Bill laurence original pickups

[Ken Byng]

Thank you Mr Adams - you just ruined my bantering position with McMistress and Greenwood in one fell swoop. You play too well my friend, and yes you really will enjoy Dallas when you get there one day.

[Ivor Greenwood]

Bob...You have just ruined another day for me.....Nobody could complain about the tone of that guitar...And yes when you carry it around it weighs no more than a SD 10....I think there is a great cause for someone to start making Carbon Fibre wheeled cases...That would be a big advantage....Of course probably only rich guys like Ken and Spence could afford them.......Yes you are right about the market.... There's very few buyers around wanting to spend £5000 or more on a steel guitar...........Any one out there wanting to buy or upgrade his guitar, ... should look no farther than a used Carter.....Those are lovely guitars and always way under priced......Well after hearing you on that wonderful Carbon Fibre MSA...I'm going to have to twist a few arms in the USA, ..and maybe find another one.....Mr Clive Sinclair has two of them....Perhaps, he might part with one....Then again...He's another millionaire like old Ken....Chances of getting a sweet deal from him would be ZERO.......Boy did I go from Hero to Zero on that deal...........

Malcolm great job on the picture....Derek looks pleased with that guitar..........I think Mr Adams now needs to re-name this thread, and change it to a different category on the Forum....Few people know it exists in the wanted ADS........In search of the perfect guitar watch this space

[Ken Byng]

You are spot on about the Carter guitar Ivor. I played mine this morning, and it sounded really sweet and was pretty smooth on the mechanical side. My pupil from last night may be in the market for a pedal steel, and I will point him in the direction of the Carter.

Pedal steel cases - now that is a subject. Road cases can weigh a lot when empty, but will offer the maximum protection to the guitar. Lightweight split cases are the way to go for me. I have some for my Sho~Bud and for my Show Pro, and they make transportation a pleasure. If someone can come up with a fibre glass option with good padding, then I reckon that would be a great upgrade. Wheels should be mandatory on all cases. Fred Justice makes good cases, but they are not the lightest ones around. Red Dirt - great cases but as heavy as hell. Fibre glass cases could come in all colours, so I would like a nice sunburst one for my next pedal steel.

[Malcolm]

I like my Scott Dixon, good quality light case, a touch pricy, but worth it.

[Ken Byng]

I forgot Johnny Dixon's cases. Very well put together. But......I reckon that fibre glass cases could be produced at very competitive prices.

[David Patterson]

Gentlemen, and any ladies who may be lurking ---I hope we all agree that this has turned into a great thread, where opinions/banter has been exchanged in a light hearted good natured way-------my only regret is that I have been unable to persuade Ivor to take Frances away on a nice cruise-------ah well I look forward to seeing "The Greenwood" emerging in the springtime------D

[Ivor Greenwood]

Mr David....You can't be serious...How the heck could I survive on a sardine tin for even a week...Not me I'm afraid...I will be in my workshop, even on Christmas day....I thought you would have been at the last club meeting....Good turn out and everybody except one guy had a good time...Hot food available and lots of music....Johnston was there with his very nice new Show Pro...However...I have to say he took a comment I made , completely the wrong way.....After listening to some of his playing...Me and a couple of others ,...though his tone was not coming across as well as he sounded on his SHO_BUD.... I made that comment to him , during the break....Sadly he took it badly and thought I was referring to his new guitar....Such was his disappointment he eventually packed up and went home after the break.....I know he is fussy on how he sounds and I think had he been able to hear a recording of his tone , he might have understood what I was getting at....There was nothing wrong with the sound of the guitar,.. if the tone pleased him , that's all that matters.... It just needed the amplifier set differently to have him sounding like what we have been used to , at previous meetings ....I suggested to him that he might try,.. Ted's settings,, on the same amplifier, to see if that would bring out a different sound ...Looks like,... it was the wrong thing to say.........I know he will eventually discover that the settings on his Peavey 112 amplifier, ... he used with the vintage Bill Lawrence 705 pickup , on his SHO BUD, only need to be changed a little to match the BL 710 that is now fitted to his new Show Pro......That was what I was trying to help him with......Anyway I now owe him a big apology and from now on , I will just have to keep my opinions to myself.....I doubt very much if you could find anybody in that club,... including me...That would not like to own a new Show Pro....We can well do without loosing good players like him.........So....Big bad Ivor is now going to be an absentee from the front row in the steel club from now on....Sitting in the back row of the movies...David you better bring the POP Corn

[Ivor Greenwood]

Hey Tone Merchants....Take a listen to Zane King on " Youtube "........Keep Me in your will........Blackjack Custom....
The top deck on the guitar is an all aluminium plate, the full length of the neck...... set down into the wood body.....Similar idea to my thoughts on joining up the end plates with perhaps three aluminium channels....Set down into the wood underneath the guitar....Listen to the twang on the bottom end...Real Bell tone

Zane King has a tuning on his guitar, ..that's quite different to standard E9....Check it out also on " Youtube "

[Ken Byng]

Well Ivor - that's Johnson and Jeff Surratt that you have offended on the Show Pro front.

There is an art in knowing when to wind the neck in with opinions sometimes, and it is is easy to offend people when suggestions can come across as criticism. Luckily I know your well meaning suggestions and comments, so I would never take them personally. There has been the odd British player who has upset fellow UK players and some from the US with his perceived rudeness. I am told to cut him some slack as he has deficiencies in his personality.

We are all different, and there is an art in knowing when not to go too far in making comments in banter. Malcolm and I are friends, and friends can do a bit of mickey taking and everything without offending each other.

Ivor - you know how you like to hear a steel guitar sound, but I think your opinions would carry a little more weight if you actually play the instrument. I want to help you in this area.

The Show Pro, along with many other pedal steel has a great basic tone. However, the permutations of amp settings can make the final tonal qualities almost limitless. There is no definitive tone. We all hear things differently and all have our own personal preferences. My taste is for s reduced mid range, beefy bottom end and just a bit of bell-like top end. Others might prefer more mid range and less bottom end. Tone is very subjective and no one is right. The difference in J D Maness's tone and that of Mike Johnston is huge, yet both sound great. So too is the difference between Buck Reid's tone and that of the late and great Reece Anderson. No right or wrong, just personal preference.

[Ivor Greenwood]

Hell Ken...You know...I completely agree with you...I'm defiantly not much of an artist....There is no doubt...in to-days world , even the most trivial comment can be taken the wrong way.....And there is no denying the fact , that If I could play one of those guitars ...Then maybe I would get taking more seriously.......I would never try to offend anyone on purpose, and certainly not someone , who shows up at the local steel club , to entertain me ...... My problem is I tell it like it is. .... Perhaps with musicians, your always going to be treading a very thin line, by doing that .........Johnston's tone was different that evening, ... than what I am used hearing from him on his Sho=Bud...Nothing wrong with it...Just different..........I simply passed that comment to him, and unfortunately he thought I didn't like his new Guitar.......That's all I said ...Maybe from now on I will just keep my opinions to myself.........At least down at the local steel club...........Ken you know I would not offend Mr Surratt..........I even invited him and his wife and Ray and his wife to come and stay at my house for a holiday

For the next steel club meeting...I'm going to get Ted.......To start the evening off, by playing ..." Storms never last "

Ok...To-day ,.......I got my new " G Major 2 " From Mr Dunn....Very well packed and all tuned up with several of Marks, Pre Sets....I can't wait for Ted to come and play it......I'm afraid to try it, ...In case the Postman calls and tells me,..... it just needs a few tweaks,..... to make it sound sweeter.....
At that point..." Storms never last " might not even console ME... .We will just have to wait and find out......