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Post new topic Frankensteel ... I challenge you to find a crazier one
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Author Topic:  Frankensteel ... I challenge you to find a crazier one
J. Wilson


From:
Manitoba, Canada
Post  Posted 14 Feb 2012 9:12 am    
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I have seen some crazy steel guitars but this one takes the cake:



I love the sheer variety of creativity in the world of non-pedal steel. I find it thrilling and inspiring. If anyone has some crazy lap steels they want to share please pipe in.

See the sale here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-1960-ERA-ELECTRIC-SLIDE-GUITAR-12-STRING-OLSON-PICKUPS-ORIGINAL-NICE-/350533224613?pt=Guitar&hash=item519d6888a5

Peace,
J
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Ron Whitfield

 

From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
Post  Posted 14 Feb 2012 9:42 am    
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If that thing is crazy, what about the 2 interested buyers?!
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Jerome Hawkes


From:
Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA
Post  Posted 14 Feb 2012 9:51 am    
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good, but not even close to Chas Smiths' "Cadillac"
- although, i think these should be divided into playable, and non-playable folk art categories.
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Last edited by Jerome Hawkes on 14 Feb 2012 9:53 am; edited 1 time in total
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J. Wilson


From:
Manitoba, Canada
Post  Posted 14 Feb 2012 9:51 am    
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Ron Whitfield wrote:
If that thing is crazy, what about the 2 interested buyers?!


LOL! No doubt! Still I would love to hear this thing with some fresh strings. Those pups are pretty strange to my eye. I kinda have the feeling this thing wouldn't sound that great but you never know I guess.
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J. Wilson


From:
Manitoba, Canada
Post  Posted 14 Feb 2012 9:55 am    
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Jerome Hawkes wrote:
good, but not even close to Chas Smiths' "Cadillac"
- although, i think these should be divided into playable, and non-playable folk art categories.


Agreed! LOL! Folk art indeed.

Do you have a link to this "Cadillac"?
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Mike D

 

From:
Phx, Az
Post  Posted 14 Feb 2012 10:27 am    
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Love the Kent/Olson soundhole pickups complete with armatures! They actually sound pretty decent except for being ultra microphonic.
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Peter Jacobs


From:
Northern Virginia
Post  Posted 14 Feb 2012 12:19 pm    
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Well, the listing does say these are "rare and hard to come by."

If only it was a little harder to come by...
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chas smith R.I.P.


From:
Encino, CA, USA
Post  Posted 14 Feb 2012 1:25 pm    
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Did I hear someone say, Cadillac?





For something a little more acoustic, the Simese:



But then, how about Bass Tweed




And taken at The Village Recorders:

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Michael Maddex


From:
Northern New Mexico, USA
Post  Posted 14 Feb 2012 5:44 pm    
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Maybe somebody can ID this one:



Enjoy! Cool
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Jim Pitman

 

From:
Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA
Post  Posted 14 Feb 2012 6:28 pm    
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Michael,
I don't know what that is but I can hear the person thinking who built it:
"Gee, I really want a pedal but can't afford one so I'll build one....oh, and it will be much easier if I don't build all the stuff my lap steel already has."
I think you could market it as a "lap to pedal steel adapter". The cabinetry is also an adaptation. Looks like it might have been a saw horse in its' former life.
Really I shouldn't knock it. Thank God Les Paul presented his guitar design to Gibson.
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Richard Sinkler


From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
Post  Posted 14 Feb 2012 8:37 pm    
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Damn... I love all of these. I sure would like to have whatever Chas was smoking Laughing Laughing

For Chas... I see the rollers and changer on the Cadillac. Do the pedals still function on the guitar?
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Former Member

 

Post  Posted 14 Feb 2012 9:46 pm    
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any clips of the siamese??
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b0b


From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
Post  Posted 14 Feb 2012 10:07 pm     Re: Frankensteel ... I challenge you to find a crazier one
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J. Wilson wrote:
I have seen some crazy steel guitars but this one takes the cake:



Mrs. Lee said, "Look at the pickups! Is that an overlap steel?". Laughing
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chas smith R.I.P.


From:
Encino, CA, USA
Post  Posted 14 Feb 2012 11:08 pm    
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Quote:
I sure would like to have whatever Chas was smoking

Richard, ...as a full participant in the '60s...

Let's see, where was I, oh yes...the changers are functional and were I to re-install the crossrods, the peds and knees on the front neck would work. Tom Morrel noted that the necks with the changers sounded better than the neck without, on his Bigsby, and I also think that having more stuff to vibrate, and back-load the strings, fills out the sound. Witness the PP with 2 fingers for each string. Which is not to say that non-pedal guitars don't sound good.

