Hello all.. I am in the planning and parts gathering stage for a 3 plus 1 bow. I think that explains what I am trying for. I am hoping for that heavy full sound like Pat MacDonald gets.I realize that he sends his output to two different amps but what kind of pickups should I be using?
Thanks for any advice.
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Hahahaha! Good luck! I've helped Pat set up for shows and I've seen his rig. The Lowebow cigar box guitar is only one small part of his sound (an integral part, yes...but still small in the whole scheme). Not only does he split the signal out to two different channels, he's also running them thru several processors, various pedals he's road-tested and the bass even goes into a massive sub-woofer that takes two people to carry! Melaniejane calls Pat a "sound chemist."
Good luck!
Pinecone Fletcher will be at the House of Guitars in Rochester, NY on Nov. 23rd if you're in the area. He'll be doing a performance and a discussion at the Hobo King Guitar booth for the House Of Guitars "Guitar Expo 2013". For more info visit www.pineconefletcher.com and www.hoboking.com
I don't think you can really plan it...that's half the fun seeing how they turn out.
Well, first off, keep in mind these are cigar boxes. Meant to transport cigars. Nothing more. What we do to them is in essence -- magic. That is, we transform a simple, poorly built box into a musical instrument which is much like chicken salad from chicken sh... well.
You ain't gonna get Pat's sound without a little mojo. John Lowe makes them and its a trade secret as to how he builds and you aint'a'gonna get that secret. BUT... there is hope. as mentioned earlier, build and build again and use the tips mentioned.
PLUS, you have to understand, getting Pat's sound is 95% Pat, 5% his Lowebow, 5% his amp.
All in all, good luck.
-WY
Thanks Wes. I like your magic statement. Several years ago I studied electric bass with a guy who was a wonderful player. We are sitting across from each other and I play this riff and he asks for my bass to show me a variation. He plays 2 notes and blows me away with the tone. I couldn't believe the tone he was getting out of MY bass. So yes, 95% of Pat's sound is Pat. But it gives me a goal and a way to label the direction I want to go.
So I am looking forward to the process and learning from the gang around here.
Oh dude, I built a 6 string with split humbuckers and such, and when I play it it sounds ok. But this summer I was at a festival selling and this damn 12 year old kid came in, plugged up my guitar and wailed off on some Jimmy Page. Could have sounded like it was from Houses of the Holy. Talk about blown away. This was off a cheap-ass VOX 5W amp too.
-WY
Just do it. Learn something. Then do it again. And again
Have fun
Or...
Buy a lowebowe... Everyone copies em, but no one gets it right, theyre unique and Johnny's got lots of trade secrets
Frank,
Start with the naturally acoustic bits first: for heavy and gritty - longer scale length, heavier strings (3 wound guitar strings plus one bass strings, a la Johnny Lowe - but you knew that;-) ), bigger box to push more air. When you go electric, box air volume is not so important (unless you wanna play both amplified and non). For an electric build, many people have had success with stiff, thick sided boxes. Regular cigar boxes work too, as PM could attest.
But you asked about pickups. If you just wanna copy pat mAcdonald, then his box uses a John Lowe handmade pickup. You could probably get him to build you one (contact him here: http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Lowe/626866754), or purchase one from a CBN member (there are a number of people around CBN who build pickups: Ted Crocker - ad at right -, Skeesix - Skeesix CBG Pickups group here at CBN - , Bob Harrison - ad at right -, Elmar Klinghoffer - Klangbox Guitars...), or you can learn how to do one yourself at the CBG Wiring and Electronics group here at CBN.
Or you could get a cheap humbucker on eBay...
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