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Author Topic:   Here is the "SS HAWAIIAN" as promised
Ricky Davis
Moderator

From: Austin, Texas

posted 30 May 2000 06:04 PM     profile   send email     edit
Well here are some pics of my new toy. My partner Archie Cox and I designed this steel after the Fender Deluxe-8; but this one is 10-string and several other differences. David Parker machined all the metal out of Pure Brass and bridge and nut out of Stainless Steel, on his CNC milling machine. Jason Lollar made the two pick-ups with blend control and wound them perfectly for a awsome sound and responce. The fret board is stainless steel and silkscreened background and colored palm trees for fret markings. This wood is Australian Silky Oak(the wood that almost killed me ; and three leg inserts and telescopic legs stands this baby up.
I hope ya'll enjoy the pics and it was a very long process and very very expensive to build this Hawaiian Steel.
Ricky




Thanks to Jon Light and b0b Lee for helping me post these pics; your entrance at our show in NYC is on me pal.

[This message was edited by Ricky Davis on 03 June 2000 at 12:42 PM.]

Brad Bechtel
Moderator

From: San Francisco, CA

posted 30 May 2000 06:07 PM     profile   send email     edit

Beautiful!


Congratulations! You must be very proud.

------------------
Brad's Page of Steel:
www.well.com/~wellvis/steel.html
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

John Hanusch
Member

From: Tucson, AZ

posted 30 May 2000 07:10 PM     profile   send email     edit
Hey, Ricky, Congrats to you & the gang for sure. That guitar is stunningly awesome. A masterpiece of art. That wood is georgeous (tell us a lttle more about it, if you get a chance).
Mike Black
Member

From: New Mexico, USA

posted 31 May 2000 12:06 AM     profile   send email     edit
Ricky, Totally Cool guitar Man!
The wood is beautiful! Looks like a killer piece of maple. (I know it's not)
I like how you moved the blend pot. I always thought it should be moved from the back of the bridge. But then I would move the other pots back an inch or so too.
I know what goes into building this kind of thing. And it sure ain't easy!
Aloha Oye
Oh yeah, Did you have to sell your moustache to finance the thing!

[This message was edited by Mike Black on 31 May 2000 at 12:08 AM.]

Bob Stone
Member

From: Gainesville, FL, USA

posted 31 May 2000 05:11 AM     profile   send email     edit
Wow!! Congratulations to you and everyone who helped bring this beautiful guitar to fruition. Hope to see/hear it some day.
Enjoy!
Dana Duplan
Member

From: Ramona, CA

posted 31 May 2000 07:08 AM     profile   send email     edit
Great job Ricky. It's nice to see a guitar built with the very finest materials and with the utmost care. I can hear it now....
DD
Gerald Ross
Member

From: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

posted 31 May 2000 07:22 AM     profile   send email     edit
Ricky,

Time to go into business. I'm sure you would have no trouble selling these instruments.

Bill Leff
Member

From: Santa Cruz, CA, USA

posted 31 May 2000 07:58 AM     profile   send email     edit
Congratulations Ricky. That is one gorgeous guitar. I dig the gold hardware, it's not something you see every day on a steel.

-Bill

PS Please repost your tuning for this beauty.

Andy Greatrix
Member

From: Edmonton Alberta

posted 31 May 2000 09:51 AM     profile   send email     edit
What tuning are you going to use on this beautiful steel?
All the best,-Andy
Bob Kagy
Member

From: Lafayette, CO USA

posted 31 May 2000 11:02 AM     profile   send email     edit
Man that is beautiful! The photos are excellent. Many thanks for posting them Ricky, Jon.

So here we go with another severe case of guitar envy

Joe E
Member

From: Plainfield,IL

posted 31 May 2000 12:47 PM     profile   send email     edit
Nice job Ricky, Bet it sounds great through the old Fenders!

Tell us more about the wood. I would have guessed maple from the pic's.

Any future thoughts on availability of the SS Hawian?

Joe

Mike D
Member

From: Phx, Az

posted 31 May 2000 01:43 PM     profile   send email     edit
Woouuwee! man that's purty. Do ya ever find yourself just staring at it instead of playing it?

Was the engraving done on the CNC too?
Ricky Davis
Moderator

From: Austin, Texas

posted 31 May 2000 02:14 PM     profile   send email     edit
I'm using this particular tuning for my new 10-strings SS HAWAIIAN steel guitar. I keep the same string guages and retune between the two different tunings as the gig style requires. This steel is a perfect 24" scale and any other scale length would be subject to a guage or two up or down per tone.
For the 10-string:

C6th D6/9 Guage
1) G down 1/2> F# .012p
2) E down whole> D .014p
3) C down 1/2> B .017p
4) A stay same> A .020p
5) G down 1/2> F# .026w
6) E stay same E .030w
7) C up whole> D .036w
8) Bb up whole> C .038w
9) A stay same> A .042w
10 F up 1/2> F# .054w

As you can see the C6th tuning has the best of both worlds with the flat7th and sixth tone near the bottom. The D tuning has the 6th tone and 9th tone and flat7th tone in the tuning with the low 3rd and 5th tone at very bottom which is waaaaay cool.
I have experimented with different guages to fight between moving a tone up or down and what it does in it's playability; but I had no problem on this scale length with the guages above and it's my preference of feel anyways. One can use a gauge or two heavier on most of the strings but I wouldn't suggest any lighter.

