Tricone fever...
Moderator: Brad Bechtel
- John Billings
- Posts: 9344
- Joined: 11 Jul 2002 12:01 am
- Location: Ohio, USA
-
- Posts: 2833
- Joined: 19 Jul 2005 12:01 am
- Location: Santa Rosa, California, USA
- John Billings
- Posts: 9344
- Joined: 11 Jul 2002 12:01 am
- Location: Ohio, USA
Edward, thanks for the tip. I play pedal and lapsteel. But I play a lot of bottleneck too. Check out my other current threads. Trying to figure out Misty on bottleneck. I really need the cutaway. Donmo's guitars are well-received and respected, are are built on a pretty much custom basis. I can probably get a 7-string. And his prices are quite good.
Edited to add: Duh! Edward, just remembered you've been helpin' me on that other thread!
Edited to add: Duh! Edward, just remembered you've been helpin' me on that other thread!
- Erv Niehaus
- Posts: 26797
- Joined: 10 Aug 2001 12:01 am
- Location: Litchfield, MN, USA
-
- Posts: 2833
- Joined: 19 Jul 2005 12:01 am
- Location: Santa Rosa, California, USA
- Todd Weger
- Posts: 1136
- Joined: 24 Jul 2000 12:01 am
- Location: Safety Harbor, FLAUSA
- Contact:
Got mine yesterday, too...
Hey Erv -- glad yours arrived. Mine came about 7:30 last night.
The UPS guy pulled up around 4:30, parked in front of the house, and proceeded to dig in the back of his truck for about 10 minutes (all while the dog was going stark raving bat crazy barking at the evil UPS guy). He then gets back in the drivers seat, and drives away. Huh!!???
All's well that ends well, though, as he came back a few hours later with it. The website said on truck for delivery, but apparently, it was not actually on the truck!
I agree -- for the money, the quality of workmanship (such as it is on a cheap instrument), materials, playability and tone so far are beyond what I had expected. Certainly not a hand-crafted work of art like a NRP, but surely good enough for a tricone novice like me to get my feet wet, before committing a few large to a real one. The thing that most surprised me was how good and loud the tone is. And that's before I'm going to put on semi-flat dobro strings with a 16 on top, instead of the floppy 13 that's there now.
I do feel a tinge of guilt buying Chinese, to be totally honest, but it is at a price point that really makes it affordable to the people, so I guess in the truest sense, it really is an (ahem)... er... people's Republic.
The UPS guy pulled up around 4:30, parked in front of the house, and proceeded to dig in the back of his truck for about 10 minutes (all while the dog was going stark raving bat crazy barking at the evil UPS guy). He then gets back in the drivers seat, and drives away. Huh!!???
All's well that ends well, though, as he came back a few hours later with it. The website said on truck for delivery, but apparently, it was not actually on the truck!
I agree -- for the money, the quality of workmanship (such as it is on a cheap instrument), materials, playability and tone so far are beyond what I had expected. Certainly not a hand-crafted work of art like a NRP, but surely good enough for a tricone novice like me to get my feet wet, before committing a few large to a real one. The thing that most surprised me was how good and loud the tone is. And that's before I'm going to put on semi-flat dobro strings with a 16 on top, instead of the floppy 13 that's there now.
I do feel a tinge of guilt buying Chinese, to be totally honest, but it is at a price point that really makes it affordable to the people, so I guess in the truest sense, it really is an (ahem)... er... people's Republic.
-
- Posts: 2833
- Joined: 19 Jul 2005 12:01 am
- Location: Santa Rosa, California, USA
- Erv Niehaus
- Posts: 26797
- Joined: 10 Aug 2001 12:01 am
- Location: Litchfield, MN, USA
- Fred Kinbom
- Posts: 1230
- Joined: 28 Sep 2005 12:01 am
- Location: Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
- Contact:
This thread is doing nothing but fanning the flames of the collective Tricone fever!
Mike - what Tricone did you get now? A Style 1 again? Hope to hear new Tricone recordings from you soon! Maybe you could shoot some videos at the workshop (which I would love to attend, were it not a million miles away from me )?
