| Author |
Topic: Pro's and Cons of upgrading? |
Mike Dudash
From:
Bridgeport, Ohio
|
Posted 10 Jan 2010 7:16 am |
|
| I am newer to pedal steel and currently have an older pull release Marlen. I have an E66 pickup in it and really love the sound and it stays in tune extremely well. My only comlpaint is the knee levers being so sloppy, especially my LKL. I was wondering your thought on an upgrade to possibly a GFI or an older MSA. I realize that the pedal feel isnt going to be as perfect as a newer one but would you upgrade or look into a rebuild on my current one? Is there a way to tighten the feel of this one? It is a 3/4 and in good shape other than the front legs which I could replace. Anyone know what a rebuild on one would cost and what kind of time to do this? Thanks Mike |
|
|
 |
Joe Gretz
From:
Washington, DC, USA
|
Posted 10 Jan 2010 7:37 am suggestion
|
|
Mike,
I would suggest that you take (or send) your Marlen to a good steel shop and have it looked at. I highly recommend Mr. Billy Cooper http://www.billycooperssteelguitar.com/ but you may be able to find someone closer to home. Make sure who ever you deal with has experience with steels, don't just go to the local gee-tar or fiddle shop!
It may be really easy and inexpensive to get that old Marlen as good, or better than new!
Of course, if you are in a financial position to upgrade, or just get a second steel  , I wont stop ya none! 
Good luck,
Joe
_________________
Dattebayo!!! |
|
|
|
Rick Winfield
From:
Pickin' beneath the Palmettos
|
Posted 10 Jan 2010 8:49 am 73 Marlen
|
|
I once owned a Lacquer 73 D10 Marlen, pull release. Being in the "same shoes", new to steel, I sold it, and bought a new one.
If I knew what I know now, I would have had it "re-done" where needed, & kept it.
Tough decision for a "newbie".
maybe Ricky Davis could help restore it
@ "mightyfinemusic.com" (house of wood)
Rick |
|
|
|
richard burton
From:
Britain
|
Posted 10 Jan 2010 8:58 am
|
|
The Marlen pull-release steels are very simple, and not too difficult to set up to get a good playing action.
If your LKL is raising the 4th and 8th strings, it is normal to have play in that lever, to allow the 4th string to lower on another knee lever.
If your finances can stand it, keep the Marlen, and buy a second, more modern steel.
You may find that you prefer the tone of the Marlen, I know that I do 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HStT-XYqwsw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlLcgq9ixwg |
|
|
|
Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
|
Posted 10 Jan 2010 9:42 am
|
|
It will not end up being an upgrade if you lose a good sounding guitar in my opinion.
Bob |
|
|
|
Mike Dudash
From:
Bridgeport, Ohio
|
Posted 10 Jan 2010 3:52 pm
|
|
| Gentlemen thanks for the responses. Im thinking of the rebuild/fix route. If down the road I want a newer one I will go outright. Getting rid of the first one would kinda be like saying that your first true love didnt leave a mark on you. Plus, if I get real good on an older one I should really be able to make a newer one sound great. Thanks for the input! |
|
|
|
Jim Dempsey
From:
Belmar, New Jersey, USA
|
Posted 10 Jan 2010 4:08 pm
|
|
| Mike, I just put alot of work into a Marlen S10 pull release. My LKL is a little loose,but it is one of the best sounding steels I have ever owned. If I was you I'd get it fixed to your liking by good steel tech.,and keep it.----Jim |
|
|
|
Mike Dudash
From:
Bridgeport, Ohio
|
Posted 10 Jan 2010 4:49 pm
|
|
| I gotta admit I am a little suprised at the responses. It seems that I made a pretty good choice as a beginner in my selection. Funny thing is when I first started looking into buying my first steel a Marlen was not even one of my choices. I had planned on going with one of the bigger builders. I guess the only downfall to this guitar as a beginner is the tuning. Whats kinda cool is now I feel like Im in a select group of players as there doesnt seem to be a whole lot of following on these guitars. I guess they're one of the better kept secrets in the steel world. |
|
|
|
b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
|
Posted 11 Jan 2010 12:10 pm
|
|
I love the sound and feel of the old Marlens. If your copedent is real simple, they are fine instruments. I used to own one. Here's how I had it set up:
<center>
</center>
The tone of the original Marlen single coil pickups was really wonderful.
_________________
-𝕓𝕆𝕓- (admin) - Robert P. Lee - Recordings - Breathe - D6th - Video |
|
|
|
Gerry Simon
From:
Ohio, USA
|
Posted 11 Jan 2010 2:43 pm
|
|
| My first steel was a Marlen; a S10 3x3 I think. I had an extra PU installed (made by Alembic in the mid 70's) and a abalone inlaid fretboard made. A cool ax! I have a recording of Hank, Emmy Lou's steel player using it when she came to town. It was a great instrument. |
|
|
|
Kevin Hatton
From:
Buffalo, N.Y.
|
Posted 11 Jan 2010 3:08 pm
|
|
| You need to send that Marlen to a reputable steel mechanic like Billy Cooper. The difference will be night and day after you get it back. Marlens are fabulous sounding steels. They just need to be set up properly. |
|
|
|
Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
|
Posted 11 Jan 2010 4:54 pm
|
|
Sorry to be a naysayer, but I disagree with my friends here.. The Marlen pull/release IMHO is ornery and is tough for lots of guys
[myself included] to get right. I would off it in a heartbeat for a modern all pull thats easy to work on, and reliable..
By the time you ship that guitar out, get it set up to play properly, get it shipped back and pay the labor, you'll have a third to half what another all pull steel will cost. On top of that, you may still have sloppy knee levers.
Want a great, ultra reliable, easy playing, easy to work on, bulletproof, NO hassle used steel?.. Get a Lacquer body MSA from the 70's.
You'll get that vintage maple body tone, along with the mechanism that is the template for most of todays mechanisms, and is still today among the best ever designed.
Sell the Marlen, and with the money you were going to spend on shipping and repairs, buy an old MSA.. Other good low cost steels that run cheap also are Dekley, and BMI.. I would take any of those 3 great all pull steels over a P/R Marlen ANY day... for what its worth, my $.02 bob
_________________
I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!
no gear list for me.. you don't have the time...... |
|
|
|
Tommy Boswell
From:
Virginia, USA
|
Posted 11 Jan 2010 5:03 pm plug for Billy Cooper
|
|
| Since Billy Cooper keeps popping up in this thread, I have to give him a plug. I was in in his shop one week ago, just walked in with my volume pedal in need of a mounting bracket. He stopped what he was doing to mount the bracket that I bought from him, while I tried out a GFI and a Mullen, only the 2nd and 3rd pedal steels I had ever laid hands on in my entire life, since I'm a beginner (one year on a MSA Classic S10). Thanks Billy, I'll be back. |
|
|
|
