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Topic: When 6 Is Not Enough And 8 Is Too Many |
Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
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Posted 2 Dec 2015 6:30 pm |
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When 6 is not enough and 8 is to many, 7 is the answer 
I finished this one up a while back and was kind of waiting for a good clip before I posted too much on it.
Our goal was to shoot for a sweet Fender like tone in a 7 string configuration with a multibender that could be played standing up. The obvious choice in my head was to go with some nice and light Swamp Ash and some Stringmaster style pickups. I made the 7 string bobbins and had Bryan at BG-Pups wind them up and I could not be happier. Most importantly, her owner, Scotty Murray, is tickled and we are building him another one just like it, though different tuning and finish. As luck would have it, there will be a third one too. A guy that caught one of Scottys shows fell in love, so we are doing a 7 string for him too.
YouTube clip here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gv6glTOv1Ts
Some basic specs
25" scale
Swamp Ash body / neck
Black Walnut plates / trim
Dusenberg Multibender bridge
Outrigger standoff
BG-Pups 7 string Stringmaster style pickups
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_________________
Some misc pics of my hand crafted steels
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Rick Barnhart
From:
Arizona, USA
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Posted 2 Dec 2015 7:42 pm
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Very cool, Tom. The cameraman certainly could have given Scotty a little more facetime, it sounds and looks fantastic. 😎
_________________
Clinesmith consoles D-8/6 5 pedal, D-8 3 pedal & A25 Frypan, Pettingill Teardrop, & P8 Deluxe. |
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Stephen Abruzzo
From:
Philly, PA
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Posted 2 Dec 2015 9:19 pm
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Just beautiful Tom. Is that your "P8" style?
I really love how you recessed the tuning posts. |
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Frank James Pracher
From:
Michigan, USA
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Posted 2 Dec 2015 10:09 pm
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Is that fretboard inlaid?
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"Don't be mad honey, but I bought another one" |
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Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
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Posted 2 Dec 2015 11:02 pm
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Thanks guys! Like I said, I was real happy with how it all turned out. I've mostly been a 6 string guy, but I've been thinking real hard on building myself a 7 with a set of those pickups.
Rick ... at least he got a couple good shots of the steel
Steve .. That is a sized up version of my P style body and neck, a Jumbo-P, though with different style headstock. I like to keep a pretty straight string pull across the nut on my bender steels. The recessed tuner posts / nuts looks cool, but my main motivation was to add a little more beef in the headstock seeing as it was going to hang from it. With the recess, I can get a full 3/4" thick headstock.
Frank ... yes, the fretmarkers are inlayed. They are made from some .030" black fiberboard and .016" aluminum.
.
_________________
Some misc pics of my hand crafted steels
Follow me on Facebook here |
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Thomas Ludwig
From:
Augsburg, Germany
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Posted 3 Dec 2015 6:04 am
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super nice lap steel !!!  |
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Paul Honeycutt
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 3 Dec 2015 12:10 pm
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| Do you have a website, Tom? |
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 3 Dec 2015 6:01 pm
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Amazing Tom !! Super craftsmanship as usual !!
Everything I've built is 7 string..I'm prejudiced !
Bill |
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Stefan Robertson
From:
Hertfordshire, UK
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Posted 8 Dec 2015 8:57 am Re: When 6 Is Not Enough And 8 Is Too Many
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"When 6 is not enough and 8 is too many."
Lol
I wouldn't imagine playing on anything less than 12 now.
You lose soooo much. I guess 2 note harmonies still can work. All in context.
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Stefan
Bill Hatcher custom 12 string Lap Steel Guitar
E13#9/F secrets: https://thelapsteelguitarist.wordpress.com
"Give it up for The Lap Steel Guitarist" |
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Stefan Robertson
From:
Hertfordshire, UK
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Posted 8 Dec 2015 8:57 am
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Your craftsmanship and finishing is impressive
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Stefan
Bill Hatcher custom 12 string Lap Steel Guitar
E13#9/F secrets: https://thelapsteelguitarist.wordpress.com
"Give it up for The Lap Steel Guitarist" |
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George Rout
From:
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 8 Dec 2015 1:02 pm
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Very impressive Tom. Congrats. A 7 string is a great idea. I've been playing one for 40 or so years, albeit a 1939 Gibson EGE!!!!!! Keep up the good work.
Geo
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http://georgerout.com
"I play in the A Major tuning. It's fun to learn and so easy to play. It's as old as the hills....like me" |
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 8 Dec 2015 4:25 pm
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Top shelf ...  |
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Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
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Posted 8 Dec 2015 6:20 pm
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Thanks everyone! It was a fun build. I got my magnet order in today and am eager to get started on the bobbins for a couple more.
Paul ... I registered a domain years ago, but have never gotten around to actually building a site. It seems I'm much better at making sawdust than than bits and bytes. If you're on Facebook, you can follow what I'm up to there https://www.facebook.com/Pettingill-Handcrafted-Steel-Guitars-183236265069214/
Stefan ... a good high gloss mirror finish can sure eat up some time, In particular, swamp ash with its big open pores can be a bear to get all filled, flat, and level. For this one I wanted a pretty tough finish, so I used an epoxy based grain filler on the ash and topped it with a urethane based clear coat. After about 5 months on the road, its held up exceptionally well.
_________________
Some misc pics of my hand crafted steels
Follow me on Facebook here |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 9 Dec 2015 12:06 am
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There's kind of a law or moral commandment about using the CORRECT number of strings. I'm kinda strung out on ELEVEN strings, so I have it on a MSA Superslide with the 12 string bridge. I assume I'll have to pay for it in the afterlife...  |
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chris ivey
From:
california (deceased)
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Posted 9 Dec 2015 11:10 am wow
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that's a beautiful steel. lapsteel not being my main axe, that would cover all bases for me.
what's the cost on an item like that? |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Posted 9 Dec 2015 12:31 pm
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You know, just the other day I was wondering what to do when 6 are too few but 8 are too many, and believe it or not, I came up with the EXACT same answer!* Just goes to show you once again: "Great Minds Think Alike"!
* Although in my case the subject was beer... 
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www.JimCohen.com
www.RonstadtRevue.com
www.BeatsWalkin.com |
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Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
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Posted 10 Dec 2015 8:37 am
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Thanks again all!
| Quote: |
| There's kind of a law or moral commandment about using the CORRECT number of strings. |
In my book, the correct number is however many it takes to let the music inside you find its way out. Not all of us are the same, and thats a good thing! The level of possible customization and flexibility of the steel guitar is one of my favorite things about the instrument.
Chris ... It is / was not my intention for this thread to be, or turn into spam. If you would like, please feel free to contact me and I'd be happy to discuss a custom Pettingill to fit your needs.
_________________
Some misc pics of my hand crafted steels
Follow me on Facebook here |
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Kristen Bruno
From:
Orlando, Florida, USA
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Posted 10 Dec 2015 9:59 am
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12 is good ..... then add pedals!
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"Technology has given us the ability to repeat all the mistakes we have learned from history, but much faster, deadlier and with much greater accuracy" - KAB |
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