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Topic: Can anyone identify this steel? Please close, guitar ID'd |
Marvin Born
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 26 Jul 2013 1:15 pm |
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This Universal 12 string was brought to me for a minor repair. The owner needs a new pedal rod. There is no ID info anywhere on the guitar. I would like to locate the builder to order parts, if he is still in business.
the alumitone may not be original
notice the legs
notice how the pull rods attach to the bell cranks
5 hole bell cranks
seven pedals
7 knee levers, two of which are verticals
29 3/8" long
very high quality machine work
very precise feel to knees and pedals.
3 over 3 changer
there is a mixture of metric and inch fasteners, with the majority metric
Last edited by Marvin Born on 27 Jul 2013 10:39 am; edited 1 time in total |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 26 Jul 2013 3:56 pm
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| Nice-looking guitar! I'm curious! |
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Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
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Posted 26 Jul 2013 4:05 pm
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| Just from the quality of the machining "Excel" popped into my head but I checked some pics and it looks nothing like one. It is a sweet looking piece of work. |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 26 Jul 2013 4:11 pm
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Did anybody but Carter use the shepherd's crooks?
Not saying it's a Carter, but Carter rods might work
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Storm Rosson
From:
Silver City, NM. USA
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Posted 26 Jul 2013 4:13 pm
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 Hmmmm the pull rod /bellcrank with the barbell keeper looks a lot like Bud Carters design....dang ya jumped me Lane..lol..  |
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Chris Lucker
From:
Los Angeles, California USA
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Posted 26 Jul 2013 4:17 pm
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It reminds me of Totie Fields. Earlier, rather than later.
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Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars. |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 26 Jul 2013 5:24 pm
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| The "mixture of metric and inch fasteners, with the majority metric" makes me think it started out as one thing and got intercepted half-morphed. The screwed-together aluminum plate frame and battleship-grade fittings look a bit like Wheeler or Sierra? |
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mike nolan
From:
Forest Hills, NY USA
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Posted 26 Jul 2013 5:46 pm
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| Saw this when it was for sale.... can't remember where though. Either here or eBay, but no one knew anything about it then either. |
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Darvin Willhoite
From:
Roxton, Tx. USA
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Posted 26 Jul 2013 7:34 pm
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I was the former owner, and restorer of this guitar. It was custom built for a player in San Antonio by his co-workers. The changer leverage was wrong, so I had to re-build the changer to make it playable. I made lots of parts for it and set it up the way I wanted it, but didn't play it much, so I sold it. I'm primarily a D10 guy. Feel free to email me if you need any more information.
To my knowledge there are no metric fasteners on this guitar, I wouldn't be caught dead using them on a pedal steel. I rebuilt it from the ground up.
I sold it about a year and a half ago here on the Forum, you can do a search in the for sale section for my posts, it should still be there.
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Darvin Willhoite
MSA Millennium, Legend, and Studio Pro, Reese's restored Universal Direction guitar, a restored MSA Classic SS, several amps, new and old, and a Kemper Powerhead that I am really liking. Also a Zum D10, a Mullen RP, and a restored Rose S10, named the "Blue Bird". Also, I have acquired and restored the plexiglass D10 MSA Classic that was built as a demo in the early '70s. I also have a '74 lacquer P/P, with wood necks, and a showroom condition Sho-Bud Super Pro. |
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Roger Shackelton
From:
MINNESOTA (deceased)
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Posted 26 Jul 2013 11:14 pm
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The Pedals & Bridge unit appear quite similar to Blanton Guitar parts. There is no shaft for the bridge levers. They rock back & forth on a knife edge, similar to the old Fender cable operated guitars. 
Roger |
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Darvin Willhoite
From:
Roxton, Tx. USA
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Posted 27 Jul 2013 4:27 am
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You are correct Roger, the changer was based on the Blanton design. The first owner had owned Blanton guitars.
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Darvin Willhoite
MSA Millennium, Legend, and Studio Pro, Reese's restored Universal Direction guitar, a restored MSA Classic SS, several amps, new and old, and a Kemper Powerhead that I am really liking. Also a Zum D10, a Mullen RP, and a restored Rose S10, named the "Blue Bird". Also, I have acquired and restored the plexiglass D10 MSA Classic that was built as a demo in the early '70s. I also have a '74 lacquer P/P, with wood necks, and a showroom condition Sho-Bud Super Pro. |
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Steven Black
From:
Gahanna, Ohio, USA
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Posted 27 Jul 2013 5:40 am unknown guitar now known
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| I own this guitar now, bought it from Darvin, Darvin this guitar is built quite well plays great,if you did the machine work excellent job, but if not do you know the guys name that built it? and is he still building them? |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 27 Jul 2013 6:21 am
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Looks like it is well built. The rods and those brass parts are the first thing I noticed. I also wondered if Bud Carter had anything to do with the design. That's the same method used on Carter guitars.
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Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting. |
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Roger Shackelton
From:
MINNESOTA (deceased)
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Posted 27 Jul 2013 9:15 am
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I believe Jerry Blanton can take full credit for the BLANTON STEEL GUITAR design. 
The Steel Wrap Around Frame On The Blanton Guitars was Quite a Bit Of Over-kill, IMHO.
Roger |
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