Ted Smith
From:
Idaho - shot of Jeff Peterson, Ted and Smith Curry "Nothing but the taillights tour"
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Posted 9 Jun 2014 6:15 am |
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With my blessings; several guys have built their own double neck Melobars, and due to the fact I can't get paid to build them, but really believe they are great guitars to play, and more guys should have one. I posted some info on DIY Tel-O-Bars on the melobarted.blogspot.com, all I ask is not to be contacted with a bunch of questions in emails and phone calls, don't have the time to coach but I will give the info I can to help and I'll come up with some kind of blue print.
Jim Sliff self built Melocaster
They are great to play, good luck to the DIY guys!
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old Melobar guy |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 12 Jun 2014 11:18 am
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Now with a few upgrades/changes -
The Hipshot B bender is anchored using both the strap peg and two outer slots, and the bar is covered with a drilled-out section of foam normally used as caulking backer rod - much more comfortable.
Kluson Deluxe tuners on both necks (they work exceptionally well on the Melobar neck - not installed on the Tele yet in this picture). Medium but tall frets on the Tele neck and a very low action - I play with a light touch so it works out well.
The red thing on the peghead is a combo thumbpick/flatpick - I use it as a flatpick on the Tele (where I hybrid pick) and as a thumbpick with my index and middle fingers n the Melobar. I don't like fingerpicks on lap steel - only on Dobro, banjo and 50/50 on pedal steel. It's in an open-E tuning; best for the rock/blues/country-rock (hate that term) I play.
D'Armond/Gretsch 2K neck pickup (VERY fat, greasy, midrangy tone that mixes well with the naturally treble-enhanced bridge pickup (this particular one being a custom assembly from a couple pickups, with a very heavy copper bottom plate).
Split/series/parallel switching on the Melobar pickup; 5-way switch with an adaptation of a Craig Anderton wiring scheme, including both a series position and a preset cap on the neck pickup in one position (I normaly use .068uf tone caps and did in this case. And aesthetically, all the pickguards are now the same material. It's finished in Desert Sand lacquer with no clear coats and quick "natural wear". I didn't want to hassle with the whole finishing process, honestly, knowing that it was going to get knocked around quite a bit until I could dig up some kin of case/bag for it (I think a keyboard bag is going to be the best option.
The unofficial name for this one is "The Melocaster".
Ted is a great guy to deal with, BTW. VERY fair pricing and great advice. Plus he's obviously kind of a sicko to come up with these monsters as well. 
The whole thing weighs in at just under 12 pounds - I've had heavier Les Pauls! It's also very well balanced, which makes it "feel" lighter than it is.
It's very convenient to play, with the necks at a slight "V" angle allowing clear access, a bar storage slot between necks, and the 15-degree angle Melobar neck making it very easy to play "stand-up steel" on (and the Kent Armstrong humbucker simply sounds like it wants to eat babies. Hehehe...)
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No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional |
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