Lark in the Morning Weissenborn?

Mark Mansueto · From: Michigan, USA

Are any of you familiar with Lark in the Morning? They sell a Weissenborn on their website as well as on ebay for $710 which is an attractive price but what is the level of quality? The picture looks nice but I have not been able to find any info on it beyond what they have on the ebay ad:
Link to auction on eBay.
I have attempted to contact them a couple times over the past month but no response.

Thanks, Mark

Vince Luke · From: Iowa, USA

I emailed them a while back via their website's customer service address & never heard back, either.

Vince

Jim Van Winkle · From: Iowa, USA

I have no experience with that particular instrument, but I've purchased similar "deals" from LITM, been disappointed with the quality, and then Mickey acted like a jerk to me when I called to discuss. My experience only; I'm sure others have had good dealings, or they wouldn't still be in business after so many years.

Phil Sottile · From: Washington, USA

I've got one that's been my main gigging guitar for about 4-5 years. Sounds just okay acoustic, plugged in (w/Sunrise pickup) it's awesome. The original tuners were pretty much worthless, but with a decent set of replacements it works fine. I picked mine from a batch of 3 a friend had bought, & they were all pretty similar in sound. Hope this helps.

phil

Mark Mansueto · From: Michigan, USA

Thanks, Phil, any info is a great help with deciding on whether or not I should buy something.

Besides the tuners did you try any other upgrades like nut or saddle replacement? Can you compare it to any other weissenborn copy?

Phil Sottile · From: Washington, USA

If I remember correctly, I think I had a new saddle made & the nut re-cut...I've had a Superior guitar for a while, but didn't like the string spacing (too wide). With that said, it sounded better unplugged than the Lark In the Morning guitar.

Phil Sottile · From: Washington, USA

I've also got a Lazy River baritone Weissenborn-style guitar that is THE BOMB!!!!! If you can go the extra $ for one of his guitars, they are amazing!

Alan Brookes · From: Brummy living in Southern California

You should check out this thread...

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=108069&highlight=lark+morning

Lark in the Morning is a most amazing store, and anyone coming to San Francisco should be sure to check it out. They sell mainly ethnic acoustic instruments, but they get all sorts of things in from time to time. The Fender Stringmaster that I've been restoring for Basil Henriques was bought there.

Mark Mansueto · From: Michigan, USA

Phil,
That's basically what I wanted to hear, probably not up to the standard that I'll require. I'm hoping to not spend a ton but I do want good tone so I may have to opt for something in the $1000+ range.

Alan,
Thanks for the info, I had no idea that LITM had an actual store. As it turns out I will be visiting SF in the fall of 08 so I will definitely go there. Not sure if I can wait that long to buy a guitar though but we'll see. It would be nice to try a handful of them in hopes that there might be a gem amongst them.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

I play a Superior weissenbon. As mentioned above, I didn't care for the string spacing so had the nut and bridge redone by a local luthier. I am more than pleased with the instrument.

It sounds good acoustically and better when I plug it in to an amp. I mounted a Baggs pickup inside the guitar under the saddle along with a Sunrise in the sound hole.

I understand that now Superior is selling a weissenborn with a more proper string spacing. Their guitars are in the $1000 range.

Mark Mansueto · From: Michigan, USA

Thanks Erv.
It's interesting that you have two pickups on your weiss, do you use both at once or individually?

Superior is on my list of possibilities. One problem I have is that I have yet to see a weissenborn in any local music stores so I have no way to play or compare.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Mark,
I utilize both pickups at the same time. I wired them into a stereo jack on the guitar. I run a stereo cord into a Marshall acoustic amp with an input for a stereo cord. By means of a switch, the two signals can be split into two seperate channels.
The sound can then be balanced and EQed to suit your ears.
I have received a lot of compliments on what people are hearing from this setup.

Alan Brookes · From: Brummy living in Southern California

Mark Mansueto · From: Michigan, USA

With a standard guitar it's pretty easy to play-before-purchase but in my case there are just no stores that I know of in my area that sell weissenborn's or lap steels in general. I've run across the occasional Chandler or sq neck dobro but that's about it. If I were to decide on a Lazy River or Celtic Cross I'd have the same problem. It would be nice to go to a show or convention and try all sorts at one time... I WOULD travel for that! And sound clips don't help me, I've learned that the hard way.

Steinar Gregertsen · From: Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.

Mark Mansueto · From: Michigan, USA

That's really good to know, Steiner, I'm glad the custom builders go the extra mile even though their pricing is reasonably low. I just need to make sure that there aren't some lower priced gems out there before I put out what to me is still a lot of money.

I'll have the same dilema deciding on an electric.

Thanks

Alan Brookes · From: Brummy living in Southern California

I never could afford my own real Weissenborn, so I built one myself from the original drawings.

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

Mark Mansueto · From: Michigan, USA

Hey Brad,
Yeah, I thought maybe Elderly might be a place I could go, it's definitely within reasonable driving distance for an afternoon adventure. If I do go I suppose it would be prudent to call first to see what they've got on the floor. Have you ever gone there? I'm wondering what the store is like.

Andy Volk · From: Boston, MA

Lark in the Morning is an interesting store and worth a visit - it's not far from Fisherman's Warf, in SF. I remember that while their ethnic instruments were very cool, the general quality of some of their more mainstream instruments was below par. A Lazy River is a better investment for all the reasons outlined by the folks who posted earlier.

Scott Swartz · From: St. Louis, MO

I got a Lazy River Weiss a few months ago, great sound and craftsmanship, Rance is great to deal with.

I used it on a recording project I just finished, if interested check out Sunday Morning here, the track is mostly pedal steel but the solo is the Lazy River Weiss, starts at 4:02

http://www.myspace.com/calebtravers

I am not much of a Weiss player, but anybody can good on a Lazy River.
_________________
Scott Swartz
Steeltronics - Steel Guitar Pickups
www.steeltronics.com

Mark Mansueto · From: Michigan, USA

Scott,
The weiss sounded great, I loved the music... both the Caleb Travers and the Linemen. Great recording job. Your pedal steel playing is outstanding.

Mark Mansueto · From: Michigan, USA

Alan,
So how did your weiss turn out? Was it worth the effort? I'm pretty handy but I think building a guitar from scratch would be more than I could handle.

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

Edward Meisse · From: Santa Rosa, California, USA

As far as Weissenborne style guitars go, the only thing I've ever seen in the Elderly catalogue is Gold Tones. For just a few dollars more you can do alot better.
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Amor vincit omnia

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