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Topic: Steelguitar lost sustain |
Johan Jansen
From:
Europe
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Posted 28 Nov 2008 10:09 pm |
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Hi you all,
One of my students has a big problem
4 years ago he bought an expensive steelguitar after a long time waiting for production.
IAt the plain strings, the guitar doesn't sustain enough any more, also without amplified pickups, so it's in the guitar itself.It has the problem at both necks.
It's a D10 8/7 wooden body.
All seemes normal, except that I notice that the keyheads have no full body contact, there is a few Mu space under them.
What strange is: till for about a year the guitar was fine, now it has the problem.
In my 30 years experience with steelguitars I never noticed something like this before. What can be the problem?
I hope for some help
Thanks
regards, Johan
Last edited by Johan Jansen on 28 Nov 2008 11:39 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Pete Woronowski
From:
Saskatchewan, Canada
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Posted 28 Nov 2008 10:17 pm
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I don't know for sure that this is the solution but a few month's ago I bought a used steel that was so dead sounding it was amazing even with new strings.
I really soaked the rollers with light oil and worked them over and over, the tone and sustain after a few days was excellent and no question night and day from where it started.
Hope this helps, Take Care.
_________________
Mullen Royal Precision |
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Johan Jansen
From:
Europe
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Posted 28 Nov 2008 10:21 pm
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Hi Pete, all is oiled very well with light machine-oil.Doesn't solve...
Thanks, Johan |
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David Doggett
From:
Bawl'mer, MD (formerly of MS, Nawluns, Gnashville, Knocksville, Lost Angeles, Bahsten. and Philly)
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Posted 28 Nov 2008 10:41 pm
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| Well, the most obvious thing is to tighten up the screws holding the keyhead on the body. You probably already tried that. Then I would take the strings off and take the keyhead off and see what you see. The only thing I can think of is that the screws holding the keyhead on are too long. Maybe the wood wasn't aged properly and now it has dried out and shrunk a little. And maybe the screws are too long and don't hold the keyhead down against the body solidly. |
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Martin Weenick
From:
Lecanto, FL, USA
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Posted 28 Nov 2008 11:42 pm no sustain
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What David D. said.
_________________
Several custom steels. NV-112 Boss DD-7 |
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Billy Murdoch
From:
Glasgow, Scotland, U.K.
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Posted 29 Nov 2008 1:44 am
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Has Your student contacted the Builder of the steel?
I assume it is a "High priced"Guitar from the length of time He waited for it.
All the builders of these guitars are very helpful.
I hope the problem is something simple.
Please keep us informed.
It was very nice of You NOTto disclose the name of the builder.
Best regards
billy |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 29 Nov 2008 12:15 pm
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I also agree with David D on this one. If you can easily get at the keyhead screws, you might try this, with the strings still on the guitar. If the wood has shrunken, it won't be by much. Take out one keyhead screw at a time, and add a good quality flat washer and replace the screw. The flat washer should be plenty thick enough to compensate for the shrinkage. Do that to each screw, one at a time.
The flat washers may actually add more "sustain" than expected, as they may transfer more energy to the body just because of their size, and greater area of contact with the body. |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 29 Nov 2008 12:17 pm
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| Also, check the mounting screws at the changer end, and endplates too. |
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Bill Stroud
From:
Dresden, Tennessee, USA * R.I.P.
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Posted 29 Nov 2008 12:52 pm Dead Sound
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First is both necks like that or just the E9th neck? If only one neck is like that I would try and change the pickup to see if that helped. Both necks sounds like that there is a big problem.
Hope you find out what it is.
Bill |
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J D Sauser
From:
Wellington, Florida
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Posted 29 Nov 2008 2:22 pm
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If it is a mica covered guitar, check the bonding of the mica to the wood. To do so, use a heavy pencil and lightly know on the mica all over the guitar... it's like checking for the sound of loose floor tiles.
As others mentioned, check tight fit of ALL hardware to the wood, not just the key head, but the neck, changer block, end plates (!) and the stop plate (underneath, where the changer scissor fingers rest against... One maker actually uses the return spring set screws to lock that stop plate to the end plate... I've seen those loose on two of them so far!
If the key head-neck-changer block group was loose, make sure they have a tight fit against each other (pulled together horizontally) while tightening them. Depending on the guitar's design, sometimes a slight knocking together using large wooden blocks at both ends of the head-neck-changer assembly may prove effective (requires 3 people: one underneath tightening and two, one at each end of the guitar GENTLY knocking that assembly against each other).
Is the problem only occurring since heating season came around? Even mica covered wood bodies do breath and move due to temperature and moisture fluctuations. Some guitars have moving space for this phenomenon planned into the design... some don't.
This and many other ideas assuming strings have been changed.
... J-D. |
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Randy Gilliam
From:
San Antonio, Texas, USA
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Posted 30 Nov 2008 10:53 pm Pickup
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Check the Height Of The Pickup It may Be Too Low ? Goodluck If You cant fix It I Can sell You a 66 Emmons D 10 PP 8 and 5 I Guarantee That will fix it. Randy.  |
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Johan Jansen
From:
Europe
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Posted 9 Dec 2008 9:23 am
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The builder will take the guitar to his repair room and will try to fix it.
For now:
Merry X-mas 
JJ |
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