| Author |
Topic: ACE Pac-A-Seat |
Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
|
Posted 28 Apr 2007 12:57 pm |
|
Anyone remember the old ACE seats, made in Hammondsport, NY? I'm still using one that I bought back in the mid 1970's. It's in dire need of a new seat cover.
As I recall, the original owner of the company posted on here many years ago. |
|
|
 |
George McLellan
From:
Duluth, MN USA
|
Posted 28 Apr 2007 1:15 pm Ace
|
|
Yes I remember them, Lee. A good seat IMHO but I didn't need two so I sold mine to Rick Davis some years ago. I believe they went out of bussiness and someone who either built them or was involved with them did post on the Forum a while back but I can't remember who it was.
Geo |
|
|
|
Alan Harrison
From:
Murfreesboro Tennessee, USA
|
Posted 28 Apr 2007 5:48 pm Seat Cover
|
|
Hi Lee, sounds like you need to look in the McAllen, Tesas yellow pages for a upholster. But if it's that old, order you a new Steelers Choice seat with a back rest. Wheew, how comfortable...Alan Harrison
P.S. Have a great Weekend...
_________________
Mullen (Black) Pre G-2 9x7, B.L. 705 PUP's, Evans SE 200 Telonics NEO 15-4, BJS Bar, Peterson Strobo Flip, Steelers Choice Seat, Folgers Coffee and Hilton Pedals.
"I Steel Without Remorse" |
|
|
|
Tiny Olson
From:
Mohawk River Valley, Upstate NY
|
Posted 28 Apr 2007 8:21 pm
|
|
Hi Lee:
Like you, I'm still using an Ace seat that I got around '79 or so. In fact, I still have the Sho-Bud pac-a-seat I bought in the early 70s. I have used the Ace much more since I bought it and I have replaced the seat cover material with a cloth type. Other than that, it's original and in great shape. A testament to it's construction as it's supported my 300+lbs. and travelled over a million miles in it's near 30yr. life !!!
Sincerely,
Chris "Tiny" Olson |
|
|
|
steve takacs
From:
beijing, china via pittsburgh (deceased)
|
Posted 29 Apr 2007 4:03 am
|
|
| Yeah, I got my at a jeff Newman seminar in the summer of 1984 and that seat have been to Norway, Pakistan, and now China since then. It's held up extremely well too. steve t |
|
|
|
Paul Norman
From:
Washington, North Carolina, USA
|
|
|
|
Thom Beeman
From:
California, USA, R.I.P.
|
|
|
|
Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
|
Posted 29 Apr 2007 11:51 am
|
|
The cover on mine is made of Naugahyde. It's split in a couple of places. I need to replace the cover, but I don't know if Nauga's are in season or not. They're probably a protected species, now.  |
|
|
|
Mike Sweeney
From:
Nashville,TN,USA
|
Posted 29 Apr 2007 12:02 pm
|
|
Lee, It takes a lot of naugas to cover a seat. They are real small. And they are hard to catch, They are fast too...........
_________________
Zumsteel steel guitars, Telonics and Peavey amplifiers, GHS strings. |
|
|
|
Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
|
Posted 29 Apr 2007 12:28 pm
|
|
| Mike, don't forget, I'll be hunting these nauga's in Texas...much larger... |
|
|
|
Kenneth Rollans
From:
LITTLE ROCK.,ARKANSAS * R.I.P.
|
Posted 29 Apr 2007 1:22 pm
|
|
| Lee please check out www.steelerschoice.com tooDan can fix you right up. Thanks, Ken |
|
|
|
Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
|
Posted 5 Jan 2008 9:42 pm
|
|
I finally got my 35-year-old Ace seat recovered. I pick it up from the upholsterer tomorrow.
Please note that no Nauga's were killed to provide this new cover. A friend of mine owns a small ranch (400 acres-that's small for Texas) and he found the hyde on New Years Day.
It's a little known fact (as Cliff Claven would say) that Naugas shed their skins several times per year, so our boats, RV's, and Gran Torino's can have durable, easy-to-clean seats. The hydes also work well on our pac-a-seats, amp covers, and steel covers. We steel pickers owe a debt of gratitude to these noble beasts.
Lee, from South Texas |
|
|
|
Tony Glassman
From:
The Great Northwest
|
Posted 5 Jan 2008 9:58 pm
|
|
Thom, I'm glad to see you back posting and hopefully manufacturing seats.....Tony |
|
|
|
Bill Terry
From:
Bastrop, TX
|
Posted 6 Jan 2008 6:17 am
|
|
I've still got an Ace seat I bought from Steve Lamb at Steel City Music at least 20 years ago... the seat covering is finally starting to split, but it's still as solid as it ever was.
I forget his name now, but the guy that owned the company was definitely here on the forum several years ago...
_________________
Lost Pines Studio
"I'm nuts about bolts" |
|
|
|
Dale Hansen
From:
Hendersonville,Tennessee, (USA)
|
Posted 6 Jan 2008 6:36 am
|
|
You don't see a lot of Ace seats out there anymore.
When I attended Jeff Newmans school in Jan 83', his classroom was full of them, and they were quite the hot item.
Earlier this spring, I rebuilt this old Ace seat for Sonny Garrish. He has had this one for two (+) decades, and didn't really want to break in a new one.
Note the height difference between his and mine
 |
|
|
|
Scott Henderson
From:
Camdenton, Missouri, USA
|
Posted 6 Jan 2008 8:42 am
|
|
Still have mine but I retired it when I moved here in 03. It's living out it's life in the basement in my studio.
