Enough time?

Ted Smith · Posted 6 Dec 2010 5:05 pm

Well...I think enough time has passed I can come back as just another picker. I had to email Brad (had to admit I missed him)
You guys that were here on the forum in the late 90's were awesome - I remember talking on the forum about a new guitar idea then walking into the back of the shop and drawing the idea on a wood blank to get it started. Built a lot of crazy Melobar stuff back then because of this forum. Right up to the Melobro model 17 7/8string that burned me out for good.

So HOW THE HECK IS EVERYONE!! Or is anyone left from those days?

weirdo melobar ted

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

Welcome back, Ted! I hope you're doing well.
_________________
Brad’s Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

Don Kona Woods · From: Hawaiian Kama'aina

Stick around this time Ted, so that we newcomers
can get to know you. Winking

Welcome home! Smile

Aloha,
Don

Ted Smith · Posted 7 Dec 2010 2:53 am **Thank you**

Hey, thank you Brad and Don. After a 100 views without a friendly hello it was getting a little creepy.

My email to you kept bouncing back Brad - how the heck are you!?

Dean Black emailed me last night and said he's still out playing Melobar every night. Told him my next gig is on the 18th at Idaho State Prison (captive audience) but they are fun to play for. Especially when you throw in some Johnny Cash.

Appreciate the invite Don; not many people understand the strange emptiness of dedicating half your life to lap steel and Dobro then having no one to talk to about it who has a clue what a nut and bridge is. A really nice older fellow came over to the house to buy one of these lap steel blanks last week and we were up all night talking old history from Leo to Dad and it was such a different feeling to have a conversation with someone who actually cared.

Dad's favorite comment near the end of his life was "it's a very lonely world". I'm starting to understand.

Steve Green · From: Gulfport, MS, USA

Greetings, Ted, from South Mississippi.

I'm new to this forum (and to lap steel), only been here a few months. I just purchased a Melobar lap steel on Ebay Saturday night. The guy is supposed to ship it out today. I've read lots of good stuff here on the Forum about Melobar instruments. I'm really looking forward to receiving it.

Hope you are doing well, and nice to meet you on here.
_________________
Some songs I've written

Jeff Strouse · From: Jacksonville, Florida, USA

Hi Ted -

Welcome home....Nice to see you back!

Smile

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

Welcome back Ted. I'm sure many members remember you from the Smith Family guitar company and the Melobar guitars.

Ted Smith · Posted 7 Dec 2010 7:22 am **Jeff Jerry Steve**

Thanks Jeff, Thanks Jerry!

When you get your Melobar shoot a pic and we'll see what model it is Steve. One quick check of year and when the quality went up (especially on the 8's) is Grover Keys - should be stock.

When we first started we were using old open keys from Rosacs that were parted out - still have a bunch of those stripped necks if anyone has a body they want to put one on.

Scanning the forum lately I've seen some of the old first year LS models show up which were pretty funky. Melobar never built a lap steel until around '97 when Elderly asked us to give it a try. Didn't have any machined parts so we did the best we could. Dad was only into the tilt neck and would only build 10 string models (except for the one sent to David Lindley in '81. I remeber that because I was graduating from High School and Dad was grumbling about only 6 strings the entire time it was getting built Very Happy

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

Hey Ted....good to see you again.....I'm not around as much as I used to be....life gets in the way as you and I very well know.....

I always enjoyed working with you and love your guitars....one of the great aspects of your builds was that each one (even if they were the same model) was different in some way and always in a good way.....I still love your Melobros and think that they are the best bang for the buck (I have 2 six stringers and an eight stringer.....they are loud with tone)....and I'm quite partial to my Teleratt.....and of course the one off 7 stringer teardrop which was one of the last ones.....

Those of you who are not familiar with Ted.....let me say....this guy couldn't do enough for you.....

Joel Bloom · Posted 8 Dec 2010 1:31 am

Hey Ted, in the late 90's you sent me a great VHS tape of the Melobro steel/dobro range. You PM'd me you wouldn't be able to help me out in Australia with a purchase, but that you'd send it for my interest anyway-it was super cool for a 'newbie me' to get sent this package-also full of your great playing as the guitars were demonstrated.
It's still around the house somewhere.
Welcome back-not that I post on here much myself these days!!
Cheers, Joel

PS How'd you get that great dobro sound effect on the lapsteel??

Andy Volk · From: Boston, MA

Hi Ted, how good to see you back! You were part of so many great discussions here.

For those of you who don't know, Ted and his family contributed much to steel guitar with their Melobar instruments - well-made guitars that had true individual personalty, made by folks who really cared about their customers and had both a unique vision and the guts to try new designs. Like Russ Rask and many others who didn't win the economic battle but won the hearts and minds, Ted's sincerity and efforts were and remain a boon to the steel guitar community.

Long before the Peavy Superslide and Jr. Brown's Guit-Steel there was the Melobar ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTX-z7R440s

Ted Smith · Posted 8 Dec 2010 7:18 am

Howard! I think you may have the most unique collection of Melobars built guy! Missed you and the others here on the forum. That 8 string Melobro is one of three and I think one of my best efforts.
Thanks Andy. I'll have to check that video - there's one on youtube of a V that's a little raunchy tone wise. Howard needs to do a sweet 8 string rendition of sleep walk Wink

Joel, I'd forgotten about those videos, I don't think I even kept a copy for myself. The resonator sound was from a thing called the Dobroism - a friend I met at age 17 in Hollywood was the sound tec' for SIR studios where the bigshots like the Stones practiced and he was the master mind behind it. Very cool little unit. A dozen lucky guys ended up with them in their Lap steels and Steelguitrs. It's funny because I often think about past guitars and wonder where they are and how they are doing (like your wayfaring kids or something).

