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Topic: Modern Alternatives to a Stringmaster |
Paul Honeycutt
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 13 Feb 2007 10:07 pm |
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| What other D-8's out there are in the ballpark? I was impressed with the sound of Alan Akaka's Canopus and I've heard good things from Remington Steels. Who else makes a guitar that is inspired or modeled after the old Fenders? |
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Bob Littleton
From:
Camas, WA
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Jody Carver
From:
KNIGHT OF FENDER TWEED
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Posted 14 Feb 2007 6:51 am
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You may want to check out Loni Spector's steel guitars. I have and found the quality exceptional, plus Loni is a fine person who will satisfy whatever you should so desire. He can build anything
equal to what is out there today.
http://www.Lapdancerguitars.com |
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CrowBear Schmitt
From:
Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France
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Michael Johnstone
From:
Sylmar,Ca. USA
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Posted 14 Feb 2007 8:04 am
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| When it comes to tone to die for like the Stringmaster,the only modern console steel with that kind of extra special tone I've heard is a CruzTone. |
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George Piburn
From:
The Land of Enchantment New Mexico
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Posted 14 Feb 2007 8:19 am
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edit
Last edited by George Piburn on 17 Jun 2012 1:05 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Jeff Au Hoy
From:
Honolulu, Hawai'i
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Posted 14 Feb 2007 9:06 am
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| If you're looking for the Stringmaster sound, I recommend Elva West of Anaheim. He builds doubleneck models out of ash with the Stringmaster pickup configuration (two pickups per neck), even down to the blend control knob. I've played his instruments and in a blind test, I wouldn't be able to tell one from an actual Stringmaster. |
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Loni Specter
From:
West Hills, CA, USA
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Posted 14 Feb 2007 9:32 am
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| Jody Carver wrote: |
You may want to check out Loni Spector's steel guitars. I have and found the quality exceptional, plus Loni is a fine person who will satisfy whatever you should so desire. He can build anything
equal to what is out there today.
http://www.Lapdancerguitars.com |
Jody Thanks for the plug, but I'm not making any multi-neck consoles at this time.
I do want to remind you of my May 5th consumer show in the NY area and if any steel guitar makers want to exhibit, I'll make a special area and discounted space price for you.
www.ampshow.com |
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Edward Meisse
From:
Santa Rosa, California, USA
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Posted 14 Feb 2007 10:02 am Elva West
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| I would second Jeff's suggestion. Mr. West's guitars, if I remember correctly, are also the most affordable of the ones mentioned. |
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 14 Feb 2007 11:03 am
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| Elva West is a super nice guy too. |
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Jody Carver
From:
KNIGHT OF FENDER TWEED
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Posted 14 Feb 2007 11:54 am
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| Loni Specter wrote: |
| Jody Carver wrote: |
You may want to check out Loni Spector's steel guitars. I have and found the quality exceptional, plus Loni is a fine person who will satisfy whatever you should so desire. He can build anything
equal to what is out there today.
http://www.Lapdancerguitars.com |
Jody Thanks for the plug, but I'm not making any multi-neck consoles at this time.
I do want to remind you of my May 5th consumer show in the NY area and if any steel guitar makers want to exhibit, I'll make a special area and discounted space price for you.
www.ampshow.com |
Loni, check your email and phone message. Thanks. Jody. |
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Mark Eaton
From:
Sonoma County in The Great State Of Northern California
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Posted 14 Feb 2007 12:42 pm
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| Michael Johnstone wrote: |
| When it comes to tone to die for like the Stringmaster,the only modern console steel with that kind of extra special tone I've heard is a CruzTone. |
Is Colin making any double necks these days? I hadn't visited his website in quite awhile, and I just did-but there is no mention of, or photos, of any double neck steels.
I would imagine if you can make a beautiful single as does Colin, you can probably build a double-but there's nothing on the site indicating as such.
_________________
Mark |
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Jody Carver
From:
KNIGHT OF FENDER TWEED
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Posted 14 Feb 2007 4:08 pm
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[quote="Jody Carver"]
| Loni Specter wrote: |
| Jody Carver wrote: |
You may want to check out Loni Spector's steel guitars. I have and found the quality exceptional, plus Loni is a fine person who will satisfy whatever you should so desire. He can build anything
equal to what is out there today.
http://www.Lapdancerguitars.com |
Jody Thanks for the plug, but I'm not making any multi-neck consoles at this time.
I do want to remind you of my May 5th consumer show in the NY area and if any steel guitar makers want to exhibit, I'll make a special area and discounted space price for you.
www.ampshow.com |
Where in the NY area? |
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Colin Alder
From:
Santa Cruz, California, USA
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Posted 14 Feb 2007 5:25 pm
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Mike, thanks for your comments on the CruzTone. It's true that tone from my guitars is awesome, if I do say so myself. You haven't heard from me lately because I have been designing a replacement for the Aiello/Lollar horseshoe pickup. Rick Aiello is no longer making the shoes for these units. But with his help and expertise I am building a pickup that produces that Lollar/Aiello supercharged horseshoe tone in a different shaped package. They will be ready this month. I'm now taking orders for both six and eight stringers.
