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Topic: Guit-Steal Build (Musical Bliss is on it's way!) |
Benjamin Kelley
From:
Iowa, USA
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Posted 21 Oct 2012 11:51 am |
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Here we go! I've been on this for four years and it's about to pay off. I've machined parts, hunted ebay, researched and dreamt this project. Here is a pine mockup of the final project. Scale length on the steel is 3/4" short and there are some aesthetic issues still but I did this on a cnc mill and sometimes the cad drawing isn't always an outright visual representation of what the mill will spit out, just mathematical (user error on the scale length) so next one will be right! The shape of the pickguards is temporary just so I can troubleshoot my wiring. And yes I have figured out a stand! It moves any way and locks I'll put up photos of that also when the parts come in.
Cheers,
Benjamin
_________________
If I die trying I will steel the world one honky tonk at a time.
Last edited by Benjamin Kelley on 22 Oct 2012 1:12 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Benjamin Kelley
From:
Iowa, USA
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Posted 21 Oct 2012 11:58 am
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Here's one of the back. There is a purpose for the cavity behind the steel though I'll leave that to speculation for now until I'm wiring the final project.
Cheers,
Benjamin
_________________
If I die trying I will steel the world one honky tonk at a time. |
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James Kerr
From:
Scotland, UK
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Posted 21 Oct 2012 12:04 pm
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Well Benjamin to me music is all about enjoyment and pleasure, and sharing it with others like you are doing and I think there is a lot of both coming your way soon, I hope you continue to share it with us,
James. |
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Rockne Riddlebarger
From:
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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Posted 21 Oct 2012 12:15 pm
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| Looks like it's gonna be a cool git-steel... |
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Benjamin Kelley
From:
Iowa, USA
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Posted 21 Oct 2012 12:24 pm
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| James Kerr wrote: |
Well Benjamin to me music is all about enjoyment and pleasure, and sharing it with others like you are doing and I think there is a lot of both coming your way soon, I hope you continue to share it with us,
James. |
I agree, and I will share my experience though no doubt some folks won't like what I've done here, but it was only a matter of time before some determined young man or woman made themselves a high quality imitation for their own use strictly. I also should mention I had the neck off of my custom shop tele copied and will make a prototype tomorrow to attach to this pine guy and see how close the feel is. Probably more photos tuesday and hopefully completion in a month or so.
Cheers,
Benjamin
_________________
If I die trying I will steel the world one honky tonk at a time. |
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Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
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Benjamin Kelley
From:
Iowa, USA
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Posted 21 Oct 2012 5:34 pm
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Thanks Tom, I've seen your work also, top notch. I will update as I complete steps. I will take A LOT more pictures as I'm working with the ash on the final instrument. I will also mention that I am open to any suggestions and am still trying to settle on a good distance between the steel and guitar necks. This project has me thinking about making a deluxe 8 copy for market as I already pretty much have a CAD drawing for one, the obvious hang up is the tuning pan which I have been talking to a foundry about maybe pouring some but that is a topic for a different post if I can figure it out.
Cheers,
Benjamin
_________________
If I die trying I will steel the world one honky tonk at a time. |
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Benjamin Kelley
From:
Iowa, USA
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Posted 21 Oct 2012 8:11 pm
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| Rockne Riddlebarger wrote: |
| Looks like it's gonna be a cool git-steel... |
Thanks Rockne! I might call it a Guit-Biscuit, dunno haven't decided wouldn't want to infringe on any trademarks or ruffle any feathers  someday I hope to meet those who inspired me. I fully intend to play this in the clubs.
Cheers,
Benjamin
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If I die trying I will steel the world one honky tonk at a time. |
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Dom Franco
From:
Beaverton, OR, 97007
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Posted 22 Oct 2012 2:15 am
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Let me guess... the cavity in the back is for some sort of anti-gravity device? like a cymbal stand?
I love the guit-steel concept, but the heavy weight of the instrument would be hard to handle for more than a song or two!
I often switch between Tele and steel, so I use a keyboard stand for the steel...
Dom
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https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYG9cvwCPKuXpGofziPNieA/feed?activity_view=3 |
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Benjamin Kelley
From:
Iowa, USA
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Posted 22 Oct 2012 11:12 am
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| Dom Franco wrote: |
Let me guess... the cavity in the back is for some sort of anti-gravity device? like a cymbal stand?
