The Steel Guitar Forum

Hopefully the new pickup for my Artisan will arrive this week and I can rewire the innards. My next change is going to be the nut. It's not grooved evenly. Is aluminum a good choice? Or is brass better? Or synthetic? I get the feeling that the bridge is probably the biggest offender in tone hampering but I want to take care of the easier things first.

Terry, I hope you'll continue this thread as you progress with the Artie and what you come up with for a nut. There has been sufficient interest in Arties, and it looks like a good slab to experiment with. I think I'm going to go ahead and order one.

I have one of these to try on the nut: Auction on eBay.
String width, 1-3/4".

I'm wondering if the bridge could be replaced with a piece of aluminum angle, the body drilled for string-through, with eyelets added on the bottom.
Charlie<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Brad Bechtel on 29 March 2006 at 10:14 PM.]</p></FONT>

Terry, I use brass for nuts and bridges both. I have them chromed after the fitting process. I have also used stainless steel, but it's harder to work with. On bakelites I have made bridges from brass (post-war) identical to the bakelite bridges, but I really don't hear any difference. It's hard to figure what is best sometimes.
Charley, I think the string thru idea is a good one. Every little bit helps.
BILL<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Bill Creller on 13 April 2005 at 10:17 AM.]</p></FONT>

I just recalled when I replaced the bridge on my Fender bass with a brass one, at the suggestion of the guitar mechanic in Tulsa.
It could be the thickness of the material helped, but I remember noticing the difference.
Actually, one of those brass bridge plates would make a good bridge for a steel, turned around and drilled for string through.

I would try brass, aluminum, and bone. One type might sound better on a particular instrument than another one.

I think Wayne is correct. Try to find what works best.

I have some brass and aluminum in my school shop. If I can help anyone out, email me.

Ron

I have five of these. For the price you can't beat them. I've screwed two together on a music stand, and they work great as a cheap console.

They work well if you put some time into setting them up...

[1] The wooden nut won't last, and it muffles the tone. I replaced all of mine by slipping those riser nuts over the wooden ones... the sort made to convert a regular guitar to a slide model. Ultimately it would be better to build a new nut out of steel.

[2] The tuners are not very accurate. Change them as soon as you can get better ones, especially on the older models with the plastic knobs. The later models with metal knobs are better.

[3] Measure the scale length. Check out your octaves. As made, the bridge is rarely in the right place.

I think a cheap instrument like the Artisan will help promote lap steels. Musicians who wouldn't otherwise play steel will buy them as a novelty, and a lot of them will get hooked...

...didn't we all ?

Alan, bringing back a year old post, i like it
I play on an Artisan, and i've also done the nut extender over the wooden one. I think it's a good way to go. I have the older one with plastic tuners, and have considered getting new ones, but i figure i'll save the money and put it toward a Supro or Oahu in the future.

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my music: www.myspace.com/mattlangemusic <font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Matt Lange on 29 March 2006 at 08:50 PM.]</p></FONT>