The Steel Guitar Forum

Tommy Shown, Please let this thread know how you like the mod after you get it done and then your name will be added to the list..thanks. Ethelsville, Ala is fast becoming the "Steel Guitar Max tone Mod center of the world".

FYI, I sat down to Tommys guitar in Dallas, it was alive top to bottom of the neck, I don't know what he does, but sounded good to me....

Well, here is a fine example..........

I just took my seventh guitar that i had modded and let people play it at Dallas and they only had positive responses to say about it. Way to go Tommy on another great job. Thanks Jim

Chris Lang, If you have something to say, please let this thread know and you then can be placed on the list...either positive or negative.

he's makin' a list, checking it twice...la la la blah blah naughty or nice....

THANKS MANY TIMES OVER MR. PARKER for all the business that you have given me the last few years, This tread that you started here along with all the people that you sold those guitars to has really enhanced my business tremendously,, keep selling them my friend that's how its done, making money the old fashion way buying fixing and selling them..

PLEASE READ ALL OF THIS

FYI the picture that CHRIS LANG posted was on a guitar that I had modded a few years ago that had a problem with the changer lifting in the middle, the customer said he couldn't afford to send the changer to have this replaced, as it was giving him a problem detuning the open strings when he pressed the pedals down so i placed some smaller screws in it to keep it from lifting, after that it was sold and went thru several hands and it ended up with these larger screws in it along with the damage,,,,, as all can see it has had a lot of problems with the screw on the left side, someone even scrubbed the top side of the neck doing something to it,, this picture was taken about a year or so after I had worked on it for the first gentleman he asked me to stop the problem it had without buying a new part, CHRIS just wants to show everyone anything he can to TRY AND discredit my MAX-TONE MODIFICATION, This I was instructed by the owner to do, that's just like the many knee lever's and pedals that people build that are not original with a crooked bent flag on it are the builder responsible for someone else's work """NOT"" it is really disheartening to see him post this as if saying that I'm responsible for all that's been done to it after i had worked on it... """MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL"""

PS:::THE NEW OWNER OF IT NOW CAME BY MY BOOTH IN DALLAS AND STATED IT STILL SOUNDS GREAT EVEN NOW AND STILL STAY'S IN TUNE

NOT THE PERSON THAT OWNED IT WHEN THE PICTURE WAS TAKEN
EITHER


THIS """"IS NOT"""" A PART OF MY MAX-TONE MODIFICATION AT ALL SORRY CHRIS LANG.

I can't be responsible for a guitar that other's has worked on and did this to it along with the larger screws after my work was finished.

Modman leading late in the 4th quarter. 17 to 2. Go TY! Seriously folks, the best sounding mod I 've played and heard was on a D-10 rosewood p/p Emmons at Fulton, MS. last year. Reminded me of the tone BE had on the black album. Mod TY put on the D-10 lacquer Mullen I played in Gulfport a while back won't take a backseat to any guitar either. Want to enhance a guitars tone/sustain, then TY's the man. If it don't need a mod, that's great. Tommy's the real deal guys. He's proven his mod, time and time again over. If someone don't want it, that's fine.

Are there any mp3's on the web that demonstrate the Maxtone mod?

BTW - Richard, I recognize that Reliant!

I know before I enter this post that some folks are gonna' say, "Yeh Phred's trying to screw old Tommy out of his livlihood and Shannon doesn't know what he's talking about." I can handle that but I think it's time that someone cuts to the chase with this "Mod" thing by Tommy.

I don't have any doubt that the "Mod" is actual and works very well, to some folks' satisfaction and that's good. Let it be. But to believe that 'some' manufacturers are going to continue to honor factory warrantys after TY performs his work is just not in the wash in my opinion.

Tommy has specified on this thread that he will warranty only his work and not the rest of the guitar he doesn't work on. But no one really knows what Tommy's work is, so how would one know what is warranted and what is not?

I have personally either talked with or emailed 3 of today's prominent manufacturers and here's what I received to the question, "If TY performs his "Mod" on one of your warranted guitars will you continue to honor your factory warranty?"

Now I believe that's a straight forward question that leaves little ambiguity in its interpretation. Do you agree or not?

Here's one answer: "I can't even begin to answer that question because I don't know what he does to the guitar. So I guess that anyone in the business that would warrant an instrument that has been modified--and you don't know what the modification is--would be a simpleton. Based on that fact the answer is NO."

Another answer: "Without specifics of the "Mod" being known, the answer is NO WAY."

The last answer: "NO"!

Billy Carr wrote:A builder + TY's mod working together. It's just a matter of time. I've always said this once I played TY's modded guitars vs unmodded ones. The man knows his business! Go ahead MODMAN!

