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Author
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Topic: Crikey ... The Black Mamba
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Rick Aiello
Member From: Berryville, VA USA
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posted 08 October 2006 01:23 PM
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Put on your best Steve "The Crocodile Hunter" Irwin's accent for this oneWe're 'ear in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia ... awaiting the annual migration of the world's most deadly Hawaiian Steel Geetar ... The Black Mamba ... Now I've run into the "snake" version a few times ... with its black oral cavity.  But this is a whole different animal ... This 15 pound, solid cast aluminum beauty has a 25.5" scale ... Crikey ... Gold hardware ... Concentric potentiometers ... Polycarbonate backside ... Abalone fret markers ... 7/16" string spacing at the integrated bridge ... 3/8" string spacing at the integrated nut ... Nickel Silver jumbo frets. And a MRI pickup (handcrafted here in the Valley).
   
Once a year it travels over 650 miles to a inflict itself on a few Hawaiian Steel enthusiasts ... in Joliet, Il ... of all places.
Come down to Joliet and try this rascal for yourself ... and its mate the The Black Pearl
 I am such a huge fan of the "Crocodile Hunter" ... figured I'd name my personal long scale in his "memory". Click this link for a game my babies love to play. Croc Fun ------------------
Dustpans LTD.
The Casteels
HSGA
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Loni Specter
Member From: West Hills, CA, USA
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posted 08 October 2006 02:03 PM
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WOW! Me like 'em. I bet the tone has real 'bite' ;-}
How much do you want for it? |
John Dahms
Member From: Perkasie, Pennsylvania, USA
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posted 08 October 2006 02:07 PM
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Class |
Kris Oka
Member From: San Francisco, CA, USA
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posted 08 October 2006 02:09 PM
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Rick, the Black Mamba is strikingly beautiful. Scary and haunting sound? Volume wide open and tone control only? |
Billy Gilbert
Member From: Texas, USA
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posted 08 October 2006 03:00 PM
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It shore is purty.  Billy |
Gary Boyett
Member From: Colorado
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posted 08 October 2006 03:47 PM
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Oh My!Who needs Viagra after seeing that? That will do it! Great Job Rick. I wish I could be there to "touch" it. ------------------
HSGA & RMSGC member
Play it with "Glass"
Boyett's Glass Bars
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Rick Aiello
Member From: Berryville, VA USA
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posted 08 October 2006 03:55 PM
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You blokes are too kind ...  Loni, sorry mate, she's not for sale ... my lil' ankle biters have layed claim to 'em  Kris, that's the third concentric set ... stacked pots (vol on top / tone on bottom ) ... that I've used this summer on my Dustpans ... I really like them. 500 K audio taper with a 0.022 mfd capacitor ... for rolling off just abit of me 'ard work ... See ya'll in Joliet ...
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Dustpans LTD.
The Casteels
HSGA
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Rick Collins
Member From: Claremont , CA USA
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posted 08 October 2006 04:12 PM
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Looks really clean; but will it fly. The name is OK for this one, with the crinkle finish. If you can cast one that will clean up smooth enough for a smooth finish, I think it should be called the SR-71. |
Danny James
Member From: Columbus, Indiana, USA
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posted 08 October 2006 04:50 PM
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Those are absolutely awsome looking guitars & I know they sound as good as they look. Have a great time in Joliet. Wish I could be there. |
Terry Farmer
Member From: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
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posted 08 October 2006 05:57 PM
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Double SWEET!!!!!!!! My hat's off to you pardner. |
Don Kona Woods
Member From: Vancouver, Washington, USA
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posted 08 October 2006 06:01 PM
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Great look, and now waiting to hear what it sounds like!!! When, Rick?Aloha,
Don |
Lee Jeffriess
Member From: Yucca Valley California
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posted 08 October 2006 06:22 PM
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Rick, beautiful guitars.
But can I ask you an off the subject question, in your dealings with horseshoe PUs, have you come across a manufacturer,Rickenbaker/national/vega/epiphone, that used a horseshoe that was 1 inch in width?.
Cheers mate
Lee |
Rick Aiello
Member From: Berryville, VA USA
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posted 08 October 2006 07:27 PM
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quote:
now waiting to hear what it sounds like!!! When, Rick?
How 'bout now. Here's the very first practice session ... please forgive the "un-timely start" ... Palm Harmonics At least this year ... I have two days to practice ... ha, ha Lee, I'm familiar with them ... I had some Stellas in ... really strong ... I wanted to keep them ------------------
Dustpans LTD.
The Casteels
HSGA
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chas smith
Member From: Encino, CA, USA
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posted 08 October 2006 08:33 PM
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WOW! |
Lee Jeffriess
Member From: Yucca Valley California
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posted 08 October 2006 09:25 PM
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Rick,I am asking specificaly, have you seen production horseshorses, that are are an inch wide?.
Lee |
Andy Sandoval
Member From: Bakersfield, California, USA
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posted 09 October 2006 12:25 AM
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Awesome guitars Rick, have you ever considered an anodized or powder coated finish for your guitars? |
Rick Aiello
Member From: Berryville, VA USA
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posted 09 October 2006 04:24 AM
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quote:
have you come across a manufacturer,Rickenbaker/national/vega/epiphone, that used a horseshoe that was 1 inch in width?.
