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Author Topic:  Excel
Bill Stafford


From:
Gulfport,Ms. USA
Post  Posted 19 Sep 2008 7:26 am    
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Recently, at the ISG show in St. Louis, Mitsuo delivered a very impressive pedal steel to a customer-a 20 string (one neck) Superb model steel guitar. I have pictures of this should anyone like to take a look.
Also, there was on the floor a new concept for the "Universal" pedal steels. This one featured a new changer that switched from C6 to E9. Rather than the familiar change from E9 to B6. Players can now have the two familiar tunings if that is their preference.
Thanks to Scotty and his family and staff for the production of this show in St. Louis.
Bill Stafford
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Johnne Lee Ables


From:
Minnesota, USA
Post  Posted 19 Sep 2008 7:45 am     Re: Excel
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[quote="Bill Stafford"

...a very impressive pedal steel...a 20 string (one neck) Superb model...

...anyone like to take a look....

Bill Stafford[/quote]

Hi Bill,

I'd love to see pictures of that Excel. The changer sounds really interesting as well.

Thanks,

Johnne Lee
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Bill Hatcher

 

From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
Post  Posted 19 Sep 2008 8:05 am    
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I would like to know the set up.
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Greg Simmons


From:
where the buffalo (used to) roam AND the Mojave
Post  Posted 19 Sep 2008 9:17 am    
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Bill;

I noticed that - hard to miss - @ the Excel booth in STL - I'm thinking this is one of the guitars in question Shocked Whoa! Very Happy WOW!






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CrowBear Schmitt


From:
Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France
Post  Posted 19 Sep 2008 9:30 am    
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would this be Carl Dixon's new Excel ?
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ed packard

 

From:
Show Low AZ
Post  Posted 19 Sep 2008 11:44 am     And I thought 14 strings was pushing the envelope
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Pray tell, what do you tune the 20 strings to?
And no string taper...shades of the "BEAST"
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Danny Bates

 

From:
Fresno, CA. USA
Post  Posted 19 Sep 2008 1:28 pm    
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Ed Packard said:
Quote:
Pray tell, what do you tune the 20 strings to?


Laughing
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Brad Malone

 

From:
Pennsylvania, USA
Post  Posted 19 Sep 2008 2:34 pm     20 strings
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20 strings..until you tune that thing the gig would be over...have fun
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ed packard

 

From:
Show Low AZ
Post  Posted 19 Sep 2008 2:35 pm     just to harp on it.
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I would guess, by looking at the string gauges, and the change rods (one lower and one raise on most strings) that this is sort of a horizontal concert harp approach.

There goes the 10 string 12 string bar terminology.

That makes three harpish approache seen here in the last two years...is it a trend?
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C Dixon

 

From:
Duluth, GA USA
Post  Posted 19 Sep 2008 2:49 pm    
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Quote:
would this be Carl Dixon's new Excel ?


No, mine is a 12 string universal. Since I was unable to get to St. Louis because of my wife passing away on the trip, Bill Stafford took it to his house. And he shipped it to me. I just received it.

Here is a picture of it that Mitsuo took before he shipped it to Scotty's.







The following is the setup:




c.

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Richard Sinkler


From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
Post  Posted 19 Sep 2008 3:06 pm    
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Anyone know the tuning on that 20 string guitar?
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Brad Malone

 

From:
Pennsylvania, USA
Post  Posted 19 Sep 2008 7:10 pm     Carl's new steel
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Carl, Congratulations on your new steel...you have IMHO the perfect setup...you have thought of everything..again IMHO
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Doug Seymour


From:
Jamestown NY USA (deceased)
Post  Posted 19 Sep 2008 8:34 pm     20 strings?
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I'm pretty sure Reese showed me an older MSA with 20 strings before they moved to the new facilities and became MSA/Micro some years later!
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C Dixon

 

From:
Duluth, GA USA
Post  Posted 19 Sep 2008 8:48 pm    
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Brad,

You are most kind.

Thank you.

c.

