Latest Benoit Work of Art

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 10 Mar 2005 7:16 am

Thanks Howard. Now I need a fresh set of Depends.

Loni Specter · Post by **Loni Specter** » 10 Mar 2005 7:54 am

Howard. Enough is enough! What would your parents think? Didn't they raise you properly? Your supposed to spend all your money on Booze, drugs, Rolex, prostitutes,Cuban cigars, day trading, Vegas, Atlantic City 'buying trips', Starbucks, Tommy Bahamas shirts, a personal trainer, lazer hair removal on your body and hair replacement on your head. What do your parents and therapist have to say about your G.A.S. syndrum?
I feel an 'intervention' may be the only solution.
Several Forum members are on the way to help.

Gerald Ross · Post by **Gerald Ross** » 10 Mar 2005 8:24 am

How many resos do you own Howard?

Are they all hanging up in your apartment? All those strings, all those vibrations.

You could probably pick up a few extra bucks breaking up people's kidney stones. Just let them sit in your living room while you strum.

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Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'

Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website
Board of Directors Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 10 Mar 2005 8:41 am

Well, it is getting a bit tight in the apartment,...but who needs furnature anyhow?

[This message was edited by HowardR on 10 March 2005 at 08:51 AM.]

Rick Aiello · Post by **Rick Aiello** » 10 Mar 2005 8:43 am

Bill Leff · Post by **Bill Leff** » 10 Mar 2005 8:59 am

What's that wire about on the headstock?

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 10 Mar 2005 9:04 am

See that wire hooked up to a lever on one of the machine heads--some sort of cool pitch change device for that string.

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 10 Mar 2005 9:22 am

Now, the verbiage.

Carroll Benoit, for the last several months, has been working with me on a resonator that is unprecedented. It should be ready in a few months. I can't let the cat out of the bag yet, but I feel that this will be the greatest accomplishment in resophonic history, besides the resonator guitar itself. I know that's a bold statement to make, but I feel confident. When the time comes, you'll make your own judgement.

Meanwhile, Carroll "threw" this together for me. I wanted a 7 string with a G tuning & sound, and six string spacing. I felt that in order to acheive this, a larger body would have to be made. I had Carroll make the body 1/4" larger all around and to use sound holes instead of screens. We acheived that. This guitar has a big sound and plays well. It's comfortable.

I have the Higgins Peg Bender and the tuning goes like this:

L>H

G B D F(E) G B D the pedal lowers the fourth string F, to E.

I wanted some color to the guitar without obscuring the wood grain, so we decided to shade the edges. I sent Carroll a piece of a straw hat in teal, and he matched it.

The top is flamed maple, the back & sides are rosewood. The fret board is maple with rosewood frets & dots.

Carrolls inlay work is meticulous. On a light backgound, there no lines to be seen. [This message was edited by HowardR on 10 March 2005 at 09:49 AM.]

Drew Howard · Post by **Drew Howard** » 10 Mar 2005 9:28 am

.[This message was edited by Drew Howard on 10 March 2005 at 09:57 AM.]

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 10 Mar 2005 9:28 am

The cable is connected to a floor pedal. This is a lower only device.

Drew, that is hysterical!!![This message was edited by HowardR on 10 March 2005 at 09:30 AM.]

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 10 Mar 2005 9:49 am

Drew, you DEFINITELY have too much time on your hands! As for "The Big E Wants to Jam" model, well... he can jam all he wants to but I'll be in the front row with my arms folded, listening carefully...

James Quackenbush · Post by **James Quackenbush** » 10 Mar 2005 10:39 am

Howard,
WOW !!....If I had your collection, I would never leave home !!......Jim

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 10 Mar 2005 10:45 am

Carroll put a Graph Tech insert in the bone nut, and did the same for the saddle.

Mike D · Post by **Mike D** » 10 Mar 2005 11:02 am

Howard you are just sick in what you ask this poor man to do! I've inlayed that exact same Gibson 'flower pot' on a headstock myself, an *Ebony* headsock that is....asking Carrol to do that in flamed Maple?? For shame!

