Marvel Posted April 8, 2021 Share Posted April 8, 2021 5 hours ago, Howard Emerson said: this Duratex looks like it would cover a host of issues easily! You can get it in different colors or tint it yourself, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Emerson Posted April 12, 2021 Author Share Posted April 12, 2021 On 4/8/2021 at 12:24 PM, Marvel said: You can get it in different colors or tint it yourself, too. Hi Marvel, I noticed the lap steel in your avatar is probably a Gibson, and isn't that the infamous P-13 pickup? Very cool. I've played lap steel and dobro since 1970 or so. Howard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted April 12, 2021 Share Posted April 12, 2021 12 hours ago, Howard Emerson said: Hi Marvel, I noticed the lap steel in your avatar is probably a Gibson, and isn't that the infamous P-13 pickup? Very cool. I've played lap steel and dobro since 1970 or so. Howard It came to me as a Kalamazoo Oriole, painted with a brown wrinkly finish, for which I paid between $50-100. I got it sometime in the late '60s. It was so ugly, I stripped off the paint and underneath was a sunburst finish and Gibson painted on the Gibson style peghead. I realize I killed off any hope of getting money back out of it, but knew I would keep it. There was a huge flaw in the back (bottom), which I assume got them to make it a second and sell as a Kalamazoo. The original also had both the volume and tone controls on the one side, one of which was plugged when they put the controls on each side of the pickup. Never had a case for it, but I keep it in a heavy cardboard box my dad glued up when he gave my daughter a dulcimer (It hangs on the wall along with a Vega mandolin banjo). I had a Dobro, but sold it to buy a baby bed for my daughter, who is now 43. I love it, the pickup sounds great, you just have to be careful and keep a hand on the strings or pickup, or it might buzz. I mostly pretend I can play it, but have played on a couple of albums of friends. I recently found there are lots of lapsteel videos on YT. Always been a fan of David Lindley's lapsteel playing. Probably way too much info... Bruce 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Emerson Posted April 13, 2021 Author Share Posted April 13, 2021 17 hours ago, Marvel said: It came to me as a Kalamazoo Oriole, painted with a brown wrinkly finish, for which I paid between $50-100. I got it sometime in the late '60s. It was so ugly, I stripped off the paint and underneath was a sunburst finish and Gibson painted on the Gibson style peghead. I realize I killed off any hope of getting money back out of it, but knew I would keep it. There was a huge flaw in the back (bottom), which I assume got them to make it a second and sell as a Kalamazoo. The original also had both the volume and tone controls on the one side, one of which was plugged when they put the controls on each side of the pickup. Never had a case for it, but I keep it in a heavy cardboard box my dad glued up when he gave my daughter a dulcimer (It hangs on the wall along with a Vega mandolin banjo). I had a Dobro, but sold it to buy a baby bed for my daughter, who is now 43. I love it, the pickup sounds great, you just have to be careful and keep a hand on the strings or pickup, or it might buzz. I mostly pretend I can play it, but have played on a couple of albums of friends. I recently found there are lots of lapsteel videos on YT. Always been a fan of David Lindley's lapsteel playing. Probably way too much info... Bruce Hi Bruce, Although I don't currently own a lap steel, I've owned a bunch of Gibson EH models and at one point while out on the road I found a Fender Champ set with the lap steel and amp. Glorious Mother Of Toilet Seat in all its splendor! Here's a shot of me playing it in 1976, somewhere, when I was touring with Billy Joel.....and no, I'm not plugged into the Acoustic 360 Bass amp in back of me:-). At this juncture I was playing through a Fender Twin Reverb with JBL's. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Emerson Posted April 13, 2021 Author Share Posted April 13, 2021 More progress: Improved grill attachment & back fitting. Super Magnets instead of Velcro for the grill. Flush finish washers with SS oval head screws makes for a very clean look. Next up is adjustable height legs with pivoting feet and a skirt to cover them..... Howard Emerson 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Emerson Posted April 14, 2021 Author Share Posted April 14, 2021 (edited) Looking like a half a pair of new Heresy, eh? Edited April 14, 2021 by Howard Emerson 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizRotus Posted April 14, 2021 Share Posted April 14, 2021 Extremely nice. Your work is excellent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wetowne Posted April 14, 2021 Share Posted April 14, 2021 Beautiful work. Better than original. I'm curious about the spring clip terminals. What not binding posts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkVirginia Posted April 14, 2021 Share Posted April 14, 2021 Excellent Work - nicely done!