Some useful gadgets for newbies and non-newbies...

Instruments, mechanical issues, copedents, techniques, etc.

Moderator: Shoshanah Marohn

Post Reply
User avatar
Chuck Snider
Posts: 740
Joined: 8 Jul 2008 11:51 am
Location: West Virginia, USA - Morgantown, WV

Some useful gadgets for newbies and non-newbies...

Post by Chuck Snider »

Well I finally took the time to take a few pictures of some very useful gadgets made by Dale Hansen. They don't cost a ton of money but are handy to have, easy to pack into a gigbag or pac-a-seat, and very practical.

He can make any and/or all of these to fit most any guitar, they're not just for a GFI, he can make them to fit anything from a Carter-Starter to a Zum. All he needs are the appropriate dimensions. Dale is a forum member, so get in touch with him if you want one or all of of these. They are available in a couple of other finishes I belive.

By the way, I don't get any kickback on these at all, I just think they are useful and practical and want to recommend them to others.

Here is the Slyde-car, which holds your bar, picks, and tuning knob while you're not using them between sets. It just slips around the legs and gravity holds it on, with no mounting screws or clips to worry with. Dale's Slyde-car can easily work on either end of the guitar.
Image

Then when you're done playing you just slip the elastic strap around it like in this picture and you can lift the whole thing off and pack it away. Dale gives you the strap which has a tab on it so you can easily put it on or take it off. It is just strong enough to keep your stuff in the Slyde-car while being transported. The Slyde-car itself easily lifts off, and won't scratch the legs of your guitar.
Image

For those amongst us still learning and needing a music stand, Dale's Pak-Rak is perfect. No more setting up a music stand on the floor in front of the guitar, where it will either bang into your guitar, or be something for you to trip over. With this music stand clipped on the front the music sheets will actually be close enough that you can see them!! It easily clips onto the front without scratching or marring the finish, and folds up small enough to fit into a gigbag or pac-a-seat. He can make them to fit most any guitar. The particular Pak-Rak I have is actually two connected in the center. It is sturdy enough to handle a mid-size binder, and can certainly handle the tab booklets from Jeff Newman, Frenchy Messier, Herbie Wallace, DeWitt Scott, and many others.

Image
Image
Image

And last but not least, is a set of volume pedal brackets. Yes these are similar to others available, but Dale will make these to fit your guitar better than the others do. They stay attached to your pedal, will fit both a Goodrich or a Hilton without modifying them, and will fit into most pac-a-seats while attached to the pedal.

Image
Image

-Chuck
GFI U-12 Ultra Keyless, Carter Black U-12, both with Alumitones, and a sweet '70 Sho-Bud Permanent D-10, NV400 in Rick Johnson cabs, NV112, '73 Vibrosonic in Rick Johnson cabs, Hilton pedal, Steeler's Choice seat, Bessdang Gizmos from Dale Hansen, and a few other widgets and doodads.
I may not sound good, I just don't wanna sound bad.
Edward Meisse
Posts: 2833
Joined: 19 Jul 2005 12:01 am
Location: Santa Rosa, California, USA

Post by Edward Meisse »

Thanks, Chuck. By this summer I will have the slide car and the music stand. :D
Amor vincit omnia
User avatar
John Phinney
Posts: 254
Joined: 11 Mar 2009 1:48 pm
Location: Long Beach California, USA

Post by John Phinney »

I got a Pak Rat and a couple GFI specific mods from Dale last year. He's a great guy to deal with and his products are great especially considering they won't break the bank

:)
GFI Ultra D-10 8x5/Sarno Freeloader/Telonics volume pedal/Fender Super Six Split Cab with a 1x15 BW
User avatar
Ned McIntosh
Posts: 802
Joined: 4 Oct 2008 7:09 am
Location: New South Wales, Australia

Post by Ned McIntosh »

I got the first ever "Slyde-Car" and "Pup" to make the long trip Down Under and they are great! I show them off to every steel player I meet here and give them one of Dale's business cards.

Dale's products work. (He plays a mean GFI too!)
The steel guitar is a hard mistress. She will obsess you, bemuse and bewitch you. She will dash your hopes on what seems to be whim, only to tease you into renewing the relationship once more so she can do it to you all over again...and yet, if you somehow manage to touch her in that certain magic way, she will yield up a sound which has so much soul, raw emotion and heartfelt depth to it that she will pierce you to the very core of your being.
User avatar
Michael Stover
Posts: 145
Joined: 30 Nov 2007 7:25 am
Location: Kansas City
Contact:

Post by Michael Stover »

I sent Dale an email re:the double rak-pak on Sunday. Still haven't heard back...
Tamara James
Posts: 2241
Joined: 14 Aug 2007 1:06 pm

Post by Tamara James »

Michael Stover wrote:I sent Dale an email re:the double rak-pak on Sunday. Still haven't heard back...
I would like on of those rak-pak music holders myself. Let me know if you hear from him and they are still available. Looks like it would fit right into the pac-a-seat when not being used.
User avatar
John Phinney
Posts: 254
Joined: 11 Mar 2009 1:48 pm
Location: Long Beach California, USA

Post by John Phinney »

I was able to contact Dale through this email address last November:
dale@bessdang.com
GFI Ultra D-10 8x5/Sarno Freeloader/Telonics volume pedal/Fender Super Six Split Cab with a 1x15 BW
User avatar
Chuck Snider
Posts: 740
Joined: 8 Jul 2008 11:51 am
Location: West Virginia, USA - Morgantown, WV

Post by Chuck Snider »

I want to say first that Dale did not put me up to this, and I don't get any kick-back from him. I just think he has some ingenious products.

