Stringmasters, Fender are you listening?

Nick Reed · From: Russellville, KY USA

Here is a letter Rick Alexander sent to Fender last year.

quote:
Hi,
I have been a full time working musician since 1963. My very first "good" guitar was a Fender Jaguar. Since then I have purchased many Fender products, and at this time I own several Stratocasters, Telecasters, and various Fender amps. I have always cherished Fender instruments and amps, and I have always regarded Fender as the #1 musical instrument company. So it was only natural when I took up an interest in steel guitar that I would look to Fender first. I bought a used Fender Dual Professional and a Fender Champion 6 string in 1983 and started working steel into the act. Recently I bought a Fender Stringmaster D8 on eBay, and I was very excited about receiving it. Unfortunately when it arrived it had a couple of busted tuners. That was when I found out the really bad news. NOBODY makes replacement 4-in-line tuning assemblies for them!
I asked everybody - I mean everybody! I asked Herb Remington, Cindy Cashdollar, John Tipka, Jody Carver, Neil Flanz, Herb Steiner etc etc. They all pretty much said the same thing - get a "parts" guitar and rob it. Pragmatic as that may be, it still means that every time a tuner fails there will be one less Stringmaster in the world. That's just wrong.
For a long time it was generally thought that the pedal steel had made lap and console steel obsolete, and in fact many non pedal steelers have been out of work since 1953. But that would be like saying the motorcycle made the bicycle obsolete. Now there is a big growing resurgence of steel guitar http://www.steelguitarforum.com both pedal and non pedal, and just as the Stratocaster is the "holy grail" of electric guitar, the Stringmaster is considered by many to be the holy grail of console steel, and more and more steelers are acquiring them and playing them. In addition to the D8, I own a ‘57 T8 that I just love and I play it all the time. When I needed tuners for it, I finally found some on eBay - and I paid quite a high price for them - over $200! . They are not new of course, but at least they work ! There are a lot of other Fender Stringmaster players in the same situation as can be attested by innumerable threads on Steel Guitar Forum.

Now I understand how the corporate thing works, and maybe nobody would get a promotion or a raise for suggesting this because it may not bring in millions in revenue, but why doesn't Fender start making those replacement assemblies? Steelers are a very close-knit community and I can guarantee that the gratitude felt by a few hundred Stringmaster Players would be made known to and felt by ALL STEELERS including the big names (they're all on Steel Guitar Forum). There is a lot of interest in your new Steel King Amplifier, and such a "gesture" of support for your own product could serve to divert the intense loyalty that many steel players have for Peavey Amplifiers. Peavey has been very supportive of steel players for the last 30 years and it seems to have paid off. I would venture to say that 90% of steelers play Peavey amps, not only because they make a fine product, but because Peavey "listens" and supports - even their older discontinued equipment. Peavey rep Mike Brown can always be reached by phone or email and is always very helpful to steelers - he's a steel player himself. That cuts a lot of ice with us.

I realize the Stringmaster was discontinued some 25 years ago, but conscientious product support should never discontinue. It makes potential consumers wary of new products for fear they too will be one day considered obsolete and unimportant by the very company that made them. How hard would it be for a great company like Fender to tool up and run off a few tuner assemblies for the legendary Fender Stringmaster and the dedicated afficionados who play it?
I am going to post a copy of this letter on Steel Guitar Forum where it will be read by hundreds of steel players, many of whom are considering buying a Steel King Amp (especially now that Buddy Emmons sang its praises). I will of course, keep them up to date on your response and on any developments that may occur. I thank you for your kind attention in this matter and await your reply.
Sincerely,

Rick Alexander

My wife just recently purchased a D-8 Stringmaster and I can attest to Rick's letter. They are great guitars. I'd like to see Fender start making these instruments again. I think recently theres been a ressurgence of interest in the Stringmasters. With Fender's introduction of the Twin Reverb Custom '15 & Steel King amps it's obvious they're interested in the Steel Guitar Market. Since Fender still owns the patents on these guitars, I think the time now is right to bring them back as a re-issue.