_________________
D-10 JCH Dekley U-12 D-8 Magnatone Mullen RP Evans RE 200 profex 2 BJS bars
Dentyne gum (peppermint) |
|
|
|
Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
|
Posted 6 Jan 2008 11:42 am
|
|
| I just got the seat back. Not only did they recover it, they put a new foam pad in it, all for a whopping $35. One day turnaround. Not bad. |
|
|
|
Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
|
Posted 6 Jan 2008 11:45 am
|
|
| Dale - How tall is your seat? My Ace is 20 1/2 inches from the floor to the top of the seat (uncompressed). |
|
|
|
Billy McCombs
From:
Bakersfield California, USA
|
Posted 6 Jan 2008 1:21 pm ACE
|
|
Lee Here is my ACE I have had it for 18 yrs.Got it used.I really like the hight, Im gona recover it and add a side apartment to it soon 
_________________
78 Emmons PP,Great tone.82 Emmons SKH #56 |
|
|
|
Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
|
Posted 6 Jan 2008 2:21 pm
|
|
| Billy - That looks like mine, only the logo on the tag is a bit different. |
|
|
|
Dale Hansen
From:
Hendersonville,Tennessee, (USA)
|
Posted 6 Jan 2008 6:08 pm
|
|
Lee, My seat (Elite) was 19 1/4" at the time that photo was taken. I'm guessing that Sonny's is the same height as yours.
I just recently added a "lift kit" to mine, bringing it up to 20". |
|
|
|
Scott Henderson
From:
Camdenton, Missouri, USA
|
Posted 7 Jan 2008 10:40 am
|
|
I don't use mine to much because the legs are too wobbely and I haven't figured out how to fix them. I think the wood brace underneath is worn.
_________________
D-10 JCH Dekley U-12 D-8 Magnatone Mullen RP Evans RE 200 profex 2 BJS bars
Dentyne gum (peppermint) |
|
|
|
Brint Hannay
From:
Maryland, USA
|
Posted 7 Jan 2008 11:13 am
|
|
I've had my Ace seat since the Eighties. I picked it out from several brands at Billy Cooper's because of the height.
It's the only "Pac-a-Seat" I have, but I'd like to have a second one so I could leave a steel setup at home full time when leaving a setup at the gig. (I have the steels, amps, and volume pedals I need, just not the seat!)
I want to get one that is as close as possible to the same height as the Ace. Anyone know what current make is most similar in height?
Also, does anyone know where I might get a replacement strap handle for the Ace? It seems to be an uncommon size. I've shopped around a bit and couldn't find any the same size--Billy Cooper said he couldn't find one either. Mine broke some time back and I've had to replace it with a longer one which therefore won't flatten. (I'm reluctant to drill new holes.) |
|
|
|
Jim Means
From:
Missouri, USA
|
Posted 7 Jan 2008 5:38 pm
|
|
| Dale Hansen wrote: |
Lee, My seat (Elite) was 19 1/4" at the time that photo was taken. I'm guessing that Sonny's is the same height as yours.
I just recently added a "lift kit" to mine, bringing it up to 20". |
Dale, How did you do that? I would like to add about an inch to my Steelers Choice, just haven't figured out an easy way to do it without re-fabricating the legs.
Lee, I also have an ACE seat and it still looks like new. The height is perfect. I got the Steelers Choice because I wanted a back but it has never been real comfortable because of the height. I'm not very tall. (5'9")
Jim in Missouri
_________________
Musicians have to play.....They really have no choice |
|
|
|
Dale Hansen
From:
Hendersonville,Tennessee, (USA)
|
Posted 7 Jan 2008 7:19 pm
|
|
Hi Jim,
The way I did it was an easy mod, at least on an Elite.
I am not all that familiar with the construction of most pak-a-seats. On the Elite, one side (underneath)is already lifted by 3/4 of an inch, and the shorter set of legs is on that side. First, I swap out the Leg sets, so the longer set is on that side. Next, I double stacked some 3/4 wood on the opposite side, running the entire length of the front to back, about 2 inches in width.
You'll need to slit the material inside the seat compartment, over the rounded bolt heads, in order to remove them. You'll need another set of bolts (4) at the new length, which will be at least 3/4 more than the longer bolts on the short side that you just swapped.
When you set the new wood in place, use liquid nails. (paneling, it's water based) using an 18 gauge air nailer to secure them. When its sufficiently set, you can drill down through the old holes inside, using a pilot first, then step up to the size of the bolt.
You will need to add another 3/4 block, about 5" x 5" square, in the center, so you can fasten them with the usual notched block, and wing nut.
Also, you need to remove the center assembly.(the bolt sticking up in the middle)
You'll need to drill a hole in the center of the 5x5 block, and use a bolt through the hole to position it where it will sit. Use liquid nails, and the brad nailer here as well, once it's positioned. You'll need a longer center bolt, to compensate for the added 3/4. You'll need a fully threaded bolt, about 3" or so. Cut off the hex head, and clean up the threads, using that end to go back through the hole to secure it.
I guess it's a little more detailed than I thought.
Feel free to call, it's probably easier to describe over the phone (615) 618 0776, or better yet, bring it on out here sometime, and we'll fix you up.
There is probably a better way to do it on yours though. I'd like to see it. If you'd like, flip it upside down, and send me a shot of the bottom, in the "set up" position. |
|
|
|
