BEAM EM UP

Last night I shared a beam backstage with Dogs In A Pile. The band and crew took turn playing the beam in a side room after soundcheck. This is Joey, drummer, digging in. If you have not yet seen this band, make a point to do so. They are great players, with great songs and huge amounts of musical patience.

If your band ever comes through St.Louis, and you wanna try out a beam, contact me!

Folks sometimes ask what the beams I make sound like. This is the latest Space Buzzards album featuring Chris Nance playing his Beamemup 8 foot beam.

https://open.spotify.com/track/0y67FwNYVHg5iiFmv8Y01F?si=i3ekMiwERYKte_IqaYyWFQ

The 48
The new prototype beam is done. Here are the stats: 48" voiced distance. A total length of 56" x 6" x 6" (about the size of 2 Nord keyboards stacked on top of each other, but please don't do that). 9 strings, 6 tuned to D1, 3 shortened strings are tuned to D2. This arrangement allows the player to add a 5th from the 7th fret up. So at the 7th fret of a D1 string you would pitch up to A2 and still be open at D2. At the 9th fret, you would have B2 and E2, and so on... The pickup block has 2 active 18v pickups (3.5" and 4.5") it is attached to the frame of the beam by a tether and 8 pin connectors. When the beam is on (toggle switch) and the tether is connected properly, an LED on then pickup block will light. The other toggle switch chooses between mono or stereo outputs. In mono, you will be able to blend from one pickup to the other or any place between. Then you have the EMG BQS on-board sound-sculpting, 3-band notched EQ, to master volume to Left output. In stereo, each pickup signal is routed thru the master volume and then Left and Right outputs. Each output accepts 1/4-inch instrument cable OR XLR. For those of you who have struggled with battery replacement in my Instruments, I heard you. The 48 has three battery boxes, easily accessible on the bottom of the beam. This is the best yet. It is compact, powerful, adaptable it is big in sound but with a more stage-managable size.

The new model "48" is coming together.

This is an "ES" (Exposed Strings) model. It is 11 strings. The pickup block is mono or stereo. Finished in Porsche Silver, Black Leather, and purpleheart with maple trim. It goes Bmmmmmmnnn.

This is a "48" pickup block next to a Mini beam.

More progress on the 48

The 48 will have easy-access battery boxes built into the electronics cover UNDER the beam channel.

Progress on the 48 today.

This is the 48 inch beam shortened D2 peg-end block. This block would be bolted from the bottom at the 7th fret. Something like this could be made for any of the ES models

One of the new ideas for the 48 beam I am build/designing now is to house all of the electronics and the batteries in the frame of the beam. The pickup block will only have an LED, the pickups, and a 5 pin male socket. The "tether" will be a 5 wire cable that is female on both ends (one end connected firmly to the pickup block, the other to the back of the channel) The back of the channel will have a 5 pin male socket to connect the tether. It will also have 2 Nuetrix combination output sockets allowing either mono (left) or stereo. The batteries will be stored under the beam and in plastic access panels, like acoustic guitars have.

In my mind this has many benefits. The batteries will be easier to get to, the pickup block (a very time consuming and difficult build for the ES models) becomes a bit easier as I can make it completely from exotic woods or whatever. The pickup block is only 5x7. The tether allows me to house all of the electronics in the frame of the instrument, which allows for more room for controls. The 48 has common (interchangable) ends which are easier to manufacture, the programs are already created. It uses the same tuners and bridge spacing. New strings have been designed and are being produced exclusively for this instrument.

I try to build 2 at a time, one of these is for a client, the other is for me. If this works out the way I am imagining, I will be making more.

The complication of the 48 is the string end-pin configuration (not the tuner side). Six strings (the D1s) will travel the full 48". The other 3 strings (D2) will terminate at the 7th fret. This will allow for the player to (when sliding) to pickup a 5th. For example setting a slide on the 7th fret of the 48 would produce 2 tones, A2 and D2. On the 9th fret you would have B2 and E2, and so on. This new one is a HUGE step forward for me and my instruments. It should also be a less expensive option, landing somewhere between $1500-2000.