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Topic: Legs/tone |
Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Posted 11 Jul 2003 8:39 am |
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Has anybody done an A/B test with legs and found out how it affects the tone ?
The new MSA comes with carbon fiber legs or the more standard ones. Do they sound the same ? Are the Carbon Fiber legs lighter ?
Also I have seen light weight aluminum replacement legs but I haven't had the chance to check them out yet.
Replacement legs can knock 4 to 6 lbs off the overall weight and that can make a significant impact when it comes to fly dates.
thanks, Bob
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Ricky Davis
From:
Bertram, Texas USA
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Posted 11 Jul 2003 10:11 am
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| It won't affect the Tone of the Guitar at All. |
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Gary Lee Gimble
From:
Fredericksburg, VA.
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Posted 11 Jul 2003 10:29 am
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Charleton plucks string #10 (without a pick) on the back neck and then grabs one of the legs. If he feels vibration, then the guitar is a keeper! Anyone else do that?
Gary Lee |
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Pat Burns
From:
Branchville, N.J. USA
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Posted 11 Jul 2003 12:26 pm
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| ...sure, anyone buying a guitar at Steel Guitar Nashville...she's a pretty good sport about it.. |
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Franklin
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Posted 11 Jul 2003 2:18 pm
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Bob,
You raise a good question. Years ago I had a guitar built using the ultra light weight Lonnie legs. I never thought much about its affect on the guitar until Stu Basore asked the same question of Dad. Sure enough after I tested the guitar with the standard microphone legs I found that the guitar sustained more not using the lighter legs. The change was micro minimal but it does seem to affect the sound. With that particular brand of leg it was a trade off (Light weight or More Sustain) I opted for the heavier legs.
Buddy C is right about finding a great sustaining guitar. That was also Shot's opinion and was a common test at Sho-Bud during the 70's.
Paul |
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Bobby Lee
From:
Cloverdale, California, USA
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Posted 11 Jul 2003 4:21 pm
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| My Stringmaster sounds funny if the legs aren't screwed in tightly. |
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Dennis Detweiler
From:
Solon, Iowa, US
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Posted 11 Jul 2003 5:00 pm
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Yup....In the early 1800's the sheep herders west of the Mississippi would pick out a bride that way. 
Dennis |
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John Borchard
From:
Athens, OH 45701
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Posted 14 Jul 2003 1:44 pm
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I have to agree with Bobby Lee. My Stringmaster doesn't seem to be as resonant if the legs aren't screwed in tight. I haven't noticed this phenomenon on my pedal steels. But it makes sense -- I sound kinda funny if my legs aren't screwed in tightly. 
John Borchard |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 14 Jul 2003 2:22 pm
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Yeah, them legs gotta be screwed in tight, or they'll contribute little rattles, as well as rob some of the overtones. I haven't actually tested, but I'd think the weight of the legs is more significant on a light guitar. (I don't think they'd make a big difference on a real heavy guitar).
I'll test out my new MSA when I get a chance, and let you know if I notice anything different with the heavy legs, compared to the light ones. Suffice it to say that the carbon-fiber legs are thin, and lighter than you can imagine...totally useless in a bar fight! . |
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chas smith R.I.P.
From:
Encino, CA, USA
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Posted 14 Jul 2003 7:10 pm
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About 16 years ago I bought a used guitar that was the worst sounding guitar I had ever heard,(no I won't say the brand) so I immediately began calling around for suggestions on what to do. One of the people I called was Paul Franklin Sr. He said, in so many words, that you have to think of the guitar as a series of interconnected "circles" and that all of the parts of the guitar, including the pedal board, contribute to the overall sound.
When I paused, for a moment, to consider what he had just proposed, he said " You don't believe me, do you". to which I replied "I don't doubt you for a minute, it just never occurred to me".
He said "strum the bass strings on the C neck and touch the pedal board, if it's vibrating, it's contributing to the sound" |
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Larry Bell
From:
Englewood, Florida
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Posted 14 Jul 2003 7:53 pm
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If the legs vibrate, you know that the sound is being transmitted to the body of the guitar and most people believe that that's a GOOD THING -- I do.
I've never played a guitar that I thought sounded excellent that DIDN'T transmit the vibration to the legs. I can feel the vibration in the legs of my push-pull for a good 15 seconds after strumming the strings. The Fessy is almost as 'live' as the push-pull, BTW. My Zum was not, for some reason.
It only stands to reason that the material the legs are made of will make a difference, but I'd be surprised if it were really significant.
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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps
[This message was edited by Larry Bell on 14 July 2003 at 10:02 PM.] |
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Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Posted 14 Jul 2003 9:01 pm
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I swapped around some different legs today. The old steel legs(60's 2lbs each) were wobbely and the newer aluminium ( standard chrome late 80's about 1 lbs each) fit good and snug. The tone seemed about the same but guitar with the tighter legs seems to ring a hair longer.
I'm thinking that it might not be the weight that is the issue as much as how the leg material is connected to the body and how the leg material transfers resonance. Carbon fiber might just be the ticket.
Donny,
I'm very interested in what you come up with.
Bob
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 15 Jul 2003 12:16 am
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| I think I notice a difference between having my steel on carpeting vs. a solid floor - the carpeting muffles it a bit. |
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George Kimery
From:
Limestone, TN, USA
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Posted 15 Jul 2003 3:58 am
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| David, if you are checking the sound using an amp on a floor vs. carpet, beware that the early relections of the sound coming from the amp on a hard surface vs. a soft one will be different. To really test your floor vs. carpet theory, you might want to go to headphones and eliminate the amp. |
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