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Post by robn on Jan 5, 2007 21:13:54 GMT
Thanks for the tip Michael, The guitar came with the offset saddle. I have no idea why it wasn't built with the soundwell in the right place It can't be that difficult to measure correctly? The Quarterman seems to be holding up OK - it's had 18 months of abuse and survived numerous hammerings in open A and E (although I've driffted back to prefering open G and D) - but on your advice I don't think I'll risk a National cone - In reality the guitar is not worth the expense or hassle. There is just not enough room in the soundwell or coverplate hole to adjust a properly centred saddle without major surgery. Still it is a good excuse to save up for a better guitar ;D. (I must remember to buy another lotto ticket tomorrow ) I have to remind myself that this guitar is good enough for me to learn both about playing slide, set-up and resonators in general. The sound is pretty reasonable (particularly now I've changed the bridge) - and it does spend a lot of time on the seafront, in pubs and on campsites - so I'm not expecting our relationship to be a very long one! At least I'm starting to understand what to look for when buying my next guitar! Robn
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Post by Michael Messer on Jan 6, 2007 0:40:50 GMT
Robn, If the Quaterman cone is working well, just leave it where it is. I agree that as a guitar to learn on and to take to the seafront, it will serve you well. I am surprized they manufacture these guitars with offset bridges, or am I just an old timer.
Shine On, Michael
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Post by LouisianaGrey on Jan 6, 2007 11:55:19 GMT
I think part of the problem is that they are a bit schizophrenic about the scale length. As far as I know the Koreans were the first to make National copies. My theory is that the Koreans copied a National body (i.e. 25" scale) but used the fingerboards they were already making for their Les Paul copies (i.e. 630mm, around 24.75") . Every Korean guitar I've ever looked inside has an offset bridge. Although the Chinese use a 25" scale for their copies they seem to have sourced the biscuit bridges from the same place as the Koreans, at least in the early days although I've seen some different ones from time to time. In any case it's certainly true that for many of their dobros they seem to have copied the Koreans rather than going back to the originals so I wouldn't be surprised if they did the same with metal bodied instruments.
The offset bridge obviously isn't ideal but I have done a few National cone upgrades using the original biscuits a few years ago now, and the cones seem to be holding up OK. Based on this, I don't think a small offset of the bridge slot is great enough to cause problems - if you think about it, on any guitar with a tailpiece the string pressure is actually directed roughly towards the middle of the break angle of the strings over the bridge rather than going vertically downwards. Cones are susceptible to dings and sudden shocks but they're pretty tough if the pressure is from the top. I don't know whether it's still there but National used to have a photo on their site of a man standing on a cone.
Incidentally, I've found that the carbon fibre bridges, which are in the middle of the biscuits, are usually thick enough to be able to get the intonation right even if the bridge I've taken off was offset.
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Post by robn on Jan 6, 2007 18:05:05 GMT
Thanks Pete, My wood bodied Resound Blues guitar is Korean and having just measured it the scale doesn't add up - hence the offset saddle. Also it seems to be like most wood bodied Far East resos in that it doesn't have a neck stick or props and the ply is probably a little thin - hence the overtones that I've been trying to kill. But the tone is usable and it plays OK - I may try a National cone at some point. Are there any manufacuters building budget wood bodied resos to a better spec - or is a bespoke luther or NRP the only option? I noticed that Vleb's wood bodied Triolian that he built from a Stewmac kit seemed to have thick ply, a neck stick and props (although the stick was not a one piece continuation of the neck). Is the kit a fair reflection of the original National building technique? vlebonator.free.fr/Resokit/IndexE.htmMichael - If expecting things like scale length to be right makes you an old timer - then so am I Robn
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Post by Michael Messer on Jan 6, 2007 19:45:04 GMT
Hi Robn,
Without the proper internal parts...neck stick & pit props...you have probably optimized your guitar's potential. There are other brands of budget-priced wood-bodied National type guitars, but which are the best is a question I am not able to answer. I would contact Ron at the London Reso' Centre and ask his opinion. He sees so many in all price ranges, much more than I do. There are so many being produced now that it is almost impossible to keep up with it.
I think the Stumac kit is excellent. I have never seen a finished one in the flesh, but from what I have seen on the Internet, it looks very good. If i had the woodworking skills and the tools, I would have a go. Unfortunely that is not one of my talents and a Triolian made by me would not be pleasant sight! The scale length would be the least of my problems :-)
Shine On, Michael
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Post by robn on Jan 6, 2007 22:34:11 GMT
Thanks for the advice Michael, I like the concept of the Stewmac kit but know that I would be challenged by the reality. I think I could find it to be a long and expensive project as there are so many tools I would need that I don't have (not to mention the requirement for a healthy dose of patience ) I'm off for a week's skiing early tomorrow morning - my trusty little travel guitar is going too (the one in my avatar). Mind you, I'd love to replace it with one of Pete Woodman's travel resophonics. I'm thinking about going to Nepal in a few months - I wonder if there is an altitude record for playing slide guitar ;D Perhaps "Sitting on top of the World" would be a good tune to get wired for the occasion (ouch!) Robn
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Post by robn on Jan 13, 2007 22:02:04 GMT
Just back from skiing - legs are still aching from 4 days of Telemarking ;D I've managed to record my Resound Blues with it's new maple bridge this evening. It is a direct recording into my laptop using an SM57 (not eq'd and no effects/sound enhancement). I've uploaded the recording to MySpace at www.myspace.com/robnblues if anyone is interested. It is the track marked Resound Blues Demo - excuse the playing as I've only taken the first few steps of a long journey I haven't got a pre bridge change recording for an a/b (coz i've only recently learned how to do all this IT stuff ); all I can say is the bass is deeper and more punchy and the treble is sweeter than with the original ebony capped bridge. Robn PS. Telemark skiing has a phrase "Free the heel and free the spirit". Perhaps slide playing should have something similar like " Freedom from the fretboard frees the soul"
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Post by Michael Messer on Jan 18, 2007 19:18:54 GMT
Hi robn,
The Resound blues demo sounds great. You are doing really well. Your lap-steel track is also sounding good. Cool!
Shine On, Michael
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Post by robn on Jan 18, 2007 23:04:56 GMT
Thanks Michael
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