Flock it?

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 2 Apr 2002 4:28 pm

After studying a little about resonance in musical instruments, it occured to me that the pedal steel is the only instrument whose body is usually "flocked". The use of the flocking (and it's requisite adhesive) on the underside of the instrument seems counter to promoting a good resonance in the body. They (manufacturers) pick a wood known for its sound quality, and then proceed to to deaden it by applying this stuff. I suppose it's done for purely for visual aesthetics, so has anyone done a study to see how much resonance (sustain) we lose due to this procedure?

Whose idea was it, anyway?

(Yes, I do expect a few light-hearted responses.)

Peter Siegel · Post by **Peter Siegel** » 2 Apr 2002 4:47 pm

The first flocked guitar was created by Nicholas "Buddy" Claus, whose owned a combination guitar shop and christmans tree lot back in 1969. One dark December night while attempting to put an extra layer of pink flocking on a customer's tree, there was a mysterious explosion. After the police and firefighters left, Nicholas returned to his guitar shop, where he found that several of his steels, which were inverted on his workbench, had become covered in residue from the explosion. Being an adventurous type as well as a fan of anything flocked pink, he plugged one in and tried it out. The rest is history.

John Steele (deceased) · Post by **John Steele (deceased)** » 2 Apr 2002 4:48 pm

Red flocked guitars sound better.
-John

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 2 Apr 2002 5:06 pm

I have deleted my post as my comments were
irrelevant to this thread. Sorry.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 02 April 2002 at 08:52 PM.]</p></FONT>

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 2 Apr 2002 5:06 pm

Do any builders besides Emmons do this?
Are the LeGrandes flocked too or just P-P's?

RON PRESTON · Post by **RON PRESTON** » 2 Apr 2002 5:19 pm

Pete, Every Emmons I ever saw, Regardless of what year it was made, was Flocked. The oldest of the Emmons were Flocked Red, But, I am not sure when they started Flocking them BLACK...I bet either Brian Adams or Jack Strayhorn or even Buddy would know when they changed over.

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 2 Apr 2002 5:36 pm

I have a MSA Classic D10 SS and the bottom is not flocked.
Just pure maple wood. I like it that way, and it just MIGHT have a small effect on the tone. Who Knows?...al

Bill C. Buntin · Post by **Bill C. Buntin** » 2 Apr 2002 7:02 pm

I've wondered this too. For a long time, I've thought that the flocking was to cut down on noises made by the mechanics.

Tom Jordan · Post by **Tom Jordan** » 2 Apr 2002 7:25 pm

I'm also just guessing...I'm with Bill that I assumed that it helped to dampen the mechanical sounds. Especially on old guitars that sent alot of cabinet noise through the pick up. My Sierra U12 has red felt glued to the underside. Since this body is a solid (and heavy) aluminum extrusion and is anodized, I wouldn't think that you would just waste time by covering it for cosmetic reasons.

Tom

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 2 Apr 2002 8:23 pm

Bill & Tom
You are both correct,,it does cut the noise of the undercarriage down considerably.

Bill,,,,will contact you this week re the leg
pedal pouch. Been busy,,I have been making
films,,,,X Rays....will get with you for certain.

Mike Weirauch · Post by **Mike Weirauch** » 2 Apr 2002 8:58 pm

Donnie, can we all watch you flock your guitar? Smiley wants a pup from that litter also!

Bill Crook · Post by **Bill Crook** » 3 Apr 2002 4:31 am

Mike Weirauch......

You are demented !!!!!

Earl Foote · Post by **Earl Foote** » 3 Apr 2002 4:34 am

In the book, Methodology & Practice in Pedal Steel Guitar, page 15: The flocking serves to enhance appearance & covers the vapor barrier placed on the maple.
EF

Richard Plummer · Post by **Richard Plummer** » 3 Apr 2002 6:27 am

Has anyone ever torn out the felt to see if the tone of the guitar is still the same?

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 3 Apr 2002 6:34 am

Richard, it's not felt, which is a fabric. Flocking is a sprayed material made from very short wool (or some other material) fibers that adheres to a glued or painted surface. Like paint, it must be sanded off.

Yes, the best sounding guitars have red flocking, but not because the color of the flocking is red.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

Bob Farlow · Post by **Bob Farlow** » 3 Apr 2002 8:05 am

Cosmetic? Who the flock is going to look at the flocking flock anyway?

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 3 Apr 2002 8:14 am

I recently flocked my bar and picks but I still seem to get noise from them!

Uff-Da!

Jeremy Steele · Post by **Jeremy Steele** » 3 Apr 2002 8:43 am

I have a standard Emmons push-pull S-10 with flocking(black), and a student model push-pull with "nekkid" wood. FWIW, I greatly prefer the sound of the "unflocked" guitar.

Frank Venters · Post by **Frank Venters** » 3 Apr 2002 6:41 pm

I'm slowly restoring an old Miller Dbl 10 and it had red flocking.So I started calling around different fabric stores for flocking material and when the women wounder answer the phone, well you can imagine what they thought when I asked for flocking.What a hassel, until I told them it was put inside of flip open eye glass cases. They finally settle down and laughed. I found some flocking material from a company in Montana, got the flocking (red), the applictor, and the adhesive to apply it, now I'm trying to get the nerve to apply it.The guitar was originally red with yellow necks and I'm doing in in the same colors.

Bill Hamner · Post by **Bill Hamner** » 4 Apr 2002 6:37 pm

Frank, I attempted to send you an e-mail but it was returned undeliverable at the address
listed above your post. Contact me.
Bill

Reggie Duncan · Post by **Reggie Duncan** » 4 Apr 2002 10:47 pm

Erv.....I'm still laughing! I laughed so hard I almost swallowed my bar! It turned cold down here and my bar was cold. I saw this saxophone player put his reed in his mouth once. So, I tried it! I just won't go to the forum next time! Sorry, b0b.

Fred Layman · Post by **Fred Layman** » 6 Apr 2002 7:46 pm

Derby steels have flocking. You can get flocking from Constantine in Brooklyn, NY.

Damir Besic · Post by **Damir Besic** » 13 Apr 2002 8:39 pm

I bet that red flocked guitars sound better then black ones...or pink...or..hmmm

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http://hometown.aol.com/damirzanne/damirzanne1.html

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 14 Apr 2002 12:56 am

What are the materials used for flocking ?
it was usually Abestos until it was discovered to be a health hazard.
what has replaced it ?
Steel wonderin'...

Joerg Hennig · Post by **Joerg Hennig** » 14 Apr 2002 3:34 am

Asbestos??? Guess I can consider myself lucky that none of my two steels is flocked...
I haven´t had an occasion to look closely at many newer steels, is it really "usually" done, as Donny says? I can´t help but think that it takes away something from the natural resonance of the wood. Maybe that´s why I like the sound of my guitars better than many new ones that I´ve heard.