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Author
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Topic: Coated Strings on the Weissenborn
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Dwight Mark
Member From: Denver, Colorado, USA
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posted 25 April 2004 09:26 PM
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I have been busy in the studio recording songs for my next CD and I have about 5 songs with the Weissenborn. I'm down to one last song on the instrument. When I started, with every string change, I had a LOT of string scraping with the steel. Steinar had suggested sitting there and scraping away with he steel for a couple hours before recording which helped. Then last week, I had a song in the key of G, and I tried a Hawaiian G and Bluegrass G tuning, but I just wasn't confident in those tunings. So I decided to tune up the Weissenborn in my open D/E tuning. The only pack of light strings I had handy were some elixer coated strings. I put them on and tuned the guitar up to F and then capoed on the second fret.
What I discovered was that the guitar sounded great and the scraping was minimal. However, the steel really slid around almost out of control it was so slick, but I got through the track.
Has anyone else tried coated strings on an acoustic lapsteel guitar?
The other conclusion I have after the experience is that I still hate dobro capos. A lot of futzing around trying to get it just right and the 2nd string was deader than the others. I know the discussion continues on capos, but I have a bradley, leno, and pearse and I don't like any of them. I sure wish I could find my original Scheerhorn. This was an older style different than his newer model and it was the only one that seem to lock down well and keep the strings ringing, but I lost it at a gig. Are there any new revelations out there?
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Steinar Gregertsen
Member From: Arendal, Norway
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posted 26 April 2004 03:20 AM
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Sounds like you had a similar experience to mine when I first tried the Red Rajah bars... Very smooth!
Never tried the Elixir strings on acoustic slide, only on my fretless bass.
I notice you don't mention the Beard capo,- have you tried it? It reduces the tone some, but not much. I've used both live and in the studio, and I'm quite happy with it (though I try to avoid using capo, it can be quite handy now and then).Steinar ------------------
www.gregertsen.com
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Bill Leff
Member From: Santa Cruz, CA, USA
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posted 26 April 2004 08:03 AM
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I've used the Elixers on my Superior. They worked well but frayed where I picked them. This was a few years ago. I'm told that problem has been solved. |
Dwight Mark
Member From: Denver, Colorado, USA
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posted 26 April 2004 08:22 AM
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Yeah, I have a beard around here somewhere. I think I got pissed off, because the first couple times I used it, I didn't realize that bottom was sharp and the little twist action scratched the crap out of my koa fretboard on my old Weissenborn...Dwight |
Steinar Gregertsen
Member From: Arendal, Norway
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posted 26 April 2004 08:52 AM
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quote:
Yeah, I have a beard around here somewhere.
I noticed it was gone on the latest studio photos you mailed?  Is the action really so low on the original Weissenborns that you scratched the fretboard with the capo?! Steinar ------------------
www.gregertsen.com
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Orville Johnson
Member From: Seattle, Washington, USA
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posted 26 April 2004 11:13 AM
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dobro capos suck. period. they all rob tone from your guitar. i can understand using them occasionally live cuz you don't have time to be retuning all the time but if you're in the studio i would rather try tuning up or down to where i need to be or just play in the key without the capo. i've just never found one that didn't alter my tone in a negative way. |
Alan Kirk
Member From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA
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posted 26 April 2004 01:52 PM
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I've got the Elmer Bradley capo (Elmer Bradley at 812-432-3205) and it's better than any other reso capo I've come across. Nothing's perfect, but this one is the closest I've come to it with regard to capos.------------------
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