The Steel Guitar Forum

Craig said "Scott,
So you're the guy with the Li'l Wonder. I knew there still had to be one somewhere. Honestly, I don't even think I have one around here anymore. Li'l Wonder came along in the early 1980s. It was one of several products we offered back then. Another was a box called "Hear~Here", a headphone practice amp that performed very well when many didn't. Jeff Newman bought 50 of them for his seminars and classes. Other than Jeff's order, we didn't sell enough of the Hear~Here or Li'l Wonder units to make it worthwhile. Li'l Izzy was a different story. Over the years, we've continued to get requests for Li'l Izzy. Hence the comeback. Please know, Scott, that your praise of the products and your support in purchasing them was, and remains appreciated. I always try to keep the wheels turning and who knows, with so many products on the market these days, a new Li'l Wonder, or it's cousin might show up one day. Thanks for planting the seed Scott."

Well you're very welcome Craig. Here's another one. Hope I'm not being too redundant but I think the Lil Wonder is (was) so cool cause it's like two Lil Izzys in one. I think a lot more of us go out to two amps (or one stereo) these days and many like me are devoted to keeping the sound as pure as possible. Something happens to the texture when you introduce ANYTHING into the chain. With the wonder you could keep the clean in one amp and dial the magic into the other.OR dial the Wonder into both if you want. Best of all worlds.

Scott, one of the problems we want to avoid is the "too many products too soon trap". While you've had the Li'l Izzy and the Li'l Wonder for years, and are really tuned into the sound, The concept is brand new to a whole new generation of players. I mentioned in an earlier post today that I think everybody needs at least one Li'l Izzy, and pot-type volume pedal users need two. My hair hurts when I think about expanding the line, but trust me, I am listening. Anytime somebody is as supportive and encouraging as you have been. . . I am listening.

Again, best personal regards
Craig Baker

706-485-8792

cmbakerelectronics@gmail.com


C.M. Baker Electronics
P.O. Box 3965
Eatonton, GA 31024

Jack R,

Thank you so much for the kind words and I too enjoyed the chance to get acquainted. Jack, you have listed some top notch equipment and I bet your ZumSteel already sounded fine, but I'm always grateful when Li'l Izzy is part of the performance.

Take care Jack, and God's blessings to all of those in Oklahoma

Craig Baker

706-485-8792

cmbakerelectronics@gmail.com


C.M. Baker Electronics
P.O. Box 3965
Eatonton, GA 31024

Gene and Gayla Crain performed at our local Cowboy Church last nite and I let Gene try my Lil' Izzy I got yesterday and the difference it made on his Mullen G2 was terrific. Up high or down low it was rich and clean as could be and tone to the bone.
He liked it as much as I so I just gave it to him and just now got me another on order from Craig.
Gene is a knock down super steeler and Gayla can sing like an angel! We really enjoyed their performance. Jack

I'm in the process of purchasing a package deal that includes a Li'l Izzy, Goorich L10K, and Nashville 112. I'm figuring hookup this way...

Steel to Li'l Izzy to Amp, preamp out to volume pdeal, pedal back to amp.

What say ye?

I'd try it that way as well as the two-cable:
Axe-Izzy-Pedal-amp.
Use whichever sounds better. Some don't like the loop.

I'll do that Lane. Hoping to pick up everything this coming Tuesday.

Well, I got my GFI / Nashville package yesterday. And with it came a L'il Izzy. All I can say, is if you don't have one, GET IT! Sure, My GFI / Nashville combo sounded great to start with. But adding the Li'l Izzy took it to a whole new level. Full sound, with absolutely singing highs.

Like I said... GET ONE!

To answer Larry Behm's question, I use the Lil Izzy with a Hilton Pedal and there is absolutely a difference. I have tried other things, like the Goodrich matchbox, and nothing I have tried gives the same sound as the Lil Izzy. It just makes your guitar come alive is all I can say. You may have to back your treble down some on your amp but the Izzy gives your strings that silky smooth sound that most of us are striving for. It sounds great on regular guitar too. I bought mine from Craig when they were first introduced at Scotty's convention. Herby Wallace was doing demo's with it in a side room and everybody was amazed at the difference it made in Herby's rig. I think the 9 volt battery is supposed to run for 3,000 hours. Whatever it is, the battery life is not an issue. When the battery gets low, you get a distortion sound. Just unplug it and put in a new battery at the next band break. Add my name as an endorser of the Lil Izzy and I am so glad that they are back on the market. Mine is still going since the mid 80's but I am going to order a back up soon.

