| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Konabob |
Posted - 11/15/2009 : 6:47:56 PM
Last year at Aloha Camp, several of these inexpensive "table" steel guitars showed up. They seem to be easy to transport. I expect to see a few more next summer. Here is the obligatory link to musicians friend. (Note: they classify this as a "folk" instrument?)
http://folk-instruments.musiciansfriend.com/product/Rogue-EA3-Lap-Steel-Guitar-with-Stand-and-Gig-Bag?sku=513453
Last week, a woman was visiting Kona, and asked if I would give her a steel guitar lesson.
After the lesson, she ordered one of these EA-3's and sent me the scale length: 20.5 inches. Heavens, what a short little runt!
The ones that showed up at Camp last summer had the original strings... which were kind of mushy in TaroPatch tuning.
This year, I started playing a new G6th on my solid body guitar. (G-D-E-G-B-D)
The Hawaiian musicians here in Kona really enjoy the sound of this guitar, so I am hoping that a few Campers will be interested in G6th.
So how should one string up this little guitar for G6th? Using the handy dandy online string tension calculator, I came up with the following string set. All of these gauges are available at JustStrings.com under "Individual Guitar Strings"
Hi D - 18 gauge plain steel
B - 22 gauge plain steel
G - 30 gauge nickel wound
E - 36 gauge nickel wound
D - 40 gauge nickel wound
G - 60 gauge nickel wound
Have Fun!
Aloha,
-Konabob
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| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Mark |
Posted - 04/06/2010 : 09:03:41 AM
Hey, sounds like a real peach, Paul!
I'm happy Jack's gonna get it, cuz then we can bang out some Gene Autry & Spade Cooley tunes when I'm up in Seattle. I've always loved western swing accordion.
I was just going to try and find it a home via a couple of squeeze box repair people I know, so this is a better outcome all the way around.
Little known fact: Bill Monroe once had an accordion in his band. Which led to my all-time favorite Bill Monroe quote: "You can play bluegrass on any instrument, so long as your careful."
Little known fact #2: Aunty Nona Beamer played the accordion.
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| slipry1 |
Posted - 04/06/2010 : 07:31:43 AM
quote:
Originally posted by rendesvous1840
In possession of a dulcimer? It's not a controlled substance! Many fine old families have had dulcimer players. Rattling around in the closet, probably.
The accordion is an Amplitone, I believe Italian made. It has 5 buttons to make it sound like Saxophone, violin, Celeste, Bandon & Master. I guess these are all instruments, though I wouldn't recognize a Bandon if it walked through my house. The only Celeste I know is my sister, but she's not part of the package. The piano keyboard has about 3&1/2 octaves, starting with F. There are 6 rows of bass buttons on the other side, 20 per row. There are also 2 long chrome buttons or levers, I don't know what they are for. It Comes with the original case, covered in vintage 1950's plastic (vinyl, probably)alligator skin. The bellows appear to be in good shape, the straps are a little dry and have a few cracks, but should be servicable for the time being. All the keys work, but when I tried to test it I recieved several "comments" from Auntie Wanda regarding my playing skills and was advised to stick with my stringed instruments. A trifle unfair, as I had no instruction whatever on this type of instrument. But I merely wanted to see that everything worked, not become Hank Haller or Joey Miskulin. Its been in my closet a year,and I really have no great interest in learning to play it. Nor does anyone else in my family. Jack, I think you win by default, as I think Mark has shied away from the shipping cost of this overweight Elepani Kea. That's one thing for sure, it is heavy. Must be all those songs kept locked up in it since the mid'50's.Jack, contact me and we'll figure out how to get it to you. It may be best to wait until you get back from Hawai`i, so you will be home when it arrives. Or, perhaps a trip east is in the future?
Unko Paul
OK! I'll contact you off line. |
| rendesvous1840 |
Posted - 04/06/2010 : 06:37:23 AM
In possession of a dulcimer? It's not a controlled substance! Many fine old families have had dulcimer players. Rattling around in the closet, probably.
The accordion is an Amplitone, I believe Italian made. It has 5 buttons to make it sound like Saxophone, violin, Celeste, Bandon & Master. I guess these are all instruments, though I wouldn't recognize a Bandon if it walked through my house. The only Celeste I know is my sister, but she's not part of the package. The piano keyboard has about 3&1/2 octaves, starting with F. There are 6 rows of bass buttons on the other side, 20 per row. There are also 2 long chrome buttons or levers, I don't know what they are for. It Comes with the original case, covered in vintage 1950's plastic (vinyl, probably)alligator skin. The bellows appear to be in good shape, the straps are a little dry and have a few cracks, but should be servicable for the time being. All the keys work, but when I tried to test it I recieved several "comments" from Auntie Wanda regarding my playing skills and was advised to stick with my stringed instruments. A trifle unfair, as I had no instruction whatever on this type of instrument. But I merely wanted to see that everything worked, not become Hank Haller or Joey Miskulin. Its been in my closet a year,and I really have no great interest in learning to play it. Nor does anyone else in my family. Jack, I think you win by default, as I think Mark has shied away from the shipping cost of this overweight Elepani Kea. That's one thing for sure, it is heavy. Must be all those songs kept locked up in it since the mid'50's.Jack, contact me and we'll figure out how to get it to you. It may be best to wait until you get back from Hawai`i, so you will be home when it arrives. Or, perhaps a trip east is in the future?
Unko Paul |
| slipry1 |
Posted - 04/05/2010 : 2:29:02 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Mark
quote:
Oh - if Mark doesn't want it and it is a piano accordion, I'll take it. Da piano guy wants to play jazz and Western Swing on one.
Even better if Jack takes it, cuz he could play the dang thing. I yield to him--I just wanted to make sure the poor dear didn't languish in someone's closet.
Besides, Jack already plays banjo, so he'd be a the butt of every joke now.
Yeah, and I have been in possession of a dulcimer, too. Strike 3! |
| Mark |
Posted - 04/05/2010 : 1:36:26 PM
quote:
Oh - if Mark doesn't want it and it is a piano accordion, I'll take it. Da piano guy wants to play jazz and Western Swing on one.
Even better if Jack takes it, cuz he could play the dang thing. I yield to him--I just wanted to make sure the poor dear didn't languish in someone's closet.
Besides, Jack already plays banjo, so he'd be a the butt of every joke now. |
| slipry1 |
Posted - 04/05/2010 : 12:00:32 PM
Oh - if Mark doesn't want it and it is a piano accordion, I'll take it. Da piano guy wants to play jazz and Western Swing on one. |
| slipry1 |
Posted - 04/05/2010 : 11:57:58 AM
quote:
Originally posted by rendesvous1840
Do you play accordion, Mark? I don't, it was my brother's. He lost interest about the time it got paid off, I think. Probably about 1955 or '6. I would like to see someone play it, or at least appreciate it. As for all the details, I'll pull it out of the closet and try to answer best as I can. It has a piano keyboard and bass buttons, I don't know how many. Does that refer to the exact # of buttons, or to how many actual bass notes? Some of them are duplicates so you don't have to move back and forth too much. It's a ladies size, slightly smaller than full size. More details later, after I move the amps & get into the closet!
Unko Paul
Eh, unko! It's thumbstruck who is the accordion master hereabouts. It's odd - he puts on leather shorts in September, and then we don't see him until December! He sometimes comes to kanekapilas wid 'em on, on his way to a gig. |
| rendesvous1840 |
Posted - 04/05/2010 : 11:17:04 AM
Do you play accordion, Mark? I don't, it was my brother's. He lost interest about the time it got paid off, I think. Probably about 1955 or '6. I would like to see someone play it, or at least appreciate it. As for all the details, I'll pull it out of the closet and try to answer best as I can. It has a piano keyboard and bass buttons, I don't know how many. Does that refer to the exact # of buttons, or to how many actual bass notes? Some of them are duplicates so you don't have to move back and forth too much. It's a ladies size, slightly smaller than full size. More details later, after I move the amps & get into the closet!
Unko Paul |
| Mark |
Posted - 04/05/2010 : 09:14:22 AM
quote:
Used accordion free to a good home, Just get it out of my house and clutter. I'd druther sell it but nobody wants to buy it.
Is that for real? What kind? Keyboard, button? How many bass?
If it is in any kind of shape at all, I'd be happy to take it off yer hands.
Ya never know when you might need one, if only to annoy the puppies.
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| wcerto |
Posted - 04/05/2010 : 01:59:29 AM
Used accordion free to a good home, Just get it out of my house and clutter. I'd druther sell it but nobody wants to buy it. |
| rendesvous1840 |
Posted - 04/04/2010 : 5:39:34 PM
I don't know if the dulcimer player gets as many jokes as the accordion player gets. Folks have been pretty good at accepting it in the park, etc. As a dulcimer player, it's possible to deflect a lot of the jokes. Most people ask something like "Is that a mandolin?" We can lie & say "Yes, it is." Banjos and accordions are instantly recognized. No deflecting those jokes. I got all the above, except the mandolin, in my house. I can't play the squeeze box, though.
Unko Paul |
| slipry1 |
Posted - 04/04/2010 : 4:45:57 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Mark
When he gets that weird 6 string banjo-steel, Bob's going to have to learn to put up with all those banjo jokes.
And, as Paul well knows, the only person who gets less respect than a banjo player is... a dulcimer player.
Q: What's the second most satisfying sound in music?
A: The sound a bnajo makes going into the dumpster.
Q: What's the most satisfying sound?
A: The sound the banjo makes when it hits the dulcimer.
Seroiusly, I like the idea of the resonator dulcimer, because, like an acoustic steel, it needs amplification when other instruments are playing with it. |
| Mark |
Posted - 04/04/2010 : 08:49:59 AM
Hey Paul -
Thanks for the link--those look like real nice instruments
The banjo-dulcimer idea's been around for a long time, as you probably know. A guy in Clairemont CA -- home to David Lindley--used to make 'em in the 80s.
David Marks, of Folkcraft up in Connecticut, built a couple hybrid Weissenborn-style dulcimers quite a few years ago. I have one of the pair, set up like a standard dulcimer, but with an extended bass range. There's pix on my website, and it's all over the "Ke Kukima Polinahe: Hawaiian & Polynesian Music for Appalachian Dulcimer" CD.
The other one was set up for playing like a steel--only it was strung like a dulcimer (for them's that don't know, on a dulcimer, the highest strings are on the near side, opposite of steel.) Consequently no steel player could play the dang thing! Don't know what happened to it--it sounded amazing.
When he gets that weird 6 string banjo-steel, Bob's going to have to learn to put up with all those banjo jokes.
And, as Paul well knows, the only person who gets less respect than a banjo player is... a dulcimer player. |
| rendesvous1840 |
Posted - 04/04/2010 : 05:54:59 AM
Lap Steel 6 string banjo? I can hardly wait to see some vids!
Here's a similar idea in a Mountain (lap) Dulcimer, designed to be played with the fingers, rather than a steel. http://sweetwoodsinstruments.com/specialties.htm
Also check out his Dulcinator, a lap steel/ dulcimer hybrid. I looked at one a couple years ago at a festival, and was impressed with the sound and the concept.
The PDF is probably what I'm remembering Thanks for the assist. I'll book mark it for future reference.
Unko Paul |
| Konabob |
Posted - 04/03/2010 : 10:08:31 AM
Hi Paul,
You're probably thinking of the PDF file in my Taropatch Steel page.
By the way my lap steel 6 string banjo is supposed to arrive on Monday.
Now I have something to back up Shirley's fiddle playing on! |
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