The Empath on lap steel with Certano benders

[Cliff Swanson]

https://youtu.be/SVo51ZKR1Qc

My arrangement of an original tune by lap steel builder Chris Fouke (https://www.industrialguitar.com). Check out Chris' version here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsPIU0srG-Y. I've been working on smoothing out transitions with the Certano benders and also trying to learn Garageband. This tune presented opportunities for both of those challenges.

Played through a Fender Super Champ X2 using the Twin voicing, clean with no onboard amp effects added. In addition to a bit of compression, delay, and reverb all added with pedals, the overdrive was produced using a Greer Amps Lightspeed stacked into a Snouse BlackBox mini. Both with gain set pretty low. There is also a Goodrich Sound Baby Bloomer preamp at the end of the chain.

I'm sure I'll be refining this more but I wanted to get it out. Thanks for listening.

[Bill Groner]

Nice pickin Cliff!

[Cliff Swanson]

Nice pickin Cliff!

Thanks Bill!

[Karlis Abolins]

I enjoyed it!

Karlis

[K Maul]

Certano benders are excellent!

[Myk Freedman]

Sounds great, Cliff!

[Cliff Swanson]

Thanks Karlis, K Maul, and Myk!

[Bill Hatcher]

Nice to hear an original tune on a cool guitar.

[Cliff Swanson]

Nice to hear an original tune on a cool guitar.

Thanks Bill! I'm super happy with this guitar and its tonal pallette.

[John Viterito]

Nice picking, Cliff! For me, this is my favorite lap steel playing: A laid back, mellow, bluesy tune played on an open tuning with perfect intonation and heart. Love your Industrial lap steel (my thumb nail is a bass lap steel built for me by Chris)!

[Cliff Swanson]

Thanks for your nice sentiment, John. I'm glad you enjoyed my take on Chris' tune.

I also have one of Chris' baritone steels. Really great sound.

[Rob DiStefano]

Loverly playing and tune!

[Cliff Swanson]

Loverly playing and tune!

Thanks Rob! Glad you liked it.

[Rob DiStefano]

Cliff, any tips on setting up and using the Certano palm pedals? I have a set coming for a 25.5" six string lap steel I'm building.

[Cliff Swanson]

Cliff, any tips on setting up and using the Certano palm pedals? I have a set coming for a 25.5" six string lap steel I'm building.

One word, Rob: Patience! Just as with any other new physical maneuver with a musical instrument there is a learning curve. At first the levers were pretty awkward for me. Now I'm aware that they seem to hit my hand in the same spots consistently and with practice I've found the moves necessary for holding down a lever and picking at the same time. I'm not at all accomplished at holding down both levers simultaneiously. I can do it for a momentary change from one inverstion to another but holding down both and picking at the same time will really take some doing. Practicing has definitely brought improvement and motivation along with it.

As far as setting them up goes there are three adjustment screws that take a hex wrench. The one closest to the nut determines how loose the levers are in terms of rotating them around that pivot point. I have mine set so they can be easily moved into position against my hand but they can't spin freely. The screw at the back of the assembly adjusts the height of each lever above the strings when it is in resting position, thereby determining the throw of the lever. The screw in the middle is the one that is used for tuning to pitch when a lever is fully depressed. Mine are set up with the typical third string half step raise and second string full step raise. The mechanism is pretty sensative to adjustments for tuning purposes and only slight turns of this middle screw are required to create a bend that comes to pitch. I hope all of that makes sense.

All the best with your new steel and benders. You'll get it!

[Rob DiStefano]

Cliff, any tips on setting up and using the Certano palm pedals? I have a set coming for a 25.5" six string lap steel I'm building.

One word, Rob: Patience! Just as with any other new physical maneuver with a musical instrument there is a learning curve. At first the levers were pretty awkward for me. Now I'm aware that they seem to hit my hand in the same spots consistently and with practice I've found the moves necessary for holding down a lever and picking at the same time. I'm not at all accomplished at holding down both levers simultaneiously. I can do it for a momentary change from one inverstion to another but holding down both and picking at the same time will really take some doing. Practicing has definitely brought improvement and motivation along with it.

As far as setting them up goes there are three adjustment screws that take a hex wrench. The one closest to the nut determines how loose the levers are in terms of rotating them around that pivot point. I have mine set so they can be easily moved into position against my hand but they can't spin freely. The screw at the back of the assembly adjusts the height of each lever above the strings when it is in resting position, thereby determining the throw of the lever. The screw in the middle is the one that is used for tuning to pitch when a lever is fully depressed. Mine are set up with the typical third string half step raise and second string full step raise. The mechanism is pretty sensative to adjustments for tuning purposes and only slight turns of this middle screw are required to create a bend that comes to pitch. I hope all of that makes sense.

All the best with your new steel and benders. You'll get it!

Thanx for the good scoop, Cliff! I've got the patience - and the time.

[Joe Cook]

Really nice, Cliff! Great tone as well. Thanks for posting.

[Cliff Swanson]

Really nice, Cliff! Great tone as well. Thanks for posting.

Thanks Joe!