Carter Owners - BCT Question

Kirk P Dighton · Post by **Kirk P Dighton** » 22 Mar 2002 9:07 am

I have heard about the BCT on the newer Carters. I have a Carter that is not that old, however does not have BCT. Question for you Carter owners: How many of you have the Carters with BCT and if you do, what is the playing difference? Is the tone better? Can BCT be retrofitted on other Carters? How about pickups? I currently have George L's on both necks, however, I cannot find the right "mellow" tone on the E9. What pickups do you use? Lots of questions guys, I know, but I am on the ever-elusive search for the right sound.

Kirk

Lem Smith · Post by **Lem Smith** » 22 Mar 2002 9:50 am

Kirk,
I'm not a Carter owner, but the two things I know about BCT are this: 1. It can be put on earlier models that didn't come from the factory with it. 2. As far as the difference in sound, the reports I've heard say it gives the guitar a "tone" closer to that of an Emmons push-pull.

Hope this helps in your search for info.
L.

Post by **Joey Ace** » 22 Mar 2002 11:04 am

Kirk,
I like my BCT Carter, never had a non-BCT.
Check http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum5/HTML/003277.html for more info.

This topic belongs in the Pedal Steel Section, so I'm moving it.

-j0ey-

Bob Farlow · Post by **Bob Farlow** » 22 Mar 2002 11:20 am

Does anyone know if the "Carter Starter" has BCT?

David Spires · Post by **David Spires** » 22 Mar 2002 12:01 pm

I don't believe that the Carter-Starter has BCT. I can certainly tell you that I love my Carter D-10, and the sustain (w/BCT) is fantastic.

Didn't Dave Van Allen have one of each, or get an older one retrofitted?

David Spires[This message was edited by David Spires on 22 March 2002 at 12:01 PM.]

Tony Palmer · Post by **Tony Palmer** » 22 Mar 2002 12:27 pm

I wouldn't be in too much of a rush to add the BCT. I have it on mine and I think it adds almost too MUCH sustain!
I really think they invented something that works TOO good.........

Post by **Joey Ace** » 22 Mar 2002 12:28 pm

David,
Mark Van Allen had the upgrade and believes it was well worth it.

See ya in Grand Rapids.
-j0ey-

Ron Castle · Post by **Ron Castle** » 22 Mar 2002 1:01 pm

maybe I'm a bit dense but...
how can you have TOO MUCH sustain??

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 22 Mar 2002 1:22 pm

*[This message was edited by Gene Jones on 02 May 2002 at 02:34 PM.]

Dennis Detweiler · Post by **Dennis Detweiler** » 22 Mar 2002 1:23 pm

I'm haven't viewed the underside of the Carter guitar with BCT. I don't know the design priciples of it. I have a 1983 U-12 Zum that has an extra set of pulling fingers between each dominate finger. These spacer fingers are pemanently anchored against the body of the guitar via springs. Bruce installed these on all of his changers for a couple of years, then discontiued the design for some reason? Is this a similar design on the Carter?

George Wixon · Post by **George Wixon** » 22 Mar 2002 6:56 pm

Hi Kirk,
I have a S10 Carter with BCT and it has great sustain. I just recieved it back in December. I ordered it with the 710 pickup which sounds very bright. I happen to like a mellow tone so I use SIT nickel strings (BE signature series).Thumb pick is a heavy Dunlop plastic pick and National finger picks. I did try the stainless strings but didn't care for the sound of the lower strings and it also seemed like the 3rd string would break after about 15 hours of use. The SIT package I put on just about a month ago and I still have not broken the 3rd yet.
I also use a Peavy Special 212amp and a De Armond model 1600 volume pedal. I don't use any special effects (delays and such) and I like the sound of what I have (minus all the mistakes and just plain wrong notes I hit).
As also stated in the other replies, Yes the older Carter can be retrofitted with BCT.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
George

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 23 Mar 2002 4:18 am

Kirk as everyone has mentioned, yes your Carter can be upgraded and I would think pretty soon Anne will give you some specific details. My D10 is from '97 and does not have the upgrade. I have an E66 on the E9th and a 10:1 on the C6th. I also have a TPP for the E9th which I will put on with the next string change and hope I like the tone with the Nashville 1000 as much as I do now with the E66. But I got it so I gotta try it !

I have played a BCT guitar but quite honestly it was brand new and it was hard to compare to mine which is 5 years old. I would do the upgrade on mine except I am not certain that my present Carter is my long term guitar as it is not my favorite color. My long term guitar would be a Carter though, ( Black ) I love the way they play, sound and weigh. It's a win win win for me. Plus John Fabian showed me a Bb lever move which I was looking for which probably places me in the "I owe him" catagory for the rest of my life !!
TP[This message was edited by Tony Prior on 23 March 2002 at 04:19 AM.][This message was edited by Tony Prior on 23 March 2002 at 04:21 AM.]

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 23 Mar 2002 5:34 am

Tony - Are you going to share that "Bb lever move" with the rest of us??? You can't keep this stuff to yourself, ya know.

