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Author
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Topic: Halua carbon fibre lap steel
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Brad Bechtel
Moderator From: San Francisco, CA
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posted 09 March 2005 08:12 AM
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From Norway: http://www.halua.no/
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Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars |
Steinar Gregertsen
Member From: Arendal, Norway
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posted 09 March 2005 08:30 AM
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 Interesting....
The sound was a bit too 'zingy' for my taste, but I can imagine it works well in a band setting, should cut through very well.
And of course,- I just love that teardrop shape... Steinar ------------------
www.gregertsen.com
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Keith Cordell
Member From: Atlanta
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posted 09 March 2005 02:39 PM
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Sounds pretty awesome. I like the zingy top end, sounds like it should do well! |
Bill McCloskey
Member From:
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posted 09 March 2005 06:26 PM
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Nice looking and nice playing on the track. Bottom end is a little light for my taste. I'd take my Lazy River Weiss over it for that type of playing. Didn't pass the drool factor for me. [This message was edited by Bill McCloskey on 09 March 2005 at 06:26 PM.] |
Steinar Gregertsen
Member From: Arendal, Norway
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posted 09 March 2005 06:36 PM
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After listening more to the excellent demos provided by Knut Hem, I'm beginning to warm up to the sound. Like Bill, I can't see how it can replace a Lazy River or any other traditional Weiss, but as soon as I stopped comparing it to the fuller sound of a wood bodied Weiss I actually started to like it.It reminds me of some Asian instrument, can't put my finger on it, but it's a quite interesting sound on it's own terms. I wouldn't mind having one as an additional voice, but there's no way it can compete with the traditional Weiss sound (and I guess it's not supposed to either). Never heard of these people before, I'll send them an email and see if I can find out some more... Steinar ------------------
www.gregertsen.com
[This message was edited by Steinar Gregertsen on 09 March 2005 at 06:37 PM.]
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Denny Turner
Member From: Northshore Oahu, Hawaii USA
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posted 09 March 2005 07:11 PM
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I think allot if not most of that "zingyness" comes from mic type, placement and EQ; Although I would expect the aluminum headstock, married to carbon fibre body, in a horn-lensed shape, and with a similar lense-vented soundhole, ...should produce and project high frequencies as well as it does the fuller range exhibited by the sound files. IF it projects too much high freq acoustically, then selective placing of a light stuffing with newspaper or foam-rubber block(s) should tame it for those that would want to (and I suspect I would).I think interested Luthiers and Techs should watch this design development. The technology of this instrument really gets my attention; More than any acoustic Steel I've seen since the "Weisenborn" type designs. I don't know if the horn-lense body shape originates from acoustical engineering or solely from asthetics; But I've felt certain for a long time that such a horn-lense body design should resonate and project a full range and volume of freqs very well. I'd love to get my hands on one to search out it's body with a stethescope and analyzers ...prerequisite to placing an array of transducers and an externally mounted condenser mic, all ran into a mixer and tube pre-amp; The other element in my past thinking about a Steel of this type design. But alas, ...I suspect the availability and price of this instrument will shoot my boat "Pipe Dreams" (moored at my condo overlooking lake "Fat Chance"!  ) out of the water for the foreseeable future! Aloha,
DT~
[This message was edited by Denny Turner on 09 March 2005 at 07:12 PM.] |
Steinar Gregertsen
Member From: Arendal, Norway
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posted 09 March 2005 07:20 PM
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Denny, Herman Weissenborn pioneered this 'teardrop' design back in the 20s (or 30s) when he made a few of these models.
Today, Bill Asher is remaking the model in his new line of acoustic Hawaiian guitars:  Steinar ------------------
www.gregertsen.com
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Travis Bernhardt
Member From: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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posted 09 March 2005 08:38 PM
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Hmm... It sure looks great, but I hope that's not what it really sounds like. The playing is very nice, but the tone is really lacking depth--it sounds like my $50 (new price...) crapola mini-guitar. Listen to those high shots especially--very weak. If I were the builder I'd get those demos re-recorded right away. -Travis |
Alan Kirk
Member From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA
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posted 09 March 2005 09:54 PM
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I'm with Denny on this one. There's really no way to tell from these recordings what the guitar is capable of, soundwise. Move the mic back six inches, the sound changes. Aim it away from the bridge and toward the sound hole, the sound changes. Was it a dynamic or a condenser mic? Which one? Was it recorded in a live or dead room? Did the engineer EQ it or not? What else was in the signal chain? Maybe the artist preferred a brighter sound.Unless you're sitting there looking at and holding/playing the guitar, there's no context. Hard to judge. One thing about high frequencies on a recording: they are easier to get rid of while retaining the sound quality of the recording than they are to add, because often when you add highs you add noise. ------------------
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Dan Sawyer
Member From: Studio City, California, USA
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posted 10 March 2005 01:59 AM
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Seems to be designed as a travel instrument. I dig that case. You could play it outside in the rain, no problem. |
Denny Turner
Member From: Northshore Oahu, Hawaii USA
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posted 10 March 2005 06:09 AM
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Thanks Steiner; You've changed my mind; I think I'd rather have one of them to do R&D on. Email me and I'll shoot you the address to send me one to!  .......Aloha,
DT~[This message was edited by Denny Turner on 10 March 2005 at 06:10 AM.] |
Mike D
Member From: Phx, Az
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posted 10 March 2005 06:38 AM
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The teardrop shape is always going to produce a somewhat different sound than the traditional 'figure-8' shape. In losing the upper bout you've obviously lost some internal airspace, but you've also removed the 2nd resonating chamber so the sound tends to be 'simpler', especially in the lower mids and bass. Not to say that's a bad thing, just different, lots of people like the 'salad spoon' (Bob Brozman's term) Weissenborns.It's also a lot easier to make and requires less materials. Likely why they were first done this way. ------------------
Half-assed bottleneck and lap slide player. Full-assed Builder of resonator instruments.
[This message was edited by Mike D on 10 March 2005 at 06:42 AM.] |
Steinar Gregertsen
Member From: Arendal, Norway
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posted 10 March 2005 06:38 AM
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I've been in touch with the designers of the "Halua" today, and here's what I've learned:The demo recordings are not the second prototype (the one there's photos of), but the first. The second PT has a larger body and several structural improvements. The recording was done direct to PC, using a condencer mic (didn't say which), no EQ or other processing applied to the recording. Hem, who did the recordings, says he made a mistake in the recording process (wrong sampling frequency), which caused the top-heavy sound, and he has offered to provide them with new and better recordings as soon as he gets a chance (when he can get his hands on a prototype 2). According to Hem, the sound of the second prototype is much better than the first. Steinar ------------------
www.gregertsen.com
[This message was edited by Steinar Gregertsen on 10 March 2005 at 06:42 AM.]
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Bill Blacklock
Member From: Powell River, British Columbia, Canada
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posted 10 March 2005 08:48 AM
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I like it, nice playing. After a Sunrise pickup and some EQ it could be a honken little spoon. Bill |
John Bushouse
Member From:
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posted 10 March 2005 09:21 PM
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Steiner, as usual (in this area) a Norwegian (not a Swede!) trumped a German:   [This message was edited by John Bushouse on 13 March 2005 at 06:43 AM.] |
Travis Bernhardt
Member From: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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posted 10 March 2005 11:16 PM
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Interesting comments about the sonic properties of the teardrop shape, and I'm also glad to hear that the bad tone is probably the fault of the recordings. I'd love to hear it recorded properly. -Travis |
Jeff Au Hoy
Member From: Honolulu, Hawai'i
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posted 11 March 2005 12:18 AM
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By the way, halua means "hollow" in Hawaiian. |
Steinar Gregertsen
Member From: Arendal, Norway
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posted 11 March 2005 04:22 AM
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quote:
Steiner, as usual (in this area) a Swede trumped a German
John, I suppose you're referring to Knutsen, right? Ay ay ay!! You're guilty of the ultimate offense,- calling a Norwegian a Swede, and not only that, but you've done so on the 100th anniversary of Norway breaking out of the union with Sweden!
