Very High DCR in a Gibson BR-9 Lap Steel Pickup

[flythair1]

Hello MEF Pickup Community,

I have done some searching here and on google but found nothing that really applies to this topic. I bought a Gibson BR-9 lap steel & amp (about 1949 era) that had been neglected and shows some moisture damage. The pickup has a faux turtle shell top plate and bottom and looks like the pics that were in an earlier (maybe a couple of years old) thread. The pole pieces are very rusty. When I put my meter on the leads, it measures about 400k and as I hold the leads the meter reading starts to drop little by little. It never does really stabilize. Some of the other threads I read talked about the possibility that the magnets are weak and that the rust may affect the preformance of the pickup.

I would like to have the pickup looked at by a pro but I don't know of any winder/builders in the Minneapolis area. If it needs to be re-wound, I would be fine with that. I know that some of you folks like to do rewinds on these vintage pieces and I'd be happy to send the pickup to someone and pay to have it re-wound or whatever it takes to get it working.

Any advise on getting this pickup working would be appreciated.

Scott

[flythair1]

I think David S just answered part of my question in another thread when he mentioned holding the meter leads in your hands when taking a reading. When I use jumper wires, the pickup shows open so I'll take another look at it but I'd guess it will still need repair.

Scott

[David Schwab]

Yeah, sounds like the coil is open. Probably corroded inside the coil.

If you grab the two probe ends of a meter with your fingers, you will read the resistance of your body. That's why it's a good idea not to hold the wires against the probes with your fingers. I use test clips that splip over the probes.

[Quarter]

Check with Jason Lollar and see if he is taking repair work right now, he knows his way around old lap steel pickups.