Author |
Topic: My New Fender 2000 D10 PSG |
Alan Brookes
From: Brummy living in Southern California
|
Posted 28 Feb 2010 6:09 pm
|
|
I recently bought this guitar on eBay. I wouldn't have noticed that it was for sale but I was in England at the time and my friend Basil Henriques brought my attention to it.
It originally came without bridge covers, which I fitted from my spare box. Other than that all I've done with it so far is cleaned and polished it and checked that the pickups work, which they do.
It has this name inscribed in the chassis.
Has anyone heard of RJ Tribbett ? |
|
|
|
Roger Shackelton
From: MINNESOTA (deceased)
|
Posted 28 Feb 2010 8:33 pm
|
|
HI ALLEN,
Would you ever consider modifying your Fender 2000? Such as converting it to a rod operating system.
ROGER |
|
|
|
Bob Carlucci
From: Candor, New York, USA
|
Posted 1 Mar 2010 3:02 am
|
|
Roger Shackelton wrote: |
HI ALLEN,
Would you ever consider modifying your Fender 2000? Such as converting it to a rod operating system.
ROGER |
Roger.. not trying to answer for Allen, but I thought I would put my 2 cents in.
I would bet putting a modern undercacrriage and changer setup could be done, and would enhance playability. There are a few issues however. First would be cost. We are talking about scrapping everything in that "pull chain", except possibly the pedals. The pedal rods might be saved also, but the rods would need to be modified.
Lots of money for parts there, and if a good steel mechanic did the work, lots of labor,you probably could buy and entire steel guitar for what it would cost.
Add to the fact that some of the Fenders very unique sound is due to the mechanicals.. After playing my 800, I can hear the lenghth of the pulls give the Fender a kind of "stretchiness" in the notes that I first heard from Pete Kleinow's steel.
I can't describe it, but know it when I hear it.
I believe its due to the cable/pulley/changer setup exclusive to Fender.
Newer all pull systems are more precise, no question , but put one on a Fender. and some of the charm goes away.
I thought hard about doing exactly what you said, but thought about all these factors, and decided to keep my Fender as is.
Just not worth the cost.
Last but not least, the playability of cable Fenders is quite good.
Mine really plays nice ,with no real issues.
Throws are longer on certain pulls, others quite short and pretty precise actually.
These guitar do seem to raise better than they lower, but in general, I am very happy with mine. Its plays really well, and I don't even realize I am playing an old steel after I play it for 5 minutes. Not as good as a modern guitar, but as good or better than other brands of that era.
It is ALWAYS in tune!
I have one pull I am not happy with, my 4 and 8 down a half.. Its a bit "vague" feeling.
If I take my hand and activate the lever[RKR] it hits the notes cleanly, with no issues. However when knee activated, it takes a bit more force to get the notes exact, with a "muddy" feel.. For whatever reason, its my least precise change.
I don't bother with it, because I have adjusted to it, and lots of players with more advanced systems deal with a change or two thats vague.
When adjusted nicely, cleaned and lubed, the old Fender cable jobs are a joy to play, and really need no upgrading..
Its only my weird opinion, but the Fender system would be a great system with ball bearing rollers on the cable guides, modern cables without the solder joints, and the same changer with a few upgrades, allowing more "room" for lowers etc.
It won't happen of course, but Fender was on the right track , they just needed a to refine what they had a bit, and the Fender cable guitars would be able to compete with anything out there, IMHO.
Every steel player needs an old Fender!.. It should be mandatory _________________ I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!
no gear list for me.. you don't have the time...... |
|
|
|
Ben Jones
From: Seattle, Washington, USA
|
Posted 1 Mar 2010 9:10 am
|
|
Beauty!
I wish there more of the 800 and 2000s around, they seem rarer than their 8 string counterparts. |
|
|
|
Alan Brookes
From: Brummy living in Southern California
|
Posted 1 Mar 2010 5:34 pm
|
|
Roger Shackelton wrote: |
...Would you ever consider modifying your Fender 2000, such as converting it to a rod operating system? |
No. If I want to play a rod-operated steel I have other guitars. I have thought of putting rods on a Multi-Kord, like Danny did. |
|
|
|
Danny James
From: Summerfield Florida USA
|
Posted 1 Mar 2010 6:53 pm
|
|
It looks like you have a great find in your Fender 2000 Alan. Beautiful guitar !
In the case of a Multi-Kord, beings that I was playing out a lot with mine I kept breaking the cables to the pedals. I made a fixture to make new heavier cables but after a while they broke too.
So necessity being the mother of invention I made stainless steel pedal rods and that ended the cable breakage problem.
Now back to your Fender 2000. Bazilh so generously showed us the mechanism on his Fender P.S. 210. How about you showing us how the changer and fingers work on your Fender 2000. |
|
|
|
Allan Munro
From: Pennsylvania, USA and Scotland
|
Posted 1 Mar 2010 7:01 pm
|
|
Danny James wrote: |
...Bazilh so generously showed us the mechanism on his Fender P.S. 210. How about you showing us how the changer and fingers work on your Fender 2000. |
Yes, I'll echo that, pretty please...
Regards, Allan..... _________________ Only nuts eat squirrels.
Television is the REAL opiate of the masses! |
|
|
|
Alan Brookes
From: Brummy living in Southern California
|
Posted 2 Mar 2010 4:37 pm
|
|
Danny James wrote: |
...How about you showing us how the changer and fingers work on your Fender 2000. |
Certainly...
|
|
|
|
Danny James
From: Summerfield Florida USA
|
Posted 3 Mar 2010 5:58 pm
|
|
Thanks Alan. Do you have any breakdown drawings of the fingers themselves where the strings attach? Are they similar to those on a Fender P.S. 210 or anything like those on a modern Country Steel guitar? |
|
|
|