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Post new topic 1953 Fender Custom triple parts?
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Author Topic:  1953 Fender Custom triple parts?
Damir Besic


From:
Nashville,TN.
Post  Posted 19 Sep 2015 7:58 pm    
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I just got this guitar, and thinking about getting new frets for it, and it needs one tuner..anyone has any idea where to get that stuff?

thanks





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Last edited by Damir Besic on 20 Sep 2015 3:56 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Keith Glendinning


From:
United Kingdom
Post  Posted 20 Sep 2015 7:54 am    
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Not quite sure what you mean by "new frets", do want to change the fingerboards, if so why? They look good to me unless there is damage that is not shown in the pics.
As for replacing tuners, there are lots of earlier posts about this subject.
Good luck with your project and I'm sure it still sounds great, wish I had it,but they're pretty rare here in the UK.
Keith.
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Damir Besic


From:
Nashville,TN.
Post  Posted 20 Sep 2015 7:57 am    
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someone painted some markers on the frets with some kind of paint, I'm hoping its a nail polish, I'm in the process of trying to clean that up right now



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Damir Besic


From:
Nashville,TN.
Post  Posted 20 Sep 2015 10:41 am    
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ok, well, first of all, this is 1953 Custom not 1951, and Eddie signed his name on it as well, lol, I don't know is Eddie was a quality control guy at Fender, or owner of this beauty... second, after few hours of elbow grease I managed to get rid of the ugly painted position markers, and third, I managed to fix the tuner, it just needed little tightening up, and that was it...all tuners now work without a problem...this is an awesome guitar, and it is starting to bond with me, which is not a good thing if you try to sell something Sad
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Damir Besic


From:
Nashville,TN.
Post  Posted 20 Sep 2015 10:42 am    
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Damir Besic


From:
Nashville,TN.
Post  Posted 20 Sep 2015 10:43 am    
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this beauty is ready for some new strings now...here is another problem...how do you tune it??? and what gauges do I use??? help...lol
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Keith Glendinning


From:
United Kingdom
Post  Posted 20 Sep 2015 11:06 am    
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Damir,
Glad you explained the markers on the fretboard, I now understand why you wanted to remove them and glad you've managed it.
Tunings: As its a triple neck, how about: Neck 1 C6, Neck 2 B11, Neck 3 E13?.
I'm sure some regular triple neck players will chip in on the practicalities and what to tune each neck to.
String gauges, check out the Ernie Ball string gauge chart, which also takes into account the scale length.
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Damir Besic


From:
Nashville,TN.
Post  Posted 20 Sep 2015 11:23 am    
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Keith, what is the scale length here? are those strings already packed in sets for 8 string steel, and in different tunings? thanks bud
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Keith Glendinning


From:
United Kingdom
Post  Posted 20 Sep 2015 11:54 am    
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Damir,
The scale length of each neck is measured from the nut to the bridge. It may be that all 3 necks are the same length or indeed they could differ between 22 1/2" up to 25", you must measure them.
8 string Lap Steel string sets normally fit any scale length and if you check on eBay, you'll find them identified by tunings. ie C6, E13, B11 and other variations. As I mentioned earlier, a good guide to string gauges versus scale length is available from Ernie Ball strings.
I play Lap Steel guitar, rather than consul guitar like yours. I use C6, A6 and a couple of B11 tunings which means I have to re-tune or change guitars. Wish I had yours!
Keith.
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Doug Beaumier


From:
Northampton, MA
Post  Posted 20 Sep 2015 12:12 pm    
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I think every trapezoid pickup Fender steel guitar was 22 1/2" scale length. That would be single necks, D-8 and Custom T-8.

Regarding the tunings, there are many opinions on which tunings to use, and which variation of each of those tunings. I would go with C6 and E13 for sure, and on the third neck either B11 or A6.

Regarding the string gauges, check John Ely's excellent string gauge chart for non-pedal steel -----> http://www.hawaiiansteel.com/learning/gauges.php
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Keith Glendinning


From:
United Kingdom
Post  Posted 20 Sep 2015 12:28 pm    
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Damic,
Listen to what Doug recommends for your guitar, he's a great player. Also listen to him on YouTube for inspiration, he's definitely inspired me and no doubt many others.
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Damir Besic


From:
Nashville,TN.
Post  Posted 20 Sep 2015 3:58 pm    
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some nice music there... what is the value of this guitars? I found some in $2500 neighborhood on line... but not sure what would be the fair price for this one...
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Jeff Mead


From:
London, England
Post  Posted 21 Sep 2015 1:36 am    
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Damir,

Regarding tunings - there are a lot to choose from Either C6 or A6 along with Leon McAuliffe's E13 seem to be very popular for 2 of the necks at least.

So A6 or C6? - if you have been playing C6 on the pedal, I guess this will be pretty familiar to you but don't forget that A6 is what you get on strings 4-6 on E9 with the A&B pedals down so this wouldn't be totally unfamiliar territory to you.

For me, the A and E tuning go together more logically than C and E - especially if you start jumping necks mid song or mid solo (something you probably don't do a much on a pedal steel). Also, A6 is exactly the same relative tuning as C6 with a high G on top, but 3 frets lower in pitch, so anything you can play on C6 works on A6 too, just in a different position on the neck. Just about all the Hank Williams stuff (particularly the Don Helms songs) is playable using only 6 of the strings on A6 or C6 without slants.

Why not go for the most common 2 and experiment with the 3rd neck a bit? I ended up using another E13 but with a high G# for my 3rd neck but usually drop it to a G which means I have an E13/A9 split tuning with E13 on the bottom 7 strings but an A9 on the top 4.

Another unusual one that I really like is D9 - especially good if you have it right next to an A6 neck so you can go from the I to the IV chord by going over to the other neck at the same fret. I ended up using this for the 4th neck of my Stringmaster quad but am thinking of using it on my triple in place of the E13/A9 neck.

As has already been pointed out - all necks will be 22.5" scale.

For string sets - other than C6 or A6 (assuming you use the versions with an E on top, the same set will do for either) you'll probably have to buy them as individuals.

This table is really handy once you decide what tnings to go for - for each note, use the heaviest of the 3 options.

http://www.hawaiiansteel.com/learning/gauges.php
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