Supro lap steel and right hand position....

Lew Collins · Post by **Lew Collins** » 12 May 2000 4:36 am

Hi! I'm a beginner. I have a nice fifties
mother of toilet seat Supro and the guitar cord plugs in right next to the pickup/bridge cover on the left side. Volume and tone knobs on the right side, looking at the guitar. When plugged in, the 1/4" plug really gets in the way of my right hand. When you all play, do you position your right hand only on the strings or do you rest your right hand partially on the pickup/bridge cover? I know I should be string dampening with my right hand as well as the left...but at this point, I'm just trying to play accuratly and in tune!
Thanks, Lew

CHUCK BRATTAIN · Post by **CHUCK BRATTAIN** » 13 May 2000 10:40 am

Try geting a guitar cord with a right angle male 1/4" jack not a straight one. You do use the heel of your right hand to dapen the strings. Place your right hand close to the pickup cover.

Good Luck, Chuck

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 14 May 2000 12:33 pm

Take the pickup cover off...it serves no purpose.

Whoops! If it IS a metal cover screwed to the magnets, DON'T remove it !!! Some of those old SUPROS had removeable (decore) plastic covers which were of no use.

If ever you do take the metal 'cap' off, be sure to replace the magnets EXACTLY the way they were, otherwise the pickup polarity gets screwed up. Sorry for the bad advice earlier.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by George Keoki Lake on 14 May 2000 at 07:37 PM.]</p></FONT>

Ian McLatchie · Post by **Ian McLatchie** » 14 May 2000 5:28 pm

Lew: On almost all Supro models, with "wrap-around" pickups, the cover does serve a purpose, as it's part of the pickup magnet assembly, so don't remove it! The jack placement on these instruments is very awkward. As Chuck suggested, a right angle cord will help, but you may still find your hand position is resticted. I don't normally favor any modification which cosmetically
alters an instrument, but in this case I think you might want to consider having a Telecaster-style side jack installed.

Lew Collins · Post by **Lew Collins** » 15 May 2000 6:14 am

Thanks! Don't worry...I wasn't planning on taking the pickup apart. I HAVE thot about moving the input jack to where the tone control now is and moving the tone control to where the input jack now is. But the guitar is so nice and clean I hate to change anything. I have tried a right angle plug, but it's still in the way. It's a great sounding guitar...I like the tone better than my bakelite Rickenbacher. It's voice is more "open" while at the same time having a bit more "growl". Thanks again! Lew