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Topic: Canopus VS Fender |
Jean-Sebastien Gauthier
From:
Quebec, Canada
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Posted 14 Dec 2022 5:35 pm |
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I'm looking for a D8 to play Hawaiian music, will be tuned to Jules Ah See C13 and E13.
I found a nice Canopus D8 single pickups and wonder if it would be the perfect guitar for this or I should wait for a stringmaster?
I add a Dual Pro in the past and I liked the tone but not the configuration, I prefer a Stringmaster style and the Canopus look fine for this aspect, I just wonder if the tone and construction is as good or better than Fender. Id like to have a fat tone, a little like Jerry Byrd. |
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Jean-Sebastien Gauthier
From:
Quebec, Canada
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Bill Sinclair
From:
Waynesboro, PA, USA
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Posted 14 Dec 2022 6:55 pm
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| Very nice looking D8! Looking forward to your assessment. |
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Jim Mckay
From:
New Zealand
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Posted 14 Dec 2022 9:27 pm
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Hi Jean-Sebastien.
I own one of these guitars. I find the layout great and its my favorite guitar to play out with.
However, I prefer the tone range on my fender stringmaster. That aside they are a very good guitar and very reliable mechanically. I'm sure you will be pleased with this guitar. 
Regards Jim
_________________
Canopus d-8
Excel Jerry Byrd frypan
T-8 Stringmaster |
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HowardR
From:
N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville
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Posted 14 Dec 2022 10:10 pm
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I have a Canopus D8 that I bought on Ebay about 18-20 years ago.......I also have several D8 Stringmasters.....
The Canopus outshines The Fenders IMO.....if you're looking for a rich, fat tone,....that goes to the Canopus.....yes, the Stringmasters have more of a variety of sound & tone,.....but for what I play (I'm a home player) I like the richness of the Canopus.....it is built well and has a piano-like finish.....
I was good friends with the late Jody Carver and brought the Canopus up to his house where I once spent a weekend hanging with him......he loved the Canopus, so much so that he contacted the company in Japan to purchase one...funny story.....the owner builder, Yasu, told Jody "It will cost you more than you think".....and Jody said to me "that's some salesman!".....anyhow the guitar at that time was about $3k......when I bought mine on Ebay, very few people were following it and I got it for $585.00.....but right after the auction a few people contacted me offering double what I paid for it......I really didn't know much about the Canpus but I saw Leonard T. Zinn playing one in the Hawaiian room in St. Louis....it belonged to one of the Hawaiian guys.....Hawaiian players seemed to like the Canopus and you really didn't see them outside of Hawaii and even then not that much.....so I went for it.....let us know what you think......I'm sure I have a pic of Jody with it.....I'll have to look for it......meanwhile here's mine.....
Last edited by HowardR on 19 Dec 2022 11:23 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Jean-Sebastien Gauthier
From:
Quebec, Canada
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Posted 14 Dec 2022 11:37 pm
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That’s a beautiful guitar Howard!
I’m really looking more for a big fat tone than tonal range so Im pretty sure I will love the Canopus. I will make a review and videos when I will get it! |
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Jim Mckay
From:
New Zealand
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Posted 15 Dec 2022 12:11 am
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This is a recording that I posted on here some time ago. "Stardust"
This was recorded on my Canopus D8
https://soundcloud.com/jimjam1952/stardust
_________________
Canopus d-8
Excel Jerry Byrd frypan
T-8 Stringmaster |
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Jean-Sebastien Gauthier
From:
Quebec, Canada
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Posted 15 Dec 2022 12:23 am
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| That’s great Jim! I think you have the double pickups version? Have you compared the 2 versions? |
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Jim Mckay
From:
New Zealand
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Posted 15 Dec 2022 12:41 am
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| Jean-Sebastien Gauthier wrote: |
| That’s great Jim! I think you have the double pickups version? Have you compared the 2 versions? |
Yes I have the double pickups and no I have only played this one.
