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Topic: Stringmaster VS Dual Professional |
Mark Helm
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 18 Jun 2019 9:56 pm |
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What do you guys prefer AND why?
If you could have a beautiful 50's Dual Pro, or a Nice late 50's/early 60s Stringmaster, what would you choose?
I've been working on the pros and cons and I dig e'm both. What say ya'll?
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Remington Steelmaster S8 w/ custom Steeltronics pickup. Vox MV-50 amplifier + an 1940's Oahu cab w/ 8" American Vintage speaker. J. Mascis Fender Squire Jazzmaster, Hofner Club bass, Ibanez AVN4-VMS Artwood Vintage Series Concert Size Acoustic Guitar. 1920s/30s Supertone Hawaiian-themed parlor guitar. Silvertone parlor guitar. |
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Levi Gemmell
From:
New Zealand
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Posted 18 Jun 2019 11:57 pm
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Personally, I'm desperate to try a Dual Professional. Never have, but I love "that sound," especially if Kayton Roberts is at the helm! I like my Stringmaster but even after playing it coming up on a year now, I still haven't managed to dial in the best tone I think it's capable of. I think the Dual Professional would probably give me something desirable right out of the box...
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John Allison S-8
JB Frypan S-8
Sho~Bud LDG SD-10
1966 Fender Super Reverb |
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Jeff Mead
From:
London, England
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Posted 19 Jun 2019 12:32 am
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I have both and use the Dual Pro for recording because I think it sounds better (love those trap pickups _ even Leo said they were the best pickups he ever made).
But for live shows, I use my Stringmaster - it's lighter and smaller and not as delicate as the Dual Pro.
So the correct answer is "you need both". |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 19 Jun 2019 1:51 am
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I've owned both and there are pros and cons to each but for pure tone, I side with the dual pro. The sustain of my swamp ash guitar unplugged was really amazing.
_________________
Steel Guitar Books! Website: www.volkmediabooks.com |
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Brad Davis
From:
Texas, USA
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Posted 19 Jun 2019 7:47 am
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You need both. I'd like to own a Dual Pro some day, but haven't gotten around to it yet. Parts-wise they do have some issues, but that sound. 
I own a couple early 50s long scale Stringmasters, which I would posit is actually a different beast from later SM's, with awesome sustain, ringing chimes and a variety of tonal color. |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Posted 19 Jun 2019 8:05 am
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I've owned several of both and I prefer the Stringmaster. The Dual Pro has more "bite", in my opinion, but those bulky trapezoid pickups get in the way for blocking and palm muting at the bridge. That was a problem for me. And the guitar is less stable with only three legs. I accidentally bumped into it a couple of times and it tipped over. And the Dual Pro has slightly less sustain than the Stringmaster, in my opinion. The notes don't ring as long as the Stringmaster. Just my opinion. I have to say though, the Dual Pro sound really cuts through, as in Sleep Walk, but I go more for the Stringmaster sound and feel.
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 19 Jun 2019 8:46 am
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Good point, Doug, the trap pickup does get in the way of bridge area blocking. Same thing actually with my new Clinesmith string-thru shoe but it has a zillion other factor that make that a non-issue. I owned a 60s Stringmaster and never bonded with it but perhaps I need to play more of them to have a better informed opinion.
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Steel Guitar Books! Website: www.volkmediabooks.com |
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Chris Cummings
From:
England
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Posted 21 Jun 2019 5:13 am Stringmaster vs Dual Pro
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| Great guitars happy to gig with either ! Its a little like in the guitar world comparing a strat with a tele. Stringmaster is more flexible with that wonderful blend control, whilst at the same time its hard to replicate the cut and rawness of the Dual Pro. I experience more dynamics with a stringmaster the harder you play the louder you get but that doesn’t happen with the Dual Pro . Got to have both !! |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Bill Terry
From:
Bastrop, TX
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Posted 21 Jun 2019 7:03 am
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I had both, first a Stringmaster that was burned in a home fire, and later I replaced it with a Dual-Pro. I don't think I realized it when I bought the SM, but the sound in my head was really 'Dual-Pro'... not that I didn't like the SM.
I wish I could have both actually, but I just don't play enough non-pedal to justify one, much less two. |
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Michael Johnstone
From:
Sylmar,Ca. USA
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Posted 21 Jun 2019 11:59 am
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| Tried 'em all including all eras,configurations and scale lengths of Stringmasters. My favorite: Mid 60s 24" D-8 Stringmaster. The blender pot is the secret sauce on those puppies. Punchy,twangy,clear,slightly mid-scooped. Play it thru a Blackface Vibrolux with stout speakers. |
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K Maul
From:
Hadley, NY/Hobe Sound, FL
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Posted 21 Jun 2019 3:41 pm
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I've had Stringmasters and I really like them, but something about the bite of a Dual Professional really speaks to me. I have a 1948 with a boxcar pick up rewound for more bass. The rectangular configuration doesn't interfere so much with blocking. It's missing some parts so I use the top neck to hold stuff, like Tom Morrell did with his triple neck Bigsby.
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Nic Neufeld
From:
Kansas City, Missouri
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Posted 21 Jun 2019 4:34 pm
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I've never played a Dual Pro. I have a '57 T-8 SM, and I find with the style I play, I always have the blend knob full on. Part of the equation is style preference...I'd be interested in everyone's opinion, but also with what styles of music they are mostly playing. It seems like Hawaiian players want a smoother, mellower tone, more bloom, and country/Western swing players want more cut, bite, zing, or whatever you might call it. Overgeneralization, perhaps.
I hate to admit it but since I got my CS frypan I have somewhat fallen out of love with my Stringmaster...I get a seemingly deeper bass out of the SM, or at least I perceive it that way, but the frypan has a fuller tone in the midrange and upper strings...for the record, I'm trying to go for the Hawaiian style. I also love Santo Farina's playing, but I think if you put a Dual Pro in front of me, I wouldn't sound like him on Sleep Walk. 99% of Santo Farina's tone is in Santo Farina's hands. His own brother can't even replicate it...
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Calling and calling to me |
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 23 Jun 2019 9:12 pm
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| I was always sorry that I sold my D8 Stringmaster. Then there was the Dual-pro....I could never make that instrument sound like I wanted. I finally shipped it to Bobby Ingano, and told him to give it away or toss it.....so, he gave it to Jeff Au Hoy, who seems to get good sound from it ! |
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John Limbach
From:
Billings, Montana, USA
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Posted 24 Jun 2019 4:05 am
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| Bill Creller wrote: |
| I finally shipped it to Bobby Ingano, and told him to give it away or toss it.....so, he gave it to Jeff Au Hoy, who seems to get good sound from it ! |
Jeff would get great sound out a battered old cigar box with a few rusty strings on it! |
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