I love the guit-steel concept, but the heavy weight of the instrument would be hard to handle for more than a song or two!
I often switch between Tele and steel, so I use a keyboard stand for the steel...
Dom |
The cymbal hardware is definitely what is used for Junior's stand, and something I'm still looking into, but for now I ordered something a little different. There is no way I could play this thing with no stand, I'm not even putting strap buttons on it. And I don't imagine I'll defy the laws of gravity anytime soon though I hope I can make my playing defy the laws of physics sometime in my life as that's what it would take to play like Junior. Good guess, but alas it has nothing to do with supporting the instrument.
Cheers,
Benjamin
_________________
If I die trying I will steel the world one honky tonk at a time. |
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Stephen Abruzzo
From:
Philly, PA
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Posted 22 Oct 2012 12:29 pm
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Duct tape......the universal fastener.
WD-40.......the universal un-fastener.  |
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Benjamin Kelley
From:
Iowa, USA
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Posted 22 Oct 2012 1:05 pm
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| Stephen Abruzzo wrote: |
Duct tape......the universal fastener.
WD-40.......the universal un-fastener. |
 Yeah, that's a picture my wife took of Juniors stand in St. Louis this summer when we saw him, the duct tape I think is supposed to hide the fact that it is a tom stand and the parts are manufactured by pearl and available at Guitar Center for less than $60.
Part#'s:
BT-3
TH88S
That and a manhasset music stand cut down will get you his setup as close as you could. I'm going to try a locking ball joint first and if that doesn't work I'll order the afforementioned parts from guitar center. I already have the music stand. Hopefully that will help some of the other guys I've seen here that built Guit-Steals.
Cheers,
Benjamin
_________________
If I die trying I will steel the world one honky tonk at a time. |
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Former Member
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Posted 22 Oct 2012 6:21 pm
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That looks Killer!!
Putting my order in right now for a lefty!!!!!     |
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Benjamin Kelley
From:
Iowa, USA
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Posted 22 Oct 2012 7:53 pm
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| Ron Ellison wrote: |
That looks Killer!!
Putting my order in right now for a lefty!!!!! |
Thanks Ron, I wonder if Michael Stevens would make a lefty? I know you're at least partly kidding but I should mention in case anyone else was thinking of trying to have me build them one of these that I had considered selling a few of these, however even though the patent appears to be expired, I really can't see doing it without generating some ill will from people I highly respect and hope someday to meet.
Besides all of that, with a stand and case and everything else I have been through with it including ordering and reordering parts until I was satisfied brings the total over $4000 for me and to build another one and source the parts now knowing what works I would have to charge at least that. It could have been done a lot cheaper, but then the quality wouldn't match the Fender custom Shop playability I have grown accustomed to as well as having to sacrifice in the pickup department where I went ahead and spent about $700 for some custom wound lollars. While this thing will be awesome, I am no Michael Stevens (yet) and better to pay him what he asks and have something to cherish for a lifetime from the world's finest luthier.
