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Topic: Fender Deluxe 8 |
Ralph Czitrom
From:
Ringwood, New Jersey
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Posted 30 Dec 2010 2:14 pm |
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| I have never posted here before, but I feel like I know a bunch of you, having read some great threads for the past year, so I'm asking for a little help. Just bought what I think is a 1954 Deluxe 8 (serial #00324) and other that the fact that its legs are missing (and I've already ordered three from Don Burrows), it kinda looks like the car which was only driven on Sundays. I've determined that it sounds great,but while I was removing all the strings to do a little cleanup, I noticed that there appears to be a potentiometer between the bridge and the holes for the strings. It's got a slotted head, I'm guessing it's meant for a screwdriver. Is this some kind of balance control between the two pickups? |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Andy Sandoval
From:
Bakersfield, California, USA
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Posted 30 Dec 2010 3:41 pm
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| Blender pot is correct as Mike says. If it works like a Stringermaster blender control, the back or bridge pickup is always on and it blends in more of the front or neck pickup. |
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Ralph Czitrom
From:
Ringwood, New Jersey
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Posted 30 Dec 2010 7:15 pm Fender Deluxe 8
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| From the way it is buried within the instrument, it's obviously not intended to be used much. So, just for my understanding, what changes would one make and why? And why wouldn't they have put this control with the others, like with a control knob? (I know, don't ask...) |
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Andy Sandoval
From:
Bakersfield, California, USA
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Posted 30 Dec 2010 8:25 pm
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| Ralph Czitrom wrote: |
| From the way it is buried within the instrument, it's obviously not intended to be used much. So, just for my understanding, what changes would one make and why? And why wouldn't they have put this control with the others, like with a control knob? (I know, don't ask...) |
That's probably why a lot of guys remove the little cover aside from making blocking easier. It just takes a flip of the cover to adjust the wheel to your liking then there's really no reason to have to keep messin with the sound in the middle of a song. You can always pick closer or further from the pickup to get some nice subtle tone changes while your playin. |
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Steinar Gregertsen
From:
Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.
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Posted 31 Dec 2010 3:58 am Re: Fender Deluxe 8
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| Ralph Czitrom wrote: |
| I noticed that there appears to be a potentiometer between the bridge and the holes for the strings. It's got a slotted head, I'm guessing it's meant for a screwdriver. |
No thumb wheel?
_________________
"Play to express, not to impress"
Website - YouTube |
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Ralph Czitrom
From:
Ringwood, New Jersey
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Posted 31 Dec 2010 4:42 am Fender Deluxe 8
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| Mike, Andy and Steinar (thanks for the photo; most helpful in understanding the setup),you guys are great. I did find the thumbwheel in the guitar case. Happy new year to all! |
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John Groover McDuffie
From:
LA California, USA
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Posted 31 Dec 2010 12:14 pm
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I find it peculiar to place what is essentially a pickup mixer control in an semi-inaccessible (assuming that Fender intended the instrument would be played with the bridge cover in place) location. IMHO it would make much more sense to have it out where the other controls are located. Maybe it's my lead guitar background, but I find changes in pickup selection very useful within songs.
But who knows what Leo et. al. were thinking. They hit home runs most of the time though! |
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John Allison
From:
Austin, Texas, USA
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Posted 3 Jan 2011 7:36 am
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The placement of the blend pot makes sense when you consider that the area available for controls on those narrow bodies is very limited. I use a similar blend pot and designed a larger electronics cavity to accommodate it. Since I don't use a bridge cover, the blend pot is out in the open with a regular knob on it.
The truth is that having it accessible isn't a particular advantage because it gets used very little, if ever, while playing. The basic tone of the pickups gets dialled in and left for the duration of the gig...or longer, for that matter. Some players pretty much never touch it.
_________________
John Allison
Allison Stringed Instruments
Austin, Texas
www.allisonguitars.com |
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Randall Meeker
From:
Whitehouse, Ohio, USA
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Posted 2 Nov 2011 10:32 am Just picked up my own Deluxe 8
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Closet Classic immaculate shape played by a lady who drove that car to church each sunday only. Barely used and in perfect condition. Walnut finish is glossy new and the chrome is as you would expect - perfect. lmust be a late 60s or so as I haven't yet taken it apart to see the date under the tuning pan - I am enjoying it all too well without knowing. Blend control with thumbwheel in place works as it should even the tone and volume pots are not scratchy at all. It was a great find at a local dealer Ebay has a couple listed today for $1,200 that someone may pay for one of these but using that as a gauge mine would be worth substantially more. Ebay (dream) prices are outrageous!
_________________
Steel Guitarist - Retired
Emmons LG3 #2050L Black D10 8X4
Sho~Bud SP2 # Grn/Gry Burl D10 8X6
Lap Steels & Dobros |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 2 Nov 2011 11:54 am
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Ralph,
Your guitar is not a 1954 model.
In that time period, that guitar did not come with a blend control. This feature was incorporated in the models produced in 1955 and later.
Might we see a picture?
I'll bet it doesn't have the lollypop tuners. |
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Ralph Czitrom
From:
Ringwood, New Jersey
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Posted 2 Nov 2011 12:30 pm Fender Deluxe 8
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Hi Erv - I was a little surprised to see this thread come up, but here are some photos of my Deluxe 8. Whether it was built in '54 or '55, it still sounds good to my ears. I'll bet it sounds even better when someone with more chops than I've got sits down to play.
Ralph
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 2 Nov 2011 1:17 pm
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Ralph,
Yes, that is a later model.
It has the black, plastic covered pickups and the blend knob.
An excellent guitar. 
I've got one just like it:
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Steve Ahola
From:
Concord, California
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Ron Victoria
From:
New Jersey, USA
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Posted 2 Nov 2011 5:25 pm
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Ralph, I sent you an email. I have a blend knob for you.
Ron |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 3 Nov 2011 7:15 am
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Steve,
Here's another one to drool over:
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 3 Nov 2011 7:50 am
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Erv, I have seen those guitar pics so many times, I feel like those guitars are part of my family. In fact, I've probably seen them more than pics of my own kids. 
_________________
http://www.steelinstruction.com/
http://mikeneer.com |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 3 Nov 2011 8:11 am
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Mike,
They're not for adoption. |
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