Cool little toy for players of swing and -a-billy music!

DWolf · Post by **DWolf** » 29 Nov 1999 10:27 am

Hey Steelers!
I would like to offer one of my little toys to anyone playing swing and rockabilly ( or anyone else interested )I t is a switch box that simulates that old "rat-a-tat" effect. Some old fenders have a button built in that does this, but mine allows you to switch the effect from steel to steel. All you need to get going is the box, and some right-angle patch cords. Price will be around 30 bucks plus shipping, and they are being made on a custom-ordered basis. Let me know right here if you're interested, or e-mail me at steelpicker@ hotmail.com
Slide on!

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 29 Nov 1999 11:21 am

I'd be interested in obtaining one of these if it does what I think it does.

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Brad's Page of Steel:
www.well.com/~wellvis/steel.html
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

Ingo Mamczak · Post by **Ingo Mamczak** » 29 Nov 1999 3:27 pm

Hello DWolf ,
What is the rat-a-tat effect ?
I am curious ,
Thanks .
Ingo.

Adam · Post by **Adam** » 29 Nov 1999 8:07 pm

sounds kinda like the capacitor switch that Bigsby used to have on the end of the steel.Smack it a few times and you get that cool Speedy West machine-gun effect.

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 30 Nov 1999 2:07 am

It's a momentary OFF - spring loaded to ON switch.A door bell button wired to short your input to ground will do the trick.I don't like extra crap hangin' on my guitar so I've got my Stringmaster tone control pot changed to a push-push switching pot with the locking spring clip removed.So a few quick taps on the tone knob whilst you gliss a 6th chord gives me the Speedy West gag. a-one-and-a-two-and-a Gak-Gak-Gak-Gak-Gak-Gak-Gak.......BTW there's a way to just PLAY that lick by bouncing the bar up the strings - it's not as easy as pushing a button though. -MJ-

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 30 Nov 1999 5:15 am

Andy Zynda · Post by **Andy Zynda** » 30 Nov 1999 8:03 am

If anone has an audio clip of this I'd love to hear it.

lakeshrk · Post by **lakeshrk** » 3 Dec 1999 4:20 am

I wonder if Jimmy Hendricks stoled this trick from Speedy West? ls

Chris DeBarge · Post by **Chris DeBarge** » 6 Dec 1999 10:48 am

If you have Big Sandy's album "Feelin' Kinda Lucky", the first song(Loser's Blues) starts with that effect. That's of course Lee Jeffries on steel, his Bigsby has one of those on/off buttons.

I installed one on my beat-up Stringmaster, it's kinda fun but it's not an effect you would use all the time. When I finally unload that beast, I'll look into one of these new devices, so DWolf I'll be talking to you soon!

Dave Van Allen · Post by **Dave Van Allen** » 7 Dec 1999 11:52 am

a-one-and-a-two-and-a Gak-Gak-Gak-Gak-Gak-Gak-Gak.......BTW there's a way to just PLAY that lick by bouncing the bar up the strings - it's not as easy as pushing a button though.

and the bouncing bar technique is the way Speedy did it if I understand correctly; others trying to achieve the sound took the easy way out... not that that's a bad thing...

yes Jim... Gak!

Lucky Oceans · Post by **Lucky Oceans** » 10 Dec 1999 6:47 pm

I don't know if it was the only way he got that effect, but I once asked Speedy how he bounced his bar so quickly. He answered that he extended his right arm out rigid as if he was gripping a chair leg so hard that his muscles went into spasm. What a wild technique! How much to ship that button to Australia? I'm kind of attached to my left arm as it is.