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Topic: Fender Stringmaster with pedal conversion and a story.... |
Tim Mayes
From:
Oklahoma, USA
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Posted 13 May 2016 7:50 pm |
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I am looking this steel over tonight. A friend has let me borrow it with the possibility of buying it.
It was owned by Merl Lindsay...yes I know he was a fiddle player but this came from HIS estate!
A few questions....
What year is this model?
I can't find any Stringmasters with natural finish. Was this one sanded down and refinished? All I see is blond and butterscotch models.
Can anyone tell if this conversion has any significance? Like a specific player? A specific person who did the mod? It doesn't appear to be too crude of a job. I would REALLY like to put a face to this steel!!
Curious about the value too...two of the legs don't lock so I can't test the pedal setup yet and I'm not getting a signal from the outside neck.
Any help is greatly appreciated!
I am an Oklahoma music historian (unofficially), record collector, guitar player, singer and I play SOME steel. Maybe if I pick up this steel, I'll stick around!
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Scott Thomas
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Posted 13 May 2016 8:09 pm
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| They were never natural, so it's been stripped. It wasn't unusual for them to be converted to pedals when they became popular. That's a 24" scale. They were also available in 22.5 scale at that time. The likely date based on the push button selectors is 1955. |
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Tim Mayes
From:
Oklahoma, USA
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Posted 13 May 2016 8:18 pm
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Thanks!
It was likely sanded down at the time of conversion then I guess. It hasn't been touched since AT LEAST 1965 when Merl passed away.
I really want this steel but I don't want to be upside down in another instrument...again. Could anyone put a rough value to this one? Hard for me to tell with the conversion and refinish... |
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Stephen Cowell
From:
Round Rock, Texas, USA
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Posted 14 May 2016 5:26 pm
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You're lookin' at a $500 guitar or $900 worth of parts. You could probably make a good single-neck out of it... that would get the money back, then the rest would be profit. With a single-neck you only need three legs to work... open the legs up and shake them out, the three clutch pieces might be rattling around down inside there... should be a clutch ring too. The 2nd and 3rd pickup plates are toast... you have three good tuner pans/tuners... the switch is most likely the problem with the third neck. It would take a lot of work to put it back to being a T8 Stringmaster... and they're not going for that much right now, maybe $1400 for one in decent shape.
_________________
New FB Page: Lap Steel Licks And Stuff: https://www.facebook.com/groups/195394851800329 |
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Tim Mayes
From:
Oklahoma, USA
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Posted 20 May 2016 5:58 pm
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Dear moderator,
can I get this moved to the pedal forum? 
I'm trying to figure out the best way to put this together...I think I'm missing some parts...the actual pedal pieces at the bottom that was sold with it I believe was never used with it...
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Posted 20 May 2016 9:21 pm
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That pedal rack is from a Fender 1000 pedal steel guitar, made a few years after this non-pedal T-8.
It looks like the front neck and the middle neck are not restorable because of the routing of the body and the cut bridge plates. You could strip off all that homemade hardware on the underside and play all necks as a non-pedal steel. I don't think this will ever be a good working pedal steel with that homemade changer and the ancient system of pulleys and cables. My advice is... don't buy it. But if you do, don't spend over $350. It will never be worth what other T-8s are worth because of the damage. Like Stephen said, you could remove the two cobbled necks and make a decent single neck guitar using just the rear neck, and you'd have some valuable parts left over. I wouldn't spend any money trying to restore this guitar. You'd be better off to save your money and buy a nice, all-original one.
_________________
My Site / My YouTube Channel
25 Songs C6 Lap Steel / 25 MORE Songs C6 Lap Steel / 16 Songs, C6, A6, B11 / 60 Popular Melodies E9 Pedal Steel |
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Tim Mayes
From:
Oklahoma, USA
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Posted 21 May 2016 5:45 am
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Thanks for the info. I bought the steel for a good deal for sure.
This steel has some history to it and I don't really have any intention on "salvaging" anything or restoring it to non pedal.
I know at least three owners of this particular steel in the 50s and it has a pretty interesting story.
...story to follow.
***since I have decided to leave the pedals this is probably the wrong forum. |
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Stephen Cowell
From:
Round Rock, Texas, USA
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 27 May 2016 7:39 am
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The early Sho~Buds never had a roller nut and I believe Shot sold a considerable number of these "dogs".  |
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Lee Jeffriess
From:
Vallejo California
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Posted 10 Jun 2016 11:14 pm
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Tim, a friend of mine has a D8 stringmaster, it was modified by Marty Landers he was married to Marion Hall the steel guitarist from the Townhall party, which Merle Lindsay played on.
The fingers and components look the same (going from memory)
I would not alter this guitar in anyway !! enjoy it as a non pedal! my friends guitar has the original pedal rack |
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Tim Mayes
From:
Oklahoma, USA
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Posted 19 Nov 2018 9:07 am
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This thread is a couple years old. However, I have an update!
I was contacted by steel guitar forum member, Jerry Horner. He can tell the story much better than myself but this steel belonged to him and he had last seen it in 1959. He had a tech perform the conversion, hadn't paid the fella yet for the work done and while in Roswell, NM for a gig, the tech showed up with the sheriff to take the steel due to the unpaid balance. Jerry suspects that Merl returned to Roswell after Jerry left the group because he a had a regular gig there and possibly the tech offered it to Merl for a cheap price. I have returned the steel to Jerry.
