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Topic: MCI by Carter vs. RangeExpander |
Wade Romonosky
From:
Illinois, USA
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Posted 9 Jun 2020 6:57 pm |
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I'm sure this has been explored before but what is the difference the 2 models mentioned.
Thanks
Wade
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Record & Tape Restoration Specialist |
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Jim Palenscar
From:
Oceanside, Calif, USA
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Posted 9 Jun 2020 9:46 pm
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| The MCI RangeExpander was an MCI with a welded aluminum frame- much like the following EMCI. |
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Peter Freiberger
From:
California, USA
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Posted 10 Jun 2020 6:25 am
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| I believe there might be other structural differences between the MCI and EMCI welded frame models. Perhaps someone more knowledgeable than I could comment. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 10 Jun 2020 6:57 am
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I believe the MCI and the EMCI welded frame models are pretty much identical. 
Erv |
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Brian Hollands
From:
Geneva, FL USA
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Posted 10 Jun 2020 12:13 pm
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Only difference is the logo. Rangexpander was the new name for the welded frame guitars. EMCI's are all welded
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'81 Sho-bud LDG, 2 EMCI's |
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Wade Romonosky
From:
Illinois, USA
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Posted 10 Jun 2020 6:01 pm
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Does the Rangexpander have a wood front or all aluminum or was their a transition that things get a little fuzzy in the design.
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Record & Tape Restoration Specialist |
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Brian Hollands
From:
Geneva, FL USA
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Posted 10 Jun 2020 6:25 pm
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Rangexpander is all aluminum, just as Jim P said.
If you want to get picky, there are subtle differences in EMCI production, most notably two tack welds added on the changer/neck interface. I've not seen anything definitive on when that occurred.
Also, the colored fret markers were added mid way through EMCI production. MCI's never had those.
The name change however had nothing to do with any change in design. It was strickly a leagal issue.
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'81 Sho-bud LDG, 2 EMCI's |
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Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Posted 10 Jun 2020 9:46 pm
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I bought a prototype MCI for cheap off Buddy Emmons at the St Louis convention. It was my first steel guitar. I beat the crap out of it banging around NYC. After I had rendered it unplayable I called up John Burkhead and he took mercy on me and took it on trade in for a new one. I got a beautiful EMCI and a real case which he advised me to use. He told me they changed the name to EMCI because of some legal stuff.
If I remember right the MCI had a globe in the logo and a Rangexpander sticker on it. It did not have a welded frame. But like I said it was a prototype. I also think it may have had a wood frame.
The EMCI was a fantastic steel !
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Bob |
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Peter Freiberger
From:
California, USA
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Posted 11 Jun 2020 5:53 am
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| The welds between the neck and changer are what I was referring to. I have two welded frame models, one with and one without the neck/changer welds. There both sound great but different. I would imagine the welded neck/changer difference would be something like the difference between a bolt on/cut-tail P/P. |
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Wade Romonosky
From:
Illinois, USA
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Posted 11 Jun 2020 6:51 am
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So is this a real RangeXpander
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Record & Tape Restoration Specialist |
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Brian Hollands
From:
Geneva, FL USA
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Posted 11 Jun 2020 7:37 am
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No, thats a wood frame guitar
The Rangexpander decal could have been added or there may have been a few like the prototype Bob mentioned.
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'81 Sho-bud LDG, 2 EMCI's |
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ken collins
From:
Oklahoma City, OK.
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Posted 12 Jun 2020 8:34 pm Mci
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| One big difference for me. Pedal spacing, The Range Expander and the EMCI have a wider spacing than the MCI. Keeps me off of edge of wrong pedal on C6th. |
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Tommy Detamore
From:
Floresville, Texas
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Posted 14 Jun 2020 4:15 am Re: Mci
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| ken collins wrote: |
| One big difference for me. Pedal spacing, The Range Expander and the EMCI have a wider spacing than the MCI. Keeps me off of edge of wrong pedal on C6th. |
So right Ken! And since I have gotten so used to the wider 60’s pedal spacing on my Emmons push-pulls, “modern†guitars usually give me fits, especially on C6. But my MCI spacing is close enough that I can switch back and forth with just a minimal reacquaintance period.
Still loving that MCI Ken! Thanks so much for entrusting her to me 😊.
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Tommy Detamore
Quilter Labs, Goodrich Sound, Source Audio, Neunaber Audio, and Stringjoy Authorized Dealer
www.cherryridgestudio.com
www.steelguitartracksonline.com |
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Paddy Long
From:
Christchurch, New Zealand
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Posted 14 Jun 2020 5:32 pm
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Here's my 1986 MCI Rangexpander, which I have had since brand new ... with a couple of shots underneath as well, including a pic of the welded frame - see the leg sockets (taken during my refurb of the guitar) .... no wood in the front or rear aprons, but the top deck is !!
This guitar is a welded frame, and as alluded to in above posts ... pretty much the same as the EMCI, with a few differences in knee levers and pedals ... this guitar has a extruded pedal bar which the pedals slide into a channel .. the pedal surface is smooth - later ones had a treddle pattern on them, and this guitar has square shaped knee levers - where later EMCI's had a "L" shaped design to them.
I'm sure there are other subtle differences on later guitars too, but essentially the Rangexpander and the EMCI are the same guitar !!
Any MCI's that are not welded frame guitars, are the earlier iteration. Waco/Bud Carter.
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14'Zumsteel Hybrid D10 9+9
08'Zumsteel Hybrid D10 9+9
94' Franklin Stereo D10 9+8
Telonics, Peterson, Steelers Choice, Benado, Lexicon, Red Dirt Cases. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 15 Jun 2020 7:30 am
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Paddy,
The bottom of my MCI isn't flocked.
I notice that the top deck is sort of a butcher block
style.
Otherwise, mine looks like yours with the welded frame.
Erv |
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Paddy Long
From:
Christchurch, New Zealand
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Posted 15 Jun 2020 3:15 pm
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Hi Erv, I have heard that they used a butcher block type of maple construction for the top deck ... mine came flocked as new so I've never seen the top deck in the flesh so to speak :-}
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14'Zumsteel Hybrid D10 9+9
08'Zumsteel Hybrid D10 9+9
94' Franklin Stereo D10 9+8
Telonics, Peterson, Steelers Choice, Benado, Lexicon, Red Dirt Cases. |
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Wade Romonosky
From:
Illinois, USA
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Posted 15 Jun 2020 5:15 pm
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I want to thank everybody who helped me figure this out, it looks like I didn't but a RangeXplander after all.
Thanks again
Wade
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Record & Tape Restoration Specialist |
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Paddy Long
From:
Christchurch, New Zealand
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Posted 15 Jun 2020 8:33 pm
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Wade I think the sticker was put on later ... but those earlier MCI's were still great guitars - enjoy it mate
_________________
14'Zumsteel Hybrid D10 9+9
08'Zumsteel Hybrid D10 9+9
94' Franklin Stereo D10 9+8
Telonics, Peterson, Steelers Choice, Benado, Lexicon, Red Dirt Cases. |
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