Are there any known idiosyncrasies on Marlen steels?

Richard Rice · From: Illinois, USA

Anybody owned one? Impressions? Stuff to pay attention to?

Thanks!
_________________
'84 Marlen Custom D-10, 8X4
Oahu Tonemaster 6 string lap steel
Rice Custom 6 string lap steel
Republic Squareneck Tricone
Homebrew 6 string reso
10 string Melobar- Rice modified
Rice Custom 8 string reso (under construction)
Hohner 6 string lap guitar (acoustic)
Kustom K-500 tuck & roll
Peavey Century
Peavey Vegas 400
Peavey CS-800
Bag End custom 1X12 & 1X15 cabs w.EV drivers
Steelin' thru a '72 Vibrosonic Reverb and a '69 Dual Showman Reverb (Stereo)

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

My first steel was a pull-release Marlen. Good tone and smooth action.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Richard Rice · From: Illinois, USA

Great news! Thanks. Wink

_________________
'84 Marlen Custom D-10, 8X4
Oahu Tonemaster 6 string lap steel
Rice Custom 6 string lap steel
Republic Squareneck Tricone
Homebrew 6 string reso
10 string Melobar- Rice modified
Rice Custom 8 string reso (under construction)
Hohner 6 string lap guitar (acoustic)
Kustom K-500 tuck & roll
Peavey Century
Peavey Vegas 400
Peavey CS-800
Bag End custom 1X12 & 1X15 cabs w.EV drivers
Steelin' thru a '72 Vibrosonic Reverb and a '69 Dual Showman Reverb (Stereo)

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

They sound great. Straight forward steel.

Mark van Allen · From: Watkinsville, Ga. USA

My second steel was a Marlen pull-release, great tone and a massive improvement over my 1st (Maverick). As I remember, the crossrods were round and the bellcranks and lever mounts frequently slipped. I remember spending a LOT of time on my back under the hood on various stages tightening stuff!
The best thing about that Marlen was when I was working at a music store in SC and they had a new Emmons S10 they'd sold and then taken back in trade on a D10. I asked the owner how much I needed to put with that Marlen on trade for the Emmons and he said, "Well, they're both black, looks like the same thing, $100 and it's yours."
Big smiley face.
_________________
Stop by the Steel Store at: www.markvanallen.com
www.musicfarmstudio.com

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

Be warned that Mr Sadler seemed prone to use what was on hand, and so wasn't quite standardized. This will only become a problem if you wanna start adding stuff.
I've never seen a mica Marlen, so as long as they're not dinged up, they're purty (mine was in "Candy Apple Blue")
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Richard Rice · From: Illinois, USA

So not as reliable as my Sierra, I guess? I don't mind tightening stuff or adjusting it, as long as the adjustments I make hold..

The toughest project I took on was an old Sho Bud crossover that had been messed with underneath.. It had bent rods, missing pieces, etc.. I spent months on my back trying to straighten it out, then gave up, strung the front neck as a 6 string lap, and still couldn't get it right. That was after my Harlin Multi Kord and the piece o' crap Maverick. The Crossover went back out into the world at a loss (as a "project"), and the Sierra entered the picture. It has been great as a "first" (fourth, really) PSG, trouble free mechanically.

I sold it in order to purchase a Marlen D-10, as I need to add a C6 neck in order to increase my frustration level. I just get nightmare flashbacks to the first three steels I had, and have not seen the Marlen in the flesh yet. I love the looks of it, and it seems like a straight-up guitar (and very nice seller), but heading into the unknown gets my mind unnerved a little, as it will be my only PSG and I'm finally making some progress in playing one..
_________________
'84 Marlen Custom D-10, 8X4
Oahu Tonemaster 6 string lap steel
Rice Custom 6 string lap steel
Republic Squareneck Tricone
Homebrew 6 string reso
10 string Melobar- Rice modified
Rice Custom 8 string reso (under construction)
Hohner 6 string lap guitar (acoustic)
Kustom K-500 tuck & roll
Peavey Century
Peavey Vegas 400
Peavey CS-800
Bag End custom 1X12 & 1X15 cabs w.EV drivers
Steelin' thru a '72 Vibrosonic Reverb and a '69 Dual Showman Reverb (Stereo)

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

I don't know that I'd call it unreliable. mine never gave me a lick of trouble, and I even managed to figure out, unassisted, how to make the 6th string raise and lower.