I really believe if this is to ever happen several things are going to have to change, especially with respect to WHO'S GONNA' DO THE MODIFICATION? TY contends he's the only person that knows what has to be done and therefore he will be the only person that can perform the "Modification".

Now what does that entail? It means, to me, that every guitar the builder makes will have to be in a "finished condition", boxed up and shipped to Tommy; TY performs the "Mod", boxes it up and ships it back to the builder.

Does TY pay the shipping or does the builder? As you know shipping guitars is pretty darned expensive currently. That, plus what builder is prepared to wait, timewise, for all this to happen?

Betcha' there ain't many gonna' volunteer for this little doo-dad. I think it would be ridiculous and certainly unbusinesslike for even proposing such a thing. Therefore a change will probably have to be made, don't you think. Probably TY sells the "Mod" to a builder, or some such action, I don't know.

Even with the aforementioned being difficult to overcome I still believe the "Factory Warranty Issue" will be the big hold up. For older guitars, that don't fall into this factory warranty category, then certainly the owner of the guitar has the last word and man I certainly do agree with that.

Too, someday some old phogey--with cardboard ears--is going to insist on a "blind test comparison" between one of TY's "Modded" guitars and a new Mullen, MSA, Emmons, Rains or any of the many guitars now being produced. That should be interesting.

I really hope that TY can work it out. A man's initiative, ambition and work should be rewarded.

Phred

Hey Folks, it is as simple as 1, 2 and 3 either you like TY's mod or you do not like TY's mod. So far we have a list of 19 people who have given positive testimonials about TY's Max tone mod. Don't listen to all the extraneous and abstract chatter..some people like to blow smoke and create doubts. Listen to the mod, sit down and give youself 10 minutes to play the mod and then you can make a judgement..so far on this thread everyone who has had the mod done gives high marks to it. Remember, there are always people who do not like to see other people succeed. It looks like TY has beaten the opposition by a long shot....IMHO

QUOTE:
I really believe if this is to ever happen several things are going to have to change, especially with respect to WHO'S GONNA' DO THE MODIFICATION? TY contends he's the only person that knows what has to be done and therefore he will be the only person that can perform the "Modification".


FACT: I have stated that each particular brand and or series of guitars are different, therefore one can't do the same on all brands of guitars and expect the same results on all of them. SO with this in mind one can't take brand ""X"" and do the same to brand ""Y""but if a builder wants to work with me then yes I would under specified conditions show them and allow them to do it only on their brand of guitar. THE specifics would be worked out at that time between us both contractually...

Fact being I've never stated that I would not work with a BUILDER at any time, that is a false statement if you are in doubt I can give references to the fact (( call or e-mail me for this info)). sorry FRED Facts speak louder than WORDS

FACT::I have done MAX-TONE MODIFICATIONS ON OR ALMOST (((BEING LESS THAN A MONTH OLD)))) NEW GUITARS, and was called to do another one by another builder sorry FRED ""NO"" offense taken my dear forum friend.

All of this can be documented as truth not fiction. All of this from unknowing minds that know nothing of what I do but just have time to write something to try and discredit or present doubt to others about my work in one form or another. all of this will be handled personally as to not put people in a bad position they care not to discuss openly.

Anything that I should do to anyone's guitar that would jepardize the Integrity of a guitar it will be discussed when the deal is made and the customer will know before hand what part of the guitar it will be done to ""BEFORE"" it is repaired or upgraded many THANKS.

The bad part of a forum is it's in writing. A little research will do the job if one is interested. The good part about telling the truth is you don't have to have a good memory. But the proof will be in the pudding. Good luck.



phred

The good part about the forum is the many sources of information it makes available to people that have an interest in the subject being discussed...after that, if so inclined, people can take steps to touch, feel, hear and play the instrument being discussed.

MR. CARR many thanks for all those kind words maybe just maybe myself and a respectable builder will work up a good deal, on my MOD. I'm gonna have a Booth at the Alabama steel show on the 18th then next show is Fulton MS. on the 26th of April I'll be there with a few of my MODDED guitars that all can sit and play on headphones or during breaks play on a amp. Hope to see you there.

Billy Carr said:

Seriously folks, the best sounding mod I 've played and heard was on a D-10 rosewood p/p Emmons at Fulton, MS. last year. Reminded me of the tone BE had on the black album.

That's the same guitar that I had previously owned. I just wish you could have heard it before Tommy worked on it, Billy. It was simply AWFUL!!! It had no sustain above the 12th fret, and not too much to speak of below the 12th fret. If I hadn't heard the difference for myself, I doubt I would believe it either.

