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Topic: CruzTone Steel--early photos |
Colin Alder
From:
Santa Cruz, California, USA
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Posted 3 May 2005 7:21 am |
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Hi all,
Here are some snaps of my new lap steel prototype. http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/csacolin/my_photos
I will post shots done by a pro in a day or two but I couldn't wait to show it off to youall. The two guitars are identical except for the pickups. One has the Rick Turner horseshoe and the other the Jason Lollar. Both guitars have tone that ranges from sweet to snarlin', beaucoup sustain, and seem to weigh about 100 lbs each(that might be and exaggeration) Both have the Hipshot Trilogy bridge, Planet Waves locking tuners, shopmade roller nut and bridge, and CNC milled 6061 aluminum parts, solid mahogany body.
These beauties will be at Loni Specter's Amp Show this coming weekend. I am looking for feedback on the design and playability. I will offer both guitars for sale to finance the production model.
Thanks
Colin Alder
CruzTone Steel
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Colin Alder
Act Dorky, Live Forever |
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Keith Cordell
From:
San Diego
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Posted 3 May 2005 7:52 am
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| Looks amazing Colin. Shoot me an email with cost information, I'd like to hear more. |
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Dan Sawyer
From:
Studio City, California, USA
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Posted 3 May 2005 11:54 pm
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| Very cool. I like the Gibson inspired design. Did you countersink the trilogy into the body? See you at the show. |
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Loni Specter
From:
West Hills, CA, USA
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Posted 4 May 2005 12:04 am
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Hi Colin,
I like the Gibsony look to that! I really like the unitized fingerboard and the design element on the headstock. I bet they do sound great. Guess we shall see soon enough. Looking forward to this Saturday BIGTIME!
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Colin Alder
From:
Santa Cruz, California, USA
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Posted 4 May 2005 5:26 am
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Thanks guys for the interest. Yes, the Gibson Ultratone was my inspiration for this steel. The style appeals to me in a big way.
Dan, The Trilogy is not countersunk, although it is screwed throuh the metal top and into the mahogany body. The angle at which the strings leave the Trilogy dictate it being on the same plane as the bridge. I am considering putting it on an angled bottomed cutout though.
These two guitars are the the prototypes for this guitar line. I call them Adam (Lollar pickup)and Eve (Turner pickup). I am offering these guitars at auction, with a $1000 reserve, to forum members and Amp Show attendees beginning now.
Future models will include an anodized finish in a choice of colors with the option to add custom artwork. I am discussing this project with Peter Kellert. http://www.pkselective.com/
I will be offering 7 and 8 string models and possibly a 22 1/2" scale. Adam and Eve have 24" scale. I am exploring options for other pickups and a second pickup will be standard. I will also offer Bixby Palm Pedals and I am researching the Transperformance servo tuning system.
Oh yeah, did I say I was having a blast with this project. Many cool people have helped and supported and shared skills and information with me. Rick Turner gave freely of his time and expertise. We have spent a year and a half of R&D to get to this point. I will have my Turner Model T guitar at the show if any of you slide players want to take a test drive.
Gary, my machinist at Elements Mfg. in Santa Cruz is a genius with years of experience. He would welcome more projects from instrument makers.
I hope to see many of you this weekend. And please buy a guitar because I'm trying to get my career change plans underway. The heavy lifting required of a cabinetmaker is taking it's toll on my aging body.
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Colin Alder
CruzTone Steel
Act Dorky, Live Forever
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seldomfed
From:
Colorado
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Posted 4 May 2005 10:36 am
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nice work Colin! bet they sound nice.
how does the roller nut work with the hipshot?, does it come back true?
Chris
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Chris Kennison
Ft. Collins, Colorado
"Listen Sooner"
www.book-em-danno.com
www.seldomfed.com
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Colin Alder
From:
Santa Cruz, California, USA
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Posted 4 May 2005 7:05 pm
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Hi Chris,
The roller nut is great. It moves freely with each change of the Trilogy. Both instruments have only been strung for a short time. It seems that when I change tunings that about half the time it comes back perfectly in tune. Other times it is very colse and takes a tweak on the tuning machines. I am hoping it gets a little better as the strings settle in.
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Colin Alder
CruzTone Steel
Act Dorky, Live Forever
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seldomfed
From:
Colorado
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Posted 5 May 2005 10:52 am
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I've noticed that my Hipshot also does not come true once in a while. And I don't have a roller nut - so interesting to hear your comment.
