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Topic: 1st Prototype Dobro StringBender Video |
Lee Rider
From:
Fort Bragg, California, USA
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Posted 15 Feb 2015 9:12 pm |
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Hey Dobro folks: I've been working on a StringBender for the dobro with the inventor of the StringBender, Gene Parsons. Gene has been thinking about doing one for many years. Actually, Buck Owens (himself a darn good dobro player) asked Gene to come up with one and Gene had envisioned one using a pedal. Buck died before Gene had a chance to work on that version. I started bugging him about it a couple of years ago and he suggested the pedal, but I wanted something strap actuated. We started putting down some concepts on paper then came up with a workable prototype.
Would like to know what you all think about something like this. For me it is a revelation, especially after I started playing pedal steel a few years back.
This one lowers the second string one full step and it is pretty easy to hit the half step too for minor chords. I have it on a Beard Road-O-Phonic out of simplicity. When we go into production it will fit any 3 on a side solid headstock guitar without altering the instrument. It will also work on a guitar, banjo or other solid headstock instrument. Nice to be able to put one on your pre-war Martin without altering the guitar.
Check out the YouTube Video Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0FSjkGT19A&feature=youtu.be
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Bowman SD10 push pull 3x5, Modified Hudson PedalBro, Sarno Tonic preamp, Evans FET 500. with Altec 418B, Standel Custom 15, '67 Showman with D-130F in cabinet, Ganz Straight Ahead, custom Wolfe 6 string dobro, '52 Gibson Century 6. |
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Michael Kienhofer
From:
Goulais River,Ontario,Canada
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Posted 16 Feb 2015 7:25 am
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Don,t get me wrong here,,I love to see more stuff for us Dobro players.
But watching the Video ,,its still easier for me to do finger pulls.
How would this work on a real acoustic Dobro? |
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Lee Rider
From:
Fort Bragg, California, USA
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Posted 16 Feb 2015 7:34 am
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Michael: You must be pretty good to pull a whole step; I cannot do it and I don't like to do slants, so for guys like me it will be real nice. This is a real acoustic dobro, just a smaller one.
This one bends down but the bender can be adapted to bend either way. With a choke you can play a 5 note major scale with one half-step choke on the 2nd string. That is also pretty hard to do just choking strings (although I think I saw a tab by Stacy Philips that showed that choke).
This is still a bit of a work in progress.....Thanks for your comment.
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Bowman SD10 push pull 3x5, Modified Hudson PedalBro, Sarno Tonic preamp, Evans FET 500. with Altec 418B, Standel Custom 15, '67 Showman with D-130F in cabinet, Ganz Straight Ahead, custom Wolfe 6 string dobro, '52 Gibson Century 6. |
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Michael Kienhofer
From:
Goulais River,Ontario,Canada
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Posted 16 Feb 2015 9:12 am
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Lee that "Dobro" is a BEARD ROAD-O-PHONIC.
lap steel.
This is what I mean by acoustic Dobro.
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Lee Rider
From:
Fort Bragg, California, USA
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Posted 16 Feb 2015 11:55 am
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Michael: Yep, I understand. Same headstock where the unit is mounted. I have a custom walnut dobro full sized too but use the Beard for electric gigs. It makes a good demo for the bender.
BTW: Is the Beard in the picture yours? Nice Beard!
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Bowman SD10 push pull 3x5, Modified Hudson PedalBro, Sarno Tonic preamp, Evans FET 500. with Altec 418B, Standel Custom 15, '67 Showman with D-130F in cabinet, Ganz Straight Ahead, custom Wolfe 6 string dobro, '52 Gibson Century 6. |
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Michael Kienhofer
From:
Goulais River,Ontario,Canada
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Posted 16 Feb 2015 12:02 pm
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No Lee just a web pic,
Do you have a Vid of your unit in this style? |
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Lee Rider
From:
Fort Bragg, California, USA
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Posted 16 Feb 2015 12:06 pm
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Michael: Just got it done as a prototype; I will send you a video when we get one installed on a real dobro.
Thanks!
Lee Rider
StringBender Musical Instruments
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Bowman SD10 push pull 3x5, Modified Hudson PedalBro, Sarno Tonic preamp, Evans FET 500. with Altec 418B, Standel Custom 15, '67 Showman with D-130F in cabinet, Ganz Straight Ahead, custom Wolfe 6 string dobro, '52 Gibson Century 6. |
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Michael Kienhofer
From:
Goulais River,Ontario,Canada
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Posted 16 Feb 2015 2:31 pm
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| Thanks Lee ! |
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Webb Kline
From:
Orangeville, PA
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Posted 17 Feb 2015 6:34 am
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| I have a Keith banjo tuner on my 2nd string so I can switch quickly to do pulls. I have my left ring finger callused pretty good so the pulls aren't hard to do, but something like that would have a lot of merit for me. |
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Lee Rider
From:
Fort Bragg, California, USA
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Posted 17 Feb 2015 8:45 am
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Hard to operate a Keith tuner while barring on the neck. Also, this bender can bend either up or down depending on how you install it. I have not figured out how to choke notes down......
d
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Bowman SD10 push pull 3x5, Modified Hudson PedalBro, Sarno Tonic preamp, Evans FET 500. with Altec 418B, Standel Custom 15, '67 Showman with D-130F in cabinet, Ganz Straight Ahead, custom Wolfe 6 string dobro, '52 Gibson Century 6. |
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Brian McGaughey
From:
Orcas Island, WA USA
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Posted 17 Feb 2015 7:22 pm
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FWIW, I think most GDBGDB dobro players can learn to pull the slack (A) tuned 2nd string from behind the bar up a full tone without the added hardware.
It's a cool idea, perhaps a different raise or lower on a different string?
Here's a video of me playing a song that demonstrates behind the bar pulling of the 2nd string both a full tone and a half tone. Excuse intonation issue as I wasn't very practiced on it when I recorded it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf7FRh7Patw |
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Webb Kline
From:
Orangeville, PA
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Posted 17 Feb 2015 8:15 pm
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| Lee Rider wrote: |
Hard to operate a Keith tuner while barring on the neck. Also, this bender can bend either up or down depending on how you install it. I have not figured out how to choke notes down......
d |
Yeah that's pretty cool. The Keith tuner is a lot easier to reach quickly and changes a lot faster than a standard tuner, but that contraption is something I would be interested in for sure. |
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