1950S 4 Neck Wright Custom10 string "Restoration Prog

David Wright · Post by **David Wright** » 26 Apr 2013 4:16 am

How is it going??

Bob Gibler · Post by **Bob Gibler** » 26 Apr 2013 8:06 pm

David,
Sorry I haven't been on this week. I have been polishing and polishing Aluminum and steel components. Still waiting to decide on finish. Have written down all suggestions. Tom at the University of Kansas Chem Lab will be in touch this next week early and I will have the verdict on the 4 Necks finish. I am still here. Sorry again to keep you folks waiting. Will post Photos real soon.

Thanks
BobG.

Bob Gibler · Post by **Bob Gibler** » 29 Apr 2013 5:55 pm

OK folks, I have been very busy removing rust, corrosion and polishing individual Steel and Aluminum components from the WRIGHT 4 neck steel.

I must say how much I appreciate the interest, and thoughtful suggestions on the finish of this fine Steel Guitar.

Now down to the details. I had to remove the axles from the nuts attached to each Aluminum headstock. being careful to drive them out with the grime and rust with a brass punch and rawhide mallet.

Then immerse the steel nut wheels into navel jelly to extract all of the rust and grime, and then spray a retarder on them to stop the acidic reaction.

while this was going on I removed all of the Bridge wheels and brass bearings from the jar and continue to polish each on with rouge and cloth buffing wheel. There are string marks in each wheel to be polished out, But care will be taken to not remove any metal.

As you can see by the photos, I have still all of the head stock's, 3 bridge housings, All Aluminum, 8 Nut end caps made of strap Aluminum and Not pictured. 4 switch and Knob housings. and then the rewiring of the Single Coil Pickups. just to let you know where I will go next. I have a great surprise on the finish. It blew me out of the water,,,, Lets just say that the finish is not Nitro Cellulose, But it is...No Not yet

I will not take as long to post next time. Sorry for the wait.....

David Wright · Post by **David Wright** » 30 Apr 2013 4:32 am

Like it..)))

Heres a Wright from Back in the day... with Pedals..

Jay Fagerlie · Post by **Jay Fagerlie** » 30 Apr 2013 4:56 am

WOW!!!

What an awesome looking steel David.

Does anybody have one of these they can post more pics of?

Bob Gibler · Post by **Bob Gibler** » 30 Apr 2013 1:02 pm

David Wright wrote: Like it..)))

Heres a Wright from Back in the day... with Pedals..

David,
That is Awesome. does this one have all aluminum Necks with Head stocks and Bridges attached? Seems like Bill has one similar to this one, with one wooden neck. Am I right?

Bill Ladd · Post by **Bill Ladd** » 30 Apr 2013 2:28 pm

Yes, Bob, although mine most likely started life as a non-pedal quad. At some point it had crude changer mechanisms added to two necks. You should see the jagged cut-outs in the end plates for the changers!

Bob Gibler · Post by **Bob Gibler** » 30 Apr 2013 2:32 pm

Bill Ladd wrote:Yes, Bob, although mine most likely started life as a non-pedal quad. At some point it had crude changer mechanisms added to two necks. You should see the jagged cut-outs in the end plates for the changers!

Bill,
I would like to see it one day, when you have time. I Like the 4 necks with the Metal end wraps. Was yours the one with the Wooden neck in the mix?

Bill Ladd · Post by **Bill Ladd** » 30 Apr 2013 2:34 pm

Yes it was. Be glad to show it to you, although it's in a zillion pieces all over the place right now!

Bob Gibler · Post by **Bob Gibler** » 30 Apr 2013 2:41 pm

Bill Ladd wrote:Yes it was. Be glad to show it to you, although it's in a zillion pieces all over the place right now!

Bill, I know the feeling Ha.Ha.Ha.. Keep up the good work my friend. I am now looking for a period WRIGHT volume pedal to go with the 4 neck. If one happens to fly by you sometime- please let me know.. Until then I have a lot more polishing to do, and then to strip the furniture.

Bob Gibler · Post by **Bob Gibler** » 6 May 2013 3:17 pm

(bridge)

Bob Gibler · Post by **Bob Gibler** » 6 May 2013 4:18 pm

Bob Gibler wrote:
David Wright wrote:How is it going??

David,
I am very close to completing the fine polishing on all of the Aluminum parts to the 4 neck WRIGHT Custom. It has been a slow and tedious process, as I am sure you can appreciate.
I only have 6 components left to polish and then the Wood stripping and refinishing starts...

OK the mystery is over; It is a furniture grade Lacquer..

I have a question that is forwarded to me by my Brother Jeff. He wanted me to ask you if you might recall (what the heaviest gauge strings that your Father Chuck might have used for long scale Steel Guitars like the 4 neck?)

We want to restring the 4 necks with similar gauge strings to get the closest to original sound from her.

Chris Lucker · Post by **Chris Lucker** » 6 May 2013 4:52 pm

It is interesting that some Wright pickups were set into their cast covers with epoxy and others not. Obviously, yours were not. Here are a couple Wright pickup styles where the pickups were set in epoxy:

Or it might be a coil set in the cover with springs as in this example I have:

Bob Gibler · Post by **Bob Gibler** » 6 May 2013 5:55 pm

Chris Lucker wrote:It is interesting that some Wright pickups were set into their cast covers with epoxy and others not. Obviously, yours were not. Here are a couple Wright pickup styles where the pickups were set in epoxy:

Or it might be a coil set in the cover with springs as in this example I have:

Chris,,
This is very interesting to me as well. the use of epoxy to seat pickups. "WOW"

The single coil pickups that came out of this 4 neck Wright was bound in black heat tape, and there is a Black resin material yet to be identified that holds the pickups into their cavities.

