonation problems, it's due to some other factor. If you want someone to take your post seriously, why don't you reply with some detailed information on why those pickups "wont intonate" (not that you can intonate a pickup anyway...) I've been repairing and building guitars since 1971, and I have yet to see a pickup with magnets so strong as to cause tuning problems. Even stratitus doesn't effect tuning... just makes the notes warble.

So sorry, I don't buy it. Nothing personal.