Scott,
Thank you so much for the compliments regarding Li'l Izzy. Your praise is greatly appreciated, and I am happy that you are delighted with all of your new equipment and your new sound. Since introducing the product years ago, I honestly can't recall anyone ever going to that much trouble or expense. . . just to get their hands on a Li'l Izzy. Amazing!

Seriously, Thank you Scott and congratulations.
Craig Baker

706-485-8792

cmbakerelectronics@gmail.com

C.M. Baker Electronics
P.O. Box 3965
Eatonton, GA 31024

Hello George,
Thank you also for your kind words. A while back, I wrote a short paper covering the unique properties one is concerned with when amplifying a steel guitar. Some key points to consider: The output impedance of a wound pickup is different for every note and chord played. To complicate things even more, now send that signal through a pot type volume pedal. The output impedance of the pedal constantly changes along with the volume. No wonder so many musicians are trapped in a tone war with their equipment. The easiest solution is to convert to low impedance outputs, everywhere possible; guitar, volume pedal etc. Today with pickup buffers and active volume pedals on the market, the sound of a steel guitar can be much more pleasing than ever before.

George, you are in that select group that is at peace with their sound. Thank you again for purchasing a Li'l Izzy. I am glad you got a good return on your investment. We're always happy when someone includes our products in their arsenal and makes Li'l Izzy part of each performance

Again, thank you George and best personal regards

Craig Baker

706-485-8792

cmbakerelectronics@gmail.com

C.M. Baker Electronics
P.O. Box 3965
Eatonton, GA 31024

Craig, just got my 2nd Izzy and it is just as great as the first. It made it OK. Thanx for the great service, and a terrific product. Best regards, Jack

Jack,
You're very welcome. I spoke with Gene Crain earlier and he is most appreciative of the Li'l Izzy you gave him as a gift. There aren't a lot of people that would purchase something they really wanted, wait for it to arrive, enjoy using it, then, only a few hours later, give it away as a gift. Where else but in the steel guitar community, here, on the Steel Guitar Forum or at the Cowboy Church would you meet someone that thoughtful. It's people like you that keep the sun shining in Oklahoma.

God's best to you,
Craig Baker

706-485-8792

cmbakerelectronics@gmail.com

C.M. Baker Electronics
P.O. Box 3965
Eatonton, GA 31024

Looking forward to receiving mine...

David,

Did you ever get that video done?

JimE

David Hartley wrote:I don't know what it does, but it does it well, I tried a few songs with and without it, and ended up using it all night.

Even with the Telonics pedal, it seemed to being doing its job.

Craig is building these again I think, and sent me mine to try.

For the small price, and small physical size, it's worth having one..

I will show it to you all on a YouTube vid soon.

Craig--My Izzy came in the mail today.
All I can say is WOW.
The string seperation and tone is amazing.
Another very happy customer.
Keep up the good work.
Murray

Murray,
Thanks so much for your kind words. Very happy that you like the sound.

Again, thank you and all the best to you,
Craig Baker

706-485-8792

cmbakerelectronics@gmail.com

C.M. Baker Electronics
P.O. Box 3965
Eatonton, GA 31024

I've still got my original Lil Izzy and it still works great, though it's been packed away for awhile. I need to dig it back out and start using it again. I'll never forget my first Izzy experience.

Years ago, in 1983, I went to the No Whar But Texas club with Gary Hogue to hear him play and he asked me to sit in on his guitar for the third set. Gary was playing his 1976 Emmons through two Session 500 amps and, for effects, he had an Electroharmonix Guitar Synthesizer that he was using for chorus and delay. He had an Izzy Plus sticking out the end of the guitar and I asked him what it was. He just said, "Oh, that's just my newest little toy" and then told me to play and notice how the tone expands as well as hearing two and three string combination separations.

I have some examples of that first time playing through an Izzy. The band was taping that night (somehow the XLR wasn't good on the bass guitar line, so what little bass guitar that's heard is weak ... but, the steel line was fine and you can hear it well).

We started the set with "Holding Her And Loving You" and Gary had some pretty serious chorus happening and he walked off before I could ask him to kill the chorus (I had no idea where it was at on that rack unit). I was afraid that my playing would get all jumbled or muddy with all that chorus running ... but, then, I didn't know what the Izzy could do. I was totally amazed as we played. Despite the chorus, there was separation and definition on every lick and phrase ... not only that, but there was a sensation of solid state sound combined with the warmth of a tube amp ... and the tone during sustains seemed to just expand and get broader. I knew at that moment that I had to get me an Izzy.