_________________
Canopus d-8
Excel Jerry Byrd frypan
T-8 Stringmaster |
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Jean-Sebastien Gauthier
From:
Quebec, Canada
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Posted 15 Dec 2022 1:37 am
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| Nice guitar! |
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Tom Snook
From:
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA
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Posted 15 Dec 2022 3:58 am
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Beautiful guitar Jean Sebastien,Barney Isaacs played a double neck single pickup blonde finish Canopus toward the end of his career. It's probably the same guitar L.T.Zinn played in the Hawaiian room. I'm sure you've seen the Spectrum Hawaii video.
Aloha
P.S. Jean Sebastien are you like me and listen almost exclusively to old Hawaiian music all day everyday? I can't get enough 
Aloha
_________________
I wanna go back to my little grass shack........
Last edited by Tom Snook on 15 Dec 2022 8:06 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Nic Neufeld
From:
Kansas City, Missouri
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Posted 15 Dec 2022 5:10 am
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A '57 mid-scale Stringmaster T8 was my first "real" steel guitar. I still like it, but I wouldn't say it has a fat/full tone compared to other guitars, even with the pickups on full blast in serial mode, which is where I always kept it. Canopus seemed to be really popular in Hawaii in the 90s or thereabouts. I've never played one but a lot of players seemed to like them!
Let us know what you think!
_________________
Waikīkī, at night when the shadows are falling
I hear the rolling surf calling
Calling and calling to me |
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Tom Snook
From:
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA
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Posted 15 Dec 2022 5:51 am
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Let's hear it!
Aloha
_________________
I wanna go back to my little grass shack........ |
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HowardR
From:
N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville
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Posted 15 Dec 2022 7:51 am
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| Tom Snook wrote: |
| a double neck single pickup blonde finish Canopus toward the end of his career. It's probably the same guitar L.T.Zinn played in the Hawaiian room. |
It was a blonde Canopus that L.T. Zinn played when I saw him...... |
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Tom Snook
From:
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA
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Posted 15 Dec 2022 8:11 am
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I'm sure there's a video on YouTube of L.T.playing Barney's Canopus. Probably in St.Louis, what a coincidence 
Aloha
_________________
I wanna go back to my little grass shack........ |
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Tony Oresteen
From:
Georgia, USA
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Posted 15 Dec 2022 8:52 am
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The Canopus has a Sho-Bud history.
Yas Kamiya worked at the Sho-Bud factory in Nashville in the 1970s for about 12 years. In 1986 he returned to Japan to make Canopus Hawaiian steel guitars at Shimo Kitazawa,Tokyo.
_________________
Tony
Newnan, GA
Too many guitars, not enough time to play
'72 Sho-Bud 6139, '71 Marlen 210
'78 Fender Stringmaster Quad black
PedalMaster D8 |
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Dana Blodgett
From:
California, USA
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Posted 15 Dec 2022 11:47 am Canapés
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I’m pretty sure you’ll like it, I’ ve heard a few being played by some local Hawaiians down in Honolulu area
And they sound really good to me…pickups look similar to old Sho~Buds!
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Dana Blodgett
From Los Osos,Ca.
'74 ShoBud 6140 3+4, Martins HD28,D-12-28, D-15,'65 Gibson LG-1, '77 Gibson Les Paul special dbl cut p-90's, Les Paul Special p-100's,Les paul Special Hybrid(maple top) hbkr's,'68 Fender Strat reissue, Fender Squire Jazz bass,Epi mandolin,Epi Wilshire '66 reissue, Kamaka Concert uke, 70's Kamaka Soprano Uke, Fender Super amp, Ampeg ba112 bass amp,60's harmony banjo,'00 Gibson SG Supreme |
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Levi Gemmell
From:
New Zealand
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Posted 15 Dec 2022 1:23 pm
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It's great to see a fresh thread on these guitars. There's another blonde Canopus for sale out of Japan on Reverb at the moment, CAD $1800.
I agree that they have a full, rich tone. I sold my Stringmaster last year and downsized to a John Allison S-8 styled after a Stringmaster, but I'd love to know how those Canopus guitars feel!