Lem,
It's a pity that you don't read the forum more.

There have been plenty of posts concerning push-pull tone enhancement.

You could have improved the tone of your push-pull in less than five minutes, using only a screwdriver.

The neck was screwed down too tight, all it needed was for the screws that hold it down to be slackened off slightly

I read the forum plenty Richard, and have for longer than many here. It wasn't a push pull. It was a short keyhead Legrande. I've mentioned that before, so it seems to me that it's not me who needs to read the forum more.

If you read your previous post, Lem, you will see that you have stated that the push-pull guitar referred to by Billy Carr was one that you used to own.

Richard::your wrong again I see you don't read the post that was a SKH EMMONS not a push/pull but when i MOD a P/P I tighten ALL the screws TIGHT not loosened to where they will fall out when it gets hot down here in southern USA as I've seen them do from some of the so called pro set-up P/P tone GRU's..

QUOTE::a TOURING PRO that plays P/P he played one that I had at one of the SHOWS ---either this guitar is 1 in a million or your MOD has done it the best I've played peroid--end QUOTE

Tommy

Do you sell those little round brown "smart pills" too?

The rosewood Emmons that was at the Fulton show last year was, as Tommy just said, a short keyhead Legrande. It was the only rosewood Emmons there last year. I read the posts Richard, but I also know which steel guitar that Billy was actually referring to. Maybe Billy referred to it as being a push pull because it reminded him of Buddy's tone on that particular album, and that was what was on his mind at the time. I don't know.

CHRIS L. No I don't have any smart pills what I have learned on these great instruments was a gift from ""GOD"" as by chance. At one time I was doing a repair on a guitar that I personally owned and after the repair I noticed at once just how much better the tone had gotten. So as I'm real sensitive to tone and the change was so distinct that I went back and changed it back to the before state and bingo the TONE went away just as it had before thats how I found the CULPRIT to the MODIFICATION that I do today, as I have refined it several times by changing 2 or 3 items and made allowances for different brands and their particular characteristics and the way they are built. I can't change some things on a guitar as the WOOD, type of aluminum, fingers, way it's assembled, changers, Etc. are all things I DO NOT change as each guitar has its on and retains its on integrity and signature tonalities. WHAT I do is{{{ build upon the total TONAL RESPONSE the guitar has within itself by cleaning up the TONE KILLING overtones and allowing the GUITAR to be itself, therefore it will have more a much better, richer, cleaner TONE and much better sustain from end to end all 26 or so frets whichever the case may be. Thats why all that has played one of the MODDED guitars has noticed the difference in both the UPPER rage purity of sound as well as the LOWER cleaness of lower notes ,, the guitar will have a much better string separation, and total response to the players touch, even to the newer players the guitar responds much better as well as they are not so sensitive to exactness to chime as well, ONE builder noticed this first time he played a grip he stopped right then and really checked that out, before checking out all the other characteristics he noticed also, His PRIDE ONLY thing stopping him !!!!!! It has taken me several years to really find all the little things to each guitar that I do on them now to achieve all of this. These babies are very very sensitive and a little can go a long ways and too much can kill the whole objective dead as a hammer.

[/b]NO SMART PILL JUST HARD WORK ACHEIVING A GOAL WITH THE HELP OF THE ""LORD""

All this with 30 years experience doing Tool and Die work as well as working on high speed industrial machinery helps.along with building many race car engines and show cars for others as a hobby plus my love for MUSIC.

give youself 10 minutes to play the mod and then you can make a judgement..

Well, just what is the "MOD" and how can you play what is really just adjustments?

I do my own "MOD" on each guitar I have, but I don't call it a "MOD".

most steel players who have had a few guitars do this too.

They just dont try to "sell" it as a "MOD"

Chris this isn't an adjustment peroid......... YOU really need to play one of them and hear an feel the difference in them,,, if mine has a loose screw please feel free to tighten because I missed it and will help your guitar if you do.... thats why guy's that adjust them always having to do it over when the weather changes and have screws missing when this happens and you never ever get close to where these guitars do!!!!!! after my MOD sorry I've got 2 in my shop now that has been to the supposedly best TONE GURU'S in the business and after the owners played one of mine they are here to be MAX-TONED. Even one of the guitars that is mentioned in this thread was bought from one of the supposedly best TONE GURU's in the business as I don't run them done and put them on the spot they do what they know how but NOT the same as MAX-TONE not even close thanks for taking the time to ask these ?????

PS:: only adjusting I do is to a pick-up when replacing it with another one. or to the pedals etc. when working on those BUT NOT a part of my MODIFICATION.....