Yes Lee ... as I mentioned above ... Stella was the make of the guitar. They were 1" wide steel horseshoes ... bent to a 1" gap ... Very high quality cobalt steel. Very powerful ... They charged to over 250 gauss (midgap) ... a good 35-50 gauss stronger than the stronger Rickys (even with an exaggerated airgap). I've also had several smaller versions of these Stella horseshoe magnets come thru ... Andy ... One guy wanted his anodized ... so I looked into it ... The "issue" was that the alloy I use ... A356 ... contains silicon and is quite porous (for a metal). This does not lend itself to anodizing for two reasons. 1) The acid used during a prep phase is absorbed & then leaches out during the electrolytic phase ... because of the A356's porosity. 2) The silicon constituent won't anodize ... This leads to a "splotchy" anodized surface ... The anodizers I spoke with said they couldn't quarantee the "appearance" with A356. ... but wouldn't/couldn't give me the reasons. I finally contacted an engineer who works for a DC firm ... who explained the above reasons. As for powder coating ... if I tried to use my wifes oven for powder coating ... she'd kick me out for sure ------------------
Dustpans LTD.
The Casteels
HSGA
[This message was edited by Rick Aiello on 09 October 2006 at 08:49 AM.] |
HowardR
Member From: N.Y.C.,N.Y.
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posted 09 October 2006 06:59 AM
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quote:
Polycarbonate backside
oooooh baby! can't wait to get my hands on that, the day after tomorrow.........
the toughest thing about the HSGC.....when it's over.....you have to leave the DustPans behind!!!!.....  [This message was edited by HowardR on 09 October 2006 at 07:03 AM.]
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Brad Bechtel
Moderator From: San Francisco, CA
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posted 09 October 2006 08:43 AM
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That's a beautiful guitar, Rick. Thanks for sharing! |
Harry Dietrich
Member From: Robesonia, Pennsylvania, USA
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posted 09 October 2006 09:15 AM
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Fantastic as usual, Rick.Harry |
Rick Aiello
Member From: Berryville, VA USA
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posted 09 October 2006 04:00 PM
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Thanks y'all ...All I gotta do now is make my custom case ... Remember those SKB Sierra cases Howard ... Got some medium density, black polyethylene foam ... and a new "electric carving knife" ... Gonna put both "pans" in one case ... Travelin' light this year (relatively speaking) ... See y'all in Joliet ------------------
Dustpans LTD.
The Casteels
HSGA
[This message was edited by Rick Aiello on 09 October 2006 at 04:27 PM.]
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Jeff Strouse
Member From: Jacksonville, Florida, USA
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posted 09 October 2006 04:30 PM
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Cool! I can't wait to see it! |
Jason Dumont
Member From: Bristol, Connecticut, USA
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posted 09 October 2006 04:54 PM
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Dude!!
MEAN!!
Rick, fantastic as usual.
The crinkle rocks!
The longer scale must sound like a baby grand!
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ebb
Member From: nj
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posted 09 October 2006 06:43 PM
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soundclips pleeeease(begging). even if only open strings |
Mike Neer
Member From: NJ
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posted 09 October 2006 07:26 PM
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Looks amazing, sounds just as good.We gonna need to talk soon....
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Rick Aiello
Member From: Berryville, VA USA
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posted 10 October 2006 04:54 AM
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quote:
soundclips pleeeease
This is about the best I can do for the moment ... just me practicing for Joliet. First time I layed a bar to 'er Sunday evening ... sorry about the "untimely start" & "overshot ending" ... Crikey Palm harmonic rendition of Kawohikukapulani Playin' a 25.5" after coming off a short scale isn't much an issue ... except for my palm harmonics ... and they play a big role in what I have wanna do in Joliet. Last year I was gonna play a 25.5" but didn't have time to practice ... and Friday evening when the Casteels assembled to rehearse (with an audience of Paul Kim and Ray Montee) ... I couldn't hit nuttin' ... So the band made me play my 22.25" scale ... Mike, as you can see ... the "Red Rocket" just didn't fly. Too many shades of red once it cured ... Maybe I'll take Andy S.'s advice and take next summers work ... to a powder coater. If it's good enough for the American Chopper guys ... hee, hee
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Dustpans LTD.
The Casteels
HSGA
[This message was edited by Rick Aiello on 10 October 2006 at 05:03 AM.]
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Matt Johnson
Member From: California, USA
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posted 10 October 2006 07:54 AM
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As usual Rick.....
Very sweet (and deadly!)"You've got skills!" Have a blast in Joliet ...
wish I could go  |
Denny Turner
Member From: Northshore Oahu, Hawaii USA
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posted 10 October 2006 06:51 PM
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YOW !....... I'm at a loss for words.But......
 Aloha,
DT~
( Delirium Tremors )
[This message was edited by Denny Turner on 12 October 2006 at 09:30 AM.] |
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