The L-500 magnetic electric guitar pickup was released by Lawrence Sound Research (LSR) in 1979. Inheritor to the L-90XL throne, the L-500 was the next stage in the evolution of the ultimate guitar pickup by Bill Lawrence(Willi Lorenz Stich). Initially available as Lead/bridge (L-500L) with 9.6 Henry and Rhythm/neck (L-500R) with 4.8 Henry.

(pictured right: a post 1981 pre 1984 L-500L. This example was made before the switch to flat blades but after the addition of the bottom imprint. Early 1983 then?)

Unlike the L-90, the up and down strokes on a L-500 equipped instrument is known to produce a slightly different sound (on the low and high E strings), whereas the up and down strokes with the L-90s tone are consistent.

Unlike the L-90 and later L-90XL, the coils of the L-500 were very close, like typical humbucking pickups and featured chrome housings. Originally featuring two 2.150 inch long, curved blades.

The L-500 line would grow in 1981 with the creation and annexing of the cleaner sounding L-510L pickup. Some renaming ensued and by the end of 1981 the hot original L-500L was renamed the L-500XL, with the cleaner L-510L becoming the new L-500L. The L-500R did not change in name or design and the L-510R was dropped for the time being.

In 1983 the "BILL LAWRENCE USA-Imprint" imprint was added to the bottom of the pickup housings, and later that year, the blades where changed to be thinner and flat, flush with the top of the pickup.

After 1984, the L-500s would be manufactured and sold by two different parties, Bill Lawrence(Willi Lorenz Stich) and Jzchak 'EZ' Wajcman.

NOTE: For this sites purposes these two parties will be categorized as By Bill Lawrence (WS) and Bill Lawrence Products (EZ) respectfully, see the Glossary for more details.

Jzchak 'EZ' Wajcman would continue making the L-500s as they were being made at the end of 1983, although without the chrome housing option and later (late `80's early `90's) with the housings filled to the top with epoxy. Mr. Wajcman would also add the "BILL LAWRENCE U.S.A." stamp/print on the top of his pickups in ~2002.
The L-500's have been sold by Mr. Wajcman under other names such as XL500 and L-500RC, see the Glossary for more info on these variants.

In 1986 Bill Lawrence(Willi Lorenz Stich) started making and selling the L-500 and other guitar pickups under his new company name OBL, located in West Germany. These pickups would also feature flat blades although wider and longer. The original L-500s were made with only Gibson guitar string spacing in mind. These new 2.225 inch blades would allow the L-500's to be used effectively in guitars with Fender string spacing as well. Unlike Mr. Wajcman, Mr. Lawrence would continue to offer his pickups with the chrome housing option.

In 1994 Mr. Lawrence would revive previously discontinued L-510R, renamed the L-500C or "clean", filling out the L-500 lineup to four pickups, the L-500C, L-500R, L-500L, and L-500XL.

See the Compare and Timeline pages for more details.