Clinesmith D8

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 18 Mar 2008 9:02 pm

On sunday as I was packing up to leave the Dallas show I decided to sit down at Todd Clinesmith's PA reissue D8.

Big Mistake !

First note I hit messed my head up. I'm thinking to myself "wow, this thing has got something to it"

I played it a bit and it just got worse and worse. I tried to walk away and only got 10 feet.

Within a few minutes of first looking it over I bought it.
I can not afford it and really have no use for another steel but what can you do ? I'm a weak man when confronted with such beauty.

Anyhoo, Todd made a heck of an amazing musical instrument and I hope I can do it justice. I had it on stage in Brooklyn within 30 hours of sitting down at it in Dallas. For weds night's gig I'll break out the Standell. Whoo Hoo !

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 18 Mar 2008 10:42 pm

Congrats Bob, and Todd too!!!

Playing that guitar through a Standel will be a match made in guitar heaven!!

Andy Sandoval · Post by **Andy Sandoval** » 18 Mar 2008 11:27 pm

Is Todd building a single neck version?

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 19 Mar 2008 1:26 am

Andy, here's a link to an older topic about Todd's guitars:
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... clinesmith

Tom Pettingill · Post by **Tom Pettingill** » 19 Mar 2008 6:43 am

Those PA's of Todd's are stunning, nice score

Ian Campbell · Post by **Ian Campbell** » 19 Mar 2008 9:04 am

What's up with Todd's website? Is it offline? Does anyone know what the wait time is for the PA reissues? Months, years, they look amazing.

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 19 Mar 2008 9:31 am

When I asked Todd what the wait time would be to get a new one with the name inlay he said 8 months or so.

Todd Clinesmith · Post by **Todd Clinesmith** » 19 Mar 2008 10:57 am

Bob,
Glad you are enjoying the guitar.
It was pretty funny to watch the magnetic attraction between Bob and the steel. He wanted to walk away but just could not.
After 30 seconds of playing the guitar , he said something like " why did I sit down and play this". I would have had the same experience if it was me. The next steel out the door goes to Mike Neer in NY as well.

Andy , I am working on the single neck lap guitar . There is a new aluminum pattern I am working on for the single necks that should be ready to cast with in a month. I imagine in 6 months I should be able to take orders for a single neck.

My website has been down ( great timing). The server I have been using is horrible and has been up and down alot over the last few months. I switched servers yesterday and they claim it will be up by today or tomorrow . Bob is correct . The wait is 8 months as of today. It will go up after a few more orders.
Thanks for the comments Ian and Tom.

Jussi thanks for posting the link. Those are basically the photos on my website.

10 string guitars are next. The 10 string patterns should begin casting this month . The first will go to Bobbe Seymour.... D10 with 8 pedals.

At the show I had my T-8 wood neck guitar that is basically a late 40's model.
I'll post a photo when Fed Ex drops it off (gently I hope).

Todd

Andy Sandoval · Post by **Andy Sandoval** » 19 Mar 2008 7:07 pm

All my lap steels are 6 string except for my Ricky B-7. I've always had this idea of ownin an 8 string lap steel but could never decide on which one. I'm thinkin now I might hold off for awhile...

Eric Dunst · Post by **Eric Dunst** » 19 Mar 2008 9:58 pm

Howdy.

I just came back from Bob's gig... and let me say that Todd Clinesmith's PA reissue sounded incredible (It's possible that Bob had something to do with it).

Seriously, Bob, you sounded great! Thanks for offering to let me try it out. Maybe if no one else was there to witness I'd have accepted. I'll try and stop in at Tea Lounge on my way home Saturday after my gig. I hope that some of the other NYC forumites make the trip to brooklyn.

~eric

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 19 Mar 2008 10:03 pm

I just played a gig with the Clinesmith and my Standell. Just rediculous tone. In the morning I'm recording a radio show (WFMU) with Smokey Hormel. I'll post the broadcast times unless I screw up too much.

