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Topic: My New Compact Keyless Tuning Head |
Sonny Jenkins
From:
Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx
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Posted 20 May 2007 4:40 pm |
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This is a prototype of my new keyless tuner,,,I hope to install it in a new 8 string I'm building next week. The masking tape on the bottom is to temporarily hold the pivot axle in place until it is installed.
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Dan Sawyer
From:
Studio City, California, USA
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Posted 21 May 2007 11:46 am
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| Interesting, thanks for posting. Is this something you foresee for non-pedal steels? |
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Roy Thomson
From:
Wolfville, Nova Scotia,Canada
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Posted 21 May 2007 11:54 am
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This type of Keyhead makes a lot
of sense to me from the standpoint of
cutting down the size/weight of the
guitar. But will it give as good a sound
as the standard keyhead?
The majority still favour the traditional
keyhead. |
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Sonny Jenkins
From:
Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx
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Posted 21 May 2007 1:45 pm
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Dan ,,several PSG builders are building keyless guitars . I'm dyed in the wool partial to keyless,,,just personal preference,,,very positive tuning,,no extra string length/overtones. I just see no need for the additional 6-8 inches of length,,,and I like the compactness of both my PSG and my lap steel.
Roy,,not sure how much the keyhead affects the tone,,some say it eliminates the overtones. Not trying to change anyones mind,,just trying to make it an available option if anyone is so inclined. I couldn't be happier with the tone of the one I just finished. |
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Fred Shannon
From:
Rocking "S" Ranch, Comancheria, Texas, R.I.P.
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Posted 21 May 2007 2:51 pm
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Can someone actually say they "hear overtones" on any tuner system? I must be missing something, I only hear what I hear. How do you separate "overtones" from just plain old "tone"? Anyone make a good explanation please!!
Sonny, sorry for the hi jack. You guys send me an email with an explanation if you will. BTW Sonny looks like a good job to me.
Phred
Last edited by Fred Shannon on 21 May 2007 4:46 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Roman Sonnleitner
From:
Vienna, Austria
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Posted 21 May 2007 3:16 pm
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Fred, try picking the strings of your guitar behind the saddle, or in front of the nut (without muting the strings inbetween nut and saddle) - you'll hear (not very loud) some chirping, high-pitched tones - I think, that's what everybody is talking about, those parts of the strings will resonate and add some overtones to the sound of your strings.
BTW, I had a Bigsby-vibrato equipped semi-acoustic guitar for a while, where these overtones, esp. on the G-string, were reallly loud and annoying, had to stuff a block of foam rubber underneath the strings behind the saddle to damp them... |
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 21 May 2007 7:04 pm
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I would say that if this type tuner works good, go for it. People are asking occasionally about putting their guitar in the over-head on the airlines, and a shorter/lighter guitar and case would be desirable.
Nice job on that set-up 
Regards BILL |
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Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
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Posted 22 May 2007 3:09 am
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Like that.
Tell us a bit more as to how it works. Looks like you are not using a cam type set up and just have the string riding on a round piece attached to the unit. Is that brass or something else?
Is there a shaft that goes through each piece or are the pieces just resting against the shaft and held on with string pressure. |
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David Doggett
From:
Bawl'mer, MD (formerly of MS, Nawluns, Gnashville, Knocksville, Lost Angeles, Bahsten. and Philly)
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Posted 22 May 2007 6:52 am
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There is a simple way to test the idea that the length behind the nut affects tone. The next time you string your keyed steel (lap or pedal), put strings of the same gauge at the first postition (shortest overhang behind the nut) and the position with the longest overhang behind the nut. See if you can hear any difference, both open and with the bar. It would probably be best to have all the other strings on there at the time of the test, just in case their sympathetic overtones have some effect. This is a very simple way to test the idea, and the only cost is one wasted string.
The more elaborate test would be to build a demonstration device that is essentially a double neck steel on a single flat body, with a keyed head on one neck and a keyless head on the other. I'm surprised some manufacturer hasn't already done that. That would settle the tone issue once and for all. If there is no difference, that would be obvious. If there is a difference, a buyer could decide if the tone difference is good, bad, or just a matter of personal taste.
I haven't tried either of these tests, but will try the two string test the next time I change strings. My only experience with this at present is that when I repaced the keyed head with no rollers that was on my old Maverick with a key head with rollers, the tone changed quite a bit. The rollerless head just had long V grooves in the solid keyhead block. It had a very solid tone, and the wound strings made a scratching sound when raised or lowered. The roller keyhead had a much more hollow ringing tone, almost like reverb. And the strange thing is that this tone difference occurred even when using the bar and damping the strings with my bar hand. This is not an exact analogy to a keyless vs. keyed head comparison. But it does strongly indicate to me that what goes on behind the nut can have a big effect on tone. |
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Sonny Jenkins
From:
Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx
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Posted 22 May 2007 8:59 am
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| To clarify,,,I'm NOT making any claims as to the pros/cons of keyless tuners,,,or the existance or non-existance of overtones,,,or anything. Just showing my keyless tuner for the benefit of those that expressed interest in the guitars I'm building,,,and confessing that my personal preference is the keyless tuner,,,and the universal tuning for that matter. They both serve my purpose well,,,but I'm NOT suggesting they would be for everyone,,(or anyone??) |
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