Wow thanks guys, those compliments mean alot to Me and Archie Cox and David Parker.
Yes the engraving was done on the CNC machine. David Parker is a genious programmer and machinist and he can do it all.
We are working on a production of them and will be announced on the new website; "Mighty Fine Music".com; soon to come. There will be an explaination of all process and possibilities for a custom built SS HAWAIIAN for those who are wanting one.
My guitar is made out of Australian Silky Oak, that I got when I was down under last. It is very hard to come by. The beauty of this steel is the consumer can find or pick out what ever wood they want it made out of and cut it to size and send it to me and we go from there.
There is more info on this steel over on Bar Chatter where I also posted the pics(trying to convert some pedal players to our side )
Ya'll are too kind and I am flattered.
Ricky

------------------
Ricky Davis
http://hometown.aol.com/sshawaiian/RickyHomepage.html
http://users.interlinks.net/rebel/steel/steel.html
sshawaiian@aol.com

Mike Tatro
Member

From: Irvine, CA 92614

posted 31 May 2000 03:13 PM     profile   send email     edit
Awesome.

Hey, anyone seen John Tipka recently? I thought he'd be all over this. 'Hope all is well with you and yours JT.

Cliff Swanson
Member

From: Raleigh, NC

posted 31 May 2000 07:37 PM     profile   send email     edit
Beauty Ricky! Way to go man.

cat

Will Houston
Member

From: Chandler, Az

posted 01 June 2000 02:09 PM     profile   send email     edit
looks like your showing off a big lunker you just caught. man what a beauty, i'd love to hear that thang. nice goin. will
Rich Young
Member

From: Austin, TX, USA

posted 01 June 2000 09:47 PM     profile   send email     edit
Glad to see ya got it finished. Can't wait to hear you playing it! Looks great and I can see where the extra low strings would come in handy on chords.
See ya soon.
Mark Davis
Member

From: Bakersfield, Ca

posted 02 June 2000 11:10 PM     profile   send email     edit
WOW Ricky my bro you outdid yourself on this one!!!!!

Excellent!!!

Where did you get those custom tuners made?? Way cool!!

Wanna trade for my 39 Ric Silver Hawaiian? LOL

Ricky Davis
Moderator

From: Austin, Texas

posted 03 June 2000 12:52 AM     profile   send email     edit
Hey Brother Davis; thanks my friend that means alot coming from you. Those tuners are Kluson; just like the ones Fenders put in and I got them from "All Parts".Gold plated.
Hey folks; sorry if your not getting those pictures up there; were working on it.
Ricky
Ricky Davis
Moderator

From: Austin, Texas

posted 03 June 2000 12:44 PM     profile   send email     edit
Ok got'em back up for a little while longer for all to enjoy. Soon to come is a website and more explaination of this steel.
Ricky

------------------
Ricky Davis
http://hometown.aol.com/sshawaiian/RickyHomepage.html
http://users.interlinks.net/rebel/steel/steel.html
sshawaiian@aol.com

John Borchard
Member

From: Athens, OH 45701

posted 07 June 2000 02:23 PM     profile   send email     edit
Ricky, HOLY-MOLY! What a drool-fest! That is one fabulous looking instrument! I'll never look at my Deluxe the same way again.

John Borchard

Ricky Davis
Moderator

From: Austin, Texas

posted 08 June 2000 03:30 AM     profile   send email     edit
Hey John thanks pal. I know what ya mean. I probably have the best sounding a playing Deluxe-8 there is; and I have'nt even took it back out of the case since I got this SS HAWAIIAN steel guitar ready. I'm loving it more and more everyday and I hate looking around my room and seeing my Triple in the case and my Deluxe in the case; but I'm on a roll with this and can't imagine playing a gig without my new steel yet.
Have fun.
Ricky

------------------
Ricky Davis
http://hometown.aol.com/sshawaiian/RickyHomepage.html
http://users.interlinks.net/rebel/steel/steel.html
sshawaiian@aol.com

David Biagini
Member

From: San Jose, CA, USA

posted 12 June 2000 10:59 PM     profile   send email     edit
Hey Ricky, does the SS Hawaiian have legs or is it truly a lap steel? Awesome piece of work!
Ricky Davis
Moderator

From: Austin, Texas

posted 12 June 2000 11:16 PM     profile   send email     edit
Hey David it does have three legs that screw into the inserts that are inset underneath; just like the Fender Deluxe.
Thanks for the nice words pal.
Ricky

------------------
Ricky Davis
http://hometown.aol.com/sshawaiian/RickyHomepage.html
http://users.interlinks.net/rebel/steel/steel.html
sshawaiian@aol.com

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