Wyn Walke · From: VA

Still have and use my custom Melobar SXL w/3 Barden pickups. Plus picked up a used copper metallic Rattler w/EMG pickup. Good to see you back on the forum, Ted.

Ted Smith · Posted 8 Dec 2010 10:04 am

That was a VERY cool SXL Wynn, I remember it - it was your idea if I'm not mistaken to build it that beefed up
_________________
old Melobar guy

Joe Breeden · From: Virginia, USA

Ted, I remember reading about a 10 string Melobar tuning that your Dad came up with that could be strummed. My memory might be off, but could you tell me the tunings he used for the 10 string tilt neck. Thanks Joe Breeden

Ted Smith · Posted 8 Dec 2010 1:16 pm

Oh boy Joe - that's a big question.
My whole life with Dad was about the "next" tuning.
Mosrite 1967 was the "rock" tuning with an E7 that is on the fret board at the nut(that was the guitar Ry Cooder said the spacing was too damn tight).
Rosac was a E major on the outside 6 - E minor inside 4 strings for strumming major minors.
Then...the 88 model which was a G6 / C -
inside 4- CEABb ouside 6-DGBDGE
This was so you could strum a I-IV-V chord pattern with one move of the bar - Gminor in the middle - and a G with the 6th on the outside that with your bar ring finger you could stretch to a flatted 7th.
Most Melobars in the "tuning" era had the tunings on the fretboard at the nut.
I just did a E that could go to Dobro G gauges in 6 string. When Dad died my brothers gathered round and informed me I was taking over Melobar and taking care of Mom - I asked "what do you think about building 6-string models" My brother Doug (heck of a guitar player) took a drag on his cigerette and replied "you may actually sell one." Confused

_________________
old Melobar guy

Joe Breeden · From: Virginia, USA

Thanks Ted I really appreciate your reply. I know about the tite string spacing, having seen one of the guitars. I'm still trying to find one. Joe

Tom Pettingill · From: California, USA (deceased)

Good to have you on board Ted!
_________________
Some misc pics of my hand crafted steels
Follow me on Facebook here

Roger Shackelton · From: MINNESOTA (deceased)

HI TED,

Here's a pic of my 8 String "MELOBAR TOMAHAWK" that I purchased from ELDERLY. It was one of the last Tomahawks with the Lipstick tube pickup.
The attractive case was made by Kevin Hatton.

ROGER

Ted Smith · Posted 8 Dec 2010 7:06 pm

That is some amazing work Tom!! I really love the pickup rings and knobs matching the body - that is some great craftmanship guy. I was never that talented. Just built affordable Chevys that would go. But I could never build Rolls Royces like that!

A Tomohawk - it's been so long since I've seen one of those Roger. Elderly asked us to build an affordable 8 with the Grovers etc. The lip stick tube pickup was tough to get 8 on. Pickups were always Dad's biggest headache until Bill Lawrence stopped us outside a hotel in Anehiem at a NAMM show. I so remember it. He grabbed dad by the shoulder and said in that heavy German accent, "HEY - I got a pickup for you" then basically walked off. The next year we were out there with the new V's and Explorers and the world turned - this was the '82 show David Lindley, Dad me and brother John.
Man I was young then Sad

John is telling David about the Melobar thumb-bar. Thing that went on your thumb to grab notes above the bar. David was like - you guys really ARE nuts are't you.

_________________
old Melobar guy

Mark van Allen · From: Watkinsville, Ga. USA

It's good to see you on here again, Ted. Hope all's well.

Ted Smith · Posted 8 Dec 2010 7:32 pm

Mark Van Allen...How the heck are YOU! Your name was written on a lot of guitar orders during that time. Very Happy

_________________
old Melobar guy

Peter Jacobs · From: Northern Virginia

Great to hear from you, Ted. My SLS-6 with Outrigger served me well for many years -- it's still my traveling axe. You've made great quality instruments without the top-dollar price tag, and I have always appreciated that.
_________________
Peter
---------
www.splinterville.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@splinterville6278/videos

Ted Smith · Posted 9 Dec 2010 5:42 am

HI Peter!
That Outrigger was such a good idea - it was one of those things that could have been patented that I purposely didn't do, and made public, thinking a lot of lap steel guys would adopt it for playing lap steel standing up like a Dobro but...

The Outrigger and the internal wood sound boards in the Melobro so you could change the wood tone, I thought Bill Kaman would grab that for the Ovation. I worked with Ovations guys at CT with the Enhancr I pat. for Acoustic guitars and it really would give Ovation an amazing heads up - being able to change the internal sound boards but...
I never can understand why people don't do everything possible to get better sound and performance out of a guitar.
_________________
old Melobar guy

Peter Jacobs · From: Northern Virginia

Yeah, Ted - the Outrigger was a good solution to the stand-up problem -- people regularly asked me about it at shows. I only recently started playing resonator guitar, and having used the Outrigger for so long made it easy to play standing up.

I could totally see Ovation using your wood baffle system to change the tones of the guitars. But whether it's an economic decision, a re-design problem or NIH (not invented here) syndrome, a lot of good ideas stay on the drawing board.
_________________
Peter
---------
www.splinterville.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@splinterville6278/videos

Forum Index > Steel Without Pedals	Goto page 1, 2 Next	Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic