Tommy Young Mods.

J PARKER · Post by **J PARKER** » 11 Jun 2007 12:43 pm

Hey guys i will have to say the mods that Tommy does is well worth it and really makes the steel sound better with cleaner lows and highs as well. Give Tommy a call and he will be glad to talk to you.
662 328 9511 Jim

Stan Paxton · Post by **Stan Paxton** » 11 Jun 2007 4:52 pm

Jim, I got one that he signed, has the Tommy Young Mod, and it does have great sustain.

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 11 Jun 2007 8:14 pm

No one, even Tommy Young, has told what sort of "mod" he does. Can someone PLEASE give a fundamental explanation of the "mod?" And plesae, in REAL terms, and not sentences like, "Tommy's mods improve tone." I want to know what the "mod" consists of, mechanically.

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 12 Jun 2007 5:04 am

It's a secret....

A. J. Schobert · Post by **A. J. Schobert** » 12 Jun 2007 5:37 am

Stephen I wondered the same thing.

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 12 Jun 2007 7:23 am

It's a rebuild of the guitar, with particular attention paid to various connection points that affect resonance. The actual methods used to improve those couplings are Tommy's trade secret.

As I understand it, there is no visible change to the guitar.

Billy Carr · Post by **Billy Carr** » 12 Jun 2007 10:07 am

Tommy's mods work folks. Definitely a difference. Next new guitar I buy for me personally will get the mod. I just played a new Fessy w/o the mod and again after it was installed. Guitars with Tommy's mod is the way to go for improved tone and sustain. No if, ands or buts!

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 12 Jun 2007 11:12 am

Thanks, b0b, that's a very coherent explanation. I've been following these threads, and I sorta suspected that, but couldn't really tell from what anybody said. FWIW, I really liked the "after mod" soundclip that was posted a while back, but all this is personal taste.

I think it's entirely reasonable that Tommy not disclose these specifics publically on a worldwide forum. I doubt he's the only one who doesn't publish details of his "tricks of the trade" worldwide.

Brian Henry · Post by **Brian Henry** » 12 Jun 2007 12:26 pm

Once I use to own a Maverick, now it sounds like an Emmons push pull. You would not believe the difference in tone, mechanics and looks. But gentlemmen and gentle ladies, I am not at liberty to divulge the nature of my mod. Undoubtedly there are many players that could testify to the efffectiveness of this mod. It really is a secret and just requires some common sense!!

A. J. Schobert · Post by **A. J. Schobert** » 12 Jun 2007 7:30 pm

You guys this is something for the Mythbuster's to cypher out.

Curt Langston · Post by **Curt Langston** » 13 Jun 2007 8:04 am

And plesae, in REAL terms, and not sentences like, "Tommy's mods improve tone." I want to know what the "mod" consists of, mechanically.

Stephen, it is basically a copy-cat version of Carters BCT. Tommy makes the changer fingers have contact with the cabinet for increased resonance. It is really not hard to do. Many players that are able to change their copedant are able to perform this "mod".

When I hear things like "this has the so and so mod, and it has really helped!",
I can't help but think of the placebo effect.......

I actually tried this on a fellow steel player. I had an "unmodded" Nashville 400 at my home that I played through. It was a tune I had been working on. He came back over 2 months later, and I told him, "hey, I just got this amp back from Peavey". "Had the mod installed"

After about five minutes of playing, he said, "man, that DOES sound better!"

I then told him the amp had never left the house.

He was embarrassed to say the least.

Now, I know the Peavey mods DO indeed make a huge difference.

But the power of suggestion and the placebo effect are real.

Pharmaceutical companies use it in their testing.

Wally Taylor · Post by **Wally Taylor** » 13 Jun 2007 9:37 am

If this "mod" is so great, so simple to do, and makes the guitar sustain better, why don't the original guitar manufacturs incorporate this into their guitars?
Wally

John Fabian · Post by **John Fabian** » 13 Jun 2007 10:10 am

it is basically a copy-cat version of Carters BCT. Tommy makes the changer fingers have contact with the cabinet for increased resonance.

The use of the steel guitar body as a resting stop for the raise fingers when they are not activated is protected by patent. I'm sure that Mr Young would not infringe on our patented design.

Wally Taylor · Post by **Wally Taylor** » 13 Jun 2007 5:27 pm

tb Henry, you cracked me up!!!

