Del Vecchio set-up

John Groover McDuffie · Post by **John Groover McDuffie** » 1 Nov 2009 7:13 pm

Well this doesn't really belong here since it is not played with a bar, but it's resophonic so there is some connection:

Does anyone know anything about Del Vecchio guitars from Brasil. I am specifically looking for stringing and setup information. Thank you.

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 1 Nov 2009 8:36 pm

Yes. I have several and have worked on them. They are cheaply made and don't play in tune and are savagely overpriced because Chet Atkins played one.

You use Martin Silk and Steel strings. Substitute an unwound G for the Martin G. Setup is the same as any acoustic with no truss rod adjustment.

Which model do you have. There is a long and a short scale and through the years different woods were used. Post a pic if you can.

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 2 Nov 2009 7:44 am

Moved to Music from Steel Without Pedals.

Here's a long discussion previously:
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=144021

Jay Fagerlie · Post by **Jay Fagerlie** » 2 Nov 2009 12:23 pm

Since you're on the subject....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKtPUUYV ... re=related

Jay

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 2 Nov 2009 1:17 pm

Here is another version. This time Atkins is playing the DV guitar that he got from Nato Lima of Los Indios. This is the one! Short scale, Brazillian rosewood. Replaced fingerboard with extra frets. Truss rod added. Atkins used this DV on his many recordings he did with this tone. I think he may have given this guitar to Klugh.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K00_-KMTs1Y&NR=1

Richard Bass · Post by **Richard Bass** » 2 Nov 2009 4:26 pm

Great video, thanks Bill. Had a DV in the late 60,s. liked it and it played good. Sold it to Benny Birchfield, 2 months later it completely fell apart.

Michael Lee Allen · Post by **Michael Lee Allen** » 2 Nov 2009 7:46 pm

Deleted.

Michael Lee Allen · Post by **Michael Lee Allen** » 2 Nov 2009 7:47 pm

Deleted.

John Groover McDuffie · Post by **John Groover McDuffie** » 5 Nov 2009 2:18 pm

Here are some pics of mine. It is a 25 1/2" scale.
(I'm posting some with flash and some without to best show the wood)

Any guesses as to the vintage of this instrument?

the keys are no help in dating this guitar as they have been replaced with Shaller classical guitar tuners:

I have it strung with light silk-and-steel strings on 6-4 and light plain steel strings on 3-1.

here is an "exploded view"

something that seems odd to me is that there is a ring of multi-conductor insulated wire glued around the bottom rim of the soundwell which serves to raise the height of the resonator:

there is also a piece of split plastic tubing slipped onto the edge of the resonator:

Are the plastic tubing and the wire ring in the soundwell original?

It seems to me that the cone resting on plastic jacketed cable, and the plastic tubing around the edge or the cone, might not be the best for tone prodution, but maybe that is part of the sound.

The action seems not great, but reasonable, but the resonator sits so high that the cover plate rests on the cone before it bottoms out in the well it fits into. Also as I received the guitar there was nothing to hold the cover plate in place.

I forgot to take a pic of the biscuit, it has what appears to be a thin bone saddle.

Do you have any recommedations for optimizing the playability and tone? How about for mounting the cover plate?

edited to add: Once I tuned it back up, loading the cone, I see that the cover plate doesn't have to come up much - around 1/4" would be enough I think.
Maybe a ring of guitar cable? haha

John Groover McDuffie · Post by **John Groover McDuffie** » 5 Nov 2009 3:33 pm

What gauges do you recommend for the plain strings (for standard tuning)? For strings 4-6 I am using strings from a medium-gauge silk-and-steel set, but moved to the next lowest string, ie using the 3rd string of the set for a 4th string and so on. So they are pretty light.

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 5 Nov 2009 10:54 pm

The wire in the bottom of the ledge for the cone is bogus.

The wood does not look like Brazillian rosewood, but I can't be sure from the photo.

Substitute some different unwound G strings until you find a guage that suits you.

The biscuit cone should have an aluminum saddle.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 6 Nov 2009 7:42 am

John - check your PM's.

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 6 Nov 2009 8:59 am

There should be a ring of felt in the bottom of the rim for the cone to sit on.

After looking at the photo more and comparing the color of the top to the fingerboard which should be Brazil rosewood I would say that the wood is probably Brazil rosewood.

John Groover McDuffie · Post by **John Groover McDuffie** » 6 Nov 2009 9:17 am

The resonator sits on felt?? That seems like it wouldn't be very good for tone. How thick is the felt?

Do you have a del V. cone (good condition) that isn't in a guitar right now. If so I would like to know how deep is it? In other words if you set it face up on a table how high off the table would the ring upon which the biscuit sits be?

