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Topic: Thomas question |
Dennis Wireman
From:
North West Indiana 47978
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Posted 10 Aug 2008 7:32 am |
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| Like to hear good and bad points on thomas pedal steels. are they still in business? can still get parts for them . are they a good investment |
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Casey Lowmiller
From:
Kansas
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Posted 10 Aug 2008 11:31 am
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If you do a search on the forum, you will find PLENTY of info about them.
Everyone seems to agree that they are designed and built well & very heavy. It is my understanding that no expense was spared when they made them.
There are several people who really love them & one feller on the forum has like 2 or 3 of them. Some people have said that they have great sustain & tone and they play easily.
Mike Douchette messed around with one and seemed to think it was pretty good. If he says something is good, it's good!!! He's an old studio pro & knows a thing about tone. He has an old Sho-Bud and a P/P Emmons...for something to impress him, it's gotta be pretty good!!! I believe that he mentioned that the sustain was awesome & that it was a tone machine. If you do a search, you'll find that thread.
They come up for sale every now & then and they are usually reasonably priced. If you see one for sale, you won't see it for long.
I believe the makers name was Barry Thomas & I think he now lives in Oklahoma. Pretty sure that he was a very educated & wealthy machinist who had his own machine shop with the best machines!!!
I keep hearing rumors that they might start up production again...but I don't know...so far it's just a rumor!!!
Casey
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Greg Wisecup
From:
Troy, Ohio
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Posted 11 Aug 2008 7:39 am
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I own the one that Mikey describes in earlier posts. It is a very well built guitar. Most parts are machined not cast. It is heavy but still a great guitar. He didn't build these for money. I don't know what these may cost new today if they were available. It would probably be considerable. Heres a couple of pics.
John Coffman has a couple and will most likely respond. You won't go wrong if you get a good one. Send me a pm and I'll give you Barry Thomas's Phone #'s
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As long as I'm down in the mix I'm Fantastic! |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 11 Aug 2008 9:54 am
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Barry hosted a steel jam at his shop once, maybe in '96 or '97. We were all very impressed with the machinery and the quality of guitars that were being produced.
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 11 Aug 2008 4:38 pm
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| Quote: |
I believe the makers name was Barry Thomas & I think he now lives in Oklahoma. Pretty sure that he was a very educated & wealthy machinist who had his own machine shop with the best machines!!!
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I knew Barry well while he lived here in California. I ran the service dept. for the Bridgeport distributor in Northern California and one of the service techs used to work on Barry's machines. They were real old "dinosaur" machines, but he took great care of them. Our service tech was one of only a dozen or so people that could still actually work on those machines. The tech used to work for Bridgeport when they had an office here in the Bay Area. They closed down and turned to a machine tool distributor and the tech was part of the deal. He was able to take a stock of old circuit boards for those machines that were no longer available from Bridgeport.
I don't know if Barry ever worked in or owned a machine shop. He and his brother (maybe other family members too) owned a huge heavy machinery rental business. I think his machining was mainly just for his rental company until he started making guitars. The machines he used for his guitars were dedicated for his guitar parts. They are very well built guitars. I was going to buy one right before he stopped making them.
I am still in touch with the service tech (our company closed down) and he still stays in touch with Barry. He said (a few years ago) that Barry wanted him to fly to Oklahoma to set up his machines and that he was thinking of building again. To my knowledge, that never took place. |
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John Coffman
From:
Wharton,Texas USA
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Posted 11 Aug 2008 6:15 pm
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Hey Greg that Thomas sure looks good on you. When your up to send me a sound clip so I can hear your steel.
Dennis cons heavy, Pedal springs need to be change about once a year under heavy play it you leave them on. Some people remove them for a smoother action. I like them as they can pull back faster. Pro's not enough time or space to list. I currently have three Thomas and I enjoy playing them very much. If you have a specific question please feel free to ask.
_________________
ShowPro SD10, Mullens RP, Bose S1 Pro, GK MB200, MB500, Bugera T50 Tube amp with SlidgeRig, TC HOF reverb effect. |
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Greg Wisecup
From:
Troy, Ohio
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Posted 12 Aug 2008 7:55 am
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Well John, heres the deal.
Too nice outside to be inside playing. (Cold winters in Ohio)
When I do fire up the recording software; something weird happens. When the record light comes on; I immediately start playing like crap!!!!!!!
I'll try again if we get a rainy day or winter comes.
That pic was from a gig Fri. night. She sounds good!!!
