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cmdrpiffle
`Olu`olu
USA
553 Posts |
 Posted - 04/08/2004 : 3:41:13 PM
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Konabob,
I'm glad that's over for you! Much aloha towards you.
George's words of greens and breaths... So very true.
On so many levels.
To you: literally, aloha and all that it means.
The cotter pin idea is friggin brilliant. Cathe, yer gonna
want to get a large one from Ace. I'm gonna try it on
my travel Washburn.
As usual, I don't have anything too relevant to say but I
Just wanted to get my name down for the April posting.
You know, add my name to the hat for that custom flamed
koa Taylor that someones rich auntie is gonna donate. Right?
Yes? Someone out there has a rich relative I hope.
Anyway, wishing I could make this years edition of AMC
at the new digs, but alas, it will have to be next year.
All youse girls and boys break it in for me okay?
I'm not dead yet. I'm sitting at my workstation on the 16th
floor, looking all professional in a tie and everything....
I took my shoes and socks off, so I'm wearing a suit, barefoot!
'course, If I have to get up, I'm busted.
It's so worth it though.
That made my day.
Mike |
my Poodle is smarter than your honor student |
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Konabob
`Olu`olu
USA
928 Posts |
Posted - 04/08/2004 : 3:55:55 PM
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Hi there Mark!
The necks on both my guitars are 25.5" from nut to saddle, and I have experimented with 2 different string sets:
D'Addario Acoustic Guitar Phosphor Bronze Environmental Resophonic,
http://www.juststrings.com/dad-ej42.html which is mostly phosphor bronze, which works well for D-G-D-G-B-D, but
the .035 string is just to thick to be used in the G6th tuning, so I order a .032 to use in it's place.
Another interesting set is John Pearse® Hawaiian Lap Steel Guitar Electric Nickel Am Tuning
http://www.juststrings.com/jps-7300.html
It is fun because it is easily tuned to both G6th and Taro Patch. Plus, the top three strings are
solid nickel steel, so there is less of that buzz you get from sliding over wound strings. This
set is actually made for electric Hawaiian lap steels.
Bob Brozman thought that this set was a little "squichy" on the 4th string... when it's in Taro Patch.
But the price is excellent, ($4.86 per set) and it works "as is" for both tunings.
If you wanted to really get into hand picking string gauges, you might enjoy this web site:
http://www.pacificsites.net/~dog/StringTensionApplet.html
It is not for the faint-hearted...
I do play alternating bass, a la slack key - in fact I enjoy playing slack-key on the acoustic
steel guitar. I tried Dobro tuning once, but it always sounds like bluegrass to me...
Using D-G-D-G-B-D, you can use all kind of slants to create minors, and such.
The G6th, has that lovely minor triad built right in... Bob Brozman has a real talent for
that, and I hope to pick up a little more of that from him in June.
One other site that I really enjoy is: http://www.looknohands.com/chordhouse/guitar/fr_rb_main.html?plyr=R,bass=bottom
Which can be set up to display what an "Open G" looks like, and where to find any chord or
scale you can think of. You can also adjust it to display the G6th tuning. A great site for both steel
guitarists and taro patch folk.
I am finally feeling normal, and went out last night for the first time in 6 months. Heard some
Hawaiian friends of mine performing at the Keauhou Ohan Beach Hotel... life is good!
Aloha,
-Konabob
PS to piffle - Thanks! I have really been supported by a lot of caring people. When you are really in need of a quick Hawaii fix, check out my dual web cams at: http://www.konaweb.com/index.shtml#WEBCAM
-Now get back to work!
-KB
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Konabob's Walkingbass - http://www.konawalkingbass.com
Taropatch Steel - http://www.konaweb.com/konabob/
YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=Konabob2+Walkingbass |
Edited by - Konabob on 04/08/2004 4:01:49 PM |
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Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
Posted - 04/09/2004 : 12:43:27 PM
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Yo Ho -
Many thanks for the info. I decided to risk a string and tune the puppy up as it was. I had a set of Elixer Resophonics w/ a fairly heavy fourth on it) and every thing is hunky dory. The guitar is built like a tank -- in fact, it was in high E maj tuning when I got it!
