Tone and Sustain Mod

Al Terhune · From: Newcastle, WA

Tommy's talking in code now.

Jim -- "Cloak and dagger?" I don't think you really mean that. Cloak, maybe, but I've seen no evidence of a dagger. Also, Jim, I didn't want to post in the Fender thread, but...oh, I won't say it. I'll just post there.

Go, Tommy!

Al

Brian Henry · Posted 31 Oct 2006 2:52 am

Tommy, Since you had this figured out before you started receiving money for doing this mod you were an amateur? Now you get paid for doing it, that makes you a professional - right? Since you were an amateur when you figured out which screws to tighten and how much, perhaps there is hope that some of us might be able to stumble on this secret!

Mike Wheeler · From: Delaware, Ohio, USA

You got it, tb. Keep on stumblin'.

Brian Henry · Posted 31 Oct 2006 7:27 am

Tommy, If nothing is added or taken away in your mod what do you do with the wood grown in poor soil?

"For all that dont understand this TONE is the resonance of the guitar, wood, aluminum, steel screws washers , the design of each are different, all of these factors and other things as in how the wood was dried how rich the soil was have an effect on how the pup hears the TONE."

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Guitars are often quite different in their character. One steel might be able to be improved considerably, while another of the same make might be just fine the way it came from the factory. I think the general concensus is "don't fix it unless you're sure it's broke". As always, I'd advise anyone to get a really good player to assess your steel before you go having it modified. Many times (but certainly not always), the biggest problem is between the seat and the steel.

[This message was edited by Donny Hinson on 31 October 2006 at 10:10 AM.]

Bobby Lee · From: Cloverdale, California, USA

What happens if you do the mod to a guitar that already sounds real good? I mean, suppose I were to send you my Williams D-12 Crossover? Would the mod change its sound, and if so, in what way?

Al Miller · From: Waxahachie Texas

The soil That the wood was grown in?? whats next . what type of mineral deposits were in the slag that the endplates were made from?
Come on fellas this is gettin way to deep.. if we spent as much time woodsheddin
on our guitar as we do trying to argue
what the soil content that the maple tree had before it was a steel has to do with its tone .. awww never mind .. just play your guitars.. they all sound wonderful..
Boo Miller

Eddie D.Bollinger · From: Calhoun City, Mississippi

I believe I have said this before but I will say it one more time. If a guitar has more pontential resonance than is being heard, Tommy can find what is causing the problem. If your guitar sounds good to you then you don't need Tommy. "Resonance Potential" is the variable here. If you are satisfied with the amount of resonance and clarity you are getting, this service would be completely unnecessary for you.

[This message was edited by Eddie D.Bollinger on 31 October 2006 at 02:10 PM.]

Brian Henry · Posted 31 Oct 2006 4:00 pm

Another factor that Tommy might consider as well as the soil is the type of water used to water the tree from which the wood was sawn to make the steel guitar cabinet. The ph can make a great difference. Acidic water will give a more mellow "resonance potential", whereas alkali water will give a brighter "resonance potential".

[This message was edited by tbhenry on 01 November 2006 at 01:08 PM.]

Eddie D.Bollinger · From: Calhoun City, Mississippi

Mr. Henry,
I ask you stop demeaning Tommy and the service he offers. If you disagree with the principle of the idea, that is fine. You have voiced that opinion. We have heard it and it is duly noted. Please don't cause any more trouble that would cause this thread to be closed. Let's assume that this is still worth intelligent conversation. You have no proof of your argument, Tommy has plenty. I have 2 guitars in my possesion that are my proof. I think it is smart to question what we don't understand but foolish to condemn what we choose not to consider.

Tommy Young · From: Ethelsville Alabama

B0B why would u want me too mod a good sounding guitar, ----well, first i would need to know what u are expecting of the guitar a benchmark of ----sound, tone, resonance,above fret 12 below fret 12 just what u are looking for as in what u want me to try and help because without a finish benchmark i know nothing of what u are expecting and if this can be accomplished as in some 12 strings the sustain is lacking as compared to a ten string guitar and can be helped on some and some not, on the williams i believe i can help it, but on some others not as much and when u help the sustain it will also help the tone or resonance up above the 12th fret and will make the notes somewhat thicker sounding to the ear if u want any further help please call at 662-251-0948 thanks tommy young

Bobby Lee · From: Cloverdale, California, USA

I guess my Williams guitar doesn't need the mod then. There's nothing wrong with its tone or sustain. I was just trying to understand.

