The Steel Guitar Forum

My new Melbert custom 6 string lap steel guitar arrived today. These pictures don't really do it justice, it looks much better in person.

Curly maple wood with natural stain finish, 24.5 inch scale neck, 2 EMG select pickups (yes, that is a pickup mounted within the fingerboard). I have only played it for a half hour or so; it feels great, although I have a lot of practice ahead of me to make it sound as good as it feels and looks IMO the guitar, plus gig bag, plus Paloma stone slide, plus cord and finger picks for what I paid for it, is a steal of a deal!

Bob Allen is a pro and a joy to do business with; he kept me in the loop during the entire build time, emailed pictures as progress was made, and I highly recommend him to anybody seeking an American made steel guitar at a very reasonable price. http://www.musonmt.com/index.html

Regards, Jon

Joh,

Very nice and I look forward toa sound clip showing the difference between the two pups. First Melbert that I recall seeing with two pups. I know that I am very pleased with my two Melberts (6 & 8 string) and Im sure as time goes bye you'll be even more pleased then you are right now.

Tom

Very nice Jon , I'm like Tom...I can't wait to hear it. First I have heard of Melbert...looks like they do a great job. Enjoy my friend!!

God Bless,
Todd

Love my Melbert #235! Good for you on getting one.
Tom, how's that 8 treating you?

I have got #254 shipping to me today!1 Can't wait to get it sometime next week. I bought # 19 from Bob a few years ago and let it get away. What a mistake! This one I will keep.

#254 just arrived today, Red Oak natural finish. It plays great. I'll send pictures later.

Morgan,

Congatulations and welcome back into the Melbert fold. A group of refined, distinguished, and fine looking people with like instruments!!

Tom

Jon:

I just got #0253 last week! Bob was telling me that two different customers had ordered steels with a second pickup at the 19th fret. The question I have is why at the 19th fret? A lot of regular guitars have the neck pickup at the 24th fret (especially the ones with two humbuckers.) Of course you really wouldn't want a pickup like that at the 19th fret of your Les Paul...

Steve Ahola

P.S. I did want to mention that every steel that Bob makes is a custom order- you tell him what you want and he will make it for you if it is something that he can do. There is no excessive "custom shop premium" in his prices- he determines his prices on special orders like yours on how much extra it will cost him in materials and labor.

Steve Ahola wrote:Jon:

I just got #0253 last week! Bob was telling me that two different customers had ordered steels with a second pickup at the 19th fret. The question I have is why at the 19th fret? A lot of regular guitars have the neck pickup at the 24th fret (especially the ones with two humbuckers.) Of course you really wouldn't want a pickup like that at the 19th fret of your Les Paul...

Steve Ahola

P.S. I did want to mention that every steel that Bob makes is a custom order- you tell him what you want and he will make it for you if it is something that he can do. There is no excessive "custom shop premium" in his prices- he determines his prices on special orders like yours on how much extra it will cost him in materials and labor.

Initially I was wanting to use specs similar to an Asher Hawaiian model, but I wanted a little more space between the pickups... I started discussing the build with Bob, he suggested the custom fretboard with the neck pickup. I originally wanted it at the 22nd fret; but based on the fretboard specs we decided on, it would have left just 2.5 inches between the pickups.

I want more than 2.5 inches between the pickups on my Les Paul
Really, having it at 19 doesn't bother me at all, since the fretboard extends beyond it anyway. I am hearing a big difference in tones between the 2 pickups, and that is what I was seeking.

The reason I said "custom" is because this isn't the standard Pro 6. I agree though, there is no custom shop premium.

I just ordered another custom build Melbert, for a gift. This will be an 8 string model, with a Bill Lawrence 705 at the bridge, and a Lollar Chicago Steel 8 on the neck, and 3 removable/adjustable legs and sockets. Somebody is going to be getting a nice surprise

Jon,

Old Buddy, pal, salt of the earth. Can I become your new BFF? Seriously what a great gesture and I am sure who ever the recipent is he or she will be very pleased.

Tom

I just received my Melbert "10 Iron" and could not be happier. Sustains for days. It is tuned to the low 10 of Zane Beck's tuning, which I am trying to learn on a BMI 12 string. String spacing is the same and I can travel with this guitar. Bob used Kluson tuners for the first time on this guitar - lined up like on a Tele, which looks great. Fingerboard apprears to be laser etched..."frets" and position markers look good and will last, and the various parts are very high quality. As stated above, a very fun builder as you get status photos and a guitar hand made in the US. Great value. Soft case, cord, and tone bar included...

Would love to hear what the EMG's sound like. Just got my Melbert 8 and the sound is incredible. I can imagine a 6 string "rocker" that would have some interesting p'up alternatives now!

Donald Anderson wrote:I just received my Melbert "10 Iron" and could not be happier. Sustains for days. It is tuned to the low 10 of Zane Beck's tuning, which I am trying to learn on a BMI 12 string.

So the tuning is:
B-E-G#-B-D-F#-G#-B-C#-E (L-H)

Can you tell us the gauges you use? In particular I was wondering what you are using for the low B.

I have one of my 10 strings tuned very similar to that but using a G# on top instead of the B on the bottom. I might want to give your tuning a shot to get some deeper sounds.

Thanks!

Steve Ahola

My string gauge selector chart indicates 66 to 74 for a low B. I've never put in anything heavier than a 66 and sometimes there are problems doing it. Some of the string manufacturers don't clip off the end of the winding flush with the core resulting in a little piece of the winding sticking out a couple of thousandths. Time and again I've had to drill out the tuner post to accommodate a 66 string. Bob