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Post new topic Deomo sounds-PLEASE CLOSE
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Author Topic:  Deomo sounds-PLEASE CLOSE
Larry Lenhart


From:
Ponca City, Oklahoma
Post  Posted 27 Mar 2017 9:42 pm    
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I am curious about the differences in tone of these vintage steels and was wondering if someone who has both steels could take the same amp, same settings and same song and play them as a comparison so I could get an idea of the differences in the Fender stringmaster and a Rickenbacker with a horse shoe pickup. I know thats asking a lot, but if anyone has both, I think it would be interesting to hear the differences. i have a stringmaster and love its sound, but I might like the Ricks sound as well.
Thanks in advance.
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Zum Encore, Remington D8 non pedal, Hallmark Mosrite clone, Gretsch 6120 DSW, Gretsch G5210T-P90 Electromatic Jet Two 90,1976 Ibanez L5, Eastman archtop, Taylor Dreadnaught, Telonics pedal, Squire Tele, Squire Strat, Fender Tonemaster, Gold Tone 5 string banjo, Little Wonder tenor banjo, 3 Roland cubes 30s and 80, Carvin combo bass amp


Last edited by Larry Lenhart on 29 Mar 2017 10:44 am; edited 1 time in total
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James Hartman

 

From:
Pennsylvania, USA
Post  Posted 28 Mar 2017 10:03 am    
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I have both. I tend to think of them as almost polar opposites, soundwise.

Not, at the moment here, set up for recording. Plenty of recorded examples of each readily available, which doesn't provide a controlled A/B comparison but certainly offers a fair sense of the rather different character of each.
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Bill Creller

 

From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
Post  Posted 28 Mar 2017 6:09 pm    
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Some amps ( tube types that I use) will sound nice with certain guitars, and not with others, which may sound better with a totally different amp.
I always suspected that the impedence (sp) of the guitar output, and the amp's input being matched....or not.. had something to do with it.(?)

In regard to Fender Stringmasters, they tend to be more treble in tone than other brands, and surely more than a Rickenbacher. All Ricks don't sound nearly the same either, so each model would be a bit different, regardless of the horseshoe pickup, which can be great, or maybe no better than another design.
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Doug Beaumier


From:
Northampton, MA
Post  Posted 28 Mar 2017 6:36 pm    
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I agree with Bill. Fenders have more highs and less lows than most other steel guitars. I once read that they were designed that way because Fender wanted them to cut through the other instruments on the bandstand. Not sure if that's true, but they definitely have a thin, cutting tone. I've only owned one Rickenbacker, a bakelite, and it sounded fuller than the Fender. Not necessarily a better sound, just different.
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Larry Lenhart


From:
Ponca City, Oklahoma
Post  Posted 28 Mar 2017 8:03 pm    
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Well I guess it doesnt really matter to me, I was just curious. Just today I ordered an Excel JB frypan, so I will do my own comparison in tone to my Fender Stringmaster when it arrives this Friday. I am sure it will be different than a Ricky would have, but thats ok.
Thanks for all who responded.
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Zum Encore, Remington D8 non pedal, Hallmark Mosrite clone, Gretsch 6120 DSW, Gretsch G5210T-P90 Electromatic Jet Two 90,1976 Ibanez L5, Eastman archtop, Taylor Dreadnaught, Telonics pedal, Squire Tele, Squire Strat, Fender Tonemaster, Gold Tone 5 string banjo, Little Wonder tenor banjo, 3 Roland cubes 30s and 80, Carvin combo bass amp
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Erv Niehaus


From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
Post  Posted 29 Mar 2017 8:25 am    
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Larry,
I don't think the horseshoe pickup on the Jerry Byrd Frypan is a "real" horseshoe pickup like Rickenbacher used.
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Doug Beaumier


From:
Northampton, MA
Post  Posted 29 Mar 2017 9:18 am    
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Yeah, there's a lot of confusion about that. And I'm one of the confused ones! My understanding is that the early Rick horseshoe pickup was a magnet, so the strings passed through a magnetic field, like on the Valco string-through pickup. And on later Ricks the horseshoe is just cosmetic and covers a standard string-over pickup. Anyone know more about this? Inquiring minds want to know.
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Erv Niehaus


From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
Post  Posted 29 Mar 2017 9:27 am    
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I'm quite sure that the Rick pickups were the real thing. The only thing they did was narrow it up in the later models.
It's the other manufacturers who employed a faux horseshoe.
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Roman Sonnleitner


From:
Vienna, Austria
Post  Posted 29 Mar 2017 10:23 am    
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Doug Beaumier wrote:
Yeah, there's a lot of confusion about that. And I'm one of the confused ones! My understanding is that the early Rick horseshoe pickup was a magnet, so the strings passed through a magnetic field, like on the Valco string-through pickup. And on later Ricks the horseshoe is just cosmetic and covers a standard string-over pickup. Anyone know more about this? Inquiring minds want to know.


That's true for Rickenbacker basses - not sure about lap steels...
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Larry Lenhart


From:
Ponca City, Oklahoma
Post  Posted 29 Mar 2017 10:40 am    
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I am not sure either,but I think they refer to it as a "faux" horseshoe, but my friend Margie Mays has both and says she prefers the sound of the Excel over the Ricky, and that has been my impression also...everyones taste is different.
Please close.
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Zum Encore, Remington D8 non pedal, Hallmark Mosrite clone, Gretsch 6120 DSW, Gretsch G5210T-P90 Electromatic Jet Two 90,1976 Ibanez L5, Eastman archtop, Taylor Dreadnaught, Telonics pedal, Squire Tele, Squire Strat, Fender Tonemaster, Gold Tone 5 string banjo, Little Wonder tenor banjo, 3 Roland cubes 30s and 80, Carvin combo bass amp
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