Seriously, the 2 of you shouldn't be allowed in the same room, it's just too dangerous.

OK, really seriously, it's fantastic, congrats to both of you.

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Half-assed bottleneck and lap slide player. Full-assed Builder of resonator instruments.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 10 Mar 2005 11:09 am

What's that wire about on the headstock?

Is it hooked up to the "Benoit Balls"?

Dan Sawyer · Post by **Dan Sawyer** » 10 Mar 2005 11:15 am

Beautiful work. Is Carroll willing to do just inlay work? I have an instrument that needs a headstock inlay.

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 10 Mar 2005 12:21 pm

Mike D., comimg from a builder of your calibre (and I know your response but you won't convince me otherwise), is a real attribute to Carroll. And, if you think that I push Carroll to the limits, you should see what I do to my poor hat block maker....but you will see that on the next one. A collaboration between the three of us.

It will be a nine string with the Higgins Peg Bender. That's all I'm gonna say about that.

Jim, a warped mind is a terrible thing to waste....

Dan, I don't know the answer to that. Best to speak with Carroll.

Roy Thomson · Post by **Roy Thomson** » 10 Mar 2005 12:33 pm

Looks real nice Howard!
On your final I hope the Tail Peice is
wider to avoid those sharp bends in the
seventh and first strings when they come
off the bridge.
So what type of music or style is this set-up
designed for?
What do you want to play on it?
I know you are a Django, gypsy music fan.
Is that in the back of your mind?
It would look to me as if you want to keep the Bluegrass tuning right at hand for
those fun occasions?
On the changer system. Why would you not have
tuned that fourth string E and go with the sixth chord,,,, and have the Higgin's peg binder raise to the dominent seventh.
Seems to me you are going to be doing most of your playing time with the changer engaged
rather than vice versa?
I know you are going to have a beautiful instrument and have an exciting musical experience ahead of you.
My questions are not intended as critique.
Far from it and I hope you can enlighten me.

Your Buddy,
Roy

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 10 Mar 2005 12:49 pm

Hi Roy. I know your questions are not intended as critique, but let me say, that I would consider a critique from you, an honor.

I don't have a lot of the experience & knowledge that most of you have when it comes to playing and music. I'm open to learning. There's nothing set in stone here and changes can be made if need be. This is interesting and I sure have some thoughts on it. I'll come back to this later as I really should get some work done today.

Roy, I cannot raise the E to F because the peg bender is lowering device only.

Now, I'm anxious to meet with Dan Balde (Bigsby Palm Pedals for dobro) at Jim Heffernan's Dobro Workshop that I'm hosting on May 1 in NYC....

to see how his palm pedals operate.[This message was edited by HowardR on 10 March 2005 at 01:03 PM.]

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 10 Mar 2005 1:09 pm

Howard, I'm comin'over. I'll be there in 10 minutes.

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 10 Mar 2005 1:14 pm

Simply, congratulations on another gem.

But I can't forgive you for that come-on about the secret project. Rocket powered? Anatomically correct gentleman's entertainment toy built in? I wish you hadn't chosen to tease us and I will make it my bizness to make you wish you hadn't too. (You really ought not to fire up our over-active imaginations)

Steinar Gregertsen · Post by **Steinar Gregertsen** » 10 Mar 2005 1:54 pm

Howard, I'm comin'over. I'll be there in 10 minutes.

Me too!!!

Steinar

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www.gregertsen.com

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 10 Mar 2005 2:59 pm

Come on over....

Rick Alexander · Post by **Rick Alexander** » 10 Mar 2005 3:36 pm

Howard, that's beautiful! I'd sure like to hear what it sounds like. Why don't you bring it by the studio and lay down a few tracks? We're open all night . .

Just take I-95 South . .

[This message was edited by Rick Alexander on 10 March 2005 at 04:31 PM.]