I did ask him about contacting him, and he said email to dale@bessdang.com is ok and if you want to call instead, he said it was ok to post his phone number here for you to call him. He can be reached at (615)618-0776. I will say a phone call might work quicker than an email, as he is not a pc jockey and doesn't check his email as often as some.

-Chuck
GFI U-12 Ultra Keyless, Carter Black U-12, both with Alumitones, and a sweet '70 Sho-Bud Permanent D-10, NV400 in Rick Johnson cabs, NV112, '73 Vibrosonic in Rick Johnson cabs, Hilton pedal, Steeler's Choice seat, Bessdang Gizmos from Dale Hansen, and a few other widgets and doodads.
I may not sound good, I just don't wanna sound bad.
Dennis Wireman
Posts: 2510
Joined: 5 Apr 2008 6:20 pm
Location: the cornfields

chuck

Post by Dennis Wireman »

I have bought several of Dales' products. they are fine workmanship and could not ask for a better guy to deal with .
User avatar
Dale Lee
Posts: 265
Joined: 4 Apr 2006 12:01 am
Location: Down Yonder

You can't go wrong with a guy named Dale.

Post by Dale Lee »

I just got a Slyde-car. Dale customized it to fit the rectangular legs on my Sierra Artist. He did it perfect the first time.

He was exceptionally customer oriented and a pleasure to deal with. I found out he is an ace player to boot. Highly recommended. :D
User avatar
Alan Brookes
Posts: 13218
Joined: 29 Mar 2006 1:01 am
Location: Brummy living in Southern California

Post by Alan Brookes »

That's the problem with a single-necked instrument: you can't store all that stuff between the necks.... :oops: :oops: :oops: :wink: :wink:
User avatar
Dale Hansen
Posts: 705
Joined: 11 Jun 2007 1:29 pm
Location: Hendersonville,Tennessee, (USA)
Contact:

Thanks Chuck

Post by Dale Hansen »

Thank you Chuck,


I really appreciate your nice compliments, and showing your new toys in here.
It's been really neat getting to meet so many great folks here on the Forum thru these contraptions.
I still get into the Forum fairly often to poke around and see what's happening, but don't post much anymore.

It's appropriate, and beyond a timely manner for me to publicly post a word of thanks to you, Chuck.
I'm sorry it took so long.

Thanks also to everyone else for their kind remarks.
(John, Ned, Dennis, Dale(Lee)

Your pal, Dale

*I do reply to all of my emails. It's just my Rocketmail box that gets neglected.
Earlier, I had it posted in a few threads around the Forum as an alternative for the unregistered users to contact me.
That was a mistake on my part. Since then, several hundred Nigerians became aware of my existence, and all of them are determined to make me wealthy beyond my wildest dreams....and they refuse to respect my vow of poverty.
These days, the account is a catchall for junk mail. I've tried to locate and remove all those links.
User avatar
Chuck Snider
Posts: 740
Joined: 8 Jul 2008 11:51 am
Location: West Virginia, USA - Morgantown, WV

Post by Chuck Snider »

Dale, thanks for the thanks! Aside from becoming pals through the use of this forum, I genuinely wanted to recommend your Gizmos to the others that may be newbies, somewhat newbies, as well as all the non-newbies.

They're very useful, relatively inexpensive, can be made to fit any guitar, and simple to use!!! When I'm happy with a product, I try to tell the world about it. Same is true if I don't like a product, which is not the case here.

So, in spite of our friendship, and the fact that I do not receive (nor want) any compensation for endorsing the Bessdang Gizmos, I have to let folks know about them, 'cause they're great products from a great guy that provides great service!!!

your pal,
-Chuck
GFI U-12 Ultra Keyless, Carter Black U-12, both with Alumitones, and a sweet '70 Sho-Bud Permanent D-10, NV400 in Rick Johnson cabs, NV112, '73 Vibrosonic in Rick Johnson cabs, Hilton pedal, Steeler's Choice seat, Bessdang Gizmos from Dale Hansen, and a few other widgets and doodads.
I may not sound good, I just don't wanna sound bad.
Gwyneth Morgan
Posts: 32
Joined: 25 Apr 2009 8:07 am
Location: Maryland, USA

Post by Gwyneth Morgan »

Chuck, where did you get that little chord cheat sheet taped to your instrument? Is that something you just printed up yourself from Excel?
User avatar
Chuck Snider
Posts: 740
Joined: 8 Jul 2008 11:51 am
Location: West Virginia, USA - Morgantown, WV

Post by Chuck Snider »

I have two charts on there, one is the copedent (includes string size and tuning) for the GFI E9/B6 U12, and the other is a few of the common minor chords (Em, Am, Bm, Dm, and F#m), which I have trouble with. Both cheat sheets were done in Excel. Neither of them will paste into here without getting out of whack. If you would like a copy let me know your email id and I can send it to you.

-Chuck
GFI U-12 Ultra Keyless, Carter Black U-12, both with Alumitones, and a sweet '70 Sho-Bud Permanent D-10, NV400 in Rick Johnson cabs, NV112, '73 Vibrosonic in Rick Johnson cabs, Hilton pedal, Steeler's Choice seat, Bessdang Gizmos from Dale Hansen, and a few other widgets and doodads.
I may not sound good, I just don't wanna sound bad.
Gwyneth Morgan
Posts: 32
Joined: 25 Apr 2009 8:07 am
Location: Maryland, USA

Post by Gwyneth Morgan »

Thanks, Chuck, and I got your email as well. No need to attach/send, though... I think I'll whip up something similar of my own :-)
Post Reply