chiming/3rd string

Steven Welborn · Post by **Steven Welborn** » 27 Jun 2002 1:05 pm

On my 72 p/p I struggle to get a strong chime or harmonic on the 3rd string(e9). Its noticeably weak and thin in comparison with other strings. I prefer a .012 and aside from chiming, the tonal balance seems fine with normal picking. To create a solid chime on the 3rd though requires quite a bit more effort, precision and pick attack.still thin in comparison though. I know theres a ton of room for improvement in my technique. On my Bowman built p/p, the chimes do jump out with spine shivering strength on all strings, pretty impressive i must say. So Im wondering if this is a common or typical thing on many but not all steels. Is it possible pickups become weak or imbalanced? Just wonderin.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 27 Jun 2002 1:41 pm

Due to their inherent design, certain guitars enhance certain notes and frequencies. If one guitar "had it all", then there would only be one popular brand. That said, I use a .010 guage 3rd string most of the time, and though it is a little "thin" when playing normally, it's right up there with the others when it comes to chimes, or playing in the upper registers. In your case, you might try a different brand or guage (.011?) of string. Or, if that doesn't help, try a good graphic equalizer to boost the highs slightly. Should all else fail, maybe Bill Lawrence can design a better pickup for your steel.

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 27 Jun 2002 3:07 pm

Steven,

You are correct and so is Donny.

Bit of trivia:

I am NOT a good steel guitar player at ALL. Never have been never will be. It was a dream NEVER to be realized.

However, I could chime very good. That and vibrato were the ONLY two things I could be legitimately proud of.

Sadly, both are GONE. Yes, they simply just went away. I can NO longer chime hardly at all. Almost makes me cry. Really.

"Youth is truly wasted on the young"

God bless you both,

carl

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 27 Jun 2002 7:49 pm

Carl: When I went back to playing nearly two years ago, I too found I had lost my chimes. I kept flubbing them and feeling stupid but I persisted and finally they came back to me. Then we started doing SleepWalk and you either have that chime in there or forget you wanted to play SleepWalk. I do the intro chime on my 4/E string but on the bridge I try to emmulate LG and chime in 3rds. I have noticed it is easier for me to chime 1&2 and 4&5 easier than I can get 3&4 to ring out. I too have suspected it was a guitar trait as Donny mentioned.

I recall somebody (Larry Miller ??) reminding us about Jimmy Bryant teasing Julian Tharpe with: Yulian, You want to play de bails ?? I sometime feel I play the 12th,7th and 5th fret chimes too much but I surely like those sounds just as Julian must have.

Now if I could only make them ring out like Jerry and Kayton do. I still recall Kayton at your Atlanta show on a Sunday Morning Church Service/Show. He earned that standing ovation and you too, for bringing it to us !!

Best Regards, Paul

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 27 Jun 2002 7:53 pm

You gotta say it right, Paul
It's Jooooooyun.

------------------
<small>Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2000 Fessenden S-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 27 Jun 2002 11:22 pm

Steven,
Have you tried using the nail on your pinky ?

Bob

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 28 Jun 2002 5:18 am

Larry Bell !! Was that you ?? At least I got the first name right, eh ??

Bob: I haven't tried the nail but years ago when I was some what more agile, I would place the tip of my thumb on the first joint of my right pinky and use the tip of the little finger at the chime fretts. I had to twist all the way around to get lined up with the strings and that was a problem to get right.
Kayton used that at times but that also was years ago and I don't know if he still does it.

And that reminds me of something I used to do when setting intonation on a regular guitar. This time I used the nail on my left pinky to "FEEL' the chime at the 12th fret. Ringing it seemed to me to be too broad a range and I could get it closer with the nail/touch. You could lay that chime exactly over the 12th with the string length adjusment doing it that way. Thanks for remembering that for me !

Regards, Paul

Steven Welborn · Post by **Steven Welborn** » 28 Jun 2002 5:18 pm

Bob, i've been foolin around with the pinky finger nail and it works pretty good. I also find I can chime two strings at once (3+4,etc.) with the nail for 3rd harmonies. Nice suggestion ,thanks. still unable to chime wide thirds or 6ths(3+5,4+6 etc,) though.

Joe Smith · Post by **Joe Smith** » 28 Jun 2002 6:02 pm

Guys I'm not the greatest at chimes, but here are a couple of things that might help.
First adjust the pickup as close to the strings as is practical without the strings touching and try different brands of strings. I have found on my Mullen that GHS Bommers seem to chime the best.
Well I guess there is also 3rd thing do do. Practice practice practice.