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Post new topic What brand (if any) is this old steel?
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Author Topic:  What brand (if any) is this old steel?
Gerald Pierce

 

From:
Maydelle, Republic of Texas
Post  Posted 23 Jan 2006 1:33 am    
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Before I butcher some of the parts of this guitar, I guess I
oughta make sure it ain't something I shouldn't mess up any worse than it is. The scale
length is 23”, and it has a serial number on the bottom with
matching number on the end plate. I found no name, but thought
someone might know what it is/was or whatever. There are no openings
on the changer end end plate. It has exposed gear grover tuners. The
tuning heads and end plates were never machined...still have a rough
casting finish. There are no undercarriage parts, pedals etc, but I have some I
can make work. That's all I know about it and all I have of the
guitar (I have a pull/release changer I want to use on it). I just
don't want to screw up something that might be worth more to somebody else
than it is to me.




I want to make a SD-8 out of it (24” scale) and try Sneaky
Pete's tuning. Since the roller nut is a not part of the tuning head,
I can slide it forward an inch to get the scale length, but I'll have
to cut off the corners of the mounting plate portion of it to clear
the mounting tabs on the keyhead. I can then use it as an 8-string
head by removing keys 1 and 10.


































[This message was edited by Gerald Pierce on 23 January 2006 at 01:35 AM.]

[This message was edited by Gerald Pierce on 23 January 2006 at 01:37 AM.]

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Nick Reed


From:
Russellville, KY USA
Post  Posted 23 Jan 2006 1:56 am    
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[This message was edited by Nick Reed on 23 January 2006 at 01:59 AM.]

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Jussi Huhtakangas

 

From:
Helsinki, Finland
Post  Posted 23 Jan 2006 2:58 am    
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Could be a Marlen from the late 60's, the headstocks look similar to a Marlen Speedy West that a friend of mine has.

[This message was edited by Jussi Huhtakangas on 23 January 2006 at 02:58 AM.]

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Charlie McDonald


From:
out of the blue
Post  Posted 23 Jan 2006 5:59 am    
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Did any manufacturer actually put a handle on the end plate?
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Jussi Huhtakangas

 

From:
Helsinki, Finland
Post  Posted 23 Jan 2006 6:07 am    
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Yes they did, Bigsbys, Sho Buds, Wrights, Marlens, Millers all had handles on the endplates.

[This message was edited by Jussi Huhtakangas on 23 January 2006 at 06:07 AM.]

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James Cann


From:
Phoenix, AZ
Post  Posted 23 Jan 2006 8:34 am    
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So what could have happened to such a natural idea!

[This message was edited by James Cann on 23 January 2006 at 08:35 AM.]

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richard burton


From:
Britain
Post  Posted 23 Jan 2006 11:11 am    
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Rather than cutting the tuning head casting down, why don't you just remove the 1st and 10th tuning keys?
From the photos it looks like the roller nut will still fit in the space, without any cutting.
Then, at a later date, if you want to put it back as a 10 string, you can.
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Gerald Pierce

 

From:
Maydelle, Republic of Texas
Post  Posted 23 Jan 2006 12:20 pm    
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Richard....that's what I'm planning on doing with it. The roller nut will fit if I slide it forward and inch and I've already figured that the mounts for the 1st and 10th string won't get in my way since they're lower than the height of the roller nut....but I'll still have to trim the corners of the roller nut mounting "ear" to clear the keyhead mounting ears.

Jussi....I thought it might have been a Miller or Marlen because of the "M"-looking patterns in the cabinet trim. I saw Hal Rugg last night on an old Wilburn Bros. show playing a Sho-Bud with handles on the end plates. I've also seen several other old buds and others with end plate handles. The handles will have to go to allow for cutting the opening in the end plate for access to tune the changes.

Thanks to all for the input. - G.P.
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Ken Williams


From:
Arkansas
Post  Posted 23 Jan 2006 12:27 pm    
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You know I had a Hughey guitar when a first started playing and the tuning keys look similar if I remember correctly. It also had handles on the endplates.

Ken
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Bobbe Seymour

 

From:
Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.
Post  Posted 24 Jan 2006 12:06 pm    
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This guitar is a Miller, 98% sure,
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Sam White R.I.P.

 

From:
Coventry, RI 02816
Post  Posted 24 Jan 2006 12:10 pm    
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I would say it looks like it may be a old Sho Bud.I would ask Bobbe Seymour he may know he is pretty good on Reconizing Steel Guitars.
Sam White
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Bobbe Seymour

 

From:
Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.
Post  Posted 24 Jan 2006 3:50 pm    
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Its a Miller.
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Marlin Smoot


From:
Kansas
Post  Posted 24 Jan 2006 5:01 pm    
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Well boys, I guess it's Miller time...
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