Do you know if yours is pull-release or all-pull? His all-pull guitars are straightforward.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Bo Legg · Posted 11 Apr 2012 11:56 am

I've an old D10 Marlen. The sweetest pickups I've ever heard. It was fine until a student thought he knew more than the manufacturer.
After he tore it all apart he found out he didn't and brought the PSG back to me with the E9 parts in a bag.
It's in the closet bag and all.
One of these days I'll gut up enough nerve to try and put that Old Pull/Release Humpty Dumpty back together again.

Larry Hutchison · From: Peoria, Illinois, USA

Richard, I have a mica Marlen D-10, all pull,8 x 7. I bought it from Leonard Stadler in 1982 (new). It stays in tune, pickups are awesome, and I have had no problems with it whatsoever. No slipping on the rods, etc. I play every weekend with it. It pedals good Knee pedals are smooth. Can't think of anything I don't like about this guitar. Infact I'd like to have another one about the same era with the same set up that I can just keep set up at home. Parts are becoming a little difficult to find, so it's almost best to have them made in a local machine shop. Adding knees or reconfiguring is not problem at all.
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Larry Hutchison, Marlen D-10 8 x 7, Peavey Sessions 500(2) and Peavey Nashville 400

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

The older pull-release Marlens were limited, but they sounded really good and played real well. I had a Speedy West Custom D-10 for a while. You couldn't raise and lower a string without making some additional parts - that was the major limitation.

Here's the copedent I put on mine:

Later, Leonard switched to an all-pull changer that worked well, by all accounts I've seen. I've never seen one of those in person.
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Richard Rice · From: Illinois, USA

Thanks for the replies. I believe it's an all-pull unit, I'm not sure what a pull-release is (I'm still pretty new to all this)..

It's encouraging to hear that your '82 has stood the test of time. I realize that mechanical things generally don't get better with age, but if they were well built and maintained, there's a definite advantage.

Please understand I am not undermining the quality of the instrument or questioning the integrity of the seller, simply trying to make a somewhat informed decision that will have a serious effect on the future of my steel playing.

I have owned 3 Sho Bud products, all three were disappointing, two were irreparable. So much for buying on product reputation.. I declined an offer for a crossover model (that "works perfectly") based on mt bad experience with the first one- in combination with my desire (need?) for a standard Emmons setup with 4 knees. May not be fair, but it is what it is.

That having been said, I'm excited to be getting the Marlen. It's a great looking instrument with great pickups. It's just a really hard stretch for me financially, and without having an opportunity to set up and play it I'm somewhat exposing myself to certain risks..

OK, so I'm a little whacked, but this is the way it seems to be heading.. LOL
_________________
'84 Marlen Custom D-10, 8X4
Oahu Tonemaster 6 string lap steel
Rice Custom 6 string lap steel
Republic Squareneck Tricone
Homebrew 6 string reso
10 string Melobar- Rice modified
Rice Custom 8 string reso (under construction)
Hohner 6 string lap guitar (acoustic)
Kustom K-500 tuck & roll
Peavey Century
Peavey Vegas 400
Peavey CS-800
Bag End custom 1X12 & 1X15 cabs w.EV drivers
Steelin' thru a '72 Vibrosonic Reverb and a '69 Dual Showman Reverb (Stereo)

Ned McIntosh · From: New South Wales, Australia

My first steel was a Marlen D10 pull-release (in 1975) and today I have a Marlen D10 pull-release made in 1972.

The tone is just something else. Rich, mellow, full-bodied, a hint of a growl in the bass, clear mids, bright trebles without being harsh or "screechy". The old saying was a Marlen sounded midway between a push-pull Emmons and a Sho-Bud.

Pedal and lever-travel on a pull-release is a bit longer than on an all-pull, similar to an Emmons push-pull, and raises take precedence over lowers (also like the Emmons p/p).

It is possible to raise and lower the same string on a pull-release, using a tensioning-rod and spring which is tuned with a tuning-nut for the open-note. On pull-release steels the lower is tuned at the end-plate with a stop-screw, and the raise is tuned with the pedal (or lever) activated, using the tuning-key at the key-head. Very straightforward once you understand the logic behind it.

If your Marlen is an all-pull, these are very easy to set up and tune and will sound great. I think the all-pull changers were built for Len Stadler by Joe Kline, a very respected builder in his own right. The beauty of Marlen cabinet-work is frequently commented on in these forums.