Ron, the Simese was one of those great ideas that didn't sound as interesting as it looks. Back in the mid '80s, I had modified my Super Pro with pups on both ends of the necks and then I would weave things, like drill rods, in the strings which would be struck and bowed. This was for the sound track for the movie, 'The Lost Boys'.

The Simese was made to see if I could reproduce those kinds of sound acoustically. What does sound "good" is if I scrape my fingernails down the strings. If the chalk scrape on the blackboard can "get" you, this will send you into convulsions. It's been used for horror movies.
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Don Kona Woods


From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
Post  Posted 15 Feb 2012 12:28 am    
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Do these qualify for the contest?














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Ron Whitfield

 

From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
Post  Posted 15 Feb 2012 3:10 am    
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The Battar is pretty cool!
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CrowBear Schmitt


From:
Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France
Post  Posted 15 Feb 2012 6:40 am    
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why that 12 stringer can be played by a right handed & a left handed picker at the same time
Face to face
Awesome ! Whoa!
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Mike Neer


From:
NJ
Post  Posted 15 Feb 2012 6:57 am    
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There was one a bunch of years ago that resembled a huge console organ. I think Rick Alexander bought it--I'm really pushing the limits of my memory here.
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Doug Beaumier


From:
Northampton, MA
Post  Posted 15 Feb 2012 8:33 am    
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Mike Neer


From:
NJ
Post  Posted 15 Feb 2012 9:08 am    
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Hey Doug, so much for string spacing. Laughing Just look at the gap between 4 and 5. Or is that an 8 string? Brutality!
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Ron Whitfield

 

From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
Post  Posted 15 Feb 2012 9:43 am    
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Mike Neer wrote:
There was one a bunch of years ago that resembled a huge console organ. I think Rick Alexander bought it.
I've been intrigued with that monster after seeing it played in an eerie '40s era film clip, and after viewing it better when it was for sale I thot it to be one of the more amazing Frankies ever made, really well done and even had a lower compartment for the accompanying amp. I hope whoever got it from Rick's estate did that incredible piece justice.
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Doug Beaumier


From:
Northampton, MA
Post  Posted 15 Feb 2012 9:44 am    
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Quote:
Hey Doug, so much for string spacing. Just look at the gap between 4 and 5. Or is that an 8 string? Brutality!


Yes, it's ugly, that's for sure. Some people should not be allowed to own tools!

I knew a player here years ago who said that everything needed to build a (pedal) steel guitar could be purchased at a hardware store. He built his own psg using random parts. He used toilet chains for pedal rods. Once he proudly demonstrated to me how easy it was to pack up his guitar... because the toilet chains would collapse instantly when the guitar was turned upside down!
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Last edited by Doug Beaumier on 15 Feb 2012 9:46 am; edited 1 time in total
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Mike Neer


From:
NJ
Post  Posted 15 Feb 2012 9:45 am    
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Ron Whitfield wrote:
Mike Neer wrote:
There was one a bunch of years ago that resembled a huge console organ. I think Rick Alexander bought it.
I've been intrigued with that monster after seeing it played in an eerie '40s era film clip, and after viewing it better when it was for sale I thot it to be one of the more amazing Frankies ever made, really well done and even had a lower compartment for the accompanying amp. I hope whoever got it from Rick's estate did that incredible piece justice.


There was a lot of flood damage in Rick's place--it may not have survived. Jeff Strouse would know.

I think it's a National, though, not folk art. Has the national fretboards.


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Doug Beaumier


From:
Northampton, MA
Post  Posted 15 Feb 2012 10:11 am    
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Yes, I remember that behemoth! It was listed on eBay and Rick bought it there.

There was some question as to whether it was a 'factory' National or an after market creation. I'm guessing it was built by someone using National parts (two D-8's). Rick said the cabinet is solid Oak. It must have a nice acoustic tone considering the huge, hollow, hardwood cabinet. As I recall, Rick never said much about the sound of this guitar, so maybe it was all smoke and no fire. I can't imagine trying to reach that front neck! I'd have to lay across the guitar to reach it!
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chas smith R.I.P.


From:
Encino, CA, USA
Post  Posted 15 Feb 2012 11:01 am    
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It will be very difficult to top Letritia Kandle's Grand Letar. The 2nd pic is the current owner, Paul Warnik and the bottom pic is Letritia and Paul Whiteman







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