Corian Steel Guitar - It's finally here!

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Author	Topic: Corian Steel Guitar - It's finally here!
Gerald Ross Member From: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA	posted 18 July 2005 05:11 PM profile send email edit Well it's been 3 years since I planted the idea of an all Corian steel guitar in Bill Creller's head. Bill presented me with the guitar this past weekend at the Winchester Aloha International convention. It's awesome! It looks like a cross between a frypan and a Bakelite. It has a wide range of tones, going from very deep bass to glass breaking treble. It has a Rick Aiello magnet and a Jason Lollar bobbin, a combination tone/volume control, seven strings, an Alva West fretboard and a custom fit Bill Creller "Pila" brand authentic cloth tweed (not vinyl) hardshell case. It plays very easily and the bar glides effortlessly on the even plane of strings. Now I have to figure out what to do with that 7th string Three years ago a forum discussion on the Corian issue had a lot of people scratching their heads on whether or not it would work. It works. Corian the new Bakelite? - 2002 Bill Creller, talented guy, huh? I'll bring it to HSGA Joliet. p.s. Bill usually works much much faster than three years. This was not a high priority project and I didn't lean on him to get it done. It was on the back burner for a long time. He also had to figure out just how to do this thing. ------------------ Gerald Ross 'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar' CEO, CIO, CFO - UkeTone Records Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website Board of Directors Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association [This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 18 July 2005 at 08:27 PM.]
Gerald Ross Member From: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA	posted 18 July 2005 05:13 PM profile send email edit More pix ------------------ Gerald Ross 'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar' CEO, CIO, CFO - UkeTone Records Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website Board of Directors Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association
Mark Eaton Member From: Windsor, Sonoma County, CA	posted 18 July 2005 05:31 PM profile send email edit Gerald, that is a seriously cool guitar! I wasn't around 3 years ago-I wonder what the argument was against Corian? It has a lot of mass to it-I would guess right off that it would work fine. Not Hawaiian-and played on a Beard resonator guitar-Resophonic Rodeo by Gary Morse. A little spiel about why he had Paul build him a 7 string. Kind of interesting if by chance you haven't been to Gary's website. http://resophonicrecords.com/aboutcd.html ------------------ Mark
Steve Pierce Member From: San Rafael, California, USA	posted 18 July 2005 05:48 PM profile send email edit Looks very cool Gerald! I'm assuming you're familiar with the sound of this pick-up. So, what does the Corian do to the tone? How much of that tone is the pick-up and how much is the Corian? By the way, it's really cool to see all these unique custom instruments being built by forumites! Along with the stuff Rick has posted and some of the others we see from time to time, it's fun to see! ------------------ Steve Pierce
Mike Neer Member From: NJ	posted 18 July 2005 06:43 PM profile send email edit Very Boffo! Great work, Bill, with props to Rick, Jason and Elva as well. Mazel tov.
Rick Aiello Member From: Berryville, VA USA	posted 18 July 2005 06:54 PM profile send email edit ------------------ Aiello's House of Gauss My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield
George Manno Member From: chicago	posted 18 July 2005 06:58 PM profile send email edit WHOA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I want one. George
Russ Young Member From: Seattle, Washington, USA	posted 18 July 2005 07:06 PM profile send email edit Wow -- better living through science! How soon can we begin arguing about which color sounds best?
Gerald Ross Member From: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA	posted 18 July 2005 07:45 PM profile send email edit Bill, I know you are reading this thread. Why don't you chime in? ------------------ Gerald Ross 'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar' CEO, CIO, CFO - UkeTone Records Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website Board of Directors Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association
Bill Creller Member From: Saginaw, Michigan, USA	posted 18 July 2005 08:33 PM profile send email edit WELL........ there are no plans at present to make any more. The stuff is hard to get glue to stick to it. Corian is expensive also, so if you screw it up you pay. There may be some better ways to build one. I made router fixtures for each piece, and one for the final finish shape after the whole mess was glued together. Rick Aiello sent me a pair of his magnets a while back, so I used them. I hadn't made any magnets for about two years and didn't have any in stock. The sound of the thing was a surprise to me,I guess I was expecting a thud instead of a twang. I played it on stage at the convention on Thursday, and someone told me he thought I was playing a frypan.???? It sounded so good that I was hoping Gerald wouldn't take it!! I really enjoyed playing it. It's a 22 1/2 inch scale, and now I wonder how a long scale would sound.
Scott Houston Member From: Oakland, CA	posted 18 July 2005 09:55 PM profile send email edit I wouldn't have believed Corian would sound very good, glad to be proved wrong (sure would be nice to hear a sample, too). No matter how it sounds, that's a 100% gorgeous guitar, Bill. Wow. Sorry to hear there aren't more on the way!
Don Kona Woods Member From: Vancouver, Washington, USA	posted 19 July 2005 12:15 AM profile send email edit Bill, you have managed another master piece. Gerald, you lucky @$%^**( Now when do we hear this work of art on the Forum. Aloha, Don
Rick Aiello Member From: Berryville, VA USA	posted 19 July 2005 05:02 AM profile send email edit quote: Rick Aiello sent me a pair of his magnets a while back, so I used them. Those were the third pair of H-Shoes I ever made. They are very strong ones ... I'm honored that they were used in such a fine creation ... ------------------ Aiello's House of Gauss My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield
Mike D Member From: Phx, Az	posted 19 July 2005 08:05 AM profile send email edit That's just the coolest thing, beautiful! Love the dual-concentric pot idea, there's little enough room on a Frypan as it is. ------------------ Half-assed bottleneck and lap slide player. Full-assed Builder of resonator instruments.
