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Topic: New line of Steel Guitars |
John Allison
From:
Austin, Texas, USA
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Posted 14 Apr 2010 5:50 pm |
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Hi Everybody
I haven't been posting much, but I've been checking in more frequently, lately. I've been pretty busy since the first of the year with lots of repair business as well as an increase in new guitar orders (...a welcome relief after a pretty lean year in '09.)
One of the projects that I've been able to work on is the development of my new 8-string Console Steels.
They borrow a lot from basic Fender Stringmaster design as well as the deco looks of some of the old classic lap steels. Scale length is 22.5" and spacing is approximately the same as the Stringmaster. I tried to design something that's functional and cool looking while being not too unreasonable to produce. I'm pleased with the outcome...
Pictured here are Eric (Tribo-Tone) Ebner's Mesquite "Woody" as well as a Texas Pecan version and a couple of gloss nitro-lacquer Custom Color examples (Vintage White and Shell Pink). Getting all those angles and steps through the finish process is a huge chore, but the look is so worth it.
When I started developing this model, I shopped around for a source for pickups and I was lucky enough to get my old friend Dave Wintz of Rio Grande Pickups in Houston, TX to agree to make 8-string versions of his fantastic single coil pickups. More about those in another post...it suffices to say that they sound incredible and are available in 3 different windings for some great mix-and-match tonal possibilities.
These instruments are all Console versions with 3 leg sockets, but it's possible to play them comfortably as lap steels. The Custom Color instruments are cut from Poplar and are nice and light. With "Airline" legs from Ray at SunCoast the whole instrument tips the scale at under 10 lbs. The Pecan and Mesquite versions are heavier, but the density adds a lot of power to the tone. I haven't been able to decide whether I like Eric's Mesquite or the Pecan better and I'll be looking forward to trying some different woods like Walnut, Figured Maple, Ash and Alder.
After I've had a chance to refine the options and pricing, I'll offer these instruments - both lap and console versions - for sale as part of my line of instruments (which are otherwise mostly acoustic steel-string guitars). I'll post more details about the steels and the pickups (available seperately) in the appropriate "for sale" sections.
Any comments appreciated.
Thanks
J A
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John Allison
Allison Stringed Instruments
Austin, Texas
www.allisonguitars.com |
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Bob Blair
From:
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Posted 14 Apr 2010 6:22 pm
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| They look fantastic John. Congratulations! |
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Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Posted 14 Apr 2010 11:13 pm
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Great looking instruments  and I look forward to hearing the sound they make.
Aloha, 
Don |
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Thomas Ludwig
From:
Augsburg, Germany
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Posted 15 Apr 2010 1:29 am
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wonderful horns !!!
what about a doubleneck ?
Thomas |
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norm mcdaniel
From:
waco tx
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Posted 15 Apr 2010 4:30 am
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John------I luv em. I love the dark woods most and Im sure they reflect the sound with the denser woods.
Keep it up
Norm in Waco Tx |
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Matthew Dawson
From:
Portland Oregon, USA
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Posted 15 Apr 2010 6:43 am
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| These look great! |
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James Mayer
From:
back in Portland Oregon, USA (via Arkansas and London, UK)
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Posted 15 Apr 2010 7:00 am
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| Hmm, I can't see any images. Did you remove the photos? |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 15 Apr 2010 7:22 am
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| I see 'em James! And they look GREAT! |
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James Mayer
From:
back in Portland Oregon, USA (via Arkansas and London, UK)
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John Allison
From:
Austin, Texas, USA
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Posted 15 Apr 2010 9:56 am
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Hey James, I think it might be some sort of browser setting issue. The URL you posted works, so you're getting the right info, just you're browser doesn't want to do anything with it for some reason.
Shoot me an email and I'll send a couple of jpgs.
I can load the pics directly in the post from my other computer...I'll give that a try later.
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John Allison
Allison Stringed Instruments
Austin, Texas
www.allisonguitars.com |
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John Allison
From:
Austin, Texas, USA
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Posted 15 Apr 2010 10:10 am
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Thanks for the comments fellas...