------------------
Lee, from South Texas

Post by **Joey Ace** » 23 Mar 2002 6:47 am

Yes Tony, whats that Bb move?

I don't think you can tell it BCT by looking under it. I think the size of the saddles on the changer tell the difference.

[This message was edited by Joey Ace on 23 March 2002 at 06:47 AM.]

Dennis Detweiler · Post by **Dennis Detweiler** » 23 Mar 2002 8:05 am

I have so much sustain that I have to turn my volume pedal around and use it backwards!!

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 23 Mar 2002 10:40 am

Ok Lee and Joey,, if I tell ya I gotta kill ya...

here it is, but you guys probably know this and have been doing it for years..me I'm just a returning goof just barely gettin' by..

It comes from Buddy playing Rose Colored Glasses as an Intrumental. I did post this a few weeks back when someone was asking about the Bb lever..

What I was looking for was four (4) notes off of the E string within the same chord.

4 moves up and 3 back down working off the V /7th chord

1) Fret 1 strings 8,6 and 5
B pedal and Eb lever

2) Fret 1 strings 8, 6 and 5
B pedal only ( release Eb lever)

3) Fret 1 strings 8, 6 and 5
B pedal and E Raise lever

4) Fret 2 ( up 1 ) strings 8, 6 and 5
Bb lever and E Raise lever
No B Pedal

All notes in the chord stay the same except
for the bottom Eb, E ,F and F# off of the 8th string.

Bring the move from the Eb to the F# and return it to the Eb again. This is also a very nice resolve back to the 1 chord as well.

Try it with all of the common chord voicings and grips. I claim no credit I'm just a messenger. ( and not even a good one at that )
TP[This message was edited by Tony Prior on 23 March 2002 at 10:42 AM.]

Ernie Renn · Post by **Ernie Renn** » 23 Mar 2002 11:10 am

Tony;
I use that lick, too. I play the seventh string F# instead of going up one fret and using the B to Bb, leaving the B pedal pushed the whole time. Then sometimes I run it back down, too.

------------------
My best,
Ernie

The Official Buddy Emmons Website
www.buddyemmons.com

Post by **Joey Ace** » 23 Mar 2002 11:12 am

Thank youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu,
Tonyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.......

Note the Sustainnnnnnnn in myyyyy posttttttttttttttttttttt.....

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 23 Mar 2002 4:48 pm

Ernie, yes I too was playing it off the 7th string but hearing it "blend" smoothly without a string change blows my little mind so my mission " Once I accepted it" was to rise to the challenge and find the smooth way out !

by the way Ernie..great website..

I learned this lttle tip from John Fabian in the Carter boot on a BCT guitar in Saluda SC back in Feb. There it fits the thread !

Joey..What sustaaaaiiinnnnnn???????
tp

richard burton · Post by **richard burton** » 24 Mar 2002 12:53 am

To get back to the topic:
I would like to compare a non-BCT Carter with my BCT Carter. I have noticed on my steel that there is an inherent 'buzzy' decay to the note played, which I have not encountered on any of my other steels (Emmons PP, ZB, ShoBud). I have changed the pickup to one exactly like the PP pickup. This has improved the sound, but the underlying string decay sound still remains.
Is it possible to remove the BCT, to see if this is the cause of the problem?

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 24 Mar 2002 1:59 am

Richard, I would recommend contacting John Fabian at Carter guitars, I am certain he will be able to advise of this string decay
you are experiencing.

tp

Ernie Renn · Post by **Ernie Renn** » 24 Mar 2002 6:12 am

Richard;
Do you have any effects in the loop? Reason I ask: I had a rack reverb/delay unit that when the reverb decayed it buzzed like you described. Try it with just the guitar plugged in. (And turn off the reverb in the amp, too. Just to see.)
Good luck!

------------------
My best,
Ernie

The Official Buddy Emmons Website
www.buddyemmons.com

Post by **Joey Ace** » 24 Mar 2002 6:24 am

Richard,
I've heard many Carters with BCT. Never noticed any buzz. Call or email John F.

I don't think BCT can be disabled.

I'd be interested in hearing what the resolution is.

-j0ey-[This message was edited by Joey Ace on 24 March 2002 at 06:27 AM.]

Nick Reed · Post by **Nick Reed** » 24 Mar 2002 7:11 am

I understand that the older Carters can have the BCT installed very easilly. You might call & ask Ann if they plan to do any of these changeovers at the Steel shows rather than having to ship your guitar to Texas. "Boy, I'd love to have a new Carter". NR

Mark van Allen · Post by **Mark van Allen** » 24 Mar 2002 10:58 am

I've posted before about my rave reviews on the BCT, especially as a retrofit on the older Carters. I had a non-BCT D-10 I liked just fine, and was frankly sceptical of spending money on an "upgrade" to a perfectly fine guitar. Then I bought a newer Carter with the BCT and the difference convinced me to have the older one retrofitted. Soundwise it's the best money I ever spent. That guitar is now my main axe and I'm happier than I've ever been with a steel. Every time I sit down to play it's pure joy. Feel free to email me for more detailed ranting and raving.