Steinar
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www.gregertsen.com
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James Quackenbush
Member From: Pomona, New York, USA
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posted 11 March 2005 05:14 AM
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The sound of the example is a little on the thin side, but all the strings still ring out evenly, and there is plenty of sustain to the tone...Adding the structural changes and making a LARGER instrument will tame some of the zingyness....That being said, and recording with a nice Ribbon mic, I think these guys will have a great sounding instrument ...Everything is there, it just needs a little enhancement ..
No worries with humidity changes either.
I like the idea....I look forward to further development....It would be interesting to see the differences in size compared to say an original Weiss or a Lazy River....
Think of the comparison in size and tone from a normal guitar, and a Rain Song Carbon Fibre guitar .... It should be a similar difference in Weiss's also ...Jim |
Jack Anderson
Member From: Scarborough, ME
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posted 11 March 2005 10:44 AM
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10,000 Swedes
ran through the weeds
chasing one Norwegian |
HowardR
Member From: N.Y.C.,N.Y.
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posted 11 March 2005 11:10 AM
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Only 100 shopping days left before Ragnarok! [This message was edited by HowardR on 11 March 2005 at 12:09 PM.] |
John Bushouse
Member From:
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posted 11 March 2005 12:38 PM
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Steinar, I originally typed Norwegian, but as he wasn't a bachelor farmer in Minnesota I thought I must be mistaken (big American stereotype). That and having grown up knowing my grandmother and great-great aunt (both Obergs) I'm naturally biased towards those of a Swedish persuasion.At least on the Dutch side, I can claim Del Langejans (in the world of lutherie). |
Ed Altrichter
Member From: Schroeder, Minnesota, USA
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posted 11 March 2005 04:38 PM
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Oh (setenda) my ! |
Paul Arntson
Member From: Bothell ,WA (just outside Seattle)
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posted 12 March 2005 09:12 PM
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Since my gramma was Swedish and my grandpa was Norwegian does that make me hapa-halua?[This message was edited by Paul Arntson on 12 March 2005 at 09:12 PM.] |
Andy Volk
Member From: Boston, MA
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posted 13 March 2005 04:43 AM
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Personally, I like the look and sound of this guitar though I'm not partial to the teardrop shape - too much like Alan Adale's lute for me. I've played a few Rainsong graphite standard guitars that sounded surprisingly rich and full. You get what get however as a graphite guitar won't improve over time the way a guitar built of solid tonewoods will. Still, you can play it in the rain and throw away your case humidifier. |
Gary Boyett
Member From: Colorado
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posted 13 March 2005 05:55 AM
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I have inquired on the price but have had no response.Anyone know? |
Steinar Gregertsen
Member From: Arendal, Norway
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posted 13 March 2005 06:18 AM
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I asked if they had plans to start producing these for regular sale, and they have no plans for this. It's just a one-man side project, he wanted to learn how to play and decided to build his own, so production will be very limited.Steinar ------------------
www.gregertsen.com
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Steinar Gregertsen
Member From: Arendal, Norway
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posted 14 March 2005 04:07 AM
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Latest update, I just got mail from a guy in Australia who had been in touch with them regarding prices for the "Halua", seems like they might change their mind regarding production for commercial sales. Here's a quote: quote:
I will most likely make more of them since there's been such great interest, and since the new owner of the Halua PT2 is very happy...I will post any new information regarding price and other stuff on the web site when it's ready.
Steinar ------------------
www.gregertsen.com
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