Bigsby plank style by Todd Clinesmith

Mark Roeder · Post by **Mark Roeder** » 8 Aug 2011 9:44 am

Here are a few photos of a plank Bigsby style lap that Todd Clinesmith made for me. Like the kind Billy Robinson had in the day. Though his was an eight string. Very cool. I wanted to compare the cast aluminum neck with the wood lap that I currently play. Todd said he wanted to do a cast with the fret markers on the neck like the early Bigsbys, I like the look of that style so I said go for it. Anyway...enjoy.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 8 Aug 2011 9:55 am

Congratulations, Mark. Looks awesome. I absolutely need one of those!

Mark Roeder · Post by **Mark Roeder** » 8 Aug 2011 10:06 am

Thanks Mike, it's loads of fun. I'm experimenting with what to do with the extra strings in A6.

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 8 Aug 2011 11:09 am

Very nice!!!

Jerry Gleason · Post by **Jerry Gleason** » 8 Aug 2011 11:24 am

Beautiful. Congratulations, Mark (and great job, Todd)!

Bob Russell · Post by **Bob Russell** » 8 Aug 2011 11:46 am

That's a beauty!

S.M. Johnson · Post by **S.M. Johnson** » 8 Aug 2011 1:26 pm

Has ANYONE every heard of what might have happened to Billy Robinsons' original BIGSBY lap steel? Just can't be that many of them floating around.......can there be?

Kurt Kowalski · Post by **Kurt Kowalski** » 8 Aug 2011 2:05 pm

Oh Man!!!! Now ya gone and done did it TODD!!!! lol

I am with Mike, NOW I GOTTA GET ONE TOO.... Owwy....

Call me Todd, Kurt

Stephan Miller · Post by **Stephan Miller** » 8 Aug 2011 3:19 pm

That's about as sweet as it gets!

So...any thoughts on the aluminum/wood difference?

Keith DeLong · Post by **Keith DeLong** » 8 Aug 2011 4:15 pm

Now THAT guitar would be an easy conversion to lefthanded--not easy with nonpedal steels.

Geoff Cline · Post by **Geoff Cline** » 8 Aug 2011 5:52 pm

Mark: AMAZINGLY COOL. Congratulations to you. Having just sold my Clinesmith 8 rig (to buy Al Marcus' Sho-Bud), I'm jonesing bad. This guitar is breathtaking.

ENJOY...I know you will.

Mark Roeder · Post by **Mark Roeder** » 8 Aug 2011 6:07 pm

I'll have to play it awhile to give a full review, but it has a bit more sizzle in the tone....which to my ear is different than saying it has more treble.

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 8 Aug 2011 6:32 pm

Todd is the best. Just stunning craftsmanship. I wonder if it comes close to the sound of his console steels ? My Clinesmith console is easily the best sounding steel I have ever played.

Mark Roeder · Post by **Mark Roeder** » 8 Aug 2011 7:10 pm

So far, Todd would be the only person who could answer that.........

S.M. Johnson · Post by **S.M. Johnson** » 8 Aug 2011 7:11 pm

Todd.........I really like the location of your 'Clinesmith' logo right next to the pickup as is shown in this series of photo's.

To me, that was all you needed to make a perfect instrument even more perfecter!........ Keep up the great work!

Owen McCrory · Post by **Owen McCrory** » 8 Aug 2011 8:56 pm

That's an eye popper for sure!

Not to make all of you out~of~state folks jealous, but I'm looking forward to hearing this one in person at some point in the near future.

Mark, any chance you'll be drivin' this rig at Orton Park or the Gandy Dancer Festival?

Tom Pettingill · Post by **Tom Pettingill** » 8 Aug 2011 10:18 pm

Nice score Mark! The work Todd puts into carrying on the tradition would make Mr Bigsby proud.

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 9 Aug 2011 2:27 am

A beautiful instrument inspires. Superb work, Todd.

Mark Roeder · Post by **Mark Roeder** » 9 Aug 2011 6:02 am

Owen said:Mark, any chance you'll be drivin' this rig at Orton Park or the Gandy Dancer Festival?
I am still working out a tuning and a way to tell Kristy about why I just had to have this beautiful instrument. Right now I'm just playing it at work.

Todd Clinesmith · Post by **Todd Clinesmith** » 9 Aug 2011 8:34 am

Wow, Nice to see all the great comments, and thanks to you Mark for putting up a post about the steel, and for motivating me to build this style instrument.
I have a few new models in the works and a few in the thought process I should be building over the next few years.

Mark stated the tone comparison well between my other lap steel model. This style instrument has a bit more zing but not necissarily more treble. Also the bass end is a bit tighter sounding on the metal necks in general. My other late 40's style lap is a bit more comfortable on the lap , but both are a joy to play.
I have this single 8 strung up with C# min tuning:

Oh yeah .. thank you S.M Johnson for the comment on the logo location, these comments really help solidify my designs.

Also here's a double neck version. This model fits nicely in a Pelican case.
Leo meets P.A:

Todd

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 9 Aug 2011 8:41 am

Just lovely, Todd. I really love the sleek look of the D-8!

Twayn Williams · Post by **Twayn Williams** » 9 Aug 2011 9:11 am

Ok, I wish I'd never seen that D-8 now. That is one of the sexist steels I've ever seen, my Fender Deluxe D-8 is looking daggers at me...

Geoff Cline · Post by **Geoff Cline** » 9 Aug 2011 10:47 am

Todd Clinesmith wrote:Wow, Nice to see all the great comments, and thanks to you Mark for putting up a post about the steel, and for motivating me to build this style instrument.
I have a few new models in the works and a few in the thought process I should be building over the next few years.

Mark stated the tone comparison well between my other lap steel model. This style instrument has a bit more zing but not necissarily more treble. Also the bass end is a bit tighter sounding on the metal necks in general. My other late 40's style lap is a bit more comfortable on the lap , but both are a joy to play.
I have this single 8 strung up with C# min tuning:

Oh yeah .. thank you S.M Johnson for the comment on the logo location, these comments really help solidify my designs.

Also here's a double neck version. This model fits nicely in a Pelican case.
Leo meets P.A:

Todd

Ding ding...we have a winner. The Clinesmith "plank D-8"!! Lordy....straight to my heart.

James Nottage · Post by **James Nottage** » 9 Aug 2011 12:30 pm

My D-8 is on order and comes up soon. It drives me crazy everytime somebody posts one of these great guitars. They just keep getting better and better.

James Nottage

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 9 Aug 2011 12:48 pm

I have a Clinesmith D10 console and S10 lap steel and if anybody around Austin, Texas wants to come check one out I am more than happy to show off Todd's great work. I also am making the rounds playing dance halls and rodeos all over Texas on the weekends so get in touch if you want to look over a Clinesmith in person. I'm warning you though, Todd's guitars are a hard thing to walk away from !

The Steel Guitar Forum

Bigsby plank style by Todd Clinesmith

Bigsby plank style by Todd Clinesmith

Has ANYONE....................ever heard?

About Todds' tradename.......................

Clinesmith

Attn; Texas players