Post by honeyboy on Dec 5, 2009 16:01:00 GMT
I had (foolishly) decided to build myself a replica slide stratocaster guitar, in the style of the one Ry Cooder has used as his main recording guitar for the last 30 odd years. I asked Michael for some info about his 'king-caster' in this thread here.
Link To Thread About Michael's 'King-Caster'
When looking for a circa 1948 Oahu lap slide pickup, to complement my Teisco Gold Foil pickups, I came across some information about wiring pickups, and how tricky this is.
The Oahu is actually two single coil 3 string pickups, each out of phase with the other. This does not affect the sound of the pickup when used on its own, but it does cause potential phase problems when combined with another pickup in a switching circuit.
As I searched for example circuits I found out about a guy called Dave Hill, a guitarist from Dallas, Texas who built the original 'Coodercaster' (firstly one for himself, then somehow spotted playing it in a club by Ry Cooder who then asked him to mod his own 'lepoardskin' bitsa strat). He had elegantly solved the 'phase' problem of connecting the pickups together in a switching circuit with a neat bit of 'custom' electronics.
I discovered that he had worked as the guitar tech for Soundgarden and then Pearl Jam in Seattle during the mid 80's onward, and that he had built a total of 26 'Coodercasters' during this phase of his life.
Two are owned by Ry Cooder, one was kept by Dave Hill, and the others are currently of unknown provenance.
They were all built of various 'bitsa' components, (Ry supplied his own 'bits'). The design changed over the series, with the latter ones having a slightly modified tone and volume circuit, and a different mounting for the Oahu pickup (which was separated from the baseplate). This made it faster and easier to set the guitar up. They all had the sprung 'tremelo bridge' and a Squier C shaped 'fat neck' from the short run 1985 japanese series Squier Strats. I'm told that guitars featuring these big rosewood necks were so unpopular at the time (and sold so slowly) that they were withdrawn after a year.
As I searched for an Oahu pickup, I came across one already fitted to a 'Coodercaster' guitar for sale in Seattle. After seeing some pictures, and looking at the wiring, it became clear to me that this was indeed one of the 26 'Coodercasters' built by Dave Hill.
Conclusively, it had his writing on the underside of the pickup. Looking at the construction, it was dated to approximately 1989 (the Soundgarden rather than Pearl Jam era, but it has the later updated switching circuit).
'Honeyboy' Coodercaster
So I bought it. And It didn't disappoint. ;D
It was a quick and easy way of getting a 1948 Oahu lap steel pick up, with all the other bits I wanted too.
I then became keen to find out more about Dave Hill. I discovered that he had been a reclusive artist for the latter part of his life, moving back to the Dallas area and painting under the name of 'John Miller'.
From his old website 'As a "Visual Artist," John Miller's work is considered Abstract Contemporary.
John is widely recognized throughout Texas and Washington State, his work can be found in many galleries, businesses, and private collections.
From the rigid education growing up in Houston, to the influences of Kandinsky, Mirot, Picasso, Twombly, Basquiat, and Kline, John Miller forms his own playful shapes and chaotic images into a form that is both elegant and pleasing to the eye'.
Unfortunately, Dave Hill died from liver cancer in January 2009.
His 'John Miller Gallery' website seems also to have disappeared since his death, (although I was able to access it through the 'wayback machine' at archive.org, many of the gallery images have not been preserved).
I discovered some recordings of him playing his own 'Coodercaster', none of which have been released commercially. Apparently he was obsessed with the sound of early 'Frankie Miller' (as am I)!!!
Click For Dave Hill Playing His Coodercaster
I also found another Dave Hill 'Coodercaster' (looks like an early one, with the old switching circuit) sold in Tokyo a few years ago
Link To Another Coodercaster
I must admit, I was surprised to uncover this story, since the accepted wisdom is rather different, and Dave Hill certainly hasn't been given much credit for what he did.
Link To Thread About Michael's 'King-Caster'
When looking for a circa 1948 Oahu lap slide pickup, to complement my Teisco Gold Foil pickups, I came across some information about wiring pickups, and how tricky this is.
The Oahu is actually two single coil 3 string pickups, each out of phase with the other. This does not affect the sound of the pickup when used on its own, but it does cause potential phase problems when combined with another pickup in a switching circuit.
As I searched for example circuits I found out about a guy called Dave Hill, a guitarist from Dallas, Texas who built the original 'Coodercaster' (firstly one for himself, then somehow spotted playing it in a club by Ry Cooder who then asked him to mod his own 'lepoardskin' bitsa strat). He had elegantly solved the 'phase' problem of connecting the pickups together in a switching circuit with a neat bit of 'custom' electronics.
I discovered that he had worked as the guitar tech for Soundgarden and then Pearl Jam in Seattle during the mid 80's onward, and that he had built a total of 26 'Coodercasters' during this phase of his life.
Two are owned by Ry Cooder, one was kept by Dave Hill, and the others are currently of unknown provenance.
They were all built of various 'bitsa' components, (Ry supplied his own 'bits'). The design changed over the series, with the latter ones having a slightly modified tone and volume circuit, and a different mounting for the Oahu pickup (which was separated from the baseplate). This made it faster and easier to set the guitar up. They all had the sprung 'tremelo bridge' and a Squier C shaped 'fat neck' from the short run 1985 japanese series Squier Strats. I'm told that guitars featuring these big rosewood necks were so unpopular at the time (and sold so slowly) that they were withdrawn after a year.
As I searched for an Oahu pickup, I came across one already fitted to a 'Coodercaster' guitar for sale in Seattle. After seeing some pictures, and looking at the wiring, it became clear to me that this was indeed one of the 26 'Coodercasters' built by Dave Hill.
Conclusively, it had his writing on the underside of the pickup. Looking at the construction, it was dated to approximately 1989 (the Soundgarden rather than Pearl Jam era, but it has the later updated switching circuit).
'Honeyboy' Coodercaster
So I bought it. And It didn't disappoint. ;D
It was a quick and easy way of getting a 1948 Oahu lap steel pick up, with all the other bits I wanted too.
I then became keen to find out more about Dave Hill. I discovered that he had been a reclusive artist for the latter part of his life, moving back to the Dallas area and painting under the name of 'John Miller'.
From his old website 'As a "Visual Artist," John Miller's work is considered Abstract Contemporary.
John is widely recognized throughout Texas and Washington State, his work can be found in many galleries, businesses, and private collections.
From the rigid education growing up in Houston, to the influences of Kandinsky, Mirot, Picasso, Twombly, Basquiat, and Kline, John Miller forms his own playful shapes and chaotic images into a form that is both elegant and pleasing to the eye'.
Unfortunately, Dave Hill died from liver cancer in January 2009.
His 'John Miller Gallery' website seems also to have disappeared since his death, (although I was able to access it through the 'wayback machine' at archive.org, many of the gallery images have not been preserved).
I discovered some recordings of him playing his own 'Coodercaster', none of which have been released commercially. Apparently he was obsessed with the sound of early 'Frankie Miller' (as am I)!!!
Click For Dave Hill Playing His Coodercaster
I also found another Dave Hill 'Coodercaster' (looks like an early one, with the old switching circuit) sold in Tokyo a few years ago
Link To Another Coodercaster
I must admit, I was surprised to uncover this story, since the accepted wisdom is rather different, and Dave Hill certainly hasn't been given much credit for what he did.
