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Topic: Steel guitar repair in eastern PA/Fender Custom T8 |
Andrew Roblin
From:
Various places
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Posted 26 Apr 2008 3:43 am |
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Hi--
I'm a new member and newcomer to steel guitar, though a longtime professional musician and former employee of Sho-Bud and the Shot Jackson Guitar Center.
After a recent show, an older guy came rolling up in his wheelchair and told me he was a pedal steel player. I told him I was looking for a lap steel. He said he had an old Fender triple-neck that he intended to give me.
Well, he did. It's a Fender Custom triple-8. It sounds great, and I'm having fun learning C6 from Cindy Cashdollar's Homespun course. All parts appear to be original, except for the pickup/neck selector, which was replaced with three push-button switches, one of which no longer works. Also, the guitar has been painted with what the former owner called blue "boat paint." It looks quite nice.
Can anyone suggest a nice replacement for the pickup/neck selector? What did the controls on the original pickup/neck selector do? Can anyone recommend a good steel guitar repair/set up person in eastern PA or NJ?
It's nice to be a part of this group. I'm enjoying reading and learning.
Thanks.
Andrew Roblin
cdbaby.com/cd/andrewroblin |
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 26 Apr 2008 6:15 am
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Welcome to the forum Andrew. I don't have an answer for your question(s) but welcome anyway 
BILL |
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Dave Harmonson
From:
Seattle, Wa
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Posted 26 Apr 2008 6:38 am
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| I've a D 8 Professional which is the same guitar with two necks and the pickup selector is the same as a Tele 3 way switch. I believe they used the same thing on the Triple neck and each position activates one neck. Too bad the original is gone because it is an early 50's vintage and worth a little money these days. I would think a new Tele switch would function just fine. |
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Andrew Roblin
From:
Various places
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Posted 28 Apr 2008 8:15 am
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Thanks for the welcome, guys. Here are some pix of my Fender Custom.
I'm still looking for info about the original pickup selector switches. In photos of other Customs, I see a Tele-style three-way switch and a toggle. I wonder what the toggle does.
Thanks.
Andrew
/Users/andrewroblin/Pictures/iPhoto Library/2008/04/28/P1010005.JPG
/Users/andrewroblin/Pictures/iPhoto Library/2008/04/28/P1010007.JPG
/Users/andrewroblin/Pictures/iPhoto Library/2008/04/28/P1010006.JPG |
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William Clark
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Posted 28 Apr 2008 8:51 pm
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| Hello Andrew: Stringmasters from the mid 50's had push button selector switches. A 3 neck Stringmaster would have 3 round push buttons on the middle neck. Leo Fender changed the switches probably around 1956 because of reliability problems. Later Stringmasters had a 3 way selector switch and a single toggle. The toggle switch turned on all three necks. You might want to check out Rick Alexander's website. He has lots of pictures of Stringmasters on it. |
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David Doggett
From:
Bawl'mer, MD (formerly of MS, Nawluns, Gnashville, Knocksville, Lost Angeles, Bahsten. and Philly)
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Posted 28 Apr 2008 9:48 pm
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Andrew, I don't know of any steel repair specialist around here. But non-pedal steels are fairly simple, and any good electric guitar tech could replace the pickup selector switch.
I have a mid '50s Stringmaster D8 with the push buttons. |
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Michael Devito
From:
Montclair, NJ, USA
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Posted 30 Apr 2008 8:29 am
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Andrew:
Bill Baker at Dave's Sound (Whippany NJ) has done some excellent guitar work for me (set-ups, refret and the like). He probably hasn't handled steels per se, but I doubt that would be much of a stretch for him. (973)-386-5840
Michael D. |
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Bill Wynne
From:
New Jersey, USA
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Posted 30 Apr 2008 10:05 am
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Andrew -
Welcome to the forum!
Where are you in eastern PA? I am Philadelphia born and raised but currently living in central NJ.
Plenty of good repair places in Philly. (I have previously trusted vintage guitars to Zapf's and 8th Street Music.) But if you don't mind a drive, some of the best graduates of GIT hold court at Mandolin Brothers on Staten Island. I have been having all of my work done there for over a decade now.
Have fun!
- Bill
_________________
For the best in vintage Hawaiian music - featuring plenty of steel guitar - listen to...
HO`OLOHE HOU RADIO - http://www.hoolohehou.net |
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John Bechtel
From:
Nashville, Tennessee, R.I.P.
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Posted 30 Apr 2008 9:27 pm
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Originally on the Fender Custom, as was previously stated; the 3-way toggle chose any one of the three necks and the toggle-switch turned on all three necks at once. Sometimes I chose to have a vertain (2)-necks on at one time, so; I made a new plate to fit the area of the original and mounted (3)-individual mini-toggle switches, with one wired to each neck. This allowed me to have all necks or any combination turned on at any one particular time. This proved to be very convenient! It would also be a good replacement on Stringmasters with faulty push-button neck-switches, since the holes are already there in the original plate! Of course, if you're hung-up on originality; that puts all my ideas out the window!
_________________
<marquee> Go~Daddy~Go, (No), Go, It's your Break Time</marquee> L8R, jb
My T-10 Remington Steelmaster |
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Andrew Roblin
From:
Various places
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Posted 1 May 2008 6:12 am Many thanks, guys!
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Hi, Guys--
Thanks so much for your friendly and helpful responses.
Bill: I live in Emmaus, PA, near Allentown. My work as a performer takes me around Philly, eastern PA, most of NJ and DE, with occasional forays farther away.
John: Thank you very much for your help with the functions of the original Fender Custom switches. Your suggested replacement sounds like a very good idea. That Custom you refurbished for Rick Alexander looks absolutely beautiful.
Thanks again.
Andrew
Janitor at Sho-Bud & the Shot Jackson Guitar Center 1979-1983
Sho-Bud pedal steel assembly line for a few months in 1979 |
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John Bechtel
From:
Nashville, Tennessee, R.I.P.
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Posted 1 May 2008 8:12 am
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Andrew; Just a bit of trivia, in case you didn't already know! I am a native of Telford, Pa. I lived there from ’37 until I moved to Nashville, Tn. in ’67. I used to have an older steel playing friend living in Emmaus who played a D–10 MSA Super Sustain and also a T–8 Short Scale (22½”) Fender Stringmaster. Unfortunately, I can't recall his name, but; I always liked his Stringmaster and also Maroon WEBB Amp.!
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<marquee> Go~Daddy~Go, (No), Go, It's your Break Time</marquee> L8R, jb
My T-10 Remington Steelmaster |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Posted 1 May 2008 8:41 am
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Bruce Heffner operates a steel guitar shop in Hamburg, PA, not far from Allentown. Give him a shout and talk it over. I think he mostly focuses on pedal steels but I'll bet he can help you out.
His email is wallybruce at msn.com |
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John Bechtel
From:
Nashville, Tennessee, R.I.P.
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Posted 1 May 2008 10:11 am
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Another very good Technician in Hamburg, Pa is Bruce's friend, (and mine) Tommy Vollmer at tom_vollmer@msn.com
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<marquee> Go~Daddy~Go, (No), Go, It's your Break Time</marquee> L8R, jb
My T-10 Remington Steelmaster |
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