Loosening screws on Emmons pp neck

Instruments, mechanical issues, copedents, techniques, etc.

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Jordan Beyer
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Post by Jordan Beyer »

Interesting Georg. That sounds like it would work well. When I loosened the screws and resnugged then, I am pretty confident in saying its tight enough not to rattle by resonating in contact with other parts. By all means I do not think they ought to be about ready to jiggle out loose, but not to the point were you need to break a sweat cracking them loose.
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Al Evans
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Post by Al Evans »

Erv Niehaus wrote:I heard there was a difference in tone between a slot headed screw and a Phillips head, any truth to that? :roll:
Erv
Doesn’t it depend on when the screws were made? I heard the pre-war screws were really THAT much better than anything since.

—Al Evans
2018 MSA Legend, 2018 ZumSteel Encore, 2015 Mullen G2, G&L S-500, G&L ASAT, G&L LB-100, Godin A4 Fretless, Kinscherff High Noon
Benjamin Franz
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Post by Benjamin Franz »

I’m curious. Do you people who have experimented with this hear a change in the acoustic sound of the steel? i.e. without plugging in?
Jordan Beyer
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Post by Jordan Beyer »

To think of it, no. I do not remember hearing a difference (noticable) in the un amplified instrument. But I couldnt say for sure
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Erv Niehaus
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Post by Erv Niehaus »

Al,
Yes! It makes all the difference in the world!
And also, make sure your shirt is make out of Pima cotton, no other type will do! :roll:
Erv
Jordan Beyer
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Post by Jordan Beyer »

Erv Niehaus wrote:Al,
Yes! It makes all the difference in the world!
And also, make sure your shirt is make out of Pima cotton, no other type will do! :roll:
Erv
Is that what Buddy worn?? :eek: :whoa:
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Erv Niehaus
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Post by Erv Niehaus »

Yes!
Nothing but Pima cotton for Buddy! :D
Erv
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Craig A Davidson
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Post by Craig A Davidson »

Erv Niehaus wrote:I heard there was a difference in tone between a slot headed screw and a Phillips head, any truth to that? :roll:
Erv

I have heard that using black screws improves the tone. But you have to use a black screwdriver to tighten them. :roll:
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Craig A Davidson
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Post by Craig A Davidson »

Erv Niehaus wrote:I heard there was a difference in tone between a slot headed screw and a Phillips head, any truth to that? :roll:
Erv

I have heard that using black screws improves the tone. But you have to use a black screwdriver to tighten them. :roll:
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Tommy Auldridge
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Now it's a joke?

Post by Tommy Auldridge »

I guess some people must be certain that it makes no difference. I'd like to see some of the push/pull restorers (Mike Cass, Tommy Cass, Lynn Stafford & Billy Knowles) reply with their opinion. Just my 2 cents. Thanks, Tommy.....
Pete Burak
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Post by Pete Burak »

Goerg just gave me a good idea!...
I have some Steels where I wish the fretbord were closer to the strings.
A coupla washers between the neck and the body and, 'voila!
While the neck is off I could make a template, then make a spacer out of baltic birch or something...
hmmm.

fwiw, The best sounding PP I have heard in recent memory is a 3x2 G10 with basically no neck.
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Jack Hanson
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Post by Jack Hanson »

Pete Burak wrote:The best sounding PP I have heard in recent memory is a 3x2 G10 with basically no neck.
I have a couple of old GS-10s. Both instruments were set up by a noted push/pull guru in Minnesota. One is a sunburst lacquer with 3x4 and no neck. The other is a bowlin' ball 'mica 3x1 with a BR-10 neck (basically a 1/4" thick chunk of black-painted maple). Both have had their legs upgraded to pro-style, adjustable steel legs for added weight and stability. The bowlin' ball has it's tone and volume controls intact; on the sunburst, both had been disconnected before I purchased the instrument. The point being that these two instruments are far from identical.

Just the other day, as an experiment, I plugged them both into the same amp (a Polytone Mini-Brute II) via a Morley ABY. Both have Emmons volume pedals with the new Goodrich pot installed, and were hooked up with identical cabling.

To these old ears, my two "student" instruments sound more alike than different. And in no way do they take a back seat, sound-wise, to my #1 -- a 1973 8x4 rosewood mica fatback D-10 with fat pedals that I've been playing since '77.

I consider the addition of the BR-10 neck a significant upgrade, so I recently fabricated another that will be installed on my sunburst as soon as it warms up enough around here that I can go outdoors and shoot a couple coats of black paint on it.
Tommy Auldridge wrote:I'd like to see some of the push/pull restorers (Mike Cass, Tommy Cass, Lynn Stafford & Billy Knowles) reply with their opinion.
Don't know about Mike, Tommy, Lynn, or Billy, but the aforementioned push/pull guru told me the neck screw tightness theory was a load of hooey.
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Erv Niehaus
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Post by Erv Niehaus »

Jack,
It ranks right up there with: "black guitars sound the best". :roll:
Erv
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Jack Hanson
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Post by Jack Hanson »

Erv Niehaus wrote:Jack,
It ranks right up there with: "black guitars sound the best". :roll:
Erv
That's undoubtedly true, Erv.

Nevertheless, whenever I do get the chance to paint my new BR-10 neck black, I plan to give its attachment screws a couple of coats, too.
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Erv Niehaus
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Post by Erv Niehaus »

Slot head or Phillips head? :roll:
Erv
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Jack Hanson
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Post by Jack Hanson »

At this point I'm leaning towards Torx, Erv.
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Erv Niehaus
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Post by Erv Niehaus »

Good choice,
That's what the Norwegians serve up here in Minnesota in the Winter time.
Oh, I'm sorry, I guess that's Torsk. :whoa:
Erv
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Tommy Auldridge
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Funny & fun section

Post by Tommy Auldridge »

I guess it's time to move this over to the section with the jokes.
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Jerry Overstreet
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Post by Jerry Overstreet »

Buddy commented on this issue a few times. Here's a link to the old Ask Buddy site where he talks about it some.
http://www.buddyemmons.com/_board/00000147.htm
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Erv Niehaus
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Post by Erv Niehaus »

Tommy,
You are correct!
The whole topic under discussion is a joke. :roll:
Erv
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