Meanwhile, I recently completed this guitar for Patti Maxine ---
local Santa Cruz steel guitar ace. This is my alternative to a double neck. Patti and I can testify that the Trilogy tailpiece gives all the tuning change options you could want from a double neck---the massive bridge and solid aluminum headstock, top, back and mahogany body RETAIN THE TONE AND SUSTAIN as if it was a string thru guitar.
We moved her forward-most control, and put a moonstone in the empty hole. I won't be using this control configuration in the future. But I do now have a two pickup, 6 string steel using the Lollar Chicago steel in the neck position, and a 5 position rotary switch with series / parallel switching options.
I welcome all inquiries. Colin
_________________
Colin Alder
www.cruztonesteel.com |
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 15 Feb 2007 6:51 am
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| Quote: |
| building a pickup that produces that Lollar/Aiello supercharged horseshoe tone in a different shaped package. |
And it's gonna be really something  
I made Colin this crude prototype last summer ...
It was roughly based on some work I did with Jason, when we were thinking about putting out our version of the Boxcar (which later got "derailed" ... by the MRI).
Colin has redesigned it for better aesthetics and compatibility with his mounting system ...
I just ordered the neodymium for it this morning ...  |
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Paul Honeycutt
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 15 Feb 2007 6:15 pm
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| Jeff Au Hoy wrote: |
| If you're looking for the Stringmaster sound, I recommend Elva West of Anaheim. He builds doubleneck models out of ash with the Stringmaster pickup configuration (two pickups per neck), even down to the blend control knob. I've played his instruments and in a blind test, I wouldn't be able to tell one from an actual Stringmaster. |
That's the kind of information I'm looking for, Jeff. I'll check them out. Do you know what kind of price range these are in? I'm thinking about selling my 1918 Gibsom A Mandolin to finance the purchase. |
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Craig Prior
From:
National City, California, USA
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Posted 15 Feb 2007 8:46 pm
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| Anybody gotta website on Elva West? When I Google the name all I get is this guy that grows super-duper papayas. |
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George Keoki Lake
From:
Edmonton, AB., Canada
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Posted 15 Feb 2007 10:56 pm
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Go with Jeff's suggestion. Elva builds very nice guitars and is a great guy to deal with....here's his email address: elvawest@hotmail.com
I can also vouch for the CANOPUS (manufactured in Japan)...beautifully made and has a great sound. |
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Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Posted 16 Feb 2007 12:21 am
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IN TALKING ABOUT CANOPUS GUITARS - THEY ARE MODELED AFTER FENDER AND GIBSON STEEL GUITARS.
THE FENDER-MODELED CANOPUS IS BRIGHT SOUNDING
THE GIBSON-MODELED CANOPUS IS MORE MELLOW SOUNDING.
CANOPUS STEEL GUITARS
GREG SARDINHA, CHARLIE FUKUBA AND GERONIMO VALDRIZ PLAY THE FENDER-MODELED CANOPUS
ALAN AKAKA PLAYS THE GIBSON-MODELED CANOPUS.
ALOHA, 
DON |
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 16 Feb 2007 6:51 pm
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Alan has both the solid body type and the hollow body type.
I saw them both last year. I have never played or fooled around with one, but ANY guitar with Alan behind it is gonna sound good!!
BILL |
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Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Posted 17 Feb 2007 12:02 am
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That is true Bill. Alan sounds good on any guitar.
However I prefered his hollow body(Gibson-like) steel, it seemed more mellow. I believe this one is the one he started with then went to the solid body. This probably due to his being a representative of Canopus.
Aloha,
Don |
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Paul Honeycutt
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 25 Feb 2007 9:32 pm
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| George Keoki Lake wrote: |
Go with Jeff's suggestion. Elva builds very nice guitars and is a great guy to deal with....here's his email address: elvawest@hotmail.com
I can also vouch for the CANOPUS (manufactured in Japan)...beautifully made and has a great sound. |
I heard Alan Akaka play his Canopus in Hawaii last month. That was one of the things that got me the bug to find a D-8. |
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Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Posted 25 Feb 2007 11:08 pm
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| Which one, Paul? The hollow-body or solid-body? |
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Gary Lynch
From:
Creston, California, USA
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Posted 26 Feb 2007 8:03 am
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| Rick Alexander stated that Fender Japan still makes Stringmasters. I have never seen one. You would think a used one would pop up on eBay or others would offer them Grey Market like Fender Japan guitars which are built really well. Has anyone seen a Fender Japan Deluxe or Stringmaster? |
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Paul Arntson
From:
Washington, USA
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Posted 26 Feb 2007 11:37 am
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I played one of the Japanese Deluxes (S8) a couple years ago in Nagoya Japan at a music store. The dimensions and everything look like exact repro. The white finish is slightly orange peeled compared to the vintage micro thin lacquer. The tone and feel was real close. I didn't have my 55 stringmaster there to check against it, but it felt pretty familiar. Maybe a little higher output and slightly less complex tone, not sure.
On the downside, the price of the Japanese one was very comparable to that of a vintage instrument stateside. For that, it would probably be a safer investment to get an old one, which won't depreciate. Plus there is the problem of importing the Japanese made guitar or finding one for sale over here. |
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