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Topic: The Empath on lap steel with Certano benders |
Cliff Swanson
From:
Raleigh, NC
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Posted 11 Jun 2021 6:00 pm |
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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.
_________________
Cliff
Last edited by Cliff Swanson on 12 Jun 2021 3:00 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Bill Groner
From:
QUAKERTOWN, PA
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Posted 12 Jun 2021 2:53 am
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Nice pickin Cliff!
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Currently own, 6 Groner-tone lap steels, one 1953 Alamo Lap steel, Roland Cube, Fender Champion 40 |
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Cliff Swanson
From:
Raleigh, NC
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Posted 12 Jun 2021 3:00 am
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| Bill Groner wrote: |
| Nice pickin Cliff! |
Thanks Bill!
_________________
Cliff |
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Karlis Abolins
From:
(near) Seattle, WA, USA
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Posted 12 Jun 2021 6:51 am
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I enjoyed it!
Karlis |
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K Maul
From:
Hadley, NY/Hobe Sound, FL
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Posted 12 Jun 2021 7:56 am
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Certano benders are excellent!
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Kevin Maul: Airline, Beard, Clinesmith, Decophonic, Evans, Excel, Fender, Fluger, Gibson, Hilton, Ibanez, Justice, K+K, Live Strings, MOYO, National, Oahu, Peterson, Quilter, Rickenbacher, Sho~Bud, Supro, TC, Ultimate, VHT, Williams, X-otic, Yamaha, ZKing. |
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Myk Freedman
From:
Brooklyn
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Cliff Swanson
From:
Raleigh, NC
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Posted 12 Jun 2021 10:46 am
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Thanks Karlis, K Maul, and Myk!
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Cliff |
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Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
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Posted 14 Jun 2021 7:23 am
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| Nice to hear an original tune on a cool guitar. |
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Cliff Swanson
From:
Raleigh, NC
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Posted 14 Jun 2021 8:29 am
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| Bill Hatcher wrote: |
| Nice to hear an original tune on a cool guitar. |
Thanks Bill! I'm super happy with this guitar and its tonal pallette.
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Cliff |
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John Viterito
From:
New Jersey, USA
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Posted 15 Jun 2021 8:50 am
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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)!
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Emerald Solace acoustic laps and Rukavina steels. Can't play, but I try! |
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Cliff Swanson
From:
Raleigh, NC
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Posted 15 Jun 2021 10:02 am
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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.
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Cliff |
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Rob DiStefano
From:
New Jersey, USA
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Posted 16 Jun 2021 2:29 am
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Loverly playing and tune!
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Cavalier Pickups |
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Cliff Swanson
From:
Raleigh, NC
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Posted 16 Jun 2021 2:47 am
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| Rob DiStefano wrote: |
| Loverly playing and tune! |
Thanks Rob! Glad you liked it.
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Cliff |
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Rob DiStefano
From:
New Jersey, USA
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Posted 16 Jun 2021 4:13 am
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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.
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Cavalier Pickups |
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Cliff Swanson
From:
Raleigh, NC
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Posted 16 Jun 2021 6:47 am
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| Rob DiStefano wrote: |
| 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!
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Cliff |
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Rob DiStefano
From:
New Jersey, USA
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Posted 16 Jun 2021 6:57 am
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| Cliff Swanson wrote: |
| Rob DiStefano wrote: |
| 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.
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Cavalier Pickups |
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Joe Cook
From:
Lake Osoyoos, WA
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Posted 16 Jun 2021 8:29 pm
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| Really nice, Cliff! Great tone as well. Thanks for posting. |
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Cliff Swanson
From:
Raleigh, NC
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Posted 17 Jun 2021 2:09 am
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| Joe Cook wrote: |
| Really nice, Cliff! Great tone as well. Thanks for posting. |
Thanks Joe!
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Cliff |
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