The Steel Guitar Forum

Steve Sycamore: Thanks very much for this info, especially for posting a specific transformer for the job. I'll see if I can locate this transformer here in New Zealand (shipping costs from the USA are ridiculous these days...). I really appreciate it. And yes, I do have a qualified tech who can do ...

Scott: Thanks for the info. Mostly alien language to me, but it definitely helps, and I'll copy it for later reference. Right now I am using a stepdown transformer (240 to 120 volts), but I have no idea what the values would be if I measured them. The problems with the stepdown include: too heavy to...

ajm: Thanks for the tip. I'll check with Mercury Magnetics, for sure. I know the Model number of the transformer, but I don't really know any of the specs. And since I'm pretty much a hack when it comes to electronics, I'm not really sure exactly what I'm shopping for. Would really like to get somet...

Donny Hinson,
Thanks for that info. I'll try to track one down. I won't hold my breath, but you never know!

Hi Paddy. Good to hear from you. And yep, the stepdown transformer is a pain to lug around. It's the main reason why I haven't been using the Nashville 400 for a while. Am using a 2X12" Deluxe type amp right now and it's fine, but I wouldn't mind putting the old 400 back to work. Will suss out ...

Chris: I do use a stepdown transformer. I've had it here in NZ for 18 years, and it's a pain to lug it around. Also, it doesn't exactly produce a "clean" amp signal [grin]. And yep, I've tried several SD transformers over the years, and none is as good as just having normal 240 volt, 50 cy...

Dave:
Good point. It's been a while, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't. Will check, though. Thanks.

--je

I still haven't gotten around to converting my old Nashville 400 from 120 to 240 volt. I'm in New Zealand, so parts are hard to come by, and shipping costs from America are usually prohibitive. That said, does anyone have any suggestions for replacing the transformer and converting the amp to 240 vo...

Earnest: Yes, that's similar to what I'm going to do. I've been in contact with Jeff Surratt, who worked with Duane Marrs for many years, and he's fixing me up with new springs, which have threaded inserts and bolts, similar to yours. Instead of making a plate for them, he recommends simply drilling...

Ian:
Thank you for this. It's very helpful.
best,
--john

I'm finally getting around to cleaning and refurbing my old ShoBud. It's a mid 1970s single 12, 4x4, built by Duane Marrs. Has been a solid guitar for a long time now, and it's time to give it a once-over. Just cleaning the moving parts, and I have questions: 1. You can see that the spring plate has...

Thanks for the tips, folks. I appreciate 'em. I do have those papers, and yes Guy Cundell, I have your dissertaion as well. It's a fine work, by the way, and probably the only in-depth academic paper I've seen on the subject. Well done!

best,
--john

Thanks, Andrew. This looks pretty good. I'll give it some thought.
best, --john

Thanks, B0b. And thanks for the correction. I probably would have spent hours, scratching my head [grin].

Patrick:
Thanks for this. It's very helpful.
best, --je

Not sure where to post this, so I figured "Music" was as good a place as any. I'm doing some research for an academic paper I'm writing. I'm looking for ACADEMIC sources and references to include in this paper, and here's what I'm writing about: Being a pedal steel player and a multi-instr...

Rick Abbott Ian Worley Rick & Ian: Thanks so much for some great information. I'm not very attached to the D string, so I'm likely to to do away with it. Other suggestions are spot on, and I'll be looking closely at them. Ian, thanks for the copedant chart. It's really helpful, especially since ...

Hello, I've had my older (1975) ShoBud made by Duane Marrs for a long time now. It's an S12 with 4 & 4. It has an Extended E9 setup that I've been thinking of changing to a U12 setup. Have been looking at various copedants but haven't seen any that would work with my limited setup of 4X4. Is thi...

Josh: You're doing the right thing in sending the track dry. DO NOT put reverb on a track to be flown into a session. The engineer is likely to screw it up even more, and if they DO know what they're doing, they'll hate you for sending a wet track. I've done hundreds of long distance tracks for many...

Thanks, Paddy.
Just getting tired of carrying that stepdown transformer around [grin]. Also, am thinking that there are modern alternatives to the big transformer, that might reduce the weight of the amp. The older I get, the smaller the amp I seem to want. [grin]

Hi, I have a Nashville 400, 120 volt amp that I'd like to convert to 240 volt. Is it simply a matter of replacing the mains transformer and the fuse(s)? If so, where can I find a suitable transformer? I've had the amp for a long time (I moved to New Zealand almost 20 years ago), and I'm finally gett...

I'll see if I can get him to send me some shots of the peghead. --je

The saddle looks homemade. Not sure about the tailpiece (string holes through the guitar's body), either.

My friend, who is rewinding the pickup, says that it's obviously been messed with and isn't original (I haven't seen the guitar yet). Here are more pics: