Alan F. Brookes wrote:To my mind, the use of a machine head from a pedal steel looks clumsy on an acoustic instrument.
Subjective of course.......and each is entitled to their own....
I never really thought of it as clumsy.....more like....different, unique, & original as well as functional.....but more important....it has great volume and tone....certainly a world of greater difference than an original 10 string Dobro from OMI that I once had.....
but while we're on the subject of a pedal steel keyhead on an acoustic instrument.....
Howard R-I love your pedal Dobro!-did you make it? It reminds me of a time long ago when a friend of mine (who is a well known player and sometimes posts on the Forum) was toying with making one-His idea was to make a Dobro into a pedal steel-rather than make a pedal steel into a Dobro-it looks like you have taken that approach-more than say the Franklin Ped-A-Bro which seemingly takes on the latter-He abandoned his ideas after finding out that the Franklin Guitar Co was granted something like 12 point patent on the Ped-A-Bro
This next one I love......The Beltona Tricone...made of carbon fiber.....sounds more like a National Style 0 squareneck but with more sustain......this guitar is feather light, and just plain fun....
What an amazing instrument. Putting the tuners at the resonator end compels the putting of the mechanism at the other end, so it's turned backwards, rather like a Multi-Kord, which means that the entire thing has to designed from scratch instead of using an existing mechanism.
HowardR wrote:this week, I received "Le Hawaienne"......a modern version of the Macaferri Hawaiian guitars made during the 1930s........built by Michael Dunn.....
...Wow ! What an attractive guitar. Excellent ! We're all envious.
Since the "le" is French, shouldn't it be "l'Hawaienne" ? The "e" disappears in French before "h" unless the h is aspirated. On the other hand, most French words ending in "ienne" are femininie, which would make it "la" not "le".
MD is Canadian... As we all know French Canadians don't do 'real' French..
23" scale, 4.5" cones, 7 string, tuned high:
6" cones, katalox fingerboards on all these:
This was traded to Michael Dunn for one of his beauties. We arranged to meet after one year and surprise each other. I arranged for a mural by Cheap Suit cartoonist Robert Armstrong, which really blew his mind. My reward was a killer Maccaferri, chakte kuk back with ebony stripes, internal soundbox and reflector. Needless to say, the guitar and uke are not blue - that's the sky:
Wow John, Your instruments are beautifull looking, and I am sure they sound great. A mutual friend was just telling me about you a few weeks ago. He said you go to Weiser as well. I'll look you up this year.
I Look forward to meeting you and seeing some of your fine instruments, and hopefully try out an 8 string.
Once again beautifull work.
Todd
Hi Todd, I have admired your work at Weiser, and in fact we have made some noise together a couple of times. Weiser is much the better for your fine playing.
I work out of a machine shop, and I have long thought of making a pedal steel from scratch. But without one to copy I'd be reinventing the whole thing. Your work on the steels comes from right where I like to be, at the intersection of metalwork and music. Keep at it, I'll see you in June ...
