The Steel Guitar Forum

This is an idea I tried...it SORT OF worked but I have no technical know-how to see it through

I tried wearing a metal thimble (as in sewing) on my left hand index finger. I could reach out and do a half tone or full tone raise just about anywhere I wanted. The problem? Thimbles are made of something like tin...and they are dimply. If I could chrome plate a thimble this would really be special.

Any takers? If you try it let me know....cos I want to buy one from you.

I would just love to see people's signature with things like

"Carter D10 9+7+thimble"

also I'm sure that Reece Anderson would wear two, and Carl Dixon would have a crossover system to be able to change the thimble from one finger to the other during a tune.-

Jeremy Williams
Barcelona Spain

Hey! a bright idea, ain´t it? Simplicity is a sign of a genious, after all.
Please tell us when you´ve gotten rid of those dimples and hardened the edge of it, and how you did it.
Anders

One way to go about it would be to buy a metal slide for a regular 6 string guitar and cut it down and beburr the cut down edge.
They even sell one that is sorta like a 1/2 slide and a ring which you can rotate on your finger to use it or not, sorta like a ring.
Another way might be to go to your local tool store and try on various sockets, maybe cutting one off might work.

Third way would be to puruse you local plumbing parts supplier (ie:Home Depot), then take a trip to your friendly machine shop to cut and modify to suit. Then you could send the part out to your local chrome plating shop. If you go this route, might as well make several and offer them up on forum.

Regards,Fred

Jeremy,
Have you tried a ceramic thimble?

Bill

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Bill Ford

How about a bar with a hinge in it?



carl

I got an idea as soon as i read this.send me 25.00 dollars and i'll send anyone one.
I'm serious. Just tell me how you want it I'll ship it to you postage paid. I'll do atleast one for this price. Maybe a bunch who knows? Its all about cost and time.
Gary Steele
E-mail me your phone number and i'll call anyone that may want one in the US or if you are out of US you can call me.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Gary Steele on 21 January 2003 at 08:28 AM.]</p></FONT>

I used to try that years ago with a chromed heavy guage metal thumbpick worn upside down on my left thumb with the point sticking up and the rounded part facing the strings.I could reach out in front of the bar and snag an extra half-step raise on my 3rd,4th,5th or 6th string. It worked ok but never had much tone - especially on wound strings and wearing that thing on my thumb did nothing for my bar control.Maybe a better designed,heavier gadget would work just fine for somebody else,but I finally decided that I was aleady dealing with enough impliments(picks and bar)between me and the strings and just added more knee levers and got into more bar slanting.
Good luck,though. -MJ-

Just be sure you take the thimble off of your finger before you dip it in the hot chrome, LOL.

Or, if you can take the heat, just chrome your finger, LOL.

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Gary, I reckon the easiest way to say how I want it would be to send you a thimble that works on MY finger (they come in various sizes) and just say "I want this but heavier, smootherm chrome plated....just keep the inside measurements.

A lot of skilled people hang around here.

Jeremy Williams
Barcelona Spain

Maybe if we could get an 8 oz. thimble it would improve the tone? <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Jim Palenscar on 23 January 2003 at 06:37 AM.]</p></FONT>

There is a guitar product called a "Shy Slide", that is half round, about an inch long, and hooks to your finger with a velcro strap around the back. I'm sure that I have one at home somewhere, and I'm going to try it out. This sounds like a stroke of genius to me, as far as being able to make some new voicings. Thanks for the tip!

http://www.jimdunlop.com/slides/shy.html

I don't much like it for PSG...I want to play with the TIP of my index finger.

To get the idea just go buy a thimble. It doesnt sound good but it really makes you think that with a proper thimble you would really make some new music

Jeremy Williams
Barcelona Spain

Sounds to me like a metal endcap for a piece of 3/4" pipe might work. You'd have to file it smooth and (eventually) plate it, but it sounds like it's worth fiddling with. Next time I get around a plumbing store, I'll check.

Maybe you could use one of these:
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<small><img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
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