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Topic: Melobar Rattler with Benders - SOLD |
Michael Stephens
From:
South Hadley, MA
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Posted 19 Nov 2021 6:24 pm |
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For sale is a sweet little Melobar Rattler lap steel, 6 strings, that has been upgraded with a Kent Armstrong pickup and a Dusenberg string bender that bends 2 of the strings. I have it set up in open E, and I bend the 2nd and 3rd strings. This is not a new guitar, and it has some dings and scratches here & there. With the work done on it, it is definitely not in "original" condition. But it sounds really good for a guitar at this price range, and the string bender feature enables some good pedal steel effects if you're into it. It's a really cool guitar, but I"m just not playing it much these days, concentrating more on pedal steel, 8 string lap steel and dobro.
Click below for an audio clip of it being played clean through GarageBand, no extra treatment. At about 1:05, it switches to me using the 2 bender levers, so you can get a sense of what they sound like.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jyGpKkBi2ty8EyhLMxK6inMdjlv6bWrj/view?usp=sharing
Click below for an audio clip of it being played with overdrive through GarageBand.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DY6ebnkOuNZbfVMf20MlajFpi2SR-3bt/view?usp=sharing
I think it sounds really good clean, but it really shines with some overdrive. I got the pickup I did because I'd heard it did a great job at getting close to a David Lindley lap steel tone. It now has the original pickup as well as the Kent Armstrong. See what you think!
With these upgrades (the bender alone is selling these days for over $200, if you can even find them), I think $500 is a fair price. FYI, I do not have a case for this, but it'd do well in any small gig bag. Shipping cost will depend on where it is going, picked up by the buyer.
Last edited by Michael Stephens on 27 Nov 2021 3:35 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Don Griffiths
From:
Steelville, MO
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Posted 21 Nov 2021 6:31 pm Benders
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So I’ve always wondered if the dual benders were setup like the AB pedals on an Emmons E9 setup. I.e. 1 lever a 1/2 step and the other lever a whole step? Not familiar with the Duesenbergs at all but I’ve always wanted one for when setting up the Shobud isn’t practical.
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Shobud Pro1,BMI U12, Santa Cruz F, PRS Standard, Fender Twin Reverb, ‘53 000-28 |
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Don Griffiths
From:
Steelville, MO
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Posted 21 Nov 2021 6:33 pm Benders
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So I’ve always wondered if the dual benders were setup like the AB pedals on an Emmons E9 setup. I.e. 1 lever a 1/2 step and the other lever a whole step? Not familiar with the Duesenbergs at all but I’ve always wanted one for when setting up the Shobud isn’t practical.
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Shobud Pro1,BMI U12, Santa Cruz F, PRS Standard, Fender Twin Reverb, ‘53 000-28 |
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Cappone dAngelo
From:
Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Posted 21 Nov 2021 7:47 pm Re: Benders
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| Don Griffiths wrote: |
| So I’ve always wondered if the dual benders were setup like the AB pedals on an Emmons E9 setup. I.e. 1 lever a 1/2 step and the other lever a whole step? Not familiar with the Duesenbergs at all but I’ve always wanted one for when setting up the Shobud isn’t practical. |
I think that's a very common setup for them based on the instruments I've seen with them installed, but according the manufacturer "You can raise or lower Individual strings from 1 to 3 half tones (depending on the string gauge used)", and can have more than 2 levers - though both the manufacturer and many users recommend no more than 3 levers, as it becomes impractical to press individual levers if they are too crowded. |
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Michael Stephens
From:
South Hadley, MA
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Posted 22 Nov 2021 2:59 am Re: Benders
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| Don Griffiths wrote: |
| So I’ve always wondered if the dual benders were setup like the AB pedals on an Emmons E9 setup. I.e. 1 lever a 1/2 step and the other lever a whole step? Not familiar with the Duesenbergs at all but I’ve always wanted one for when setting up the Shobud isn’t practical. |
Don - yes, that's the way I set this one up. Full step raise on the 2nd string, and 1/2 step rise on 3rd string. When the first 4 strings are played together, you get the move from a I to a IV chord. Practically, for me the string raises were used for single string playing, not so much creating the full chords. |
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Michael Stephens
From:
South Hadley, MA
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Posted 24 Nov 2021 8:20 am Melobar Rattler with Dusenberg String Benders
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| TTT |
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Michael Stephens
From:
South Hadley, MA
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Posted 26 Nov 2021 7:32 am Melobar Rattler - Sale pending
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| Sale pending |
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