The pickups seem to be pressed into place by the single coil PU covers supplied. And the wiring is simple and straight forward. Chris thanks for sharing your pick up photos. I am of the mind that Chuck Wright was a genius in his designs. and it seems that the evolution in his Steel guitar design elements are many.

His mind must have been continually working just to get that special sound.. AWESOME... :-)Here are some photos to compare.

Chris Lucker · Post by **Chris Lucker** » 6 May 2013 9:11 pm

Actually, there are quite a number of examples of pickup bobbins suspended in epoxy, or resin. I believe 705s are that way.

What is interesting is your pickup that is exposed and not set n epoxy or resin. Your bar magnets are notched. I thought mine were broken and spread out. I imagine they are simply notched as your are, and the epoxy in mine makes it look like the bar magnets are broken.

Ken Byng · Post by **Ken Byng** » 7 May 2013 2:21 am

Chris Lucker wrote:Actually, there are quite a number of examples of pickup bobbins suspended in epoxy, or resin. I believe 705s are that way.

What is interesting is your pickup that is exposed and not set n epoxy or resin. Your bar magnets are notched. I thought mine were broken and spread out. I imagine they are simply notched as your are, and the epoxy in mine makes it look like the bar magnets are broken.

Chris
Its funny you should mention the 705, as I was scrolling down this page I thought that one of the pickups looks like a primitive 705 type pickup. Mr Wright Snr was indeed a genius in many ways.

Chris Lucker · Post by **Chris Lucker** » 7 May 2013 8:14 am

There were some pickups following the same principal before these Wright pickups -- a simple coil of magnet wire around a blade and potted -- like a potted plant -- in a pool of beeswax (or similar) in a cavity of a wood guitar body.

You would just need a collapsable bobbin around which you make the coil. Remove the bobbin once the winding is done and spiral wrap the bobbin with tape so it stays together.

chas smith R.I.P. · Post by **chas smith R.I.P.** » 7 May 2013 10:09 am

Does anybody have one of these they can post more pics of?

Jay Fagerlie · Post by **Jay Fagerlie** » 7 May 2013 11:07 am

WOW!!!!

Absolutely STUNNING!!!

That's a great looking axe Chas

...I think I need a bib....

Bob Gibler · Post by **Bob Gibler** » 7 May 2013 1:25 pm

Chas,
That 8 string 4 neck Wright is absolutely Gorgeous. I hope the 10string 4 neck that I am restoring will look as impressive as that one you have there once I have it completed. WOW.

Bob Gibler · Post by **Bob Gibler** » 7 May 2013 1:34 pm

Bob Gibler wrote:Chas,
That 8 string 4 neck Wright is absolutely Gorgeous. I hope the 10string 4 neck that I am restoring will look as impressive as that one you have there once I have it completed. WOW.

Chas,
Here are a couple photos of the 4 Neck Wright that I have, notice NO PEDALS? I can see the transition between the Wright Customs, and the Sierra's NOW.

Bob Gibler · Post by **Bob Gibler** » 12 May 2013 5:53 am

Folks,
I just wanted to chime in and let everyone know that I have not stopped working on the 4 neck Wright.

After examining the hardware in the box of parts..I have noticed that some of the screws are Chrome.
So I had decided to polish out all of those Chrome screws and any metal parts that are reusable and not pitted.

There will be a few tacks and nails to replace, but nothing that will be hard to find.

All 4 of the pickups are working fine now thanks to my Brother Jeff, and should give this Guitar a nice Signature Baritone sound.

Note of interest While cleaning out the melted foam in the Pick up cavities on the maple necks and from the single coil pickups themselves
I sliced my finger to the bone with a sharpened paint scraper.
(I should have been wearing my gloves). But all is well, and my finger is healing fine. My cat PD is supervising my work today... Such a pal.
New photos will be posted soon. Here are a couple of pic's to show.

Bob Gibler · Post by **Bob Gibler** » 12 May 2013 6:07 am

I have a question to throw out.
Does anyone on the forum have an idea as to what model# these single coil pickups are. The windings seem to be a slight heavier gauge wire than normally used now, around a flat bar magnet.
I have not needed to disassemble one as they all work fine now.
I sure would like to know the model of these animals. There are also pics on this thread to show how they are housed on the Steel ..

Bob Gibler · Post by **Bob Gibler** » 16 May 2013 4:14 am

Well Today I start disassembling the maple so it can be stripped, sanded and sealed for the Lacquer. I sure am having a hard time finding the tuning Knob and the volume knob as they are not Standard equipment for any other Guitar. I am still searching. Continuing with the restoration.
Sorry the pic's are a little blurry.

David Wright · Post by **David Wright** » 16 May 2013 5:06 pm

From what i remember, my Dad always built and wound all his pickups for years, back when this guitar was built, he never did the next one the same, always thinking and trying to inprove his ideas. He spent most of his life building and trying to come up with new ideas, I truly miss the thought I cant just call him and ask the questions a lot of Wright Steel lovers ask me,,...and get answeres. It does my heart good to see you guys taking the time and all the effert in putting these old guitars back to there Glory!!..

String question, dont know, pick your tunnings, theres gages for all of them

keep up the Great WORK BOB

One more thing, parts, he got lots of them in San Francisco, Military surplus, the pullys came out of airplanes, as well as the cables he used. .....

Heres another Wright....

The Steel Guitar Forum

1950S 4 Neck Wright Custom10 string "Restoration Prog

The Rebuild goes on

Can anyone I D these pickups?