Wally

Tommy Young · Post by **Tommy Young** » 14 Jun 2007 10:16 am

Please gentlemen this isn't a game and if you think of me as the only one that won't tell then you are wrong because all these great P/P guys won't tell you either what they do they just tell you it is in how much you torque the screws and all kinds of stuff to put you off to keep you from learning what all they actually do, that my friends is fact and I am disabled from severe degenerative disk disease of the spine and this is all that I have to keep my bills payed so the few gee-tars that I work on is my income peroid and just why would I feel sorry for YOU because you won't get off your laurels and go to work and find out for yourself and want me to give my living away to help you is more than not even Funny

PS: To JOHN FABIAN you got my word and be glad to show you that it doesn't even touch the changer fingers no where on your guitars that I have worked on

PS: Sorry that this is such a delimma for some of you to worry about what you are to lazy or to cheap to find out about for yourself it has taken me several years to accomplish what I have come across and LOTS & LOTS of hours and to give all my time and efforts to you please get a life send your guitar and then you will know what MY MODS can do for your TONE of your guitar because they all have their on TONE even after the mod and yes you have to have good hands but that isn't all!!!!!!!! contrary to others because when you sit behind one guitar it sounds one way and the next one another that my friends IS the guitar and or amp. or PUPs not your hands changing from one minute to the next just my beliefs THANKS

""May GOD BLESS each of you""
in all honesty TOMMY YOUNG

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 14 Jun 2007 9:08 pm

Tommy, I am neither lazy nor cheap, and since I'm the one who asked the question, I guess it's me you're referring to. I've heard a lot of comments on your "mod," b0b summed it up well enough for me. Your email to me helped, also.
Please do not imply that someone is "lazy," or "cheap," when they may only be curious.
And, for what it's worth, one of the best push-pull men on the planet, Mr. Charles Reece, has had me looking over his shoulder on P/P rebuilds. No trickery, just good, sound mechanical skills, and the hands of an artist.

Curt Langston · Post by **Curt Langston** » 15 Jun 2007 6:47 am

find out about for yourself it has taken me several years to accomplish

Accomplish what?

Just what the heck is it you do that cannot be done by most anybody?

Since you do not give any details about your "mod", it is natural for people to be skeptical.

I think if you would be more open about just what it is you are doing to the guitars, maybe people would be more willing to send you their guitar.

As it is now, it has a vague, almost black magic feel to it, that has become more ridicule than respect.

As stated above, many of the top steel tech legends offer free advice on servicing particular guitars to get the ultimate tone.

They realize that by doing so, many steel players will just go ahead and let them do it, as the may not feel up to it. But at least they know what is going to be done.

To send a guitar off to someone in another state and say "do the mod", is not something many people are wanting to do.

I know for a fact, that I would want to know all about the "mod" before I sent my guitar off.

Perhaps, if you were more open about your "procedure", more people would be willing to take a chance on you.

As it is now, many folks tend to shy away from unclear so-called "mods"

Just my 2 cents........................

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 15 Jun 2007 7:19 am

I have had very positive dealings with Tommy personally and have only heard good reports about the work that he does.

Brint Hannay · Post by **Brint Hannay** » 15 Jun 2007 7:40 am

Tommy, I would think a general explanation without specifics would satisfy a lot of the curiosity and frustration about what the mod consists of.

For example, if--as has been suggested here by people other than yourself, Tommy, including some who are satisfied customers of your mod--if at least part of the mod involves adjusting the torque on screws (I have no idea if this is true or not), you could say so without endangering your business. If you said "I adjust the torque on various screws", people still wouldn't know which screws, or how much or little torque each should have, so they wouldn't be able to duplicate what you do, but they'd be more comfortable with having some understanding of what kind of actions you would be taking on their prized possession.

Again, that was only a hypothetical example, since as far as I can recall (and I think I've read all of every thread about your mod from the beginning) you have steadfastly refused to give even the faintest hint about what kind of things you do to execute your mod. Which is of course your right. But there's always curiosity shown when the subject comes up, which would suggest to me that, if anything, maybe more people would seek your services if they knew a little more about them.

Especially since, as Bob H. said, I have heard nothing but positive reports about the work that you do.

