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Topic: A question about fret markers... |
David Nailling
From:
Maple Valley, Washington
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Posted 23 Feb 2023 12:30 pm |
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I searched the forum for "steel guitar inlays" in an attempt to see if this had already been addressed, but I couldn't find anything. Apologies if I missed it.
On some makes of pedal steel guitars - Sho-Bud, MSA - fret markers are oriented so that they appear upright if viewed with the tuners below them. Other makers - Fessenden - orient fret markers so they appear upright if viewed with the changer below them. Some makers - Emmons, MCI - go with something that looks fine either way.
More traditional guitars usually feature inlays that look "correct" when the guitar is being held horizontally - like when it's being played. Some, however, are similar to the markers on Fessendens - they appear upright when the guitar is sitting on a stand with its tuners above its bridge.
Maybe this is a silly question, but where is the BOTTOM of a steel guitar? Is it the tuner end or the changer end?
I'm sure there's no "right" answer. FWIW, the style used on Sho-Buds and MSAs looks "wrong" to me. What say you?
_________________
“The Texan turned out to be good-natured, generous and likable. In three days no one could stand him.”
Joseph Heller, Catch 22 |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 23 Feb 2023 1:38 pm
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The bottom is the side closest to the floor. 
Erv |
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Dave Hopping
From:
Aurora, Colorado
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Posted 23 Feb 2023 2:42 pm
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| I'm with Erv.The fretboard is visible only when a steel is set up. |
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John Palumbo
From:
Lansdale, PA.
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Posted 23 Feb 2023 4:29 pm
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I agree with Erv & Dave that the bottom is the side facing the floor but I think the Author (David) is referring to the picture below regarding the fretboard symbols and their orientation.
Sorry if I misunderstood the question
_________________
Mullen G2, Hilton VP, Roland Blues Cube Hot, Keeley Caverns V2 Delay & Reverb |
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Ian Rae
From:
Redditch, England
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Posted 23 Feb 2023 4:44 pm
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None of my guitars have markers that face any particular way. Now those chess pieces look as though they should face the audience...
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs |
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Bobby D. Jones
From:
West Virginia, USA
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Posted 23 Feb 2023 6:40 pm
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I like something that looks good from any Angle. And looks good when sitting behind the steel in the drivers seat.
I played a MSA for 19 years or so. The GFI I play now looks good with 4 leaf clovers and horse shoes.
When I built a steel years ago, I made the fret boards and used long white diamonds for markers. They looked good from any angle. |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 23 Feb 2023 7:57 pm Re: A question about fret markers...
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| David Nailling wrote: |
Maybe this is a silly question, but where is the BOTTOM of a steel guitar? Is it the tuner end or the changer end?
I'm sure there's no "right" answer. FWIW, the style used on Sho-Buds and MSAs looks "wrong" to me. What say you? |
Contemplative, I am. And while no grand expert, I’d guess the term “headstock” should give you a clue.  |
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Samuel Phillippe
From:
Douglas Michigan, USA
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Posted 24 Feb 2023 7:10 am
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Does it trully make a difference which way they face? IMHO they are there to simply mark the fret. Diamond, heart circle what have you, they just mark the fret.
Sam |
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David Nailling
From:
Maple Valley, Washington
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Posted 24 Feb 2023 9:24 am
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| Samuel Phillippe wrote: |
Does it trully make a difference which way they face? IMHO they are there to simply mark the fret. Diamond, heart circle what have you, they just mark the fret.
Sam |
No - it doesn't really matter. I was just curious as to what people's opinions were.
_________________
“The Texan turned out to be good-natured, generous and likable. In three days no one could stand him.”
Joseph Heller, Catch 22 |
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David Nailling
From:
Maple Valley, Washington
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Posted 24 Feb 2023 9:25 am
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| John Palumbo wrote: |
I agree with Erv & Dave that the bottom is the side facing the floor but I think the Author (David) is referring to the picture below regarding the fretboard symbols and their orientation.
Sorry if I misunderstood the question
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Not only is this exactly what I was referencing, but the image you provided is much more helpful than what I originally posted. Thanks!
_________________
“The Texan turned out to be good-natured, generous and likable. In three days no one could stand him.”
Joseph Heller, Catch 22 |
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Ken Pippus
From:
Langford, BC, Canada
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Posted 24 Feb 2023 9:57 am
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| Yup. It's a "head" stock. The MSA ones have always just looked wrong to me. YMMV. |
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Bob Shilling
From:
Berkeley, CA, USA
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Posted 24 Feb 2023 10:28 am
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I've only ever had one PSG - the MSA - so I've never thought about this. But, if the fret markers were suddenly turned around it would certainly look wrong to me.
You're right though, if the same markers were placed like that on a regular 6-string guitar they would be upside down.
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Bob Shilling, Berkeley, CA--MSA S10, "Classic" |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 24 Feb 2023 6:50 pm
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Aesthetically, I think the MSA markers were wrong, but I’d guess they just followed the Sho~Bud paradigm, which was also wrong.  |
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John Palumbo
From:
Lansdale, PA.
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Posted 24 Feb 2023 7:04 pm
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On MSA, I do like the chess pieces but agree with Ian, turn them towards the audience.
_________________
Mullen G2, Hilton VP, Roland Blues Cube Hot, Keeley Caverns V2 Delay & Reverb |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Jerry Jones
From:
Franklin, Tenn.
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Posted 25 Feb 2023 5:24 am
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Paul Bigsby inlaid card suits into the neck of several of Merle Travis’ 6-string guitars. Probably where Shot got the idea for his fret markers.
Merle’s markers are positioned correctly and ordered heart, club, diamond, and spade.
ShoBud’s are flipped and ordered heart, spade, diamond, and club.
Not a far stretch to imagine that whoever laid out the original ShoBud graphics (Magee Display?) may not have been familiar with musical instruments.
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Jerry Jones |
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