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Charles Curtis

 

Post  Posted 20 Sep 2008 11:44 am    
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Carl, it's great to read one of your posts again. Do you still have copies of the book you wrote and how does one order one from you?
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Pete Burak

 

From:
Portland, OR USA
Post  Posted 20 Sep 2008 12:14 pm    
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I hope that 20 stringer belongs to Buddy Emmons.
I'm thinkin' everyone will be going the S20U direction soon.
Smile
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C Dixon

 

From:
Duluth, GA USA
Post  Posted 20 Sep 2008 4:24 pm    
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Quote:
Do you still have copies of the book you wrote and how does one order one from you?

Yes Charles, and thanks for asking. Simply send $29.95 plus $3.95 for bubble mailer and postage via "media mail". And I will get one right out.

I am humbled you want the book. This goes for anyone else who might want it.

Send check to:

carl dixon
863 Lakeshore Drive
Berkeley Lake, GA 30096

Thanks again,

c.

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Alan Brookes


From:
Brummy living in Southern California
Post  Posted 20 Sep 2008 6:21 pm    
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With so many strings it would be easy to lose co-ordination between the right and left hands. That problem is very serious on multiple course lutes with wide fingerboards. I've lost track of where I was on a 12-course lute many times. Embarassed
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Marvin Born

 

From:
Ohio, USA
Post  Posted 20 Sep 2008 6:31 pm     20 string steel
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I was looking at the 20 string when it was being played, maybe by the owner. It is tuned more like two octaves of a scale. You can hear each step of the scale if you rake the strings.


Marvin
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chris ivey


From:
california (deceased)
Post  Posted 20 Sep 2008 7:20 pm    
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cn ya play steel guitar rag on that there thing??
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Chris Bauer

 

From:
Nashville, TN USA
Post  Posted 20 Sep 2008 7:41 pm    
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Shoulda been easy to spot the owner at the convention. Just look for the guy or gal with the reallllllllllllly big hands.
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Al Marcus


From:
Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)
Post  Posted 20 Sep 2008 9:07 pm    
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Carl-That is a beautiful Excel and well tuned. You got it all together.


Hey Bill-I have a tuning that goes not from C6 But E6 to E9, same bar positions. You just have to have a lever or a pedal to make the switch. But the only thing is , when you are in one , you cant play in the other, so it is not a true "Universal".
It takes the place of a heavy D10.

Here is the basic idea-
F#-D#-G#-E-C#-B-G#-E-C#-B-G#-E---E6
---------------B-G#-F#---D------E9th
Then put the appropiate pedals and knee levers on it.

I have thought of puting it on a 12 string but run out of motivation to do it...al.SmileSmile
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Bill Stafford


From:
Gulfport,Ms. USA
Post  Posted 21 Sep 2008 1:27 am     Excel
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Hi Al, Julian called his tuning "E96"-E9 on the first seven and E6 on the bottom seven. That way he could utilize both sixth and ninth tunings all the time. That is one reason I like the E9 and B6 compatibility. Many of the C6 type changes in the B6 tuning are compatible with affected changes in the E9 patterns. Gives you another "ballfield" to play in and when you have the LOCK lever engaged your B6 tuning is called up and I really like my C6 chord on the first fret. (Talented players like Joe Wright are able to really play this system without the LOCK lever). No major problem there either. When Sierra first built my 14 string unit, I easily switched over to the C6 on fret one. (Its a mind set type of thing I suppose, and with a mind like mine, not much matters-lol). I went from a double 12 at that time many years ago and incorporated the exact pedal changes and string grips I had on that 12 string E9/C6 unit. And should I have been fortunate enough to have had the supreme luxury of being around players like Reece Anderson, Hank Corwin and Jerry Byrd, seven, ten and twelve strings would have been enough to play all the pretty music many folks like to hear.
Bill Stafford
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Al Marcus


From:
Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)
Post  Posted 21 Sep 2008 7:08 am    
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Bill-Thanks for posting and your information.. Good to hear from you. How did you make out in the Hurricane.?

When it comes to using the E9/B6 Universal Tuning, you are the tops. Do you remember when they put a lever on our 6 string guitars to go from A-to E-to C#minor., back in the late 30's and early 40's.?

Now we can get any tuning or any chord on the Pedal Steel Guitar as players like you have demonstrated so well....Take Care...al.SmileSmile
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John Sluszny

 

From:
Brussels, Belgium
Post  Posted 22 Sep 2008 2:09 am    
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Carl,long time no...read !
The book,what is it about?
Thanks.
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