8-string with a Multibender!

Tony Boadle · Post by **Tony Boadle** » 27 Mar 2016 8:22 am

I'm about to fit a Deusenberg three-lever Multibender to my newly-aqquired SX eight-string lap steel. The Multibender set-up worked well with my six-string RK, and I'll be keeping the same tuning plus two. I've a couple of questions, and I'd appreciate advice from the SGF team of experts!

1)After much experimentation, I'll be sticking to my E7 six-string tuning, extended lo-hi as follows:
E- G#- B- C#(instead of D)- E- G#- B- E
One lever will raise the high G# to A, and one lever will raise the high B to C#. I'm wondering what to do with the third lever...bearing in mind I can raise or lower any string by up to two sharps or flats?
2)I find that the eighth-string E is very low (doh!)and I'm not using it that much. I was thinking of possibly losing that low E and maybe adding a G# at the other end instead. Any thoughts?

By the way, I'd really prefer to keep to this choice of E7 overall, I'm very comfortable with it and it suits the music I'm playing. Thanks for reading, looking forward to your replies.

Jonathan Lam · Post by **Jonathan Lam** » 27 Mar 2016 11:35 am

How will you add the 6 string bridge and retain the other 2 strings?

Tony Boadle · Post by **Tony Boadle** » 27 Mar 2016 6:14 pm

By fixing a small saddle assembly either side of the ' bender to carry the 1st and 8th strings. That's the plan anyway......

Peter den Hartogh · Post by **Peter den Hartogh** » 29 Mar 2016 7:51 am

By fixing a small saddle assembly either side of the ' bender to carry the 1st and 8th strings. That's the plan anyway......

I have done that with this George Boards Guitar.

Tony Boadle · Post by **Tony Boadle** » 29 Mar 2016 9:49 am

Ha! I knew it was possible and it's great to see that it can be done. I'll have my modified 'Bender unit ready for fitting by Thursday. I'll post some pics then, my extensions are a slightly different design,so we'll have no copyright conflict lol!I've also built and fitted a roller nut.
Btw, what's your tuning and lever set-up?

Peter den Hartogh · Post by **Peter den Hartogh** » 29 Mar 2016 11:44 am

I originally had E7 on it, but because I am a pedal steel player it did not work for me.

So I resorted to the bottom 8 strings of an E9th pedal steel guitar with a slight modification on the low strings.
(Because there are no benders there. And I can retune them to anything I want).

OPEN:___ BENDER:
E_______ .
B_______ ++C#
G#______ +A
F#______ .
E_______ -Eb
C#______ .
B_______ .
G#______ .

You can find the top string gauges in any pedal steel string package.
The Low B is the lowest PSG string.
So you need to find the gauge of the added low G#.

I found these values:
.014-.018-.022-.026w-.030w-.034w-.038w-.044
E-----B----G#----F#-----E-----C#-----B------G#

Have fun!

Peter den Hartogh · Post by **Peter den Hartogh** » 29 Mar 2016 11:53 am

One small warning... The bender is designed for guitar, so the string spacing is wider than a steel guitar. You need an 8 string pickup with wider pole pieces spacing or even better, a blade.

Tom Pettingill · Post by **Tom Pettingill** » 30 Mar 2016 7:21 am

I have done that with this George Boards Guitar.

Nice solution Peter!

By fixing a small saddle assembly either side of the ' bender to carry the 1st and 8th strings. That's the plan anyway......

I've done 7 and 8 string configurations, but put my mini companion bridge to the bass side. That leaves all the top strings usable with the bender.

.

Tony Boadle · Post by **Tony Boadle** » 31 Mar 2016 11:35 am

Just finished fitting the modified 6-string Multibender to my SX 8-string, pics attached. Also a pic of the roller but.
Everything seems to work fine...and yes, I noticed two of the levers are upside down. That's how it came, I'll sort it tomorrow! BTW, fine work in the previous pics!

Tony Boadle · Post by **Tony Boadle** » 4 Apr 2016 7:30 am

I was having problems with my add-on blocks, the pull from the strings was causing slight movement of the blocks and subsequent intonation inaccuracies. Having seen Peter's method, I remembered I had an old Recording King 6-string bridge....so I utilised a piece off each end of the bridge and brought the strings through the body. Problem solved! Project completed ( for now) so let's get pickin'......

Peter den Hartogh · Post by **Peter den Hartogh** » 5 Apr 2016 10:24 pm

Great job, Tony. Now comes practice time.

I hope that the pickup is wide enough. I cannot tell from the pictures.

One question if you don't mind.
Where did you get those leg-sockets and do they fit pedal steel legs?

Tony Boadle · Post by **Tony Boadle** » 6 Apr 2016 12:34 am

The pickup is the correct width, this is the 8-string version of the SX. Likewise, the legs and sockets are part of the instrument as supplied. If you're keen to get legs, in the past I've bought a cheap Rondo or similar and taken off the sockets and legs, used them and re-sold the guitar without legs! Regards from Ireland, Tony

Tony Boadle · Post by **Tony Boadle** » 6 Apr 2016 12:47 am

Check out Thomann online, the German music shop. They have a Harley Benton lap steel with legs for around 95 euro. The drill bit used for kitchen door hinges (Blum) is the perfect size for these leg sockets. After you've fitted the legs to your own instrument, fill the holes in the Harley Benton, stick on some felt over the whole area, and sell it on. I needed legs, I did exactly that...!!!!!

Tony Boadle · Post by **Tony Boadle** » 6 Apr 2016 12:49 am

Er.....just thought of a flaw in my plan....you'd only end up with three legs, not ideal for a pedal steel lol.ðŸ˜•

Peter den Hartogh · Post by **Peter den Hartogh** » 6 Apr 2016 8:05 am

That plan is as flawless as it is cheeky.

Brilliant.

I just need those flanges for a 3 legged Stringmaster.

Thanks for the ideas.

Brian Henry · Post by **Brian Henry** » 19 Feb 2018 2:48 pm

Tony, What are your views on fretboard scale. I was th8nking of a 22 1/2 or 24. for my Multibender project! What do you think

Tony Boadle · Post by **Tony Boadle** » 20 Feb 2018 2:59 am

Wow! A thread from the past! I'm set up with a 24 and 1/2" scale, and it works for me. Good luck with the project. Let me know if I can help in any way.

Brian Henry · Post by **Brian Henry** » 20 Feb 2018 3:20 am

Thank you Tony!

Tom Campbell · Post by **Tom Campbell** » 20 Feb 2018 12:17 pm

Where did you purchase your multibender?

I've seen the Hip-shot B-Bender, B-Bender stand alone, and Bixby advertised on E-bay.

The B-Bender stand alone (one string) looks feasible.

Great project...you did an excellent job!!!

Brian Henry · Post by **Brian Henry** » 20 Feb 2018 2:41 pm

Tony I have ordered it from Duesenberg in Germany and it has two levers. I am hoping to put it on my 10 string lap steel and put two string posts each side of the unit. Do you think that will work?

Peter den Hartogh · Post by **Peter den Hartogh** » 23 Feb 2018 6:14 am

I recommend you read Tom Pettingill 's post in this topic.
Excellent idea.

Tony Boadle · Post by **Tony Boadle** » 23 Feb 2018 9:25 am

Hi Peter, I went to look for Tom's comments...and was shocked and saddened to read that he died in January. His guitars were just so perfectly built, I'm glad I had the chance to tell him so in a previous thread.