Thomas, I have a double drawn, but I haven't built one up,yet. I also have a couple of schemes kicking around with Jim Flynn of Lone Star Steel Guitars involving dropping a changer in one to make an E9 8-stringer and also a design for an honest-to-goodness A-B-C palm pedal set up. Might be a while before those projects ever see the light of day, though.
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John Allison
Allison Stringed Instruments
Austin, Texas
www.allisonguitars.com
Last edited by John Allison on 17 Apr 2010 7:59 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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jim flynn
From:
Salado,Texas
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Posted 17 Apr 2010 4:46 pm
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John is making a very nice np/ steel. The classic
design is unique in that it is simple but interesting to look at. John does excelent finish work on all his guitars. He cuts the bodies on his CNC machine. Certainly worth taking a look see if you need a different guitar.
I hope to introduce a palm changer for this design
in the near future. Bookmark Johns site for upcoming
news. |
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Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Posted 17 Apr 2010 5:28 pm
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Good luck on your project, John. Those are some of nicest new console steels I've seen lately.  |
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Chase Swan
From:
Largo, Florida
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Posted 17 Apr 2010 9:58 pm
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| Wow these look awesome! Especially that pink one! I like the little bar cavity (I'm thats what it is) on them too! |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Kevin Brown
From:
England
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Posted 17 Apr 2010 11:14 pm
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| Eric Ebner turned me on to Johns work last year when we both popped by to deliver Erics hunk of Mesquite for his own instrument. Its now built and I had a chance to play it recently. EVerything works as it should, the high G in c6th didnt sound thin, which for me is a great start. Yes they look great in real life, the natural finish is my favourite as seen at te Dallas show. |
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Anders Eriksson
From:
Mora, Dalecarlia, Sweden
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Posted 18 Apr 2010 2:08 am
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Just love the Guitars!
I looked at your web site but you have not updated it with these Guitars!
What would the price for one be?
// Anders
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Fessenden D-10, Stage One S-10, Peavey Nashville 112, Boss LMB-3, Goodrich 120; Regal RD-38VS Resonator |
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 18 Apr 2010 5:03 am
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| You are doing some nice work there John. Hope this will be a better year for you. |
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Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
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Posted 18 Apr 2010 7:22 am
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| Getting all those angles and steps through the finish process is a huge chore, but the look is so worth it. |
Those look great John ... and I feel for you dealing with the hard inside right angles. My first Deco design has a bunch of inside right angles and curves, it makes for a nightmare to sand and finish.
.
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Some misc pics of my hand crafted steels
Follow me on Facebook here |
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Mark Bracewell
From:
Willow Glen, California
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Posted 18 Apr 2010 8:32 pm
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| Tom Pettingill wrote: |
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| Getting all those angles and steps... |
... I feel for you ... |
Indeed.
When you look at guitars like these, or like Tom's, you have to realize that the work can be somewhat akin to playing chess on a roller-coaster. My hat is off to them for what can only be described as a labor of skill, patience and love. |
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Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Posted 19 Apr 2010 6:57 am
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I spent some time with John's steels last week and he has got the tone right ! First modern stringmaster type steel I have played that I really liked.
Great work John !
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Bob |
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Eric Ebner
From:
Texas Republic
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Posted 20 Apr 2010 12:12 pm
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Note to John: “If you mess up on my Mesquite steel we could always have BB-Q!” Hell of an advantage… but John would never need it having so many years experience as a professional luthier. His workmanship and knowledge of guitars is extraordinary!
That’s my steel on the left… I’m digging it!!! It’s Texas mesquite, built by John Allison here in Austin, The Rio Grande pickups are made in Houston, and I make the Tribo-Tone bars here in South Austin. It doesn’t get any more local than that;-)
I agree with Mr. Bob Hoffnar on the tone as well… they have it! They are designed to offer a wide variety of tones through the pickup design, wiring, placement, and controls. The legs are some of the most stable I've felt (this was a particular requirement of mine). Thanks for your work John!!!
See you on the strings,
Eric Ebner
Austin Texas
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Tribo-Tone™ Bars |
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