If your Marlen is pull-release (the earlier models were), it needs to be properly set up so pedal and lever-travel is correct for raise and lowers, especially on the strings which both raise and lower or which have multiple raises (the 4th string on the E9th tuning is usually the one which causes most grief when adjusting).

Either way, once set up and tuned the Marlens are tone-machines. You may find the output of the pickups is a bit low; the magnets used back in the 70s and 80s were not as strong as modern magnetic materials. As long as you like the tone from the p/ups, don't mess with them. If you do decide to get them re-wound, seek expert advice as to who can do this really well.

I'm sure you will find the Marlen a very rewarding steel.
_________________
The steel guitar is a hard mistress. She will obsess you, bemuse and bewitch you. She will dash your hopes on what seems to be whim, only to tease you into renewing the relationship once more so she can do it to you all over again...and yet, if you somehow manage to touch her in that certain magic way, she will yield up a sound which has so much soul, raw emotion and heartfelt depth to it that she will pierce you to the very core of your being.

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

I have an early '60s version D10. Nice looking, but the mechanics and workmanship are really crude. The crossrods are very small, and the bushings are almost toy-like. Needless to say, keepin it in tune was a serious problem, so I tore her down intending to rebuild. Alas, it remains one of my unfinished projects, probably because it will require a lot of time re-engineering and new parts to make it reliable.

The later all pull models (easily recognized by the changer lower-return springs being all lined up nice and pretty) are a pretty decent steel. Still, Marlen always was an "off brand", kinda like the Nash-Rambler of steel guitars, so you seldom saw a real pro playing one for any length of time. Neutral

Richard Rice · From: Illinois, USA

Thanks Bob for the copedent and info. Once I have it here I will try to nalyze what's what with it. Until then, I just don't have the capacity to absorb all that information.. duhh.. gettin'old, I guess..

Thanks fellows, for the insight into your Marlens. I really can't wait to sit down nd explore the new machine. As far as old pickups go, I will almost always choose underwound pickups for guitar, preferably non-potted or lightly potted pickups with A3 magnets.. The modern ones don't give me the response and tone I want. We build our own, and I would doubt if a rewind will be in order. If so, we will do it here, to our own specs.

I guess it's my lack of info about this brand, and my own lack of experience with steels in general that is the cause of my worries. A couple of hours with the new guitar will tell me most of what I need to know. It is wonderful to have your insight and opinions, as you have each seen and heard these machines.

I so appreciate the info shared, and will express my observations as I discover the strengths and weaknesses of the new instrument. I truly can't wait to get started. Wink

This one is an '84, looks great to me. Wink

Exciting, to say the least. I hope to grow old with it and spend many, many hours learning to play better.
_________________
'84 Marlen Custom D-10, 8X4
Oahu Tonemaster 6 string lap steel
Rice Custom 6 string lap steel
Republic Squareneck Tricone
Homebrew 6 string reso
10 string Melobar- Rice modified
Rice Custom 8 string reso (under construction)
Hohner 6 string lap guitar (acoustic)
Kustom K-500 tuck & roll
Peavey Century
Peavey Vegas 400
Peavey CS-800
Bag End custom 1X12 & 1X15 cabs w.EV drivers
Steelin' thru a '72 Vibrosonic Reverb and a '69 Dual Showman Reverb (Stereo)

Lee Baucum · From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier

Here is a link to one of Tony Arrowood's video's on YouTube. He really makes his Marlen sing. You can spend the whole evening enjoying all his videos.

Click Here

His guitar has a wrist lever ---> Click Here

Lee

Richard Rice · From: Illinois, USA

Man, that guy sounds great! First time I've seen a wrist lever, too.

Here's my new '84 Marlen, I'll be picking it up in the morning tomorrow. Man, I'm excited!!

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=222519
_________________
'84 Marlen Custom D-10, 8X4
Oahu Tonemaster 6 string lap steel
Rice Custom 6 string lap steel
Republic Squareneck Tricone
Homebrew 6 string reso
10 string Melobar- Rice modified
Rice Custom 8 string reso (under construction)
Hohner 6 string lap guitar (acoustic)
Kustom K-500 tuck & roll
Peavey Century
Peavey Vegas 400
Peavey CS-800
Bag End custom 1X12 & 1X15 cabs w.EV drivers
Steelin' thru a '72 Vibrosonic Reverb and a '69 Dual Showman Reverb (Stereo)

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

Pretty. Of course Leonard didn't build 'em ugly.