Bryan Rankins · From: Missouri, USA

While I don't have much experience with the pedal steel yet, I do have quite a bit with guitars (over 30 years of playing). I can remember having new pickups put in an older b-bender Tele ('cause I wanted to sound like a pedal steel) and I was very unhappy with the tone. I took it too the local Nashville guru and he asked what I was looking for, and after he was done, it was great. When I asked what he did so I could tell others, he just flat told me it was none of my business. He had spent years learning exactly which pot and capacitor combination would deliver what desired result depending on wood type and density. Now you can call it crazy for not wanting to share what he knows with the free world, but he has a very special skill and thats why just about every pro player takes their guitars to him to tweak. I have a sister who lives in Columbus and I think knowing Tommy is there gives me a reason to finally go visit her. Keep up the good work Tommy.

Curt Langston · Posted 1 Nov 2006 6:39 am

Lem Smith · From: Long Beach, MS

Curt, I don't know Tommy, But I DO know Eddie and Dale, both of whom recommend it highly. Both Eddie and Dale are exceptionally fine musicians, who I am sure if they say they can hear a difference in their guitars, then there is indeed a difference.

Actually, it seems somewhat offensive to me that you would suggest they would be so gullible as to not really be able to tell a difference in the sound of their very own guitars, and are simply just imagining it.

Curt Langston · Posted 1 Nov 2006 8:23 am

Lem Smith · From: Long Beach, MS

I don't see Carter putting out the exact specs and diagrams of their BCT either. Many things are trade secrets, and not readily available for public knowledge. I would imagine, for example, that if you were to ask the Coca~Cola folks their exact ingredients and measurements, you'd most likely not get the info you wanted.

Why offensive? Because you basically said they either didn't have the ability, or weren't intelligent enough to know whether there actually was a difference in their guitars after they had the modification done to them.

If I sent the Sho~Bud that I play to someone, and they did any kind of change to it, I can assure you I'd know it as soon as I sat down at it, be it good, bad or whatever.

I am neither recommending, nor speaking against Tommy's modification. I have no personal experience with it either way, but I do know that Dale and Eddie are both good enough musicians that they know what sounds good and what doesn't, and neither one of them would intentionally stir anyone wrong.

Curt Langston · Posted 1 Nov 2006 9:30 am

Bobby Lee · From: Cloverdale, California, USA

Brian Henry · Posted 1 Nov 2006 3:19 pm

Ok Tommy give us the exact specs just like Carter did with BCT and we can all evaluate your claims!! Then if we want you to modify our guitars we will know exactly what you are doing, and we can pay you for your work.

[This message was edited by tbhenry on 01 November 2006 at 03:22 PM.]

Dale Stacy · From: Pontotoc, Ms. U.S.A.

The intentions of TB Henry and Langston are to have this thread closed as in the past. As stated earlier, the forum is for players who love steelguitar and want to share new ideas. The best thing each of us can do is ignore their comments and use this forum for promoting our instrument.
Time is one Tommy's side, because that will just allow more players an opportunity to hear what we are hearing and experiencing.
I love my new tone and would't think of having to go back to my old sound.

Dale Stacy · From: Pontotoc, Ms. U.S.A.

I don't think I am imagining when I make this assumption. It is very evident that the intention of TB Henry and Curt Langston is to have this thread closed. Neither has ever made one positive or openminded comment on this topic.
I have ignored and will continue to ignore such negative comments and advise all to do so.
This forum is a great tool for sharing ideas and promoting steelguitar which is the instrument we all love so much. I'm not going to argue with anyone here but I do know that in time others will hopefully have the opportunity to hear and experience what a very few of us have already experienced.
Last I will say , that I would not think of going back to the tone I once played.
Thanks to all of you who have remained openminded and want to see new ideas and things to help promote the steelguitar.
Now let's all get back to woodsheddin and when we learn some good to share, post it on the forum.

Mike Wheeler · From: Delaware, Ohio, USA

Well said, Dale. Thanks.

Curt Langston · Posted 1 Nov 2006 5:10 pm

Well said, Mike. Thanks.

quote:
The people that use Tommy will tell
you that his work is non-invasive and that
he is not out to do any damage to any builder's reputation.

non-invasive
Maybe it just involves "buffing" the fingers.........
That would be non-invasive.

quote:
It is very evident that the intention of TB Henry and Curt Langston is to have this thread closed. Neither has ever made one positive or openminded comment on this topic.

Not true at all.

My INTENTION is to find out what this so-called "mod" is all about. I do not want this thread closed, why would I? But, I do not like mysterious "smoke and mirror" illusions either. I would like to find out if there is any truth to these claims, and thats all. If the claims are true, then lets see them. Whats wrong with that?

Lem Smith · From: Long Beach, MS

quote:
I guess the pedal steel builders of the world have a lot to learn from Tommy then.

I wonder how they managed without his mod all these years?

We also managed to survive for years without carbon fiber steel bodies, triple raise/lower changers, solid state amps, modular pickups, electronic volume pedals, and even "regular" pedals on steel guitars, but isn't it nice that they are there now?

You make it sound like there is absolutely no room for improvement on anything. It's a good thing the guitar builders and also those who designed the other items that we now take for granted, didn't share your opinion.

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