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Topic: Sparkle finish steels |
W. Van Horn
From:
Houston, texas
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Posted 28 Dec 2013 3:20 pm |
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| Any of y'all have a sparkle finish steel? Like they do on drums and six string guitars. I'd love to see pictures, and I wonder how its done. Did you send the body to a guitar finisher? Or get someone to make custom mica? |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 28 Dec 2013 3:35 pm
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Carter used to offer their guitars with drum set finishes. I don't know if they made any with sparkles, but the made some with other patterns.
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Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting. |
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Edward Rhea
From:
Medford Oklahoma, USA
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Lee Warren
From:
Nashville, Tennessee, USA
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Posted 28 Dec 2013 4:37 pm
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Hi Will,
I seem to recall Mickey Adams had a stunningly beautiful steel that had a pearloid finish, like you would find on drums.
Many years back, I sourced some white pearloid sheet and laminated the headstock on a strat, to match the pickguard.
I've wanted a sparkle or pearloid pedal steel, but never gotten the money together to get it done ... 😊
Lee |
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Tom Gorr
From:
Three Hills, Alberta
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Posted 28 Dec 2013 5:23 pm
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There was an awesome looking green sparkle guitar prior owned by a well known steel player on ebay last week.
I'd take sparkle over mica anyday. But would take a burst lacquered maple over anything. |
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Ian Stynes
From:
New York, USA
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Posted 28 Dec 2013 6:13 pm
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Jackson made a pretty sweet sparkle finish steel for Robert Randolph:
-Ian
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www.greatcityprod.com |
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W. Van Horn
From:
Houston, texas
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Posted 28 Dec 2013 7:12 pm
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Edward - beautiful Marlen! So that still was laceured correct?
Richard - I've sen some of those. I read somewhere on the forum that carter stopped using the drum wraps for a specific reason, maybe it was tone?
Beautiful Jackson! So on that guitar is it a piece of sparkle mica?
Thanks y'all! |
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Edward Rhea
From:
Medford Oklahoma, USA
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Posted 28 Dec 2013 7:38 pm Marlen
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Thanks Will!  it's painted black. I really don't know if it's a laquered or oil base. It had a peculiar copedent and e9 was located to the back when I got it. One knee lever. Looks like it may have had more @ one time, but they're missing. It has great tone and stays in tune well...unless a bellcrank becomes loose, and they do periodically. I have full intentions of restoration, but it may be a while. Nearly everyone gripes about the changer, but they really ain't that complicated. This guitar definitely lets you know if it likes/dislikes any adjustment you've made!
I'll for sure have a restoration thread going, step by step, when I can get around to it.  [/i]
_________________
“TONESNOB†|
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 28 Dec 2013 7:49 pm
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My fender 400 is a gold-sparkle finish, but it's not painted or sprayed. It actually looks like it was a sheet of plastic that was vacuum-molded onto the guitar, since it's one piece and there are no seams. It's far thicker and tougher than any Fender finish. I don't know if it was a Fender experiment, or just someone's creation, someone who had access to some very unusual equipment.  |
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 28 Dec 2013 8:13 pm
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| Will Van Horn wrote: |
I read somewhere on the forum that carter stopped using the drum wraps for a specific reason, maybe it was tone?
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I read or heard the same thing. And I seem to recall John Fabian saying that it hurt the tone and/or cut down on the sustain. I could be mistaken.
_________________
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin |
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John LeMaster
From:
North Florida
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Posted 28 Dec 2013 8:43 pm Encore
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Johnny "Dumplin" Cox and his Zumsteel Encore with red, white and blue sparkle.
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Magnum D10, Emmons D10 push-pull |
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Herb Steiner
From:
Spicewood TX 78669
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Posted 28 Dec 2013 9:27 pm
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| Mike Perlowin wrote: |
| Will Van Horn wrote: |
I read somewhere on the forum that carter stopped using the drum wraps for a specific reason, maybe it was tone?
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I read or heard the same thing. And I seem to recall John Fabian saying that it hurt the tone and/or cut down on the sustain. I could be mistaken. |
A thick laminate never seemed to hurt the sound of the Emmons guitar, or the Carter/Zum/Mullen/et al., but John Fabian's opinions are things to consider.