There are a couple of videos on YouTube with Casey Olsen and Ed Punua playing them. I would also love to know if Casey recorded with the Canopus on some older Hiram Olsen Trio tapes, if anyone knows?
Jim: Great to hear your playing again, I believe that must be the same recording as on one of those CDs you sent to me?
_________________
Commodore S-8
John Allison S-8
JB Frypan S-8
Sho~Bud LDG SD-10
1966 Fender Super Reverb |
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Jim Mckay
From:
New Zealand
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Posted 15 Dec 2022 1:56 pm
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| Levi Gemmell wrote: |
Jim: Great to hear your playing again, I believe that must be the same recording as on one of those CDs you sent to me? |
Hi Levi.
No "Stardust" is not on my CDs.
"He-Aloha-No-O- Honolulu" on my CD "Steel From The South Pacific" is played on the Canopus along with "Hana"
Other numbers on Stringmaster T8
_________________
Canopus d-8
Excel Jerry Byrd frypan
T-8 Stringmaster |
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Jean-Sebastien Gauthier
From:
Quebec, Canada
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Posted 15 Dec 2022 4:56 pm
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| Tom Snook wrote: |
Beautiful guitar Jean Sebastien,Barney Isaacs played a double neck single pickup blonde finish Canopus toward the end of his career. It's probably the same guitar L.T.Zinn played in the Hawaiian room. I'm sure you've seen the Spectrum Hawaii video.
Aloha
P.S. Jean Sebastien are you like me and listen almost exclusively to old Hawaiian music all day everyday? I can't get enough
Aloha |
Nice to have the same guitar as Barney Isaacs, feel like a safe choice!
I didn't see the Spectrum Hawaii video, can you please give me the link? thanks!
In fact I listen to old music everyday all day but not just Hawaiian. I listen to classic country, 40-50s swing and western swing also but I listen to the Tapa Room tapes almost everyday, I'm crazy about it! |
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Tony Oresteen
From:
Georgia, USA
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Posted 15 Dec 2022 7:03 pm
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What is the scale of the Canopus steel guitars?
_________________
Tony
Newnan, GA
Too many guitars, not enough time to play
'72 Sho-Bud 6139, '71 Marlen 210
'78 Fender Stringmaster Quad black
PedalMaster D8 |
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Jean-Sebastien Gauthier
From:
Quebec, Canada
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Posted 15 Dec 2022 9:31 pm
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I don't know! Look like a short scale to me so I guess 22.5 but if its 24.5 its fine for me too, I love both.
I will measure it when receive and let you know! |
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Jim Mckay
From:
New Zealand
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Posted 15 Dec 2022 9:46 pm
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| Tony Oresteen wrote: |
| What is the scale of the Canopus steel guitars? |
My guitar pictured in previous post above is 22.5 inches. I don't know if they come in any other length scale. Or at least I haven't seen any.
_________________
Canopus d-8
Excel Jerry Byrd frypan
T-8 Stringmaster |
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Tom Snook
From:
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA
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Posted 16 Dec 2022 3:08 am
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 I don't know how to create a link. Just search Barney Isaacs on you tube it's probably the first video that comes up.I was very lucky to have lived in Waikiki for a while when Jerry and Barney were still alive, even took lessons from Jerry and spoke many times with Barney at Halekulani.Those were the days my friend.
Aloha
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I wanna go back to my little grass shack........ |
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Charlie Hansen
From:
Halifax, NS Canada and Various Southern Towns.
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Posted 16 Dec 2022 7:38 am
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Barney Isaacs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJdOcHaHltk
_________________
I don't know much but what I know I know very well.
Carter S-10 3X5, Peavey Nashville 112, plus Regal dobro and too many other instruments to mention.
Bluegrass Island CFCY FM 95.1 Charlottetown, PE, Canada, on the web at cfcy.fm.
A Touch Of Texas CIOE FM 97.5 Sackville, NS, Canada,
on the web at cioe975.ca. |
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