Nick

[This message was edited by Nick Reed on 25 November 2005 at 01:52 PM.]

Gary Boyett · From: Colorado

Rick,
Did you ever get a reply?

You would think the custom shop would be doing these. You would probably really have to pay a high dollar but I bet they would sell.

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JCFSGC,RMSGC,HSGA member
Do it with "Glass"
Boyett's Glass Bars

[This message was edited by Gary Boyett on 25 November 2005 at 06:10 AM.]

Herb Steiner · From: Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064

Rick
I don't think even Fender made or used that type of tuner assembly after the late-60's.

Some late model Stringmasters I've seen, as well as Fender pedal guitars I've owned from that era, have tuner assemblies made from eight individual Kluson-type "F" tuners (the ones with the newer style buttons), like you'd find on a standard Fender electric guitar. In the peghead pan, the hole for the string shaft and the notch for the button shaft keeps the tuner stationary. You might try fixing your guitar with a similar solution.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

Andy Sandoval · From: Bakersfield, California, USA

Herb, I recently acquired a mid 70's Fender Deluxe that have the tuners that you mentioned. I thought maybe someone had replaced the original 4 on a strip tuners with the individual F tuners but once the pan is in place and the strings are tightened up some they seem to work just fine.

Gary Boyett · From: Colorado

Ricky Davis had one machined when he was building the SS Hawaiian: http://www.skobrien.com/sshawaiian/Description.htm

Maybe Ricky can chime in and let us know the scoop.

That is still the sweetest looking steel!

[This message was edited by Gary Boyett on 25 November 2005 at 06:36 AM.]

Rick Alexander · From: Florida, USA, R.I.P.

Rick Alexander · From: Florida, USA, R.I.P.

Terry VunCannon · From: Greensboro, North Carolina, USA

Nick...Be careful what you wish for...Fender might start making the Stringmaster again & players would get their hopes up & spend big money the new Stringmaster just to be crushed like I was when I bought the new lapsteel, the FS52. Listen to Rick when he says that a cheap Artisan sounds better than the Fender. MUCH BETTER!!!(Now at $49 at MF you could buy more than 5 of them instead of a Fender) When it comes to lap steel instruments...Fender just does not get it!!! At this point, I fill that any instrument that they would put out that might "look like" a Stringmaster, would just be a rip-off. So sad.

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'49 & '51 National Dynamics, Harmos Model One, Lazy River Weissenborn, Mesa Boogie DC-3, SRV Strat.
http://community.webshots.com/user/keefriff

Ricky Davis · From: Bertram, Texas USA

Terry is right. The Fender Hawaiian Steel sound will NEVER be duplicated by fender again. If you want that real fender steel sound....get you one that was made in the 50's; otherwise, get a Georgeboard and be done with it already...ha.
Ricky

Rick Alexander · From: Florida, USA, R.I.P.

Nick - Terry just summed it up real good.

Those who are so blessed to own a Stringmaster should treasure it and take real good care of it. And play the heck out of it, cause that's what Leo made them for!

Ron Brennan · From: Orlando, Florida, USA; Formerly, Edison, NJ

Nick & Rick,

Thanks for this post. Fender, from all appearances, is not and will not engage in this matter. I suppose it's the new Corporate World Order. Profit, Profit & more Profit!!

It seems the term "Product Loyalty" has been dropped from their vernacular. It the way of things everywhere...it use to be "build your Customer Loyalty base" by practicing good business tenet's (support, parts,etc) as an investment in the future...now, it's make $$$$ for today, don't worry about the future....

Anyway, I'll stop whining, what the heck do I know....BUT, there is a German company you probably have heard of named "Schaller". I have had a reasonable amount of success in obtaining parts for an old Vintage Echo Machine they once marketed in the sixties. Amazin isn't it? Shcaller demonstrated great Customer Service protocols via e-mail when I contacted them.

