The Steel Guitar Forum

Bill Asher is collaborating with master Hawaiian steeler Alan Akaka on a new signature model. Here's a sneak peak ...

Let's hope the thickness seen in the pic remains for most part on the end model.

Should be tasty...an 8 string Asher awesome

I was quite impressed with the one Cindy Cashdollar plays.

Nice

What a Great Boost to Master Class Steel Guitars - Players - and the Art Form in General.
Both the Builder and Endorser are doing so much to extend the life span of Steel Guitar in the Hawaiian Tradition -- Bravo !

I've always associated Asher electric steels with the blues and rock communities. I can't wait to hear his take on a Hawaiian guitar.

Have you decided on a pickup?

wow - this is going to be sweet. i too, have associated his electo hawaiian models with more of the slide guitar crowd (i never see anyone play hawaiian on them) - its nice to see he and alan design this.
i figured his guitars were cnc - nice to know how handmade they really are in this age.

After much discussion with Alan and learning more about the desired tone for Hawaiian steel guitar music we agreed the best option would be a low impedance EMG pickup system. This will deliver lots of clean headroom, deep low end response, and a quiet studio quality no-noise signal. This pickup will have a push-pull pot for two different output levels and will sound great going into your amp of choice, or direct into a PA or recording console.

Here are some more technical specs:

If you're using a Low-B or C String there's no sense in even trying a passive pickup.The EMG 707TW Active Pickup delivers the clearest, fattest low end you've ever felt from a guitar pickup. The 707 is Alnico Loaded and the coils are summed separately keeping the DC resistance down and doubling the low end frequency response. Translated...that means the low frequency response is more natural sounding. Full, but not muddy. In addition, the dual-coil section has a wide aperture for plenty of string sampling.

The resonance frequency of the dual-coil mode is 2300 Hz. In the single-coil mode, the pickup resonance switches up to 3900 Hz and operates in a "stack" mode truly resembling a single coil pickup, not a "tapped" humbucker. Still loaded with Alnico, the single coil sound is as pure as it comes. Dual internal preamps (one tuned for single-coil mode and the other for dual-coil mode) give the 707TW two distinct sounds for two pickups in one, while delivering EMG's well-known low-noise performance in both modes.

I use active EMGs in my steels as well. I love them. Great frequency response low to high, no noise. They respond well to dynamics, never losing fullness when playing quiet or sound raspy when digging in. Not a vintage type sound but good for rock, country and swing. I don't play Hawaiian style, but would imagine they'd sound great for that.

David

EMG, one of our outstanding local companies here in Santa Rosa!

my friend, Puloku Hayes, took me to Bill's studio last November. He is a great guy, and a master craftsman. I played several of his steels (he's most famous for the electric Weisenborn's he makes for Ben Harper). It is going to be a beautiful instrument. Alan (my friend and kumu mele) went there with Puloko, and the rest is history. I don't know if I can pop for the $3800, but I want one!

John Aldrich wrote:I don't know if I can pop for the $3800!

OOPS! Guess I'll be watching for the Chinese knockoff and pop in one of my lonely Ric shoes.

I see the top's already on. Is it chambered like the BH and Electro Hawaiian models?

Given how thick it is, it's either chambered, or it comes with a dedicated roadie. Perhaps these will be custom options

Beautiful-looking. I can't wait to hear it.

Everything Bill builds is made with the highest craftsmanship and attention to detail. I miss my Asher Electro-Hawaiian and I think even those pickups could give a nice Hawaiian sound.

http://www.gettyimages.be/music/downloa ... -long-aiff

So just imagine this new guitar, is being designed especially for those sounds. Gonna be something great!

The neck and body thickness will be the same as my other lap steels at 1 3/4". It will have my cylindrical tone chambers, and a carbon fiber rod inlaid through the neck. These should have a finished weight of 7lbs, so no need for a weight-lifting roadie

Ron Whitfield wrote:

John Aldrich wrote:I don't know if I can pop for the $3800!

OOPS! Guess I'll be watching for the Chinese knockoff and pop in one of my lonely Ric shoes.

We realized the 50 limited edition Master Built models with all the fine details and inlay would be at a price not everyone could afford.
So Alan does want to have his signature 8-String available in a student model as well. I will be trying to make these in my US shop at the right price before we go overseas. News on this by fall 2014.

Thanks for every ones interest and feedback. The first 12 of 50 are already sold!

Curses! There goes my chance to acquire a roadie.

Congratulations on the early sales, Bill. I'm sure I won't be the only one waiting eagerly for the student model.

John Aldrich wrote:
I don't know if I can pop for the $3800!

John, the list price is $3180, not $3800. And pre-orders get 10% off, which brings the price to $2862.

We divide that into 3 payments over the build time, so it really can be manageable!

Bill Asher wrote:Alan does want to have his signature 8-String available in a student model as well. I will be trying to make these in my US shop at the right price before we go overseas. News on this by fall 2014.
The first 12 of 50 are already sold!

Thanx for being available for comment, Bill, this is sounding better, any chance yet of hearing what the differences beyond cosmetics will be?
Wow, 12 out already, nice to finally see a recovering National economy in some households!

Here is the new slotted headstock design.

When you look at all the workmanship, care, quality and time that goes into these instruments and you see that it is made by a builder in his own shop, it makes it worth every penny of the money spent.

agreed.......