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Topic: Some Magnatone For You |
Jeff Au Hoy
From:
Honolulu, Hawai'i
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Posted 3 Mar 2005 5:16 pm |
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Basil Henriques bought a Magnatone longscale T-8 last month... identical model to mine. There was some curiosity as to what the instrument sounds like. Here is an mp3 of Jules Ah See accompanying Mahi Beamer, recorded 1959 at my high school auditorium. The song is "Ke Ali'i Hulu Mamo".
The tone of the steel on the recording (Jules played a D-8 longscale) is just about what mine sounds like through a Fender Twin Reverb, tone control fully 'open', treble cranked up... it's a very "dark" sounding steel in comparison to Fenders and Rickenbachers.[This message was edited by Jeff Au Hoy on 03 March 2005 at 05:17 PM.] |
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Jackiso
From:
Yokohama, Japan
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Posted 3 Mar 2005 7:02 pm
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I have gone through two Magnatone T8s(still own one), long scale with two pickups per neck, an earlier version(spaces between necks are a little wider and electronics is wired different from a later version). The tone character was found to be on the darker side unless you turn the tone control to the fullest(which activates the bridge pickup only). Or if you blend both pickups, the sound will be darker, richer and warmer. This character is somewhat different from what I hear on the Ah See recordings including the Mahi Beamer tune Jeff presented here. If you want to sound like Ah See as you hear on the recordings, Jeff's tone setting should work. BTW, I had long been wondering who played steel for "Hawaii's Mahi Beamer" album as the Japanese liner note of the Capitol album did not make any reference to the steel player. Thanks Jeff!
Jack Isomura
Yokohama, Japan |
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Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Posted 3 Mar 2005 7:15 pm
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JULES ALWAYS SOUNDS GREAT!!
All the old Hawaii steel players (Ho'opii, Kelii, Iona, McIntyre, Stewart, Castro, etc) sound great to me, but Jules chicken skins me to death.
Thanks for letting us hear that great sounding Magnatone.
Jeff, what strings gauges will you be using on your Magnatone?
On strings 6-8? will you be using
1. Wound?
2. Flat Wound?
3. Semi-Flats?
Thanks again for that good music. Keep 'em coming.
Aloha
Don[This message was edited by Don Kona Woods on 03 March 2005 at 11:18 PM.] |
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George Keoki Lake
From:
Edmonton, AB., Canada
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Posted 3 Mar 2005 8:15 pm
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I've always loved those old albums of Mahi. He had such a beautiful voice. Sadly, with age, he no longer has the range, but was still entertaining in Waikiki the last time I heard him...Is he still active ?
BTW..Many seem to spell Dick and Lani's last name with a "y" which is incorrect...it's "McINTIRE"...(much the same as "Bird" for "Byrd")  [This message was edited by George Keoki Lake on 03 March 2005 at 08:16 PM.] |
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 3 Mar 2005 9:15 pm
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| A very nice contribution "Jeff"..... Keep 'em comin'. I always wonder what 'he' sound like. A unique tone and seems to be what all of the odler traditional stuff sorta sounded like. Many thanks to you! This was what the Forum has been about for so many years........... |
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Derrick Mau
From:
Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 3 Mar 2005 9:39 pm
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Did a jam with Mahi in Kaneohe. He still has a beautiful voice for his age and a great personality too. Far left: Mahi, Al Kaai, Me, and Bobby Ingano.
Mahi said he's not playing anywhere at the moment.
 [This message was edited by Derrick Mau on 05 March 2005 at 11:08 AM.] |
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Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Posted 4 Mar 2005 8:57 pm
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JEFF,
I apologize for my question about string gauges because it would seem to be too involved possibly or require too long of an answer. JMHO
But would you mind answering the question about your lower strings if you wouldn't mind and possibly the reason why?
On strings 6-8? would you be using
1. Wound?
2. Flat Wound?
3. Semi-Flats?
Just curious,
Aloha,
Don
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Jeff Au Hoy
From:
Honolulu, Hawai'i
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Posted 5 Mar 2005 2:55 am
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Don, sorry I overlooked your earlier post.
I can't ever remember my string gauges because I hardly ever change my strings. When I do, I always end up calling Hale Akaka for the numbers... he remembers those sorts of things.
