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  #1  
Old 02-16-2016, 02:58 PM
815C 815C is offline
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Default NTNFSMD (New Triple Neck Fender Stringmaster Day)

Did some horse trading with some gear and wrangled this beauty.

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Old 02-16-2016, 03:18 PM
syrynx syrynx is offline
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In the immortal words of Scooby-Doo, "Ruh-roh!" If you continue on your present trajectory, David, the inevitable next step must be either a quad Stringmaster or a pedal steel. Either way... Muahahahaha!

Congratulations, David.
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Old 02-16-2016, 03:22 PM
martingitdave martingitdave is offline
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How many hands does one need to play such a beastly instrument? I would presume a minimum of 5? I am, therefore, unqualified to play one, as I have two hands and the left hand is fairly worthless.

Lovely... um... thing... you've got there!
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Old 02-16-2016, 04:23 PM
815C 815C is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by martingitdave View Post
How many hands does one need to play such a beastly instrument? I would presume a minimum of 5? I am, therefore, unqualified to play one, as I have two hands and the left hand is fairly worthless.

Lovely... um... thing... you've got there!
Haha - just need two hands! You play one neck at a time - and each neck is tuned differently. My double neck Stringmaster is tuned to C6 and E13. Thinking I will tune these three to B11, Bb diminished, and ??? (there are a lot or options to choose from)....
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Old 02-16-2016, 04:25 PM
martingitdave martingitdave is offline
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What is this Bb diminished you speak of? Some fantastical musical term, perhaps?

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Old 02-16-2016, 08:21 PM
Br1ck Br1ck is offline
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There was a triple neck National at Gryphon a while ago. I need to sell my EMCI 3x5 first though. I'm in love with that late 40s country and western swing. I can work my hands ok, but both feet plus knees? uh, no.
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Old 02-17-2016, 07:29 AM
815C 815C is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by syrynx View Post
In the immortal words of Scooby-Doo, "Ruh-roh!" If you continue on your present trajectory, David, the inevitable next step must be either a quad Stringmaster or a pedal steel. Either way... Muahahahaha!

Congratulations, David.
Ruh-roh is right!

Your roadmap is very close to accurate - but instead of quad Stringmaster, I'm hoping to get a decent banjo next, then a double neck pedal steel. But I'm going to focus on these Stringmasters in 2016 before moving to pedal steel.
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Old 02-18-2016, 12:37 PM
syrynx syrynx is offline
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David, I'm sure you will never regret spending time with the Stringmasters before moving on to pedal steel. I spent three years with mine before acquiring my first pedal steel, and was very glad I did so.

You may know this already, but I want to make sure: When three- and four-neck Stringmasters left the factory, the necks farthest from the player were configured for use with bass strings, including wider and deeper grooves around the nut and larger holes in the tuning posts. This may afford you additional flexibility in choosing tunings. (FWIW, my T8 had been refinished when I acquired it, and the tuning machines were not put back in their original locations. A careful inspection is probably worthwhile.) Here are a couple of SGF discussions on the topic...

Fender Quad Stringmaster (4 necks)

June 1954 Stringmaster triple

...and a couple of clips of Buddy Merrill on the Lawrence Welk show. He hits the bass neck at ~1:45 in this clip...



...and at ~1:09 in this one.



I know I've seen a clip in which Leon McAuliffe played his bass neck, but I can't seem to find it now.
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Old 02-18-2016, 05:20 PM
Earl49 Earl49 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by martingitdave View Post
What is this Bb diminished you speak of?
Slightly less dissonant than a Bb demented chord......
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Old 02-18-2016, 05:21 PM
martingitdave martingitdave is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Earl49 View Post
Slightly less dissonant than a Bb demented chord......
I'll never understand the prejudice against that chord. Why diminish it at all? Have they no decency?

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  #11  
Old 02-19-2016, 12:17 AM
815C 815C is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by syrynx View Post
David, I'm sure you will never regret spending time with the Stringmasters before moving on to pedal steel. I spent three years with mine before acquiring my first pedal steel, and was very glad I did so.

You may know this already, but I want to make sure: When three- and four-neck Stringmasters left the factory, the necks farthest from the player were configured for use with bass strings, including wider and deeper grooves around the nut and larger holes in the tuning posts. This may afford you additional flexibility in choosing tunings. (FWIW, my T8 had been refinished when I acquired it, and the tuning machines were not put back in their original locations. A careful inspection is probably worthwhile.) Here are a couple of SGF discussions on the topic...

Fender Quad Stringmaster (4 necks)

June 1954 Stringmaster triple

...and a couple of clips of Buddy Merrill on the Lawrence Welk show. He hits the bass neck at ~1:45 in this clip...



...and at ~1:09 in this one.



I know I've seen a clip in which Leon McAuliffe played his bass neck, but I can't seem to find it now.
Thanks John!
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  #12  
Old 02-19-2016, 09:56 AM
Dru Edwards Dru Edwards is offline
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Cool!!! I was going to ask if they were all in different tunings but you already answered that question. Aside from the tunings, does each neck sound the same? i.e. same pickups?
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  #13  
Old 02-19-2016, 12:57 PM
Black Flag Black Flag is offline
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Default Fender Stringmaster

I've owned a couple of older single neck Stringmasters and think they're a classy instrument (for an electric), except for the blend wheel, which is nearly useless.
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