Richard Burton

[Tony Smart]

Further to Richard Burton's post on Ken's "What's This Forum For", I'm posting here as it's more relevant.

Being a fellow Engineer, I must give him a pat on the back.

I've always had a problem with aligning the 2nd string half stop position and the start of the 9th string drop.
If you increase the spring tension on the 2nd string half stop it makes the 9th lower, which happens just after, a really effective way of moving your steel around the room.

I'd been meaning to sort this out but never got round to it. I finally made a point of having a go and was going to make an adjustable bell crank.
Luckily by accident I happened across one of Richard's posts (it may have been on the Steel Guitar Builder site).
His idea was to use a split on the 9th string to bring it back up to pitch.

Great idea - never crossed my mind and it worked a treat.

Well done Richard and thanks.

[David Hartley]

Hi Tony.

I saw him at a John Davis meeting about 3 or maybe 4 years ago. If I've got it right, he was playing a Marlen. I remember having a quick chat, his little set was great, sound was good, and I remember an oily kind of guitar but remember also that technically, it was really good, perfectly in tune etc etc.. He is into his day work, a bit like me at the moment, and maybe can play more, or input more here in the future. I sure hope so.

See you soon somewhere. Now, get practicing!

whilst we're on the subject of pat's on the back, Richard also helped me sort out a problem with a string lowering then raising again on the same pull. Turned out the spring was too strong and acting as a pivot point for the finger. well done that man.

[Ken Byng]

Richard appears to think outside of the box when it comes to steel guitar mechanics. Thank God for him, Ron Mawn, Ron Bennett, Dave Wheelhouse and Dave Wiggins to name just a few of our better steelie engineers.