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Karl Monetti
`Olu`olu
USA
756 Posts |
 Posted - 02/09/2006 : 12:50:33 PM
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Hey, this is a new part of the forum for me. I have been threatening to build a Weissenborn for several years and finally got the job done just last night. I strung her up and got the firt sour notes out of her. Hopefully the rest of the notes will sound better, as i learn how to play lap slide. '
I took some time to read through many of the previous posts and have some good ideas of where to start learning. I have Cindy Cashdollar's and stacey Phillips' dobro tapes, and kelly Joe Phelps' slide video as well. It aint hawaiian, but it is all technique. They are in G or D tunings, so i will have to try C6, G6, etc.
I am used to regular slide guitar and fingerstyle stuff, just need direction for the lap steel. I also have a pretty good ear, and Konabob's advice of playing along with recorded music should be very helpful.
Any other hints for a new player?
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Karl
Frozen North |
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2169 Posts |
Posted - 02/10/2006 : 2:22:26 PM
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| Karl, I play some Dobro, so getting used to the guitar in your lap facing up at you is a trip. The sound is more immediate. The angle of your hads, right and left, is different but about t'ree weeks and you should be used to it. Listen to Barney Isaacs and George Kuo's Dancing Cat recording. Barney used a C6 on his Dobro. Unbelievably KEWL sounds. Don't get discouraged, the battle is worth it. |
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hapakid
Luna Ho`omalu
USA
1533 Posts |
Posted - 02/10/2006 : 5:41:11 PM
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The C6 tuning gives you Hawaiian sounds without slanting, while taropatch tuning requires slants. While it sounds effortless from Bob Brozman, slants are the source of baaaaaaaad sounds from a beginner.
Jesse |
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Karl Monetti
`Olu`olu
USA
756 Posts |
Posted - 02/11/2006 : 4:45:35 PM
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t'ree weeks, eh T'umbs? Zat all? Heck, I got t'ree weeks
Jesse,
I've been makin dem baaaaaad sounds, but there are fewer and fewer aaaaas in them each time |
Karl
Frozen North |
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Karl Monetti
`Olu`olu
USA
756 Posts |
Posted - 02/20/2006 : 4:05:57 PM
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Konabob, or anyone ele, for that matter;
I cannot remember if you had a case for your Weisenborn. If so, was it custom made or did you take a regular case and hack away some of the guts, or did you get one from musicians friend....i saw on another post they have some for their Weisenborns? I was looking at hard shell case here today, all for regular acoustics. I found a $140 Takamine hardhell they would sell me for 80 bucks, but it would definetly need surgery. If the Mus, Friend one is already made to fit, for another 10 bucks plus shiping i could save a lot of time. I much prefer to buy from local dealers epecially when they go out of their way to accomodate me on price, but the guitar looks pretty good, and i could not promise much about how my hatchet job would look on the lining of a new case. I am a good surgeon, but this ain't flesh. Any ideas?
Does anyone ele have one of those Musician Friend cases? If so, are they plastic type hardshell or plywood? Insides cut to fit nicely? Good storage space for extra strings, tuners, winders, etc.? |
Karl
Frozen North |
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Karl Monetti
`Olu`olu
USA
756 Posts |
Posted - 02/24/2006 : 10:01:41 AM
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In looking at the MF website the case they have was described as "rugged plywood contructioon" so i opted for a plastic hardshell her in town. Got a really good takamine case for 80 bucks, (retail $140) I had to do some minor surgery on the center section under the neck area to allow for the thickness of the neck, but now i have a nice tight-fitting case with good foam padding all around the guitar. I was able to salvege the lid from the littlse storage box under the neck, turn it around and use it at the headsock end of the case for a functional, if not very pretty storage box. I did not end up with enoug fun fur to cover all the exposed foam i created, but i still feelit is a better option than the plywood model
I also took it to a luthier friend who makes dobro and other lap slide instruments. I asked him to play it and see if he could tell what the sound problem was caused by and how we might fix it. Funny thing; when he played it, he liked it, and so did I.. I guess now i know where the problem lies. It reminds me of an old dog-muhing friend i had years ago. He was known as a ruthless culler of dogs; if they did not perform to his standards, he just shot them. We called his place Sundown Kennel because he'd say, if you want this here dawg, you better get him before sundown. So, he ended up not shooting that many after all,becaue we would get them,train them up and many of them would be great dogs. He was also a very good dog trainer and often a musher would have him run his team and see what he thought of them, how they might be imporoved, which dogs might not be working as hard, etc.. So one day he drives my team. When he returned I asked him for his assessment. "Good dogs. Shoot the driver"
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Karl
Frozen North |
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Mika ele
Ha`aha`a
USA
1493 Posts |
Posted - 02/24/2006 : 2:52:07 PM
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| good strings -- shoot the fingers? |
E nana, e ho'olohe. E pa'a ka waha, e hana ka lima. |
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Mika ele
Ha`aha`a
USA
1493 Posts |
Posted - 02/24/2006 : 2:53:35 PM
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Good Strings -- Shoot the Fingers! 
Hey I kinda like that. Then I don't have to blame me.  |
E nana, e ho'olohe. E pa'a ka waha, e hana ka lima. |
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Karl Monetti
`Olu`olu
USA
756 Posts |
Posted - 02/27/2006 : 09:39:44 AM
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Actually it was good guitar, shoot the player
After watching my friend play i also realized how much better tone he got just from playing farther forward on the strings. The Weissengorn has an odd configuration in that the soundhole is way forward of the bridge. I was playing close to the bridge because it felt comfortabel, but playing nearer the soundhole gives a much richer, warmer sound,. I knew that from my other guitars, but was astuck in the learning curve on this new one.
So, all is well:) |
Karl
Frozen North |
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2169 Posts |
Posted - 03/02/2006 : 05:14:23 AM
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| Karl, welcome to the "slippery world". As a slide and Bluegrass Dobro player (barely adequate, I need t'ree more weeks), the tendancy of mainland style is to play close to the bridge--more "bark" and precussive sound. More towards the middle is more "nahenahe", plus it's easier to get harmonics (another source of frustration, mo' like t'ree years). I listen to the George Kuo-Barney Isaacs album in the truck just about every day. That's the level to aim for, plus the great tunes. |
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