Fred
Mike - what Tricone did you get now? A Style 1 again? Hope to hear new Tricone recordings from you soon! Maybe you could shoot some videos at the workshop (which I would love to attend, were it not a million miles away from me )?
Fred
www.fredrikkinbom.com - New lap steel album out now - listen here: fredrikkinbom.bandcamp.com/album/songs-for-lap-steel-and-harmonium
- Todd Weger
- Posts: 1136
- Joined: 24 Jul 2000 12:01 am
- Location: Safety Harbor, FLAUSA
- Contact:
But...
Those won't even be built for another 21 years!Mike Neer wrote:I'm getting another Style 1, not sure of the year. I'm thinking it's a '29.
-
- Posts: 2833
- Joined: 19 Jul 2005 12:01 am
- Location: Santa Rosa, California, USA
Mike, I remember when you decided to go electric. I went electric because I started out on a Weisse. I found that no matter where I went and what I did I had to amplify it. I couldn't afford a decent tricone and I hate the single cone resonators. But I've never really been completely happy or comfortable on an electric guitar. I'm very excited about,"Coming Home," as it were. So was your electric experience unsatisfying or are you inclined to go both ways?
Amor vincit omnia
- Erv Niehaus
- Posts: 26797
- Joined: 10 Aug 2001 12:01 am
- Location: Litchfield, MN, USA
- Todd Weger
- Posts: 1136
- Joined: 24 Jul 2000 12:01 am
- Location: Safety Harbor, FLAUSA
- Contact:
Magnophonic?
I found the company's website:
http://highlanderpickups.com/catalog/magno.htm
These puppies ain't cheap, but then as the saying goes...
I also understand that Bob Brozman is pretty demanding when it comes to tone, so if he likes it, I'm inclined to think it's got to be pretty good.
“The tricone resonator guitar, as pioneered by National, has one of the most richly complex sounds of any acoustic guitar, since several different elements contribute to that sound. As a player of National tricones for nearly 40 years, I can tell you that amplifying an instrument with such tonal complexity is a real challenge. It has been nearly impossible to capture the tricone’s unique sonic colors. There has never been a proper or even workable solution UNTIL NOW!
The Highlander Magnophonic pickup and its installation method have been carefully designed by Bob Wolstein of Highlander in tandem with Don Young and McGregor Gaines of National Reso-Phonic. The result of this thoughtful development is staggeringly accurate, highly musical and I feel confident using this system on any stage or studio in the world. Thank you Highlander for finding a solution! May the gratitude of tricone players everywhere resonate around the world.”
http://highlanderpickups.com/catalog/magno.htm
These puppies ain't cheap, but then as the saying goes...
I also understand that Bob Brozman is pretty demanding when it comes to tone, so if he likes it, I'm inclined to think it's got to be pretty good.
“The tricone resonator guitar, as pioneered by National, has one of the most richly complex sounds of any acoustic guitar, since several different elements contribute to that sound. As a player of National tricones for nearly 40 years, I can tell you that amplifying an instrument with such tonal complexity is a real challenge. It has been nearly impossible to capture the tricone’s unique sonic colors. There has never been a proper or even workable solution UNTIL NOW!
The Highlander Magnophonic pickup and its installation method have been carefully designed by Bob Wolstein of Highlander in tandem with Don Young and McGregor Gaines of National Reso-Phonic. The result of this thoughtful development is staggeringly accurate, highly musical and I feel confident using this system on any stage or studio in the world. Thank you Highlander for finding a solution! May the gratitude of tricone players everywhere resonate around the world.”
