The Steel Guitar Forum

What do we think about the STEEL nut on the
$99.00 / $109.00 RONDO

Should that be changed to minamize string breakage ?

If you changed it to a roller nut you would pretty well eliminate string breakage. There are many ways to build a roller bridge. One way is to collect those "balls" at the end of strings. Just put a spindle through them and you're 99% of the way there.

How do you think RED LIPSTICK would look on the Light Blue RONDO

I think see will need a Blond wig also

I can buy a black pickup and paint it RED RIGHT ????

Jim Mitchell wrote:What do we think about the STEEL nut on the
$99.00 / $109.00 RONDO

Should that be changed to minamize string breakage ?

I guess I'll worry about that when I start breaking strings. So far no problem.

Alan Brookes wrote:If you changed it to a roller nut you would pretty well eliminate string breakage. There are many ways to build a roller bridge. One way is to collect those "balls" at the end of strings. Just put a spindle through them and you're 99% of the way there.

Ok some of you guys with small machine shops

GET-R-DONE

Make one sell some

It sounds easy

Jim Mitchell wrote:How do you think RED LIPSTICK would look on the Light Blue RONDO

I think see will need a Blond wig also

I can buy a black pickup and paint it RED RIGHT ????

No, actually you can't. There is a disclaimer on the GFS web site that says applying trampy lip gloss on their pickup will immediately void the warranty and require an immediate exorcism.

No, actually you can't. There is a disclaimer on the GFS web site that says applying trampy lip gloss on their pickup will immediately void the warranty and require an immediate exorcism.

Neet that means if I play bad the neck will turn around

I got one coming

Name Code Qty Each Options
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GFS Pro-Tube Lipstick I53_I54_I55 1 30.95 Position =
Bridge Position 8K [I55]
Tuibe Pickup- GLOSS BLACK
Subtotal 30.95
Shipping 5.00
Tax 0.00
Total 35.95

Hmmm... lends new meaning to "putting lipstick on a pig".

"Lipstick on you Rondo told a tale on you
Lipstick on you Rondo said you were untrue
Bet your bottom dollar you and I are through
Cuz lipstick on you Rondo told a tale on you, boy"

Roller nuts and bridges on lapsteels are the worst things you can do tone-wise. Been there! Done that! You might try to make a case that you need them if you're using benders or a Trilogy, But, if your guitar is set up right, you still don't need them.

I've got benders on my steel and don't use a rolling bridge or nut. Both components are made of aluminum and I simply loosen the string, move it over, rub a graphite pencil in the groove. I've probably had to do this about once a month or whenever I hear a little squeak. I've never broken a string.

Oh, the benders are only applied to unwound strings.

After making some adjustments to mine (lowering the bridge as far as it would go, raising the pickup to be closer to the strings), I took it to practice last night.

It definitely has a "harsher" sound than my National Dynamic, played through the same amplifier (Fender Pro Junior) and settings. I had to roll down the treble quite a bit to make it sound clearer. Still, it's a very playable guitar. The string spacing is just a tiny bit wider than the National Dynamic as well.

Thanks for the suggestions regarding the pickup and pot replacements!

Bob Borzelleri wrote:

Jim Mitchell wrote:How do you think RED LIPSTICK would look on the Light Blue RONDO

I think see will need a Blond wig also

I can buy a black pickup and paint it RED RIGHT ????

No, actually you can't. There is a disclaimer on the GFS web site that says applying trampy lip gloss on their pickup will immediately void the warranty and require an immediate exorcism.

I just had to bump this back to the top

I have not done any thing to mine yet but I did get the LIPSTICK

I am playing it with the strings they sent me they do suck

keep streatching I guess. I have to tun it every day

I am going to change strings this weekend

I CAN'T BELIEVE I AM GOING TO SAY THIS

It sounds better then my MULTI KORD

That my story and I am sticking to it

Changing the strings was the first thing I did when I received mine. After playing it a while, I changed the strings again, but this time while the strings were off, I lowered the bridge, evened out the adjustable string spacers on the bridge, and raised the pickup so it was closer to the strings. The second procedure made a huge difference in the overall sound.

As I've said before, it's not going to replace any of my other lap steels, but it's a fine instrument to have around the office.

Here's one source for mini pots.

http://www.guitarpartsresource.com/elec ... nipots.htm

Just got my mini pots in from Guitar Parts Resource.
The shaft is too short. They will not work.
I got 5 of them if anyone needs some.

Does anyone know where I can get new mini pots with a longer shaft? Bob got his at Guitar Center so I can drive over there if need be. Maybe I can go on Saturday and hear everyone who knows three chords play them real loud. Over and over again, with distortion, through great big amps-oh boy!

