New Stringmaster Owner needs help

[Jack Santoro]

Love reading all the great posts on this forum.

I just received my dual 8 stringmaster Fender. Although I've played strings and keys my whole life I am brand new to the steel.

Could anyone suggest a good starting point such as a DVD or book on the Stringmaster.
Thank you in advance for any assistance. I like Jerry Byrd and Eddie Rivers a lot.

Thanks,
Jack

[Greg Moynihan]

I liked the Cindy Cashdollar Western Swing DVDs Vol 1 and Vol 2. This set gave me enough exercises and songs to stay busy for many, many weeks. If you have a grasp of theory and the Nashville number system, her lessons work great, you can jump right in.

http://www.cindycashdollar.com/dvds/

[Tom Snook]

Ditto for Cindy Cashdollar,and you can get Jerry Byrd instruction from Scottys Music.
And have a ball!

[Tom Snook]

Ditto for Cindy Cashdollar,and you can get Jerry Byrd instruction from Scottys Music.
And have a ball!

[Jack Santoro]

Thanks to all that answered my post. That's exactly what I needed. Might someone have an answer to this:
I noticed that the tone control is used to create a wah wah effect on many recordings. Does anyone think using a combo volume and wah wah pedal would make that function easier than using the pinky finger? Does any company make a unit like this?

Thanks again,

Jack

[Jeff Mead]

I noticed that the tone control is used to create a wah wah effect on many recordings. Does anyone think using a combo volume and wah wah pedal would make that function easier than using the pinky finger? Does any company make a unit like this?

Thanks again,

Jack

A lot of players use their pinky to great effect but I've never mastered that so I use a pedal.

If you want the classic sound as used on old country and swing you definitely don't want wah/volume. Wah wah poedals are an active boost sweeping across the mid frequencies. The sound of the old records is a passive tone control (like the one on the guitar).

To my knowledge there are 3 companies who used to make volume/tone pedals - Fender, Bigsby and DeArmond. Nobody makes them any more so you need to find a used one. DeArmond made theirs (model 610) up to about the late 60s, as did Fender. Bigsby stopped earlier. They are all similar in that the up and down operation is volume and twisting left and right is tone.

Fender made a reissue a few years back as did Bigsby (I only met one guy who had one of those) but the reissues are now discontinued.

The only other one I know of was made by Burns, here in the UK about 10 years ago or so and this was tone only,

[Jack Santoro]

Wow...thanks Jeff. I had some old pedals from the 60s, however I don't remember the ones you mentioned even though I'm from California. (at least the Fender)

This is terrific site. Thanks for all the help and patience with an old newbie.

[Jeff Mead]

If you decide you want one, check the for sale or post in the wanted section of this site - they do come up now and again.

My least favourite is the DeArmond - the potentiometers are turned by little plastic combs locking into cogs and they have been known to slip out at the most inopportune moments.

The Bigsby and Fender pedals have string wound around pulleys which, although it can break, is repairable if you have spent enough time in the scouts learning to tie knots.

[Mark Roeder]

fender did reissue their pedal, I bought one new about 4 years ago. Not sure if they still have them available

[Carl Mesrobian]

Get Cindy's DVD. She even shows the Boowah stuff with tone knob. String it up, tune it, get a good bar and picks and have a blast! You can add all the other stuff later.

You'll be busy learning the bar, intonation, and blocking. That'll keep you off the streets for awhile..

[Roman Sonnleitner]

fender did reissue their pedal, I bought one new about 4 years ago. Not sure if they still have them available

Nope, they discontinued them a few years ago; I had been looking for one of those for a looong time, until a friend from California found an original one from the 60s for me...