That being said, if Michael and Junior saw this and wanted to work out some legitimate licensing with me to produce a lower cost yet still respectable quality instrument I would do it in a heart beat! (Not a snowballs chance, I'm sure)
Cheers,
Benjamin
_________________
If I die trying I will steel the world one honky tonk at a time. |
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Mark Addeo
From:
New Jersey, USA
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Posted 26 Oct 2012 12:08 pm
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That is great! though the whole time I'm reading these posts I assumed it was a lefty because of the lefty Strat whammy bridge. I'm a lefty myself. I guess that is a nod to SRV? in any case you have the lefty bridge routing done! The rest is cake!  |
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Carl McLaughlin
From:
St.Stephen,New Brunswick,Can
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Posted 4 Nov 2012 8:24 am I an very interested in the completion of this project
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I would be interested in purchasing one of these if the price is right when they are available..Carl
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I have a Tele plus telecaster, Larrivee acoustic. Also have a Fender resonator guitar with new Quarterman cone and spider, and an Allan tailpiece .Playing through a Fender Super Champ XD, using a little delay on the amp and a Harmonix Holy Grail Echo pedal, set on Hall turned to about 1pm.Just Bought a Yamaha FGX5 Recently and love it. Recently got a Sho-NUFF 6 string pedal steel in open G.Still learning.Just bought back my old SX lap steel that i modified, in open G |
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Carl McLaughlin
From:
St.Stephen,New Brunswick,Can
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Posted 4 Nov 2012 8:24 am I an very interested in the completion of this project
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I would be interested in purchasing one of these if the price is right when they are available..Carl
_________________
I have a Tele plus telecaster, Larrivee acoustic. Also have a Fender resonator guitar with new Quarterman cone and spider, and an Allan tailpiece .Playing through a Fender Super Champ XD, using a little delay on the amp and a Harmonix Holy Grail Echo pedal, set on Hall turned to about 1pm.Just Bought a Yamaha FGX5 Recently and love it. Recently got a Sho-NUFF 6 string pedal steel in open G.Still learning.Just bought back my old SX lap steel that i modified, in open G |
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Carl McLaughlin
From:
St.Stephen,New Brunswick,Can
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Posted 4 Nov 2012 8:26 am Guit Steel
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I would be interestes in purchasing one if they become available at a fair price
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I have a Tele plus telecaster, Larrivee acoustic. Also have a Fender resonator guitar with new Quarterman cone and spider, and an Allan tailpiece .Playing through a Fender Super Champ XD, using a little delay on the amp and a Harmonix Holy Grail Echo pedal, set on Hall turned to about 1pm.Just Bought a Yamaha FGX5 Recently and love it. Recently got a Sho-NUFF 6 string pedal steel in open G.Still learning.Just bought back my old SX lap steel that i modified, in open G |
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Benjamin Kelley
From:
Iowa, USA
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Posted 11 Nov 2012 10:02 am
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Sorry Carl, I've been busy with a new job. Let me check the legality of another build, I'm considering it. The price would be more than a Fender Custom Shop Instrument however the process is very repeatable with the CNC mill and the only part that is difficult is the stringmaster tuning pan. I could build one without the tuning pan (something like a georgeboards headstock). I'll update this when I have time.
Cheers,
Benjamin
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If I die trying I will steel the world one honky tonk at a time. |
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Carl McLaughlin
From:
St.Stephen,New Brunswick,Can
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Posted 11 Nov 2012 11:42 am git steel
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 Thanks for the reply,i'll be watching..
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I have a Tele plus telecaster, Larrivee acoustic. Also have a Fender resonator guitar with new Quarterman cone and spider, and an Allan tailpiece .Playing through a Fender Super Champ XD, using a little delay on the amp and a Harmonix Holy Grail Echo pedal, set on Hall turned to about 1pm.Just Bought a Yamaha FGX5 Recently and love it. Recently got a Sho-NUFF 6 string pedal steel in open G.Still learning.Just bought back my old SX lap steel that i modified, in open G |
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Benjamin Kelley
From:
Iowa, USA
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Posted 11 Nov 2012 1:18 pm
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Great Carl! I have the final body cut and painted however it needs to dry for a good month as I used nitrocellulose lacquer. What I think as of now is that I could build some more of these and call them something other than a "Guit-Steel". That might be able to be as close as "Guitsteel." note the subtraction of the hyphen and addition of a period. The band "FUN." just got away with this. Maybe it'll have to be "Guit-Biscuit". A patent lawyer will tell me more.
The other update is that the locking ball-joint I ordered to use for the stand will not work, I'm going with the tom stand assembly as I think it will support the weight better (this thing definitely will top 20 lbs with the hardware). I'll take and post more photos sometime this week.
Does anyone care to offer some feedback on using a different tuning assembly for the steel? I am curious if the fender style tuning pan would be essential for everyone or if anyone might be interested in a slightly lower priced model with a different tuning assembly? I'm considering buying a press to make the pans as I'm unwilling to destroy any string masters.
Cheers,
Benjamin
_________________
If I die trying I will steel the world one honky tonk at a time. |
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Darrell Birtcher
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Posted 17 Mar 2013 9:58 am Update?
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How's this thing coming along? Interested to see the final product. I know you used pine for the prototype but it might sound pretty good and save weight. I love the sound of my pine tele.
I saw Junior last year and it appeared that he just slid his guit steel onto a regular music stand, turned around backwards and with some felt or carpet on it. Seemed to stay put. Maybe that's not his preferred setup but just what he uses on tour?? |
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... looking forward to the finished version.