The Steel Guitar Forum

Just got this one finished up for fellow forum member Ronald Smith, she is a beauty with a sweet seductive voice.
The walnut is some beautiful quarter sawn Pennsylvanian stock that was cut and milled some 30 years ago.
I was lucky to get enough for this one and a 6 stringer thats in finish right now

Some basic specs

25" scale, 3/8" string spacing
walnut and tiger maple
figured walnut bridge and control covers
Grover tuners
carved headstock volute
pickup is a custom made 3/8 spaced humbucker from Pete Biltoft of Vintage Vibe
fret markers are .032 aluminum and aluminum bezel surounds for the paua abalone
bone nut
hand rubbed Tru Oil finish

And some pics


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Oh my, Ronald you're gonna LOVE that guitar. Tom built a gorgeous 6 string teardrop for me and it's looks and tone are outta this world. You made a wise choice in builders!

Rick,

I don't know what to say except, WOW!!! That is a good looking gal to me. I just hope I can get some good music out of her. If I were a musician that might happen. Since I'm not, you can bet I'll have a ball trying.

Thanks to you Rick and to you Tom, I'll take good care of her.

God bless all,

Ron

C'mon Tom,
How are you gonna go and do that to me?!?! Just when I decided that the last steel I saw was the one I wanted, you go and do this to me. I just can't buy 2 of them....or can I? (My wife would just love that)

Dave

Thanks guys

Rick ... glad you are enjoying your steel, its a wonderful guitar with a great voice, those True Tones never disappoint.

Ron ... can't wait for you to start having some fun with her, after all, fun is first and foremost what its all about.

David ... you need one for yourself and one for your wife
To add to the choices, I've got a couple new and very cool styles just starting the build cycle.

Wow!!!!! What a beauty, Ron that's not fair, but you deserve it.

Your pal, Chuck

Tom or Ron.....so what tuning do you have her strung to? Sweet git!

Stephen,

I'm not sure what we came up with to start with. It will be used with a C6 or with an E9 most likely. Prob. C6 will be the main one since I have played around with that tuning and it has become more useful for most of what I like. I have never until recently tried to play C6, so I guess we'll just kinda wait and see!?

Tom can tell us what he has it strung with. He told me but I forgot, ole buzzard can forget, can't he?

Thanks and God bless all,

Ron

that is one very unique guitar! congrats ronald!

Thanks again all

Ron that's not fair, but you deserve it.

It was my pleasure to build a steel for Ron, he is a great guy!

Steve, its strung in a C6 with some Scottys semi flats.

Another beautiful guitar Tom. What is your finish?

Each one more refined and beautiful than the last, it would seem. Great work, Tom. Like the looks of that pickup. How would you characterize the difference in response and tone between it and the Wallace 8-string pickup you've used a lot in the past?

really nice work tom....again

Thanks Mark, Doug, and Roger

Mark .. the finish is Tru Oil, its been around forever and is primarily marketed as a gun stock finish.

Doug .. the pickup shares a lot of similarity with the True Tone as they both use individual rod magnets in their construction.
Though, when I first fired it up it reminded me very much of the Lollar Console Grand 8's I've used, or what I would imagine an HB version of that pickup would sound like.

Very nice, keep up the good work.

Ron, I know what you intend to do with this ax down the river. But in the meantime you could just ship it out here to me to get it broke in. It would fit in real nice with the forest here and not look out of place.
TC Friend, Roy

Fellows and Gals,

The Beauty came in today and WOW!!! She even looks better than the pictures. Tom really did his thing with her. Now I have heard is said many times on this forum, "Tone To The Bone", well this lady has tone to spare. That pickup is just what I wanted. I tried it with one of Keith Hiltons digital sustain boxes and boy what control can be exicuted with the box and the tone control of the Lady. Now, I just need to be able to play it as it should be played. Gonna have a ball trying for sure.

Thanks to all for your comments and wishes, I shall give her a good home.

Thanks again all and may God richly bless all of you,

Ronald Smith

Come on Ronald, tell everybody...What's the guitar's name?

This is art at another level...

Tommy

Ok all, her name is Miss "Maple Nut" it kinda matches her style.

Thanks all,

Ron

WOW, that guitar is surely a piece of mastery. Excellent work, and attention to detail. Ron, GOD is GOOD isn't HE.

DWight

Thanks again all

And Ron, like I said before, it was my pleasure to build her for you.
A lot of love goes into each instrument I build and I am very happy she has a great home where she will be loved and enjoyed for years to come!