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Topic: Do New Steels Change After A Break In Period? |
James Leaman
From:
Wisconsin, USA
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Posted 29 Dec 2007 2:29 pm |
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| I have a new Carter D-10 that I really like and that I play a couple hours a day. I have heard about Carters and pretty much all modern pro-model steels staying in tune extremely well. I was a little disappointed at 1st that the Carter didn't stay in tune all that well.....but now a few months old it stays in tune forever!! Well not forever, but i will bring it home from a gig and pull it out of the case and play it for a few days without touching a thing and perfect(to my ear) tune. Sitting here now I haven't hade to tune it in a week. Is it my imagination or has it bedded in like new piston rings and now its just running smooth and true? It sure is nice to live with that rock solid tuning it has now. Anyone have similar experiences? Jim |
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chris ivey
From:
california (deceased)
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Posted 29 Dec 2007 2:36 pm
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| yes...any new machine has a settling in period. even older steels that you have to change around a little take some time to adjust. it's kind of like you tell them what's expected of them...don't waver from that..and eventually they accept their fate...steels are human too, you know! |
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Tracy Sheehan
From:
Fort Worth, Texas, USA
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Posted 30 Dec 2007 1:49 am New steels.
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Here is my 5 cents worth.(Inflation).Any instrument can be detuned by tempature change.Many are not aware of this.On any job if there was an overhead fan running
i would shut it off.Take an instrument out of a cold car or visa versa into a place where there is a marked tempature difference the instrumment must adapt to the room temp.
Noice if you are working in a room and it starts to get warm and the a/c comes on you will have to retune and visa versa.Any metal is senstive to temp changes.Once one is aware of this they will realize there is nothing wrong with the steel.
Sveral years ago i recieved some info from the gibson Co.how to take a guitar out of the case if the guitar was brought in from a cold car to a warm room.But thats another subject.
Thought i would throw this bit of info in.Any one is welcome to throw it back out. |
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Bryan Daste
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 30 Dec 2007 2:55 am
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| Tracy - what's the process recommended by Gibson? |
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Jim Walker
From:
Headland, AL
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Posted 30 Dec 2007 4:19 am
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Haha chris! I don't know about human but they do have their own personalities. If you listen, the guitar will tell you when she's happy.
My Rains is now 9 months old. I have logged around a thousand hours on it and it's playing and sounding better then they day I first touched it. Then again, it could just be me.
Break in period? Yes
Getting there? Priceless
JW
_________________
Show Pro D10, Session 400 |
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James Leaman
From:
Wisconsin, USA
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Posted 30 Dec 2007 7:36 am
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| Jim W, exactly what I have found. My Carter is playing and sounding sweeter than when I got it. It was a blast getting it to this point! |
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Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
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Posted 30 Dec 2007 8:00 am
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Back in the early 1980's I purchased a brand new Emmons push/pull. The mechanics seemed to smooth out over time. I don't know if that was due to a break-in period, or if it was improved by my tweaking, as I learned how the pushes and pulls worked.
My Mullen came from the builder playing as smooth as silk and stays in tune very well.
_________________
Lee, from South Texas - Down On The Rio Grande
There are only two options as I see it.
Either I'm right, or there is a sinister conspiracy to conceal the fact that I'm right.
Williams Keyless S-10, BMI S-10, Evans FET-500LV, Fender Steel King, 2 Roland Cube 80XL's,
Sarno FreeLoader, Goodrich Passive Volume Pedals, Vintage ACE Pack-A-Seat |
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 30 Dec 2007 8:26 am Re: New steels.
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| Tracy Sheehan wrote: |
| Any instrument can be detuned by tempature change. |
You mean any instrument that's not made out of carbon fiber. 
_________________
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin |
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Stu Schulman
From:
Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)
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Posted 30 Dec 2007 9:31 am
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Mike,Have you brought that MSA to Fairbanks yet? 
_________________
Steeltronics Z-pickup,Desert Rose S-10 4+5,Desert Rose Keyless S-10 3+5... Mullen G2 S-10 3+5,Telonics 206 pickups,Telonics volume pedal.,Blanton SD -10,Emmons GS_10...Zirctone bar,Bill Groner Bar...any amp that isn't broken.Steel Seat.Com seats...Licking paint chips off of Chinese Toys since 1952. |
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Larry Strawn
From:
Golden Valley, Arizona, R.I.P.
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Posted 30 Dec 2007 10:28 am
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| Stu Schulman wrote: |
| Mike,Have you brought that MSA to Fairbanks yet? |
Just to satisfy myself, I think I'd let the strings down and give the guitar time to settle in! 
Larry
_________________
Carter SD/10, 4&5 Hilton Pedal, Peavey Sessions 400, Peavey Renown 400, Home Grown Eff/Rack
"ROCKIN COUNTRY" |
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John Fabian
From:
Mesquite, Texas USA * R.I.P.
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Posted 30 Dec 2007 1:33 pm
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| Quote: |
| You mean any instrument that's not made out of carbon fiber |
It is not the instrument. It's the strings that go out of tune due to temperature changes encountered by most players. So, unless you have carbon fiber strings, your "Milly" will also suffer the same fate. 
The time lag for taking an instrument out of its case (to acclimate it to the surrounding temperature) is intended to reduce the possibility of "checking" of the lacquer finish. |
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Brett Day
From:
Pickens, SC
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Posted 30 Dec 2007 3:08 pm
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My GFI(Redgold Beauty) stays in tune a lot longer than my 1974 Emmons did.
