The Steel Guitar Forum

This looks like a possibility in the #7054 tobacco brown tint:

https://www.stewmac.com/luthier-tools-a ... arker.html

I'd be interested in what you end up doing, since I have a brown McKenna with a few minor lacquer dings.

Bogue

I used a .026w for that G on a 23" scale National neck tuned to G13. On my current 23" lap steel in D13, I use a .024w for an A and a .028w for F#. All three seem to sound and feel good. I can't imagine trying to wrap a .026p around the tuner post! The calculated tension is actually higher...

Keweenaw Brewgrass 12/28/19. A 55 year age gap between the dobro and the fiddle. The talent gap is much wider.

The danger of repetitive stress injuries from practicing too long should be taken seriously. I learned it the hard way, with some permanent damage in each hand. If you start to hurt or tire, take a break. Our young fiddle player was taught that and since adopting her approach I've coped much better ...

I've used the Goldtone ABS-C for at least 6 years now with good results. For concerts I plug directly into the PA which supplies the necessary phantom power. For smaller settings, I use an "off the grid" rig with the ABS-C going through a 9volt battery powered ART Phantom II Pro into a Rol...

Sweet looking guitars! What tunings will you use?

I have a stool similar to the one below.

https://www.amazon.com/Trademark-Gamero ... B007V5JKP8

18" is about the right height for me. Soft ground, like in a a park, can be a problem.

If it's stainless steel or delrin plastic, you might be able to save it if the nicks aren't too deep. I've used 320 grit and progressively finer sand papers to take out some bad scratches then metal polish to bring the shine back. All you have to lose is your time. If its a plated or ceramic bar, it...

You might also consider the Lace Tonebar 10- 4.0" version, specifically intended for steel guitar. I have the Tonebar 12 - 4.5" on a 10 string lap with wide spacing.

A quick measurement on my trusty old McKenna 8 string gave:

Nut = 8 mm

Bridge = 10 mm

the same as Howard's Beard values for all practical purposes.

My cover plate is a standard Beard. Minimum side clearance under the palm strap is approximately 5 mm.

Awesome rendition, Sebastian! In my wildest dreams, I couldn't pull that off.

I shared the link with my son, a professional sax player in the Twin Cities. He and a friend fish for muskellunge on Lake Minnetonka. Maybe the muskies would like it if they heard it from the boat.

I've played 8 string dobro with a 24 fret board as my main gigging instrument for about 12 years now. Rarely do I go above fret 21, except for clowning around. On other guitars, ear and eyeball get me to fret 21 using the fret 19 spacing as a rough guide. Even though I don't take out those guitars a...

Jerry, I'm a retired civl engineer who doesn't know zip about electronics. But any condenser mic requires phantom or on-board power. The larger acoustic amps often supply phantom as do many PA systems. My little AC-33 does not so I need the ART Phantom Pro II which is powered by a 9v battery. When I...

The Gold Tone condenser mic has worked well for me over the past five years or so. I go through an ART Phantom Pro II into the mic channel on a Roland AC-33 for brew pub gigs and direct to house sound on stage. Even if I could justify the cost, the Fishman Aura rig is not an option because I play an...

Check out Todd Clinesmith's bars, too:

https://www.clinesmithinstruments.com/c ... ccessories


I've used one of his (13/16 x 2-3/4) for three years or so on my McKenna 8 string resonator.

I use Doug Beaumier's E13 shifted down to D13:

Hi->Lo F#, E, D, B, A, F#, E, D, C, A

Gages: .0135, .015, .017, .020, .024w, .028w, .032w, .036w, .040w, .048w

with a target tension of 30 to 32 lb.

I'd second Bill Sinclair: A13 with the G on the bottom. The same intervals as Junior Brown's C13. I've used the G13 version of that for 12 years on my 8 string resonator. A13 would sound better I believe, but "I don't want to have to think too hard when playing a gig."

The tuners on my 1974 OMI are oriented the same way. Presumably from the factory since I bought it new. The plates on mine are shaped a bit different.

Since I play an 8 string the Fishman isn't an option. So I've used the Gold Tone condenser mic for six years or so and it's works very well for me. I run it through an ART phantom pro II to a Roland AC-33 for small venues. On stage, it goes directly to the PA or house sound board (no preamp) with go...

The fourth string still covers the tension screw with the offset spider. I used a small, bent flat bar through the front palm strap opening to do final screw adjustment. Going into the screw slot from the side instead of the top. If the screw was placed prior to the insert, I'll bet you could do sim...

The "best" thumb pick may be the one that gives you even wear (and contact) across the face of the pick. My thumb is straight like the left one in Fred's picture. But, it won't move back more than about 45 degrees from the fingers. So the Zookie 30 is a blessing. For other folks, it might ...

I have a 1949 model 1050. The plastic tuner buttons were in tough shape and I replaced them all. A previous owner had removed the amphenol jack and hardwired a big ugly curly cord. I changed it to a 1/4" jack. But if the amphenol jack had still been there, I would have tried the adaptor route f...

To follow up Derrick Mau's point, I find the acoustic sound I hear coming up from the dobro in front of me is quite different from any recording of that sound or the sound coming back through a monitor. Generally, the close-in tone seems harsher to me. Especially when practicing under a low ceiling ...

I feel the choice of C6 vs G6, etc. is pretty much based what you're used to and what keys your band plays in. Past threads have indicated string gages smaller than about .014 sound pretty thin on a resonator guitar. I've never tried anything that small myself. I do know gages in the .058 to .060 ra...

This is a slippery slope and you'd better stop it right now! Pretty soon you'll start using your bullet bar to snag those reverse and split slants easier. Then you'll start playing Hawaiian and swing at the expense of bluegrass. And if that's not bad enough, you'll start looking for a 7 or 8 string....