Gerald Ross Member From: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA	posted 19 July 2005 08:15 AM profile send email edit The Dual Concentric pots are available through Stew-Mac. The pot is wired with volume on top (tiny knob), tone on bottom (big knob). This is to facilitate a boo-wah or a violin tone (which I can't do). http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics,_pickups/Potentiometers_and_push -pull_pots/5/Control_Pots.html ------------------ Gerald Ross 'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar' CEO, CIO, CFO - UkeTone Records Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website Board of Directors Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association [This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 19 July 2005 at 08:17 AM.]
HowardR Member From: N.Y.C.,N.Y.	posted 19 July 2005 08:46 AM profile send email edit Nice piece of contempory coffee table/steel guitar, although I would prefer a 3/4" bullnose edge as it's better for counter point Seriously, a real nice collaboration, idea, and a fabulous end result. I can't wait to hear it and possibly try it in Oct.
Michael Aspinwall Member From: Arizona, USA	posted 19 July 2005 09:26 AM profile send email edit Great axe!! Question: Where did you get the thumbnuts? I need some...........
Bill Creller Member From: Saginaw, Michigan, USA	posted 19 July 2005 09:59 AM profile send email edit The thumb nuts are available from McMaster-Carr in Chicago. They have hardware like you wouldn't believe, like items I haven't seen since the 40s. You can order on line, but they are hard to get a catalog from, it's about 3 inches thick.
seldomfed Member From: Colorado	posted 19 July 2005 11:10 AM profile edit Bill, you are awsome dude ! Looks beautiful. I'd love to hear it live sometime. Gerald, ? Joliet ? Chris ------------------ Chris Kennison Colorado
Chuck Fisher Member From: Santa Cruz, California, USA	posted 19 July 2005 05:42 PM profile send email edit Very clean job, Bill! I like things that are understated, its cool, nothing unnecessary. Does it weigh a ton? Regards, CF
Michael Aspinwall Member From: Arizona, USA	posted 19 July 2005 06:13 PM profile send email edit Bill--Thanks for the tip on McMaster-Carr. You're right, they've got a ton of stuff & great prices on the thumb nuts!
Bill Creller Member From: Saginaw, Michigan, USA	posted 19 July 2005 06:40 PM profile send email edit Chuck; I would say, without weighing it, that it's lighter than a bakelite. We should ask Gerald to put it on his bathroom scales, just for curiosity.
Bill Creller Member From: Saginaw, Michigan, USA	posted 19 July 2005 06:46 PM profile send email edit Chris, we will be in Joliet, so maybe Gerald will let you try it out. Sounds like a good place for me to play it on stage again!
Gerald Ross Member From: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA	posted 19 July 2005 06:49 PM profile send email edit My bathroom scale only is accurate to 1/2 pound increments. The Corian guitar weighed in at 8 lbs. My 1936 Rick Bakelite B6 came in at 9 lbs. Well the Rick does have heavier gauged strings on it. Joliet is going to be pretty exciting with the Corian, the new Aiello Dustpan and Dick McIntire's original long neck frypan all in one room! ------------------ Gerald Ross 'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar' CEO, CIO, CFO - UkeTone Records Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website Board of Directors Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association [This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 19 July 2005 at 06:52 PM.]
Wayne Cox Member From: Chatham, Louisiana, USA	posted 19 July 2005 07:54 PM profile send email edit What is the string spacing on the Corian? By the way, it is a beauty! ~~W.C.~~
Derrick Mau Member From: Honolulu, Hawaii, USA	posted 20 July 2005 03:40 AM profile send email edit Hi Bud, Awesome work!! You out did yourself this time. Simply beautiful. All you need now is the logo at the top with your name on it. Hey, that tweed case looks familiar?
Bill Creller Member From: Saginaw, Michigan, USA	posted 20 July 2005 02:11 PM profile send email edit Hi Wayne The string spacing is 3/8 at the bridge. The spacing is the same as a 7 string bakelite, because the horse shoe pick-up and it's mounting bracket sort of set the spacing with the standard pickup. Hey Bud! The case looks familiar because tweed is the only covering I'm smart enough to use. I have not had good luck with tolex type covering. I have been thinking about the badge deal, just have to lean on Doug to get them made on the CNC. Gerald; I guessed pretty close, saying the guitar was about the weight of a bakelite. Maybe I wont have to remove my foot from my mouth this time! Also GB, the uke logo design is cool! [This message was edited by Bill Creller on 20 July 2005 at 02:12 PM.]
Mark Vinbury Member From: N. Kingstown, Rhode Island, USA	posted 21 July 2005 02:45 AM profile send email edit Wow! Looks really great. I've been going to try one myself.Just waiting to get enough sink cut-outs to glue up a body blank. Watch out for temperature with this stuff. We had a $5,000 coffee table blow apart when the owner put the iced shrimp and the sterno/chafing dish next to each other.
Charlie McDonald Member From: Lubbock, Texas, USA	posted 21 July 2005 03:42 AM profile send email edit Good gosh! Is carbon fiber next?
HowardR Member From: N.Y.C.,N.Y.	posted 21 July 2005 04:11 AM profile send email edit It should be.