As you may know, Schaller has transitioned from an electronics company to, almost exclusively, a manufacturer of tuner's for many of the world's stringed instruments.

It's just a shot at this point, but it might be worth reaching out to them through e-mail.

BTW: I am happy to report, my Fender "55" Stringmaster D8 turned 50 years old, this month ("11/55" in the tuner pan cavity)!!! All original USA made parts and case...the tuners are fine and the sound is just out of this world. These are truly wonderful instruments! This community (SGF) is trying to save them. It would be fitting if our corporations demonstrated, in action, the same principle....TX
rgds,
Ron

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JCFSGC member since 2005 "Be of Good Cheer"
"55" Stringmaster D8,"59" Stringmaster D6
"67" Telecaster,
"60"Fender Concert Amp 4-10's

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

I like to play a non-pedal steel along with collecting a few along the way. I have quite a few Stringmasters in my arsenal. From single neck all the way up to and including a quad. However, my latest non-pedal acquisition is a D-8 Jerry Byrd model Excel. I bought this guitar from Scotty and it really is a nice instrument. The scale length comes very close to the favorite of JB, namely 22 1/2".
I just put the proper gauge strings on it the other day so haven't had a chance to put it through its paces yet but, so far, I am as happy as a hog in slop!

Erv

Michael Johnstone · From: Sylmar,Ca. USA

Here's what I've done a couple of times for other guys including Ralph Kolsiana. I've taken the old Klusons that people take off their old Emmons,ZBs,Tele's,Strats and certain Gibsons when they replace them with Sperzels,Shallors,Grovers etc (guitar repairmen seem to have buckets full of 'em) and grind off the ears where the holes are located until the tuners fit snug up against each other in the pan with little or no wiggle.Then simply slide the whole assembly into the guitar and the sides of the Stringmaster tuner cavity holds them in place - string tension does the rest. Before you start chopping,pay attention to whether they're right or left hand(you need 4 of each).You should take your time and grind them down carefully and incrementally and do the last bit with a hand file - but I found if you leave just more than half the hole - that's about the right amount. This works great and they are virtually the same tuner - just in seperate pieces instead of a 4-banger. Another option is that certain other brand lap steels and A-style mandolins used the same Kluson 4-banger so if you had to scavenge,you can ravage other kinds of instruments for these parts,so hit the pawnshops. BTW if I was trying to appeal to a company for this particular part,why go to Fender? Go to the company who made it for Fender. Chances are they're a smaller shop and more likely to be used to doing smaller scale jobs. Yeah I'd approach any or all tuner manufacturers and see what they could do. Let's face it - Ford doesn't make parts for 66 Mustangs but the Japanese sure do....Just a little industrial reality for ya. -MJ-

[This message was edited by Michael Johnstone on 25 November 2005 at 09:29 AM.]

Ron Brennan · From: Orlando, Florida, USA; Formerly, Edison, NJ

“They have the wurst customer service”

"Brot, Dat ish Guudd, noh...???"

Mike,

Thank's for the great suggestion's... and your right, why go to Fender..Like they say "find a need, then fill it"..Hmmm, Ron Victoria (metal shop teacher)....are you listenin????

TX
rgds,
Ron

[This message was edited by Ron Brennan on 25 November 2005 at 10:10 AM.]

Nick Reed · From: Russellville, KY USA

OK, but my question is . . . . Would there be a market for Fender to start re-producing the Stringmasters again. They already have re-issues of some of their other products like '65 Twin Reverb amps, Tele's & Strat's and now the new Fender FS52 Lap Steel. So would a Stringmaster re-introduction be feasable? I guess it's like wishing Burger Chef Restaurants will still in business. Nick

Fender FS52:
http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0950072321

[This message was edited by Nick Reed on 25 November 2005 at 02:22 PM.]

Gerald Ross · From: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

Do we really need 94 different models of the Stratocaster? Yes, there are 94 different models, go to the Fender website and count them.