This may seem intuitive but I have noticed that:
a) - if the strings are new - it takes more tweaking to get in tune until they settle
b)- if the strings are a few days old and well settled in -it's almost perfect, no significant tweaking needed (as long as you don't change guages)
c)- if the strings are old - same as (a).
b)- if you go to Hawaii, the humidity screws it all up  - or my strings were old. But my guitar tuned and played and sounded noticably different - subtle but different.
chris
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Chris Kennison
Ft. Collins, Colorado
"Listen Sooner"
www.book-em-danno.com
www.seldomfed.com
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Colin Alder
From:
Santa Cruz, California, USA
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Posted 5 May 2005 3:20 pm
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| I'll keep workin with it. |
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Bill Leff
From:
Santa Cruz, CA, USA
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Posted 5 May 2005 4:59 pm
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I got the opportunity to check out Colin's Cruztone lap steels (Adam and Eve)yesterday evening and they are indeed very, very nice! Big, clear tones (great overdriven tones too with either the Lollar or Turner horseshoe pickups) and nice attention to detail. Although these two are his prototypes, there was nothing prototype looking in terms of their finish or their playability. These are high-end instruments.
I'm hoping to be able to try them out with my amps in the near future and will post a full report then. |
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 7 May 2005 5:20 am
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| Mr. Alder, you are a master of style! The headstock, the angles, the proportions--this is the most satisfying design I've ever seen. |
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Jan Hess
From:
Winnipeg,Manitoba,Can.
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Posted 7 May 2005 8:38 pm
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Hi Colin, I'm really impressed with your knew baby!  It's stylish,yet simple.Right now I can only imagine how good it sounds, but it sure looks sweet. I really like the headstock routing, it makes for a excellent accent.I'm in the midst of designing my own "baby" and I can appreciate the time, effort and help from friends,that is required.I'm trying my damnedest not copy anyone exactly, but I know it'll be an amalgamation of the best ideas I've seen so far.I had a dream this morning about a dulcimer-like instrument with an aluminum top and a hollow body that had sustain coming out of your yin-yang!! I will thank you in advance, for your idea of joining the headstock under the fretboard, as that is the last detail I need for my baby's evolution!!Between my dream and your brilliant idea,I've reached the next plateau in my quest for "The holy grail of sound"  While you can bang 2 sticks together and create rythmn, I would prefer the 2 sticks to have been carved and add the visual to the rythmn.......Soundhound |
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Michael Johnstone
From:
Sylmar,Ca. USA
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Posted 9 May 2005 10:08 am
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Although I was a working staff member on Loni's show,I took a minute to check out this fine instrument and I was very impressed with the design,fit,finish and especially the tone. It sounds to me - not surprisingly considering the pickup style - like a sort of turbo Ricky. I liked the 24" scale with the horseshoe pickup because unlike a short scale Ricky,there's room to pick and block.
An 8-string version on legs or dare I say a D-8 extrapolation of this ax would be a formidable alternative to a couple of other high end instruments on the market nowadays. Very cool and toneful ax Colin.
-MJ- WWW.ridersofthepurplesage.com |
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chas smith R.I.P.
From:
Encino, CA, USA
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Posted 9 May 2005 7:04 pm
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I got to spend a few minutes with the guitar, brought my picks and bar, wish I had brought my chops, nothing I like better than having a bunch of people watching me when I can't play.
This instrument is a really well designed combination of wood and aluminum. To add to what Michael said above, they weigh more than they look like they should weigh, which I interpret to mean the guitar has "substance" , and that contributes to the tone and sustain. Great with 6 strings, better with 8, mucho grande better with 10. Ya, I know, if one beer is great, 12 are better, no really officer, I was going to walk home.... |
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Colin Alder
From:
Santa Cruz, California, USA
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Posted 9 May 2005 7:21 pm
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Bill, Charlie, Jan, MIke, Chas
Thanks for your kind comments. I'm very jazzed that I got to meet so many of you and get your feedback on the steels. Also, meeting James from Harmos and Bill Asher was a real treat. These are interesting and talented guys.
Loni's amp show this weekend was an exciting debut for my guitars. The show was masterfully designed by Loni and his staff. It was a gas, and the layout with individual rooms was a real treat. My buddy, Bruce Wandmayer and myself got to see and connect with many fellow forumites.
Next up will be a pair of 8 string guitars.
I'm also going to do a model without the Trilogy as it seems that is not universally lusted after. Am I right?. If you have any thoughts about features and appointments, please post or email me.
Thanks,
Colin Alder,
CruzTone Steel |
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chas smith R.I.P.
From:
Encino, CA, USA
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Posted 10 May 2005 10:45 am
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| Quote: |
| I'm also going to do a model without the Trilogy as it seems that is not universally lusted after. Am I right?. |
I can't speak for non-pedal players, since given a choice between taking a pedal guitar or a non-pedal to a gig, I'd bring the pedals, even if I didn't use them. My take on the Trilogy is that it's wonderful that it has so many possibilties and it's unlikely that I'll ever use more than a couple of them. By the same token, I have an answering machine that requires an engineering degree to operate. I'm sure that somewhere in there, if I push the right combination of buttons that it will either go out and get lunch for me or launch a nuclear attack.
I'm comfortable playing a non-pedal C6 tuning with the G on top and I can get around on a E-13. Something that converts the C6 to a ?-13 or mimics the 5-pedal or raises the low A to Bb or C to C# would be nice. Anything after that requires more mental bandwidth than I'm capable of.
I have a Heiss 10-string changer in the "stash" and I have yet to put it on something. |
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