The thing that gets to me about Todd's steel is how it feels to play it. It sounds better than any straight steel I have ever played and there is nothing to push, fight or work around anywhere on the neck.

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 19 Mar 2008 11:38 pm

Can the bar come off the nut easily/quietly, or do the strings seat a bit/a lot?

Do the strings feed straight 'in line' from the board/nut to the gears?

Thanx

Gary Boyett · Post by **Gary Boyett** » 20 Mar 2008 3:31 am

Here is a picture from another thread showing the strings.

Very nice indeed.

seldomfed · Post by **seldomfed** » 20 Mar 2008 4:57 am

Todd, great meeting you and playing your guitars! Fantastic sound. Thanks for letting me try them. I knew Bob was going to get the guitar! - you could see it in his eyes - congrats Bob -

till next time,
chris

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 20 Mar 2008 5:52 am

yes,.....Bob was crazed.......

.....he wasn't leaving the hotel without that steel......

Post by **Joey Ace** » 21 Mar 2008 4:27 am

Congrats Bob!
You and that guitar are a match made in heaven.

I spent a lot of time visiting Todd and playing his Resos. I felt that "magnetic pull" that kept pulling me back.

Lookin forward to doing it again...

Todd Clinesmith · Post by **Todd Clinesmith** » 21 Mar 2008 8:21 am

Ron, I seat the high strings more than half way into the nut. The wound strings are seated about half way in , depending on the gauges.

Chris , is was great to meet you. Also great to finally get my hands on one of Rick Aiello's Dustpans. Thanks for bringing that by. I hope Rick starts these up again, I will be first on his list.

Joey .... look forward to next time.

Fed Ex is a day late with my steel T-8 , I'll get a photo up tomorrow.
Looks like my web site is back up. I am in the middle of switching web hosts so it may go down again.
Todd

William Steward · Post by **William Steward** » 22 Mar 2008 8:13 pm

Bob...glad this objet d'art went to a loving home. That D-8 is a retro thing of beauty that I kept walking by to look at as well! Listening to your new CD while looking out on a rather strange urban landscape of New Delhi, India and the soundtrack seems surprisingly appropriate!

Really enjoying the tracks. Cheers, Wil

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 22 Mar 2008 8:26 pm

Thanx Gary, for posting that angle.

Todd, what's the meaningful differences between the all wood vs the wood and metal tops?

Are you doing/gonna do multi neck 10 stringers, and multi 10s with pedals?

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 22 Mar 2008 10:13 pm

I just got back from my 5th gig (busy week) with the Clinesmith D8 and I like it more and more as I get to know it better.

Great work, Todd. Thanks for building such a special steel.

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 23 Mar 2008 11:14 am

Joey Ace wrote:Congrats Bob!
I felt that "magnetic pull" that kept pulling me back.

err,.......Joey,.......that was Todd tugging at your belt loop......you were liking his resophonic guitars too much......

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 23 Mar 2008 12:13 pm

Bob Hoffnar wrote:...Within a few minutes of first looking it over I bought it...

As the man said, "A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do." Go by your gut feeling and jump in !

Edward Meisse · Post by **Edward Meisse** » 23 Mar 2008 8:12 pm

If he hadn't, someone else would have. And he'd be reading about it here. How would he have felt then?

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 23 Mar 2008 10:25 pm

Edward,
I bought the steel after the show was over. Todd's spot was right in the lobby so everybody had plenty of chances to check out the Clinesmith steels. If I didn't buy it he would have packed it up and taken it home. If you want one I think that the triple neck might still be available. They are not cheap but they are worth it.
They are glorious instruments !

Todd Clinesmith · Post by **Todd Clinesmith** » 24 Mar 2008 8:39 am

Ron,
I will be doing multiple 10's and 10 with pedals. In the original style , with cables and traditional changers. The aluminum necks are a bit brighter, and the wood necks a touch warmer in tone.

Thanks again Bob. Can't wait to hear what you do with that steel.
Enjoy
Todd

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