(I think?) I use on C13:
E - 15
C - 17
A - 20
G - 24
E - 30
C - 36 (34?)
Bb - 38
C - 68
Slight variations on that for A6, B11 and E13.
I just use plains and regular wounds. Any brand, any age so long as they're primarily rust-free. I'm into the old style stuff and I heard they never used flatwounds in the old days... (They didn't exist back then anyway?) If the old-timers didn't require special strings, then an apprentice like me sure doesn't.
Too much trouble fishing for semi-flats. Bobby Ingano likes them though.
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Todd Weger
From:
Safety Harbor, FLAUSA
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Posted 5 Mar 2005 7:53 am
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I really like the SIT semi-flats, especially on my 24.5" longer scale. They really are very stable in the tuning dept., and sound great for a long time.
I'm like Jeff in that I change so infrequently, I need to keep a chart to refer to when I finally do change them. But once I see any rusting, off they go!
TJW
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Todd James Weger/RD/RTD
1956 Fender Stringmaster T-8 (C6, A6, B11); 1960 Fender Stringmaster D-8 (C6, B11/A6); Chandler RH-4 Koa semi-hollow lapsteel (open G); Regal resonator (open D or G)
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Keith Cordell
From:
San Diego
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Posted 5 Mar 2005 5:21 pm
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| Who sells the SIT's? I'd like to try the semi's on one of my 8-stringers. |
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 6 Mar 2005 7:09 am
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As the piano tuner of the bunch, I wouldn't recommend large guage piano wire. A trouble spot for inexpensive pianos, where scaling is compromised due to length, is the break between wound and plain strings; as soon as you hit that plain wound note, it stands out, sounds hollow.
I doubt they would fold a frypan in half, but I don't think you'd like the tone, unless you want the steel to sound more like a cheap piano.
Two cents, please.
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Jeff Au Hoy
From:
Honolulu, Hawai'i
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Posted 6 Mar 2005 9:34 am
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| Quote: |
| it stands out, sounds hollow |
Wait a second... Rick, this actually could be a major breakthrough!? |
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 6 Mar 2005 10:03 am
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I do love that hollow sound ... ha, ha, hee, hee
I referred to piano wire only because of something I read about Andy Iona once ...
I do know ... that when I try and use even semi-flats ... these "flattie" bars I like so much now ... sound more like a metal file than a "tone bar" ... ha, ha
Don ... "Jagwire" strings can be found by clicking on "Strings" at the top of this page .. which is the "b0b" link I posted above.
Forum member Danny Hullihen is the "Jagwire" man ... read this ...
http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum4/HTML/007850.html
b0b sells them thru the forum ... great way to help support this place ...
Wish he made flatwounds ... 
[This message was edited by Rick Aiello on 06 March 2005 at 10:06 AM.] |
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Derrick Mau
From:
Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 6 Mar 2005 12:31 pm
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| The story I got from Bobby Ingano on the folding frypan is, that they had filled the hollow neck with Plaster Of Paris to get a better tone. The plaster eventually started eating away at the metal over time weakening the neck. |
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Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Posted 6 Mar 2005 9:49 pm
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DERRICK:
WHERE ARE YOU HAVING YOUR JAM SESSION IN KANEOHE?
IS THIS A PLACE WHERE JAMMING TAKES PLACE REGULARLY?
I USED TO LIVE JUST DOWN THE ROAD IN AIKAHI PARK.
TAKE CARE,
DON
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George Keoki Lake
From:
Edmonton, AB., Canada
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Posted 6 Mar 2005 10:27 pm
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Don Woods stated: "Barney Isaacs had the reputation of never changing his strings either".
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Truer words were never written ! Don, do you recall the Ho'olaule'a when Barney was performing on his old MAGNATONE ? Jerry, after Barney had done a super set, came along with wire cutters and to Barney's surprise, he cut all of the strings on that guitar ! The audience howled in delight ! Of course, Jerry gave Barney two sets of new strings. |
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Derrick Mau
From:
Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 7 Mar 2005 1:59 am
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Don, this took place in Keolu Hills, a subdivision between Kailua and Waimanalo.
Mahi's cousin invited us. It was a one time get together for the holidays.
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