The Steel Guitar Forum

It's Sunday evening about 7:30 and I am beside myself with excitement about the American Steel.
As a lot of you know, Mr. Earl Fisher and myself have been working on this guitar design for a couple of years. It's a double changer push pull and it has, to say the least, been a bit of a challenge from time to time. Most of the things about the guitar has been beyond my wildest dreams of how a guitar could play and perform. But, as those of you who have been keeping up with my posts about it from time to time would know, we had an "unacceptable" hysteresis problem.
Well, now I can say that that problem for the American Steel is now history. Thanks to Earl and his patience and his persistence in persuing the problem and solving it. Hysteresis is vertually gone,,,non existent. I can get about a half of a needle on string 6 from a full tone lower and a half tone raise. I can't even hear it with my ears. Strings 2, 4, 5 and 10 (on E-9) are basically "dead on".
Now I know that this may not mean a whole lot to some of you folks, but to a couple of "ol country boys" who have given their hearts, souls and a good portion of their lives in the last two or three years to this project, it's almost like "manna from Heaven".
We still have a couple of very minor things to address (in comparison), but I just had to share this with you all. In all probability I will be playing my prototype at the OSGA show in Tulsa May 24, 25 and 26.
Hope to see a lot of you there.
BB
You guessed it,,,,I should have checked my spelling before I posted

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If you play 'em, play 'em good!
If you build 'em, build 'em good!


<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Bobby Bowman on 07 April 2002 at 06:13 PM.]</p></FONT>

Okay, so what is

<SMALL>Hysteresis</SMALL>

cabinet drop? return

2pT

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TheEarlyDays.com

and appearing regularly...
Jimmy Crawford/Russ Hicks... and Buddy Emmons on Bass! aLotOfSpace.com


<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Terry Wendt on 07 April 2002 at 06:18 PM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Terry Wendt on 07 April 2002 at 06:19 PM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Terry Wendt on 07 April 2002 at 06:27 PM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Terry Wendt on 07 April 2002 at 06:28 PM.]</p></FONT>

The string does not return to the exact pitch when being raised or lowered.

Have you thought of making a 13 string... ever?

2pT

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TheEarlyDays.com

and appearing regularly...
Jimmy Crawford/Russ Hicks... and Buddy Emmons on Bass! aLotOfSpace.com

I don't generally get involved in things that don't make sense Terry, but I will this.
I've thought about a lot of things for more years than you are old. Have made up to a 20 string single neck which includes a 13 string guitar. I've tried to get your point here, but without success.
Give me something better to answer and I'll do my best for you.
BB

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If you play 'em, play 'em good!
If you build 'em, build 'em good!

Bobby, who did you build that single-neck 20 for? Was it Ronnie? (Just curious.)

Donnie,
I was working for MSA at the time and we built it for Julian Thorpe. I think it was in the mid or late '60's.
BB

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If you play 'em, play 'em good!
If you build 'em, build 'em good!

Congrats Bobby! Man there aint noting like finally putting a problem to rest. Sure was great meeting you at the Dallas show and your set was awesome. If I can get to Tulsa I'll be looking forward to seeing and hearing that prototype. Good luck!

Rick Garrett

Bobby, care to share how you fixed the hysteresis problem, or is it proprietary?

Congrats, Bobby- That is a huge accomplishment. I admire your dedication and problem solving abilities. I hope you have great success with your American steel- it is a very sound concept and now you have the execution of it as well. That takes a lot of work.
T. Sage Harmos
Harmos Steel Guitars

Rick,
Thanks for the compliment. Hope you can make Tulsa.
Sage,
Thank you too, sir.
Jim,
There were no roller nut/bridge in the triditional sense. Just the string suspended and attached between two changer fingers/actuators. Mr. Fisher designed a roller contained within the finger itself and it allowed the string to return to a neutral position. Sorta', "at rest", if you will.
BB

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If you play 'em, play 'em good!
If you build 'em, build 'em good!

<SMALL>a roller contained within the finger itself</SMALL>

Very cool Bobby! I wonder if any builder has tried that on a conventional changer?