As a side note, raises and lowers on the same string on a pull-release guitar didn't require special parts. Intermediate raises or lowers would. My pull-release had all four notes on the 4th string: F#, E#, E and D#. The F lever 4th string tuned under the guitar (I bet Bob Simmons would build you a pull-release with 10 & 10 if you asked him).
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Richard Rice · From: Illinois, USA

So now that there are some pics in my link, can anybody tell if it's an all-pull or a pull/release? Curiosity is getting the better of me..
_________________
'84 Marlen Custom D-10, 8X4
Oahu Tonemaster 6 string lap steel
Rice Custom 6 string lap steel
Republic Squareneck Tricone
Homebrew 6 string reso
10 string Melobar- Rice modified
Rice Custom 8 string reso (under construction)
Hohner 6 string lap guitar (acoustic)
Kustom K-500 tuck & roll
Peavey Century
Peavey Vegas 400
Peavey CS-800
Bag End custom 1X12 & 1X15 cabs w.EV drivers
Steelin' thru a '72 Vibrosonic Reverb and a '69 Dual Showman Reverb (Stereo)

Chas. J. Wagner · From: Denver, Colorado USA

The ad states...
"1984 Marlen all pull Laqurered D-10 8 floors 4 knees "
The pix seem to support this. Beautiful guitar! Congratulations.

Richard Rice · From: Illinois, USA

I figured as much, but ignorance is one of my strongest suits regarding these. I'm trainable, but I've never seen or heard or a pull release..

Thanks for the verification. Wink

_________________
'84 Marlen Custom D-10, 8X4
Oahu Tonemaster 6 string lap steel
Rice Custom 6 string lap steel
Republic Squareneck Tricone
Homebrew 6 string reso
10 string Melobar- Rice modified
Rice Custom 8 string reso (under construction)
Hohner 6 string lap guitar (acoustic)
Kustom K-500 tuck & roll
Peavey Century
Peavey Vegas 400
Peavey CS-800
Bag End custom 1X12 & 1X15 cabs w.EV drivers
Steelin' thru a '72 Vibrosonic Reverb and a '69 Dual Showman Reverb (Stereo)

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

Richard Rice · From: Illinois, USA

Well, either way I'm a long way from needing more stuff to deal with.. This Marlen has way more pedals than I'm used to already. We'll see how this whole thing pans out, but I promise I won't torture anybody with clips or videos for some time... Very Happy

_________________
'84 Marlen Custom D-10, 8X4
Oahu Tonemaster 6 string lap steel
Rice Custom 6 string lap steel
Republic Squareneck Tricone
Homebrew 6 string reso
10 string Melobar- Rice modified
Rice Custom 8 string reso (under construction)
Hohner 6 string lap guitar (acoustic)
Kustom K-500 tuck & roll
Peavey Century
Peavey Vegas 400
Peavey CS-800
Bag End custom 1X12 & 1X15 cabs w.EV drivers
Steelin' thru a '72 Vibrosonic Reverb and a '69 Dual Showman Reverb (Stereo)

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

No problem with the one that you're getting, Richard. It's an all-pull.
_________________
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Richard Rice · From: Illinois, USA

Great news! I am determined to put it to good use, as is. If and when I reach a point where I need more, I would like to stay with the same instrument if possible. Just the way I'm wired, I guess..

It's comforting to know it can be upgraded at some point, but it looks as if I have years of hard work ahead to gain the skills to use what is already there.

I'm so thankful to all who have replied, it is a big load off my mind to have some idea of what to expect. Thanks again, Bob, for this forum. What a wonderful resource. I've played guitar for almost 50 years, but have only seen/played a handful of steels. They just aren't around Chicago, at least not in my circles. The knowledge base and camaraderie here is real blessing!
_________________
'84 Marlen Custom D-10, 8X4
Oahu Tonemaster 6 string lap steel
Rice Custom 6 string lap steel
Republic Squareneck Tricone
Homebrew 6 string reso
10 string Melobar- Rice modified
Rice Custom 8 string reso (under construction)
Hohner 6 string lap guitar (acoustic)
Kustom K-500 tuck & roll
Peavey Century
Peavey Vegas 400
Peavey CS-800
Bag End custom 1X12 & 1X15 cabs w.EV drivers
Steelin' thru a '72 Vibrosonic Reverb and a '69 Dual Showman Reverb (Stereo)

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