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Emerson Posted April 14, 2021 Author Share Posted April 14, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, wetowne said: Beautiful work. Better than original. I'm curious about the spring clip terminals. What not binding posts? Thanks for the kind words! I guess my reason is that I wanted something small, and when I saw these units that only required a round hole to install, I got them. It was simple and inexpensive, and frankly if all the JBL drivers I own have spring clips to hold the wire, then this is good enough for me! Long ago when I worked in a hi-fi store, I quickly grew immune to the nonsense products that people swore up and down would 'improve' the sound, but I'm in no way inferring that about binding posts. I've spent over 40 years touring & recording with major acts, doing studio work, and 5 CD's of my own compositions, etc, and if it sounds good to my ears then that's all that counts. 14 gauge lamp cord is all I need. It ain't sexy, but as long as I can feel the ridges on the 'positive' leg, I'm good:-) The other thing was that in searching older Heresy speakers I saw some really basic speaker connectors, compared to which the ones I got are high-tech. The ones mine came with were thick panel Switchcraft 1/4" jacks for phone plugs, although there were 2 small holes on either side which hints at something different from the factory. I did see some rather large binding post units on some newish Heresy models. Anyway.......thanks again! Howard Edited April 14, 2021 by Howard Emerson 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Emerson Posted April 14, 2021 Author Share Posted April 14, 2021 2 hours ago, MarkVirginia said: Excellent Work - nicely done!! Thank you Mark! HE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Emerson Posted April 14, 2021 Author Share Posted April 14, 2021 8 hours ago, DizRotus said: Extremely nice. Your work is excellent. Thank you, Neil! You have excellent taste:-) Howard 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Emerson Posted April 14, 2021 Author Share Posted April 14, 2021 While I'm at it: A question regarding the Logo badges on the grill cloth: What are they attached with? I'm reasonably sure they're anodized aluminum that was then filled and wiped with black lacquer. The anodizing is funky on mine, and before I go doing something stupid it would be helpful to know what I can possibly do to 'renew' them just a little bit. If not they'll just be a badge of a life lived rough. Thanks! Howard 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted April 14, 2021 Share Posted April 14, 2021 Those turned out excellent! Are you East coast or farther to the west? Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billybob Posted April 14, 2021 Share Posted April 14, 2021 Guess it is possible to make a silk purse from a sow's ear. Very cool... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Emerson Posted April 14, 2021 Author Share Posted April 14, 2021 1 minute ago, Marvel said: Those turned out excellent! Are you East coast or farther to the west? Bruce Hi Bruce, Thank you! I'm in Huntington Station, NY on Long Island. Here's the pair finally side by side, empty, waiting to have all the drivers, crossovers, etc re-installed: 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Emerson Posted April 14, 2021 Author Share Posted April 14, 2021 4 minutes ago, billybob said: Guess it is possible to make a silk purse from a sow's ear. Very cool... Thank you kindly, Billybob! The final product looks good to me, and I'm sure it'll sound really good too! I should have them loaded up and situated in a day or so. Now I have to make a worthy 'hi-fi table' of some sort..........It's always something..... HE 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted April 14, 2021 Share Posted April 14, 2021 Outstanding! So these have a clear coat on them or still to be decided? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Emerson Posted April 14, 2021 Author Share Posted April 14, 2021 2 hours ago, Marvel said: Outstanding! So these have a clear coat on them or still to be decided? Hi Bruce, They're finished with Tru-Oil, a polymerized linseed oil that dries very quickly. I did it with 3 coat, lightly sanding in between coats. It basically looks like the wood is wet, but really doesn't change the color much. Howard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizRotus Posted April 15, 2021 Share Posted April 15, 2021 12 hours ago, Howard Emerson said: What are they attached with? I used Duco Cement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.