Perhaps you do explain more to those who contact you individually. I know you encourage people to contact you, but given how little you're willing to explain here, people can understandably be doubtful if you'd explain anything one-on-one either. If you do, you could at least say that on the Forum, and maybe people would let up on you here. Though I still don't see the harm in explaining your work publicly in general terms.

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 15 Jun 2007 11:07 am

Bob, did you have the "mod" done on your guitar? Nobody here is questioning Mr. Young's character, only the nature of his "mod." Britt Hannay and Curt Langston make some very valid points, especially Curt's story about the "modded" amp.

Billy Carr · Post by **Billy Carr** » 15 Jun 2007 11:39 pm

Ok, here we go. Tommy added his mod to a new Fessy for a friend of mine a week or so ago. The Fessy was delivered to me to install 10-1's, instead of the 10-SS's I had ordered in it. I played the guitar when it was first delivered, three or four weeks ago. Before the mod. I liked the guitar so well until I bought it from my friend to use as my personal guitar after the mod was installed. Yes, believe me there is definitely a difference and I'm very hard to please when it comes to tone and sound. Any guitars I purchase for myself to use will go to Tommy for his mod kit from now on. I highly recommend it and no it's not BCT. I'm familiar with BCT guitars, as I've bought seven new Carters, which have all been great guitars and will probably buy more Carters in the future. I don't normally get involved in these type discussions unless I know what I'm talking about. Tommy's got a good thing going with the mods and I wouldn't give up the mod secrets either because then everybody would be doing it. This is the real deal here folks. Even though I've never met Tommy yet and he's not a MSP member, I'm going to support him 110%.

Curt Langston · Post by **Curt Langston** » 16 Jun 2007 4:24 am

Tommy's got a good thing going with the mods and I wouldn't give up the mod secrets either because then everybody would be doing it.

Isn't that the point of this forum? To share knowledge of the steel guitar?

Any guitars I purchase for myself to use will go to Tommy for his mod kit from now on.

I am going to find one of his "kits", and take some really good quality close up pics of it. Anyone who wants to see the "mod" can email me when I get some shots of it.

Since there is a lot of curiousity about what the actual "mod" is, and considering Tommy does not have a patent on it, I feel it is almost my duty to do so.

So, now it is a mod kit?

Then why doesn't he just sell the "kits"?..............

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 16 Jun 2007 4:41 am

Boy I hate to get involved in a defensive position about something indefensible....

But I've corresponded with Tommy and found him to be an interesting guy. We've hashed over the mechanics of instruments, the piano in particular. There are lots of things you learn over years of hands-on experience with different instruments, much of which you can't communicate, you just do. Many trade secrets are just that; it's in the doing, and in doing, you gain the knowing.

My 'trade secret' in piano tuning is a strong 5th, but that doesn't mean much when it comes to accommodating that into an ET octave. Thus I have to respect any techncian's little secrets when it comes to a job well done.
[After all, tuning is 'just' adjusting the torque on tuning pins, right? The trick is knowing how much torque....]

Tommy's work makes me curious, and that curiosity is the thing when it comes to learning.

A. J. Schobert · Post by **A. J. Schobert** » 16 Jun 2007 7:46 am

I am trying to word this without hurting anyone.

Tommy found a niche in the steel guitar community great for him.

Curt L. Tommy doesn't have to share his knowledge just cause he is on the forum!

My take is that if I would pay thousands of dollars into a new guitar, or used, I will need more info on the mod, other than sound clips. I have a hard time trusting someone with my PSG not knowing what they are doing.

I think if part was reavelled peaple would be ok with that, I can honestly say that peaple are so busy now that if they even know the whole secret they would still pay someone to help them with there PSG!

Brad Malone · Post by **Brad Malone** » 16 Jun 2007 7:48 am

I think that the reason a lot of people are upset is because they do not have the chance to compare the before and after result of Tom's mod. Another question that has not been asked is: How long will the Mod. last? If it is just adjusting a few screws, will they stay adjusted or work back to the original position...if one spends money for a mod one wants it to last. There are a lot on new steels on the market and IMHO one should buy a Steel they are satisfied with from the start. If one buys a used steel at a good discount, then it might be wise to get some expert to give it a good goingover. Tom does not owe it to anyone to give away his trade secrets. As he has stated, he put in a lot of time and effort to develop this mod. If one thinks that this mod will help their tone, "get it" and if not, go about your business....the world will keep on turning.

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