Jim,
I can remember working on a guitar many years ago (repair work) that had it. I just cant remember the brand. As you know, there's really not very much that hasn't been tried on one of these things at one time or another. Sometimes we're just lucky enough to get a "good combination" of ideas together that works. Sometimes, not. Trying to keep the building costs down is the one that bugs me the most.
BB

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If you play 'em, play 'em good!
If you build 'em, build 'em good!

Hey Bobby,
You and Robby sure sounded good on those MSA Classic SS's at the Dallas show. Are they a good guitar or what.

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Darvin Willhoite
Riva Ridge Recording

Darvin,
Thanks for the compliment. Yea man, I've always thought the SS was among the very best.
BB

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If you play 'em, play 'em good!
If you build 'em, build 'em good!

Congrats to you Bobby,
I am so pleased to hear the news of your success. You are a true friend to us steel players. I appreciate every post I have ever read from your perspective view. Thanks for all the help you have been to us all.
Bill Bailey

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While visiting Dr. Bowman from 11PM Monday night til 2AM Tuesday morning, I got to eyeball the new guitar. Nice, Nice, Nice. Dr. Bowman , you done good, as always. Also I am very happy with the adjustments you made for me. See you down the road, Jody.

Bobby

Please put lots of info about your new guitar, including pics and sound clips, somewhere on the web when it´s a new born baby!
I feel like I live on another planet when you US pickers talk about seeing each others at this or that convention and examining the new guitar. We are a number of steelers half a world away, who doesn´t have the possibilities to get there, and now I´ve become really interested in your new guitar!

Thanks "Yodie". Hope the "new feel" is what you're looking for.
Anders,,,,we're not to that point just yet. Pretty close, but not yet. If we decide to put it on the market, I'm sure Mr. Fisher will publish all the info and pictures on a web site. I know very little about how to do those computer things. Email me if you want to and I'll give you as much as I know how.
BB

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If you play 'em, play 'em good!
If you build 'em, build 'em good!

Hello Bobby,

Congratulations on solving your problem. I know you've worked a loooong time on this. Must feel great to get that monkey off your back and chase him down the street!

Thanks for all your help this past year, I really appreciate it!

I remember feeling discouraged when you posted about this guitar months back. I was wishing I had something that might help but had absolutely nothing. I am certainly glad you found a solution. That's a relief !!

Regards, Paul

I knew you'd find the problem and solve it. Can't wait to hear it. We're going to try to go to OK but don't know if we can get out of the gig scheduled for that weekend. I'm trying to switch with another band. Maybe I'll see you there.

Jeff

Killeen TX

Dr. Bowman strikes again, and again and again, etc.
"If you build-em-------"
Knew if anyone coud do it, you could.
Best to you and much success in your heart's desires.

Bill Stafford

Hey, Bobby
It's great that you solved the return problem and that the mechanics are now 'right on'. I'm sure the question that's on the mind of all push-pull bigots (me included) is 'WHAT DOES IT SOUND LIKE'? Does it have an Emmons tone and the other p/p characteristics. Does it growl?

This is a guitar I might be interested in. Any plans for 12's???????

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<small>Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2000 Fessenden S-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Emmons D-10 9x9, 1971 Dobro

Thanks again to all you guys.
I must say, that except for my persistence (many hours of talk and bewilderment)about the problem, all the credit goes to Earl Fisher. His dedication and enthusiam concerning this guitar is beyond words.
As far as the sound of the guitar:::::
Man, this is a hard one.......without sounding prejudiced on my part........
It has a unique sound of it's own, kinda "the bladeish", clean, clear and with sustain you wouldn't believe. To say it's an exact "copy" of the Emmons sound might be stretching it a bit. It does have the "growl" and "bite" most of us look for while at the same time gives you that subtle hint of "I can be a nice and easy guy too". We have tried to make this a guitar that will carry through the emotions of the player, no matter what that emotion may be. We are now working on the "action/s" of the guitar. An effort, if you will, to find and offer a soft and easy feel and still have enough resistance to be solid and afford the player more and better control of what he needs, wants and expects from his guitar.
Believe me, for every hill you climb, there seems to be another just ahead of you. We're getting there although be it a little slower than we would like. Mr. Fisher's main business (making pumps) has been very busy for the last several months.
BB

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If you play 'em, play 'em good!
If you build 'em, build 'em good!