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Topic: Stringmaster questions |
Asa Brosius
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Posted 28 Oct 2011 12:42 pm |
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Howdy All-
I just acquired a '58 triple neck stringmaster on eBay - long scale, all original, plays like a dream. The only issue being cosmetic-tattered case, tobacco stains on the first neck- I picked this up for just over 800 shipped- which makes me wonder how much of the eBay buyer's market is collectors/investors. Regardless, I'll say for the first time in my life, I owe you one eBay.
A few questions-
1- the third neck is dead weight for me at this point in my playing- I play c6 and e13, and I don't want for more right now. Any tips on safely and reversibly removing the third neck? Of course I could just drag it around, set it up for bizarre altered chords, an entire neck of eight root notes...
2- the tone knob yields a fairly undramatic 'boo-wah'- consistently flat through a twin, a blues jr., and a nashville 112. The taper feels right, similar to other fenders I've played, but the tonal spectrum seems small. Any tips for replacement/ modification? The sound I'm shooting for ( generally) is that of Eddie Rivers from Wayne Hancock's 'Swing Time.'
Asa |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 28 Oct 2011 2:05 pm
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Asa,
Check out this thread, and do a search as this topic comes up fairly frequently. (Boo Wah)
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=213800
And,,,, I'd never take off the third neck. I'd put in an extended Dobro tuning or something. You're very lucky to have that guitar! |
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Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Posted 28 Oct 2011 3:55 pm
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I agree with John. Triple Stringmasters are rare, Quads are even rarer, but twins are not that difficult to come by.
If you must remove one of the necks, first you remove the diamond plate on the front. Behind that you will find a nut on the end of a large threaded rod which goes through the whole guitar and bolts at the other end. There are two of these per guitar, and should be the only thing holding the guitar together, unless someone has glued the necks, which is not unusual, or repainted them and gotten paint to run down the seams. Assuming that you have no problem separating them you will find that the side where the other neck was will be a different color, because it will have faded over time, or some of the paint may even come off when you separate them.
Then you have to cut the electrical connections to the pickup on the unwanted neck. Since that will probably cut the wire to the cord plug, you will have to rewire that.
To put them back together you will need to get another length of rod, and thread it at both ends. Don't shorten the existing rod and re-use it, because you might want to put it back together some day.
Depending on whether you remove neck one or neck three, you'll end up with one or two leg supports in the wrong place, which you will have to rout out
My advice is to leave it as it is. If you want a twin-necked instrument trade the one you have for someone who already has one. I don't think you'll find any difficulty.
Why don't you post some photos of your triple neck so that we can see what condition it's in.
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=115324&highlight=restoration+fender
Check out the above discussion on my restoration of a Stringmaster a few years back. |
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Butch Pytko
From:
Orlando, Florida, USA
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Posted 28 Oct 2011 6:37 pm
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| Listen to what John & Alan are saying, I totally agree with them. I think I can speak for all of us vintage steel guitar lovers--don't take that triple neck apart!!!! I can't stand it when I come across info on someone doing that--people have taken apart multiple neck guitars for similar reasons like what you are saying. You'd be doing the vintage lovers a big service if you turned around & resold this guitar, & then get what you want--looks like you'd rather have a double neck. As a great vintage steel guitar appreciator, I'm a firm believer of leaving these WORKS OF ART in their original intact/intended form! |
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Tom Wolverton
From:
Carpinteria, CA
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Posted 29 Oct 2011 6:16 am
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Don't remove that neck. Doing that will bring you 10 years of bad luck. Put a B11 or G6th tuning on it and have fun.
_________________
To write with a broken pencil is pointless. |
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Asa Brosius
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Posted 29 Oct 2011 6:48 am
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Thanks for the responses, especially Alan's- I appreciate the opinions given. Regarding the removal of the third neck, rest easy- there'll be no routing, painting, teasing or dirty looks towards the neck. Just a 'how to' question- a possibility.
Ive been looking for a double neck for some time- I just couldn't refuse this when I found it. The problem with selling/trading is this- vintage guitars are always a gamble, especially if you want to play them regularly like I do, vs. hang them on a wall/hide them under a bed for 30 years. Each sounds and plays uniquely- I was at Emerald City in Seattle some months back (amazing guitar shop!) playing old fenders and the sonic differences were extreme. Stringmasters never show up in Vermont, I have one I like a lot now, and I don't want to gamble again.
Pics to come,
Asa |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 29 Oct 2011 7:52 am
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| Don't do anything to the T-8. If you don't want a triple neck, sell it and buy a double neck. |
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Charles Kleinert
From:
Briggs, Texas, USA
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Posted 29 Oct 2011 1:05 pm
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I agree with what has been said, don't take the third neck off; and
On a lighter side;  You could do as Tom Morrell and use the third neck for a place to put your coffee cup and other things, 
Good Luck, sounds like a great find;
chuck
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Remington D8, Fender Champ, Peavey Nashville 112 |
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