Welcome to my web site! I have finally decided to learn a bit about all this HTML stuff so here is my first attempt. No fancy editors and such are being used so don't expect all that much at the moment. This web site will be an exercise in learning and if I am lucky maybe some fun as well. In time, I would like to provide information related to my many hobbies and interests. For now my interest in music will dominate the page, but who knows what tomorrow will bring!
Thanks for stopping, I hope you enjoy!
Robert
Last updated: 6/Aug./2006
The Pedal Steel Guitar
The pedal steel guitar is one unusual musical instrument, a combination of precision mechanics, electronics, woodworking, physics, and music all in one machine. It is this combination of the various technologies which makes it so interesting to 'techie' types like myself. For those of you that know me, this is what I have spent countless hours of my life involved in. This music stuff is a passion, once you have the bug it never goes away.
Below is a photo of my current pedal steel guitar. The guitar is not the "latest and greatest" model but it is the best sounding and playing instrument I have ever been exposed to, bar none. The instrument is a late 1989 custom built ZumSteel, dual 10 string aluminum necks, single coil pickups, 9 floor pedals, 9 knee levers. I purchased it used from the builder about three years ago at the convention in St. Louis. The tone and sustain are, ummmm, scary!!
Zum D-10, 1989
Over the past 32 years of playing music I have owned around 15 pedal steel guitars produced by leading manufactures such as Emmons, Sho Bud, ZumSteel, MSA, Mullin, and Fender. When time allows (and I find the photos) I'll add them in the space below.
BTW, The Fender 1000, was my very first pedal steel which I purchased at age 14 for $475.00. (Anyone care to guess how many cucumbers required picking for $475.00? Answer, way to many and I think there are still pickers in my fingers!!!!!)
Fender 1000, 1950's
Zum D-10, Early 80's
Zum S-12 Universal Tuning, 1994
Zum S-12, Extended E9th Mid 80's
Amplification
I built these speaker enclosures in the fall of 98. They are open back and loaded with Electrovoice EVM-12L drivers. My current rack setup consists of a Stewart PA100 power amplifier, a Roland GP100 preamp/effects processor, and a Korg DTR1 tuner. I also have a couple Music Man combo amplifiers which I also use from time to time.
Custom Speaker Enclosures
Here are several other musical instruments in my playroom. Be sure to check out my new Weber mandos, I call them my twins!
Weber Mandolin and Mandola, Yellowstone Aug. 2002
Flatiron "A" style, 1995 mandolin
Dobro Model 60, 1981
Multitrack Recording
For the past year or two I have been working on a demo recording project using the Roland VS-1680 16 track digital multi-track recorder. For several years I have attempted to record samples of my musical performances with very limited success (actually they stunk!). I think that will soon change as the VS-1680 is an amazing piece of technology, even in my hands. To date, with a couple songs in rough form, the results are what several have called impressive.
VS1680.
My Woodworking Hobby
As if I am not busy enough with the music stuff, another hobby of mine is woodworking. Below are links to a few of my projects. The photos are not that great as most of them were scanned from photos.
Router Table.
CD Rack.
PC Stand.
Hat Rack.
Bird.
My CNC Hobby
In the past year or so I have found yet another interest, that being CNC machine tools. Actually I have always been interesting in machining and even had a couple college courses many years ago. Last winter I purchased a small lathe and also a benchtop vertical milling machine with the intent of converting them to computer control. With the never ending new house projects, everything sat in boxes until a few weeks back when I found time to get them setup and have even applied power to the mill. This is really cool was my initial response as chips started to fly from the milling machine.
If that was not enough I also have purchased a CNC router that should be arriving anyday now. It's promised to be a production quality tool that should be ready to go once I get the electronics and servo motors installed. It should be exciting seeing aluminum and wood fly from that tool, stay tuned.
Robert's Photo
If for some unknow reason you want to view my photo, click the link below:
Warning, This may scare you!