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My rig: Infinity and Telonics.
Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg? |
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Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Posted 28 Dec 2013 9:50 pm
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I have bought laminates from these guys before:
http://www.arpaindustriale.com/americas
It was a sorta teal color with subtle sparkles.
They are a slightly different thickness than standard. I remember Paul Franklin Sr needed to double up the laminate on a guitar he built for me. He thinks that was why that S12 sounded so solid and full.
I know of a JCH that used the Arpa laminate also.
It is very different stuff than drum covering.
I would look into car wraps if I wanted to change the look of a guitar that was already built.
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Bob
Last edited by Bob Hoffnar on 28 Dec 2013 10:16 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Henry Matthews
From:
Texarkana, Ark USA
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Posted 28 Dec 2013 10:09 pm
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I don't play good enough to have a sparkle guitar, attracts to much attention.
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Henry Matthews
D-10 Magnum, 8 &5, dark rose color
D-10 1974 Emmons cut tail, fat back,rosewood, 8&5
Nashville 112 amp, Fishman Loudbox Performer amp, Hilton pedal, Goodrich pedal,BJS bar, Kyser picks, Live steel Strings. No effects, doodads or stomp boxes. |
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Greg Johnson
From:
Greencastle, Pennsylvania, USA
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W. Van Horn
From:
Houston, texas
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Posted 29 Dec 2013 12:27 pm
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That zum steel is killer! That's gotta be mica or something...
I'm wondering if one could just send a piece of mica to someone like Marty Bell and have him paint it.
Herb - I think the problem was drum laminate being too thin, not too thick. Just what I read, have no first hand knowledge.
Bob - those laminates look cool. I will probably check out auto wrap first to play around with, but I'm thinking long term I may want to go for a pretty outrageous look that will be best accomplished with something other than auto wrap.
Anyone noticed an audible difference in tone post auto-wrap?
Sparkle steels are pretty sweet! Please keep pics comin if any y'all feel like it. |
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Danny Letz
From:
Old Glory,Texas, USA 79540
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Posted 29 Dec 2013 4:39 pm
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| I went to one of Larry Tolivers steel schools where Johnny Cox was the guest instructor. He said there that he had an Encore special ordered with drum wrap. |
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Brett Barton
From:
San Marcos, Texas
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Posted 29 Dec 2013 4:55 pm
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Here is Mickey Adams' Mullen that was mentioned earlier.
[/img] |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 29 Dec 2013 6:27 pm
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| Herb Steiner wrote: |
A thick laminate never seemed to hurt the sound of the Emmons guitar, or the Carter/Zum/Mullen/et al., but John Fabian's opinions are things to consider. |
I think that the deadening or tone-altering effect, if any, could probably be eliminated by simply not mounting the metal parts (changer, neck, keyhead) on top of the laminate. Machine out the laminate so that the parts mount to the wood, and the laminate butts up against the parts.
It only stands to reason that different layers of anything between the metal parts and the body would affect the tone.  |
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Julian Goldwhite
From:
Alhambra, CA, USA
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Edward Rhea
From:
Medford Oklahoma, USA
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Posted 11 Jan 2014 4:31 pm
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SWEET!julian
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“TONESNOB†|
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Marty Broussard
From:
Broussard, Louisiana, USA
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Posted 11 Jan 2014 4:37 pm
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What about the finishes Fred uses on the Justice guitars? Some of those are pretty.
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RETIRED
"Technique is really the elimination of the unnecessary..it is a constant effort to avoid any personal impediment or obstacle to achieve the smooth flow of energy and intent" Yehudi Menuhin |
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W. Van Horn
From:
Houston, texas
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Posted 12 Jan 2014 8:55 am
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Julian - Awesome ets!!
Marty - I haven't seen any sparkle zums |
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Drew Howard
From:
48854
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Posted 28 Mar 2015 12:36 pm
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| Wow, Mickey, beauty of a Mullen! |
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Frank De Vincenzo
From:
The Garden State
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Posted 28 Mar 2015 12:48 pm
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Precision Drum Co. in NY has exactly what you are looking for. When I was researching the finish for my steel I came across them. Look in their WRAPS section.
www.precisiondrum.com
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JusticeJudge |
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