Dave, you can get long shaft mini-pot's here:

http://www.guitarelectronics.com/catego ... ntrolpots/

Thanks Mark!
I am putting on a LP Junior bridge and new strings today.

I'll order new pots and I can install them later. The rail pickup I use doesn't sound half bad with the 500k pots.

I am leaving one SX lap original till I finish the first one. I think I will go with the Lip Stick pick up and another LP Junior bridge. But you never know. Someone out there may be making modifications that I will have to copy.

Keep those ideas coming!

You're welcome... whatever I can do to save you from going to G-Center on a Saturday.

Dave, you and I are on the same wavelength - I am also leaving one SX alone except for the bridge (which really isn't a mod) and doing changes on one only.

My plan for #1 is to route the top for a P90 and larger pot's and then use a pickguard to cover them similar to the way a Bluestem is done. Once I'm satisfied with that one I'll then decide what to do with #2.

Now that I have palm pedals on mine I find myself playing it all the time. I've reached the stage where I instinctively work the pedals to change the relationships of the strings to each other without having to think about it. In fact it's spoiling me for other lap steels, as I reach for palm pedals which aren't there. I will have to do something about changing the nut to rollers, though. I broke a 3rd string yesterday, which is unusual for me.

Anybody try modifying an Artisan this way?

Mark Mansueto wrote:You're welcome... whatever I can do to save you from going to G-Center on a Saturday.

Dave, you and I are on the same wavelength - I am also leaving one SX alone except for the bridge (which really isn't a mod) and doing changes on one only.

My plan for #1 is to route the top for a P90 and larger pot's and then use a pickguard to cover them similar to the way a Bluestem is done. Once I'm satisfied with that one I'll then decide what to do with #2.

Mark...

Now that I have played both my Industrial with the GFS Mean 90 (very P90 like) and the SX with the GFS Lipstick, it has become clear to me that the apparently hotter lipstick has overtones that the Mean 90 does not produce.

In a sense, it's nice to have the tonal variety between the two lap steels, but I am already beginning to wonder about a somewhat hotter single coil in a humbucker size for the Industrial. After all, reducing the overtones (when I don't want them)is only a tone knob twist away.

...Bob

How about one of these?

Alan Brookes wrote:Now that I have palm pedals on mine I find myself playing it all the time. I've reached the stage where I instinctively work the pedals to change the relationships of the strings to each other without having to think about it. In fact it's spoiling me for other lap steels, as I reach for palm pedals which aren't there. I will have to do something about changing the nut to rollers, though. I broke a 3rd string yesterday, which is unusual for me.

Alan, that is probably one of the main reasons why I have resisted installing some sort of tuning or bending unit on my steels. My fear is that if I start to depend on it and it becomes part of my general playing technique I'll need a unit on every guitar. I love the idea but I also love the simplicity of a basic six string steel. Maybe someday I'll be confident(or bored)enough with my playing that I'll want to branch out.

[quote="Bob Borzelleri
Mark...

Now that I have played both my Industrial with the GFS Mean 90 (very P90 like) and the SX with the GFS Lipstick, it has become clear to me that the apparently hotter lipstick has overtones that the Mean 90 does not produce.

In a sense, it's nice to have the tonal variety between the two lap steels, but I am already beginning to wonder about a somewhat hotter single coil in a humbucker size for the Industrial. After all, reducing the overtones (when I don't want them)is only a tone knob twist away.

...Bob[/quote]

Bob, just keep in mind that you're comparing two different guitars. Will the lipstick have the same overtones in the industrial? Would be an interesing test but at least we know that the lipstick sounds good in the SX. It's also interesting that a pickup called a "mean 90" is not as hot as a lipstick. I have a 1966 Danelectro with original lipsticks and they are not hot at all and never were.

John, you're teasing us with that picture of the Lollar

Is it yours? Have you installed it in a guitar? How much $$$.

Mark, it's a Lollar Chicago Steel for Strat pup.
" Chicago Steel for StratocasterTM, $140 each
A steel guitar pickup design intended for slide players based on specific 1940s Oahu/Valco/Supro lap steel pickups. Hound dog Taylor sound with touch sensitive over the top output. Big midrange tone that retains top end sizzle. Usually requires minor routing and slight pick guard modification."
http://www.lollarguitars.com/Pickups.htm

I'm building a Ry Cooder Strat. The Lollar will be in the bridge, and I have two Teisco's for middle and neck positions. I got a Robert Cray Strat body on ebay, and will use my old, very wide Warmoth Tele neck. Should be a bottleneck monster.