The Steel Guitar Forum

I use wrist levers to make all my changes due to a physical disability. As a result, most of the time my right hand is farther down the neck away from the bridge than normal. Is there some electronic way of changing the tone so I can get that "crisp" sound you get by picking closer to the bridge instead of the "round" tone I get now?

The sound that you get farther away from the bridge/changer is a warmer tone and, while there is no perfect substitute, the tone is able to be brightened a bit by using an impedence matching transformer like those made by Goodrich.

I don't think you're ever going to be able to directly substitute an electronic change for the change in tone caused by where you pick the strings, but you might find some benefit from a stompbox-sized graphic equalizer. I use a Boss GE-7 7 band EQ to roll off some highs and a midrange notch, to get closer to a Les Paul tone. There are similar models made by MXR, DOD and others.

It is a given that nothing electronic will quite get you there but that does you no good. I agree that you ought to start with an equalizer and the Boss is a decent one--always a bunch of them on ebay--and in addition I'd suggest some compression. This will help give you some pick *pop* in the attack. Not the same as bridge picking but we are looking for simulation here. I don't have any particular recommendations for compressors---don't know enough on the subject. You might also use stainless steel strings. They are a bit thinner sounding, more tangy than nickels---this applies to the wound strings---plain strings are all the same. I assume that you can't adjust the wrist levers into a better position for bridge picking? I guess not, otherwise you wouldn't be posting this, eh?

Trying to sneak another "tone thread" in again, eh?

I expect Bobbe to show up any minute now!

Terry

My humbucker pickup also has a "round" tone. I use a Zoom 505 II to make the sound "crisper". It also has a nice compressor, reverb and delay, and other effects. I have it mounted high on the leg, within handreach, so I can get easily to the controls. I dont use my feet for it.

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<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Peter on 03 October 2003 at 02:53 PM.]</p></FONT>

Thanks for the info folks. I'll go try the graphic equalizer first.