Anywho -- yep, 6th tuning is way mo' bettah, as they say in Nawlins.
I'm with you on the bluegrassy feel of the G tuning. Not that I don't like bluegrass.
Happy playing, and please say hi to our mutual friends Heliose & Chris and Bradda Matt....
See ya when I can!
yr pal,
Mark
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Konabob
`Olu`olu
USA
928 Posts |
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hapakid
Luna Ho`omalu
USA
1533 Posts |
Posted - 04/09/2004 : 8:15:39 PM
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Aloha e Konabob,
Thanks for the string info for steel guitar strings, which I've been trying to find out for awhile. Do you use the same guages on the acoustic steel as the electric? Same strings?
I just acquired the koa to begin building a Weissenborn guitar, which I am anxious to start on. If you've heard a few acoustic steels, can you hear the difference between the hollow-to-the-neck Weissenborn and a hollow-halfway Knutsen style?
Jesse Tinsley |
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Konabob
`Olu`olu
USA
928 Posts |
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hapakid
Luna Ho`omalu
USA
1533 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2004 : 12:40:08 AM
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Mahalo Konabob,
Berkeley does sell some nice Weissenborn guitars at a reasonable price (but much more than I got!). I just started building ukes and I traded a uke for some Weissenborn-sized koa and will try do my own on a budget.
Jesse Tinsley
Ukin' in Idaho |
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Julie H
Ha`aha`a
USA
1206 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2004 : 01:07:36 AM
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Aloha KonaBob, I just came across my photos from last year's camp, and there you are playing your Weissenborn at the kanikapila. It does have such a distinctive shape...
So yesterday I picked up this tobacco sunburst (don't really like the name tobacco since it is the cause of lots of my troubles) Regal resonator and haven't a clue as to how to go about this. It is similar to picking up a violin for the first time and being surprised at the horrible racket you cause just by pulling that bow across. There must be a real trick to making that sweet sound instead!
My musicstore friend did add a nut extender. But today I went to a huge guitar store in San Jose, but they did not have ONE book on slide. I should just check out mele.com and order something so that when I go for my first lesson with Patty Maxine I won't look like complete idiot.  Ah, another adventure coming my way! Love, Julie
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Konabob
`Olu`olu
USA
928 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2004 : 03:13:46 AM
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Hi Julie, I got to play my bass out in the real world today - first time in many months! It is really great to be playing around the people in Kona who have always made me feel like I was born here... I just love Kona.
My brother lives in San Jose, so I may get to visit him this fall. I am hoping to do the Aloha Festival just south of you which is in October, as I recall. Maybe we will get a chance to jam too! He is going through the same thing that I just went through, but his case will take longer to deal with.
Now, as to this steel - I would recommend that you practice just a couple of things at the beginning.
Learn to play C (bar right on the 5th fret) F (10th fret) and G (12th fret) and stick with those 3 chords for
just a few days while you learn how to control your bar. Learn to shimmy the bar using your wrist... not your fingers...
just a nice little wiggle which gives your ear and hand the training to cooperate and get you right on
the chord. Make the shimmy nice and slow at first, and then bring it up to the speed. It should
sound like you are in complete control of it. The other thing is to let the pinky and ring finger of
your bar hand relax completely while you play... don't let them float above the strings. They should
be dampening the strings just by laying softly on the strings. Do any picking pattern you like, but
stay in the key of C till you know you can control your left hand, and that it is completely relaxed
while you are playing. These two little lessons could be the two most important things you will
need to get that resonator under control. When you get bored, start throwing in a D chord and
you will be able to play 90% of all the Hawaiian songs you can think of. Don't worry about picking
out melodies yet - until the bar is under control, you will just get stressed. Sing the melody until
you start to feel Hawaiian. I have heard you sing... so I know it will sound good.
Let me know when you feel like you have this much down. I am sure it will come quickly.
Aloha,
-Konabob |
Konabob's Walkingbass - http://www.konawalkingbass.com
Taropatch Steel - http://www.konaweb.com/konabob/
YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=Konabob2+Walkingbass |
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Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2004 : 7:07:43 PM
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If you've heard a few acoustic steels, can you hear the difference between the hollow-to-the-neck Weissenborn and a hollow-halfway Knutsen style?
A couple years ago a friend lucked into an exceptional Weissenborn-made Kona. It has a guitar-style neck that joins the body at the 7th fret. What made this guitar unusual is that it was set up with a low nut... yep, it played like a guitar!
Anyway, the sound was absolutely amazing -- the bass strings sounded more like a piano than a guitar. Many of the real old Wiessenborn hollow-necks have that same kind of bass; few of the reproductions do. (That's not to say they ain't fine in their own right -- but there is a real difference.)
Incidentally, I recently ran into Mary Faith Rhodes of Breezy Ridge Instruments and John Pearse strings. She informed me that she and John own the rights to the name Weissenborn, and will begin production under that name soon. She also said they are in a battle to keep the name from becoming generic.
So we all have to stop calling our axes "Weissenborns." Yeah, right.
My pal Ken Bloom prefers "WeissenbornAgain." I'm holding out for "Squinky."
Hey Andy, maybe we should re-title this thread????
Happy slidin'
Mark |
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Konabob
`Olu`olu
USA
928 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2004 : 10:05:01 PM
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Or maybe Weissenreborn? One thing that I could add: Last December Bob Brozman was looking at my guitar and suggested that a metal bridge would give a better sound than bone or whatever they use now-a-days. I went to Ace hardware and bought a piece of 3/16" stainless rod and cut it to float on the slot where my bone bridge had been. When I re-strung it, I turned to Shirley and said, "Geeze! It sounds like a grand piano!" (exact quote). The bass tone was amazing, but even better - the high notes and the harmonics had tripled in volume! So I chopped up another piece of the rod and sent it to Fernando Perez on Maui. He has a Berkeley Weissen..watavah and he had the same experience. Jesse, take note!
PS -Mark, thanks for suggesting that I change the thread's title.
PPS - Found photos of Julie's Guitar: http://www.folkofthewood.com/page177.htm
Aloha,
-Konabob |
Konabob's Walkingbass - http://www.konawalkingbass.com
Taropatch Steel - http://www.konaweb.com/konabob/
YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=Konabob2+Walkingbass |
Edited by - Konabob on 04/10/2004 10:24:42 PM |
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Julie H
Ha`aha`a
USA
1206 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2004 : 12:13:32 AM
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Aloha KonaBob, yep, that's her. I didn't realize how heavy she was until I tried to put her in my trunk. Heave Ho! Wonder what it will be like when I take her to Maui, lugging her through the airport, etc.
So now, on this Weissenborn question, is that not a brand name or person's name attached to that style of instrument? Forgive my ignorance on this, but the only way I'll learn is by asking questions.
Duh, Julie
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Konabob
`Olu`olu
USA
928 Posts |
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Kahalenahele
Lokahi
USA
102 Posts |
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Adam Troy
Akahai
Australia
58 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2004 : 1:17:51 PM
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| Dear Konabob, Having just found this thread we send our best wishes to you. It seems to have morphed into a general discussion. There is a ton of information here. I've been curious about the Berkley Weissenborns for some time. Also the ideas on strings and technique fill in a lot of blanks. Being fond of histerically stacatto passages that terminate in a broken clock spring vibrato, I gave up on the wound fourth string at an early point. I'll try some of the strings you suggest. Forgive my ignorance but how do we get more information on the Camp Kahumoku? Regards, A.T. |
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