Jerry, you are welcome to fill in the details here! I sure enjoyed the visit on Saturday and look forward to visiting more in the future. |
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Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
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Posted 19 Nov 2018 10:07 am
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| What a great story! Thanks so much for sharing. |
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Clyde Mattocks
From:
Kinston, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 19 Nov 2018 12:35 pm
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I had a Stringmaster that Shot put pedals on and it didn't have rollers. I played it professionally for quite a few years without damage to the nut. I kept a drop of oil on them. You can turn those nuts over for extra life if need be.
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LeGrande II, Nash. 112, Fender Twin Tone Master, Session 400, Harlow Dobro, R.Q.Jones Dobro |
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Mark Helm
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 22 Nov 2018 5:50 pm Wow
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Sad to see a Stringmaster messed with like this. I mean, it wasn't like pedal steel guitars weren't available at the time this was done.
The advice you've received is good: Don't buy it! It's basically a parts guitar now.
_________________
Remington Steelmaster S8 w/ custom Steeltronics pickup. Vox MV-50 amplifier + an 1940's Oahu cab w/ 8" American Vintage speaker. J. Mascis Fender Squire Jazzmaster, Hofner Club bass, Ibanez AVN4-VMS Artwood Vintage Series Concert Size Acoustic Guitar. 1920s/30s Supertone Hawaiian-themed parlor guitar. Silvertone parlor guitar.
Last edited by Mark Helm on 26 Nov 2018 4:25 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Mike Wheeler
From:
Delaware, Ohio, USA
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Posted 26 Nov 2018 4:15 pm
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Thanks for that opinion, Mark. Did you even read the previous posts by Tim Mayes, and the wonderful thing he did for the original owner?
And, for your info, many pickers had mods like that done to their steel guitars. It was not uncommon at all.
Keep on a guessin', my friend.
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Best regards,
Mike |
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Mark Helm
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 26 Nov 2018 4:21 pm
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| Mike Wheeler wrote: |
Thanks for that opinionMark. Did you even read the previous posts by Tim Mayes, and the wonderful thing he did for the original owner?
And, for your info, many pickers had mods like that done to their steel guitars. It was not uncommon at all.
Keep on a guessin', my friend. |
I appreciate the snark (feel better now?). I was simply responding to the butchery of a fine instrument.
Yes, of course, I know this was widely done. And in the 1980s, people put locking tremolo systems on ES-335s. Tits on a bull, too, as I hear tell 
That doesn't make it cool.
_________________
Remington Steelmaster S8 w/ custom Steeltronics pickup. Vox MV-50 amplifier + an 1940's Oahu cab w/ 8" American Vintage speaker. J. Mascis Fender Squire Jazzmaster, Hofner Club bass, Ibanez AVN4-VMS Artwood Vintage Series Concert Size Acoustic Guitar. 1920s/30s Supertone Hawaiian-themed parlor guitar. Silvertone parlor guitar. |
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 26 Nov 2018 4:49 pm
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Good on you Tim. Great story there.
An acquaintance has this '55 quad that has been professionally worked for pedals. He told me there was someone, name escapes me, who did this professionally back in the 50's, If I remember correctly.
He said that he had moved and was in the process of locating all the pedals and other parts to re-assemble everything and allowed me to take a few pics.
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George Geisser
From:
Branson, Missouri, USA
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Posted 13 Dec 2018 12:09 pm Console Grande conversion
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| I bought a Console Grande in Springfield MO from a downtown Pawn and it was "customized" way way on the front neck. I've searched old Oz Jubilee pictures for Speedy West or anyone else that may have played it. Anyone who might have some insight into this I'd appreciate the help. I will upload a picture of it soon. Thanks |
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Daniel McKee
From:
Corinth Mississippi
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Posted 13 Dec 2018 1:50 pm
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| That's certainly interesting, especially with the fender pedal steel pedals and pedal board. That definitely wouldn't have been available in the late 50's so maybe the conversion happened or was updated in the 60's? anyway I don't see why you couldn't play it as just a non pedal. I wouldn't put much money in it but its certainly unique. You might actually get the pedals to working, if so it might be interesting to see how well it does or does not work, either way I hope you keep us updated on it. |
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George Geisser
From:
Branson, Missouri, USA
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Posted 18 Dec 2018 8:32 pm
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This is a changer that I believe Doc Martin from Red Foleys Ozark Jubilee put in a Console Grande that I bought years ago. I'm in awe of the workmanship considering the guitar was fairly new when the mod was done. Enjoy
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 18 Dec 2018 8:51 pm
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That is a cool story, Tim, thanks for the update.
I have modded many things in my life, from numerous guitars to houses, to amps to cars, etc. We make them our own with the intention of getting what we need out of them at the time. Non-pedal was going out of fashion back then and so I can see why everyone was looking to upgrade their instruments. Ralph Mooney did it and so did many others. These instruments are just tools--without someone playing them they're just conversation pieces.
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 19 Dec 2018 11:12 am
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| Daniel McKee wrote: |
| That's certainly interesting, especially with the fender pedal steel pedals and pedal board. That definitely wouldn't have been available in the late 50's... |
Daniel, Fender built the first Pedal 1000 in 1955, and they became available for general sales in 1957. However, the pedal board pictured is a "burst" finish, and that finish didn't come into being until 1963. It's also not made for the angle and spacing of the Stringmaster legs, so reworking it would be a chore. I agree with the others that the value of the guitar is quite low due to the mods. |
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Russ Tkac
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Dave Magram
From:
San Jose, California, USA
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Jerry Horner
From:
Tahlequah, OK, USA
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Posted 20 Dec 2018 6:53 am
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Thanks Dave,
Would you or any of our forum members know where Don Pierce
is today or if he is still living. I know that the rest of the boys have passed on, except me.
Thanks for all the nice things said about that group.
Jerry |
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