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Topic: Got My Lamar Back!!! |
Sonny Jenkins
From:
Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx
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Posted 24 Jun 2014 11:32 am |
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Several years ago, I picked out some nice quilted maple wood and Lamar Colvin built me a guitar with it. Don't really recall the reason (probably found another Kline that I thought I couldn't live without,,,LOL) but for whatever reason, I sold it. The gentleman I sold it to changed it over to a ZB set up, played it VERY little (as a practice guitar at home) and recently I was fortunate enough to get it back. This guitar is a true masterpiece in every way. Besides being a beautiful lacquer finish maple, it is fully polished, 25" scale, straight pull changer, Kline type spring loaded pedal rod hook up, over center bell crank hook ups (Paul Redmond commented on the advantages of this type of bell crank in another thread). Of all the guitars being built today,,,speaking from experience as I have owned most of them,,,this is hands down the most innovative, and precision built guitar I've ever owned,,,or seen. Tom Brumley allowed me to sit down at his Anapeg (had to promise not to "drool" on it,,,LOL),,,,and it was a real work of art,,,but I'm here to tell you forum friends,,,,I don't think it had anything on this Lamar. When I finish setting it up for my copedent, I'll try to post some pictures,,,it has some features that I'm sure some of our members have never seen,,,,and may not see again,,,but again,,,pictures would not do justice to this guitar. I feel so fortunate to finally get it back,,,,and bring it HOME!!!!
PS,,,Lamar retired from a long career in industrial finishes with a major paint company,,,PLUS he is a master machinist,,,,,put the two together,,,,equals a fine instrument!!!! |
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Jan Viljoen
From:
Pretoria, South Africa
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Posted 24 Jun 2014 12:22 pm
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How did you discover it again, the States are so big?
_________________
Sierra S10, Stage One, Gibson BR4, Framus, Guya 6&8, Hofner lap, Custom mandolins, Keilwerth sax.
Roland Cube 80XL, Peavey112-Valve King and Special, Marshall 100VS.
Last edited by Jan Viljoen on 24 Jun 2014 8:47 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Sonny Jenkins
From:
Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx
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Posted 24 Jun 2014 12:40 pm
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| Hey Jan,,,the guy I sold it to still had it,,,I just took a chance and contacted him to see if he "might" want to sell,,,he said he hadn't thought about it,,,but,,,after thinking he said he would. He had kept it at his farm,,,played it very rarely. |
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mike nolan
From:
Forest Hills, NY USA
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Posted 24 Jun 2014 2:18 pm
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| Yes, Lamar guitars are mighty fine! I had one, sold it, should have kept it. |
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Sonny Jenkins
From:
Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx
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Posted 25 Jun 2014 6:40 am
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| I started making some changes to the copedent this morning,,,,after having re-rodding virtually every guitar I've ever owned (most, if not all brands) I am amazed at the precision, the workmanship of this guitar,,,,not over-built,,,not under-built. |
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Dwight Lewis
From:
Huntsville, Alabama
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Posted 25 Jun 2014 7:42 am Lamar
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Lamar is one of my dream guitars. I Have never played one, but the design has my vote already. I want to either play one or to hear several clips of one of the these Lamars. I'm waiting to see this baby. Hurry and get some pics up.
Dwight
_________________
Dekley 7p4k(PRS-10C), BMI S12 5p5kn |
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James Quackenbush
From:
Pomona, New York, USA
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Posted 25 Jun 2014 9:51 am
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| I had a nice little natural flamed maple Lamar universal .....REALLY NICE build quality and tone in spades .....Miss that little steel ......Jim |
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Sonny Jenkins
From:
Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx
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Posted 25 Jun 2014 10:28 am
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| Hey James,,,yes,,,,it was you I sold it to,,,,I was thinking it was Bud Vanderburg,,,but now I remember! Looks like it had several owners since then,,,,was that like in '02 or '03???? |
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Geoff Cline
From:
Southwest France
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Posted 25 Jun 2014 10:32 am
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| Congrats Sonny. Great story and a great sense of joy from your posts. Look forward to seeing pictures. |
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James Quackenbush
From:
Pomona, New York, USA
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Posted 25 Jun 2014 11:35 am
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Hi Sonny,
If I'm not mistaken , the undercarriage on that steel that I got from you was a Pedalmaster undercarriage, or at least some of the hardware ..... At least that's the way I remember it .....I know it played very smoothly !!.... I was buying and selling a lot of steels back then , trying everything out ....A couple of them I miss , the Lamar being one of them ....Jim
BTW ...There are probably quite a few pedal steels that we will both end up owning at one time or another since we both play 12 string UNI w/ keyless tuners !!....JIm |
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Sonny Jenkins
From:
Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx
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Posted 25 Jun 2014 11:51 am
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| Hey Jim,,,,yes,,that Lamar had Pedalmaster parts underneath that were mismatched with the changer,,,,it was a good guitar,,,but not a Lamar! Im pretty sure I've already owned every brand,,,keyed and keyless,,,but,,being "keyless to the core",,,,I'm staying with Klines and Lamar,,,,,and since Kline is the only guitar I don't feel comfortable working on,,,,this Lamar will probably be clinched in my cold, dying hand,,,,LOL |
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James Quackenbush
From:
Pomona, New York, USA
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Posted 25 Jun 2014 12:03 pm
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",this Lamar will probably be clinched in my cold, dying hand,,,,LOL"
I'll believe it when I see that you still have it in a couple of years ( months ) LOL !!!
I'm gonna dive in on my Kline ...I gotta see what makes it tick !!....... I call my Kline "Controlled KAOS " !!!.....A challenge to be sure !!!......Jim |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Sonny Jenkins
From:
Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx
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Posted 25 Jun 2014 3:05 pm
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Yes Jim C,,,not only beautiful to look at,,,but as I'm taking this thing apart, it is all the "little" things that show some real fore thought,,,things most builders never even think about. He told me one time that this straight pull changer kept him awake many nights,,,LOL!!! All he has ever made is lacquer finish guitars,,,his finish is second to none!!!
He has slowed down on building since his wife passed away,,,he has since remarried and moved a few miles away from his home place. It is taking a while to get his shop set up again,,,and just the process of moving has taken a lot of time. |
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