Brett |
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Tracy Sheehan
From:
Fort Worth, Texas, USA
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Posted 30 Dec 2007 3:38 pm Article from Gibson
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| Bryan Daste wrote: |
| Tracy - what's the process recommended by Gibson? |
Think i got some what off track.The article from Gibson was not about detuning but how to protect the finish.
They said when taking the guitar out of the case in a warm room after being brought in out of the cold to protect the finish and prevent streaking or cracks open the case about 2 inches then close.Keep repeating this opnening the case a little more at a time.This pushes the cold air out of the case and circulates the warm air in and around the instrument.
It also works opening a steel case.I have taken my steels out of a cold car trunk in 30 below temps in the N.Dakota and into a warm room.Used this method and never got a streak or crack in the finish.Tracy |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 30 Dec 2007 4:11 pm
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| Quote: |
| Do New Steels Change After A Break In Period? |
They should, naturally, get a little easier to play as they break-in. They should not vary (tuning wise) until they get significant wear. The strings will, however, get more stable after they're played for a few days. |
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chris ivey
From:
california (deceased)
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Posted 30 Dec 2007 6:30 pm
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| ha ha...this just made me wonder if gunfighters in the old west had to pull their gun out of their holsters a few inches at a time in the saloon before they had to shoot someone cheating at cards....yes, i'm having a beer at the moment! |
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Bo Borland
From:
South Jersey -
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Posted 30 Dec 2007 6:47 pm
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My new steel started to squeek like crazy after about 20 hours.. scared the crap out of me . then I realized it was the ball connectors to the pedals.. they were not aligned with the balls..
_________________
Bo Borland
Rittenberry SD10 , Derby D-10, Quilter TT12, Peavey Session 400 w/ JBL, NV112, Fender Blues Jr. , 1974 Dobro 60N squareneck, Rickenbacher NS lapsteel, 1973 Telecaster Thinline, 1979 blonde/black Frankenstrat
Currently picking with
Mason Dixon Band masondixonband.net
Last edited by Bo Borland on 1 Jan 2008 8:26 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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chris ivey
From:
california (deceased)
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Posted 30 Dec 2007 7:12 pm
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so, mike...do you think that carbon fiber will develop a richer, deeper, more organic and beautiful tone over the years like a good D28 or a violin? ........just messin' with you...don't get mad! i'm sure 'milly' is a beauty you can love!
now on another bent, i've heard that the space shuttle program is just a front to distract people from the real, possibly anti-grav and beyond space program. |
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David Doggett
From:
Bawl'mer, MD (formerly of MS, Nawluns, Gnashville, Knocksville, Lost Angeles, Bahsten. and Philly)
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Posted 30 Dec 2007 10:42 pm
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John F. is right. My Milly does stay in tune better than any other pedal steel I have owned. But an extreme change will make the strings themselves go out of tune, regardless of how temperature insensitive the body is. Many times in mild weather I have tuned at home, stood my guitar up behind the backseat of my minivan, walked into a gig and everything was right on pitch with only minor adjustments. It was so reliable that when my tuner broke I didn't bother to replace it. But recently I played a club in NYC that was overheated. I had transported the guitar in the case for once, but when I set it up, the strings were very close in tune with each other, and with some minor tweaking I assumed it was on pitch without checking a meter. Bad idea. When we started playing, I was in tune with myself, but about 40 cents flat to the band. After a very dicey first set, I borrowed a tuner and tuned up.
Funny thing is, the weather in NYC was mild. But they have laws about the heat having to be turned on by a certain date, so the apartment I stayed in and that club were way overheated. People in Philly are cheaper I guess and don't overheat.  |
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Bobbe Seymour
From:
Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 31 Dec 2007 11:15 am
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John Fabian, yer' a killin' me, carbon fiber strings? I love it. However, Mike doesn't play with his strings, he just beats on the carbon body with his picks. (Mike, you big silly!)
By the way, I have a carbon fiber MCI, the first guitar to use this material as an experment in the late '80s. For some reason its use was rejected by this company. Tone, cabinet drop,,,,? I'll let you all guess, I haven't cared enough to look into it yet to see why, and can't find John Birkhead,
Any body have any carbon fiber strings? Should be stronger than steel, won't rust, easy to see with a white fret board, I know, we can build the guitar out of steel, and use carbon fiber strings, you know , a steel guitar! |
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Bobbe Seymour
From:
Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 31 Dec 2007 11:19 am
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Brett, your Emmons was a student model, however, your GFI is a GREAT guitar (also).
Don't compare student guitars to pro models, or I'll have to come down there! Ha!
Tell Mom and Dad I send my best, Happy new year to you. Jeannie also says hello!
Bobbe |
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James Leaman
From:
Wisconsin, USA
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Posted 31 Dec 2007 12:16 pm
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Hey Bobbe,
The Emmons(Pat Severs) I bought from you stays in tune forever. Of course that one never leaves the house, if you catch my drift. Take care, Jim |
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Stu Schulman
From:
Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)
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Posted 31 Dec 2007 3:55 pm
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Bobbe,I think that I have some carbon fiber strings? I'll have to look for them.
_________________
Steeltronics Z-pickup,Desert Rose S-10 4+5,Desert Rose Keyless S-10 3+5... Mullen G2 S-10 3+5,Telonics 206 pickups,Telonics volume pedal.,Blanton SD -10,Emmons GS_10...Zirctone bar,Bill Groner Bar...any amp that isn't broken.Steel Seat.Com seats...Licking paint chips off of Chinese Toys since 1952. |
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Bobbe Seymour
From:
Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 1 Jan 2008 6:06 pm
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Stu, I'll take em'! ha!
Bobbe |
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