Greg
_________________
Derby SD-10 4&5 Black!(duh)/
Derby D-10/Steelers Choice/
Goodrich 120/ 2- Katana Boss 100's
/Nashville 400
RV-3/ Zoom MS-50G
As long as I'm down in the mix I'm Fantastic! |
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Dennis Wireman
From:
North West Indiana 47978
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Posted 12 Aug 2008 9:04 am thomas
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| greg thanks for the info and pic's and everyone else that has been replying. I got one coming should be here next week can't hardly wait to see and try it out, maybe I will post some pic's of it. keep info coming thanks |
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Dennis Wireman
From:
North West Indiana 47978
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Posted 19 Aug 2008 2:13 pm thomas
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great news  greg says barry is going to start making his great thomas steel again. |
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Dennis Wireman
From:
North West Indiana 47978
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Posted 19 Aug 2008 2:16 pm Rich Weiss
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| Rich Weiss you got any pic's of yours? |
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Rich Weiss
From:
Woodland Hills, CA, USA
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Posted 20 Aug 2008 8:33 pm
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No, but I've been wanting to post a picture, as it is a beautiful blonde single neck.
I'll try to get a camera together and post a pic as soon as I can. |
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Dennis Wireman
From:
North West Indiana 47978
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Posted 21 Aug 2008 7:00 am John Coffman
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| John you got any pic's of your thomas d-10? What do you think of it? |
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Dennis Wireman
From:
North West Indiana 47978
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Posted 22 Aug 2008 3:14 pm thomas
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Got thomas today man what a nice steel. looks , plays, and sounds great. what workmanship on this. I also talked to Barry Thomas today and he is hope to be making new ones in about a month. What a gentleman to talk to . here is some pics of mine.
Last edited by Dennis Wireman on 3 Sep 2008 10:24 am; edited 1 time in total |
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John Coffman
From:
Wharton,Texas USA
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Posted 23 Aug 2008 10:01 am
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I beleive I owned that steel for awhile. Did you get it from New Caney Tx. If this is the steel I sold it to Don Welch. Nice steel I just do not need 3 D10 Thomas. LOL
Here is a picture of my D10 Dallas Custom
_________________
ShowPro SD10, Mullens RP, Bose S1 Pro, GK MB200, MB500, Bugera T50 Tube amp with SlidgeRig, TC HOF reverb effect. |
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Dennis Wireman
From:
North West Indiana 47978
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Posted 23 Aug 2008 10:39 am thomas
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| John yes this is the same steel got from don. like it real well . first time I have seen and played one , man it is sturdy, pedals work smooth and easy sound great also barry said it was one of the last ones he made. it is a 1994. Looks like you and don really take care of your steels to be in the fantastic shape this is in. thaks for the reply, got to talk to Barry nice person to talk to told me some info on his steels and date of this one. He is going to start up again. |
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Stu Schulman
From:
Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)
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Posted 23 Aug 2008 10:56 am
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Those are beautiful,It's nice to see a builder coming back instead of going belly up. 
_________________
Steeltronics Z-pickup,Desert Rose S-10 4+5,Desert Rose Keyless S-10 3+5... Mullen G2 S-10 3+5,Telonics 206 pickups,Telonics volume pedal.,Blanton SD -10,Emmons GS_10...Zirctone bar,Bill Groner Bar...any amp that isn't broken.Steel Seat.Com seats...Licking paint chips off of Chinese Toys since 1952. |
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John Coffman
From:
Wharton,Texas USA
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Posted 23 Aug 2008 12:35 pm
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Yeah Dennis I sure try to keep all my stuff up. I beleive one of the C6th pulls was altered. As soon as Barry gets his shop set up I am going to get him to re-finsh and do a few minor tune ups on the Dallas guitar. I do not think Barry will produce very many new steels. Maybe about 20 a year. Material cost are so high an all machined steel would cost at least 3,000.00. Add labor and over head you would have to sell them for over 6k each. Not a large market for that pricey a steel. Good luck and enjoy your Thomas.
_________________
ShowPro SD10, Mullens RP, Bose S1 Pro, GK MB200, MB500, Bugera T50 Tube amp with SlidgeRig, TC HOF reverb effect. |
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Dennis Wireman
From:
North West Indiana 47978
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Posted 9 Sep 2008 8:21 am Thomas D-10 8 + 4
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| I ran across a mullen that i want so as much as I hate to this is on the forum in instruments for sale section chance to get one of this hard to get steels. thanks |
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