If anyone's interested in hearing those examples of my first "Izzy experience", here's that recording of "Holding Her And Loving You". https://soundcloud.com/excalibur-steel/ ... ng-you-jim

The steel comes in a little stronger at about 1:16 in the song. Here's another one from that same set with both chorus and delay turned on and the Izzy again allows definition and clear sound without anything running together and turning muddy ...
https://soundcloud.com/excalibur-steel/ ... y-on-steel

Even on the fast stuff (I never did figure out how to turn off that stupid chorus and delay and Gary wasn't nearby to help out), there was still separation and definition. Here's a quick paced tune (sorry for the little "bonk" on the second string at the start of the ride). Despite all the chorus and delay that was on Gary's rig at that moment, I still had definition. I was definitely sold on the Izzy. https://soundcloud.com/excalibur-steel/ ... me-man-jim

I had forgotten how cool the Izzy is and, having seen this thread and then listening back to those old recordings, I'm going to dig my Izzy back out and start using it again.

Craig, my compliments on a wonderful little tool there.

Jim,
It's very thoughtful of you to be so complimentary regarding Li'l Izzy, but let's face it, with that equipment and all of that talent, it would be hard to not get a good tone.

Between you an me, I could plug in five Li"l Izzies and I'd never sound that good. Again Jim, you're very kind and thank you so much for your interesting and enjoyable post.

Best personal regards,
Craig Baker

706-485-8792

cmbakerelectronics@gmail.com

C.M. Baker Electronics
P.O. Box 3965
Eatonton, GA 31024

Hey Craig, with the new roll out of the Lil'Izzys are you going to start doing steel shows again to spotlight it.... Some good times back in Pa in the good ole days... Wallace, Charleton, Brumley, Scotty....Glad to see your back at it again. FYI I loaned my original pair of Izzy's to a student and they never came home... I'll be shopping again soon....

Hi Gordy,
Good to hear from you. Yes, I must admit, those Steel Sessions we did were very entertaining. There aren't a lot of locally produced steel shows where can you enjoy Brumley, Charleton, Emmons, Franklin, Jernigan, Scotty, Herby Wallace, and Winnie Winston, along with Brent Mason and Thumbs Carllile, and then, run into Mike Auldridge in the audience. Those biennial shows were a lot of fun for everyone, but I'm not sure it would be the same today. There are so many steel guitar shows it's almost like having too many cherries on a sundae. Many of the great players are gone as well as many of the kind patrons.

Let me know who took your two boxes Gordy, and we'll get the Izzy police after them. Thanks for writing and stay in touch.

Best regards,
Craig Baker

706-485-8792

cmbakerelectronics@gmail.com

C.M. Baker Electronics
P.O. Box 3965
Eatonton, GA 31024

What are the differences between the original and the reissue?

Hello Jack,
Thanks for your question. As we all know, everything costs more today than in 1977, so of course, the price is different. On the outside, the new units are powder coated for a more durable finish. Inside the new Li'l Izzy, we have included a protection circuit against static or unintentional voltage from another device causing damage to Li'l Izzy. Also, the new Li'l Izzy draws slightly less current than the original, which was already minimal, with an expected battery life of around 6,000 hours.

Some psychologists claim "we hear what we want to hear". Both old and new Li'l Izzy perform excellently in electronic testing, but to my ear, the new one with today's modern components sounds cleaner, but I am obviously prejudiced.

Many using the new Li'l Izzy have reported great "string separation". That's a term I never heard until recently. One thing that hasn't changed: we still offer to buy Li'l Izzy back from you, if you're not delighted with your new cleaner sound.

Thank you again Jack, and I hope this information is helpful.

Best regards,
Craig Baker

706-485-8792

cmbakerelectronics@gmail.com

C.M. Baker Electronics
P.O. Box 3965
Eatonton, GA 31024

I bought an Izzy Plus years ago and it was great. I had an Emmons push pull and a Peavey Session 500. No effects were used while I used the Izzy Plus and I had a great sound. The Izzy Plus went bad and I never got that sound again. I had no idea they were being made again. Mr. Baker, send me a message and tell me about pricing. I would love to have another one.

Thank you Paul,
Of course it's always a pleasure hearing from a fan. I sincerely appreciate your praise of our product here on the Forum. The information you requested is on it's way to you.

Again, thank you and best regards,
Craig Baker 706-485-8792

cmbakerelectronics@gmail.com

C.M. Baker Electronics
P.O. Box 3965
Eatonton, GA 31024