Todd James Weger --
1956 Fender Stringmaster T-8 (C6, E13, A6); 1960 Fender Stringmaster D-8 (C6, B11/A6); Custom-made 25" aluminum cast "fry pan" with vintage Ricky p'up (C6); 1938 Epiphone Electar (A6); 1953 Oahu Tonemaster; assorted ukuleles; upright bass
1956 Fender Stringmaster T-8 (C6, E13, A6); 1960 Fender Stringmaster D-8 (C6, B11/A6); Custom-made 25" aluminum cast "fry pan" with vintage Ricky p'up (C6); 1938 Epiphone Electar (A6); 1953 Oahu Tonemaster; assorted ukuleles; upright bass
- Fred Kinbom
- Posts: 1230
- Joined: 28 Sep 2005 12:01 am
- Location: Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
- Contact:
But Bob himself when playing live uses a Neumann condenser (small diaphragm) mic to amplify his Tricones, not a pickup.
Fred
Fred
www.fredrikkinbom.com - New lap steel album out now - listen here: fredrikkinbom.bandcamp.com/album/songs-for-lap-steel-and-harmonium
-
- Posts: 2833
- Joined: 19 Jul 2005 12:01 am
- Location: Santa Rosa, California, USA
- Brad Bechtel
- Moderator
- Posts: 8146
- Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
From what he says on his web site, Bob Brozman uses a combination of a Neumann K-150 microphone and Highlander pickup.
Brad’s Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars
- Fred Kinbom
- Posts: 1230
- Joined: 28 Sep 2005 12:01 am
- Location: Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
- Contact:
The three times I have seen Bob Brozman in concert (2006-2007) he has used a microphone only (he even made a point of stating that he is "unplugged" in a literal sense).
I think resos (and maybe especially Tricones) are difficult to amplify - different "components" of the sound are really coming from different parts of the instrument (bass from the grilles/portholes/f-holes, and mids and treble from the cone(s)).
I think a mic & pickup combination seems to be the ideal option, but I guess there are as many opinions as players on what the "ideal" sound is.
Fred
I think resos (and maybe especially Tricones) are difficult to amplify - different "components" of the sound are really coming from different parts of the instrument (bass from the grilles/portholes/f-holes, and mids and treble from the cone(s)).
I think a mic & pickup combination seems to be the ideal option, but I guess there are as many opinions as players on what the "ideal" sound is.
Fred
www.fredrikkinbom.com - New lap steel album out now - listen here: fredrikkinbom.bandcamp.com/album/songs-for-lap-steel-and-harmonium
-
- Posts: 2833
- Joined: 19 Jul 2005 12:01 am
- Location: Santa Rosa, California, USA
Oh, the Wells Fargo wagon is a comin' down the street......
I wonder if anybody else runs around singing the old Meredith Wilson tune, "The Wells Fargo Wagon," on mornings when a package is due.
Amor vincit omnia
-
- Posts: 39
- Joined: 23 Mar 2008 1:17 pm
- Location: Cheshire, england
I've sound engineered for Bob Brozman on a few occasions when he's played around here. He may have changed his set up in the last few years but on those occasions he was definitely using highlander pickups and mics. Most of the outfront sound, however, was from the mic. He used the pickup just to give a bit of edge to the sound and, if I remember correctly, in his monitors as the highlander is less prone to feedback than the condenser mic.
I usually just use a highlander on my tricone as I don't always know what PAs going to be there or if I'm going to get a sound check - it's easier to get a good sound than using a mic.
I usually just use a highlander on my tricone as I don't always know what PAs going to be there or if I'm going to get a sound check - it's easier to get a good sound than using a mic.
- Fred Kinbom
- Posts: 1230
- Joined: 28 Sep 2005 12:01 am
- Location: Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
- Contact:
This was posted by Bob Brozman today on the IGS forum:
Fred
So these days, he is only using a mic.I use one Neumann KM 150 mic, and NO pickups, that means 100% natural acoustic sound, and have played like this to as many as 100,000 people outdoors, with incredible huge volume and no feedback problems. Not just solo--I have also played many large festivals with Rene Lacaille which is 3 loud percussionists and a loud accordion, and still just used the mic for my guitars.
Fred
www.fredrikkinbom.com - New lap steel album out now - listen here: fredrikkinbom.bandcamp.com/album/songs-for-lap-steel-and-harmonium