They must sit around in their corporate board rooms and laugh "hmmmm... let's see how else can we milk this cash-cow the Strat... I know! we'll take $15 worth of wood, put a $20 "special issue" pickup, paint it black and call it the "Eric Clapton" we can probably get $2400 for it".

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Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'

CEO, CIO, CFO - UkeTone Records
Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website
Board of Directors Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association

[This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 25 November 2005 at 02:31 PM.]

Michael Johnstone · From: Sylmar,Ca. USA

The stylistic motifs and formed metal parts on Stringmasters and Fender guitars in general spring from Leo Fender's machine shop background in sheet metal. The problem now with re-issuing the Stringmaster is the tuning pans & bridge covers. They were originally stamped out of sheet metal by a "clicker" which requires a rather expensive and hard to make forming tool. Chas Smith should chime in on this because he knows exactly what it would take from a machine shop perspective. He and I once explored building a modern take on a Stringmaster and ran into the same problem. Even on Ricky Davis' fine instrument the Fenderesque pans were CNC machined - not stamped,an even more expensive and time consuming process. At one point I had a repoire with the G&L custom shop who were making a custom ASAT neck for me and I was gonna ask them to revisit a Stringmaster but I found a nice 65 D-8 and my search was over.I did find out that G&L,Fender and other custom shops will make you just about anything for the right kind of bread,but the stamped pans still stop them in their tracks - they just don't have the tools or the background to make them. And without them you just don't have a Stringmaster - you have a Remington or an Excel.
If somebody could and would make real stamped pans and bridge covers and offer them in 6,8,10 and hell - even 12 string versions,anybody who is set up to make wood guitar bodies like Warmoth,ESP,Charvel or dare I say Fender could easily make the necks - and the pickups are already available from Lollar and Duncan.The pickup covers.... now that's an issue also but they're plastic and not so difficult to create. Same with fretboards - they're easy.
Me,I already got 2 fine Stringmasters.
-MJ-

Nick Reed · From: Russellville, KY USA

Mike,
I'd love to see some pictures of your 2 Stringmaster's if you could post them.
Nick

Rick Collins · From: Claremont , CA USA

Where would all of the tooling for the Stringmaster be located now? Would it be completely discarded, trashed? It just might be sitting somewhere near people who are unaware what it is, or what it's for.

Mark Vinbury · From: N. Kingstown, Rhode Island, USA

I was wondering the same thing about the tooling.Could be a bunch of funny looking punch and die sets laying around on a shelf somewhere.
The production run wasn't that big so they're most likely not worn out.
Probably some small job shop around Fullerton cause I don't think cross country trucking was as prevalent then.
My guess would be the same company that stamped Tele bridge covers and other "tin" parts from that era.The parts would also have been chrome plated somewhere.

On the other hand Fender may have owned the tooling and aquired it after the production run.
"Oh is that what that was.We scrapped it with a bunch of other junk when we cleaned out the back room to make the executive wash room"

[This message was edited by Mark Vinbury on 26 November 2005 at 07:51 AM.]

Ron Simpson · From: Illinois, USA

A few years ago I ordered three Fender Japan catalogs from approximately 1993-1995. They were offering the Deluxe 8 single neck and a Stringmaster double 8 guitar at that time. Perhaps a search over there might provide a better result.

Don Barnhardt · From: North Carolina, USA

All this talk about Stringmasters makes me cry. I bought a new Fender double neck in 1952 or 53. I don't what the model was but it looked a lot like the photos you've been showing. It was a really sweet instrument. I joined the USN in 1954 and sold my amp on my first leave for beer money. After lugging it around from port to port for 15 years I traded it and a few other instruments I wish I had back for a Gibson F hole. Since I've started playing again I kick myself at least once a month for bing so stupid.

Rick Alexander · From: Florida, USA, R.I.P.

[This message was edited by Rick Alexander on 26 November 2005 at 03:23 PM.]

Don Barnhardt · From: North Carolina, USA

That looks like it.

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