Do you think the aluminum saddle is part of the distinctive tone? Maybe I should make one.

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 6 Nov 2009 3:58 pm

John Groover McDuffie wrote:The resonator sits on felt?? That seems like it wouldn't be very good for tone. How thick is the felt?

Just the edge of the cone makes contact with the felt. What this really does is make sure the cone does not rattle around the edge. The felt takes up any gap between the edge of the cone and the wood. The felt is not very thick at all.

Do you have a del V. cone (good condition) that isn't in a guitar right now. If so I would like to know how deep is it? In other words if you set it face up on a table how high off the table would the ring upon which the biscuit sits be?

I have one somewhere. If I can find it, I will post the height. Is the one you have not a DV cone??

Do you think the aluminum saddle is part of the distinctive tone?

YES!

Maybe I should make one.

yes

John Groover McDuffie · Post by **John Groover McDuffie** » 7 Nov 2009 11:32 am

I think the cone in my D.V. is original. I was asking for the dimension because I am wondering if the cone is somewhat flattened, making the action lower.

I heard from the person I got the D.V. from and he said he added the ring of cable under the rim of the cone because the cone was collapsing and the strings were hitting the frets.

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 7 Nov 2009 2:29 pm

If the cone is collapsed then you will have to replace it. The original DV cone is a big part of the sound it is VERY thin and you have to take care of it. You should drop the tension on the strings a couple of turns on the machine heads when the guitar is not in use just to relieve a bit of the downward pressure on the cone. Also there should be a metal piece that covers the bridge saddle. It keeps your hand from making contact with the strings at the bridge and pressing down right there at the cone. Some dents and such can be easily removed by taking the cone and using a flat surface take a socket and "roll" out the dents and such. I don't know about rolling out a collapsed cone though.

Darrell Owens · Post by **Darrell Owens** » 10 Nov 2009 10:29 pm

Interesting post on Del Vecchios.

I have had several of them and ended up keeping only one. I have been to Brasil on several occasions, and always try to bring back a Del Vecchio, if I can find one. I actually visited the factory and had one made - brand new a few years ago. The resonator guitars are not in production any longer, so they are a rare find. They are not well made, but the tone is unique and virtually impossible to duplicate.

The origional ones with the short scale neck and the V-cones are more mellow than the later ones. If you listen to both clips of Chet and compare the two guitars, you will notice the later one has more sustain.

The "keeper" Del Vecchio I have was completely redone by Kirk Sand (Laguna Beach, Ca). The fret board was removed and replaced with an ebony one and the neck was reshaped. The nut was replaced and the bridge moved back for proper intonation.

Darrell Owens · Post by **Darrell Owens** » 10 Nov 2009 10:56 pm

In case anyone is in a listening mood, here is a link to a song I wrote down in Brasil and named it "Eu Amo Belem" (I Love Belem)

The two guitars are a Nylon String SAND and a 60's vintage Short Scale Del Vecchio.

http://www.box.net/shared/dbizxc5sa8

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 11 Nov 2009 5:34 am

Really nice playing and writing, Darrell.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 11 Nov 2009 7:05 am

Darryl, I'm curious as to how the bridge was moved back since the saddle sits in a groove in the biscuit, and the biscuit can't be moved from it's position on top of the cone.

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 11 Nov 2009 5:57 pm

Barry Blackwood wrote:Darryl, I'm curious as to how the bridge was moved back since the saddle sits in a groove in the biscuit, and the biscuit can't be moved from it's position on top of the cone.

You could compensate a couple of ways. You could install a different saddle and make some compensation in the saddle. You could also make a new biscuit and cut the saddle slot in another position.

Darrell Owens · Post by **Darrell Owens** » 11 Nov 2009 5:59 pm

The bridge was removed from the biscuit, the groove was filled in and the bridge placed in a new groove set back from the original. The intonation is good now.

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 11 Nov 2009 6:00 pm

Here are a couple of cuts of my longscale DV guitar playing some JS Bach. I have this guitar playing in about as good a tune as I could ever ask for. I removed the DV board and made a new ebony board for it and reshaped the neck a bit. I am very with the sound of it. Has that little DV "oink" when the pick hits the string and sustains like crazy!

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?dljzjy2jjzi

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?wnyjnxqymjn

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?nyg22rtzzya

John Groover McDuffie · Post by **John Groover McDuffie** » 11 Nov 2009 7:31 pm

Bill, I am still wondering about the cone

a) do you have the depth measurement of a normal healthy cone?

and b) what do you know about the d.V. replacement cones from Resophonic Outfitters?

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