Flynn guitar

Anders Sørås · From: Norway

Has anybody got any information about Flynn Steel Guitars?
I just got ahold of one.

Jerry Roller · From: Van Buren, Arkansas USA

I tried out a Flynn at a Ronnie's steel show in Hot Springs I think in the early 90's and I thought it was about as good a feel and sound I have ever found in a guitar. I didn't really like the rose fretmarkers but loved the guitar. It should serve you very well. Built like a tank also.
Jerry

bill dearmore · From: Belton,Tx.,USA

Jim Flynn' shop is in Salado,Tx. Jim's a great guy and is good at his craft. lonestarsteel.com

Stu Schulman · From: Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)

I could be wrong but I think there were two different Flynn company's.My first Desert Rose came with Flynn changers I assume that Chuck Back owns whats left of that Flynn Co. Whoa!

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John De Maille · From: On a Mountain in Upstate Halcottsville, N.Y.

Harold Flynn was the creator of the "Flynn" pedal steel. Unfortunately, Harold passed away several years ago. Fred Layman acquired most, if not all, of the remaining stock of parts and steels of the company. Chuck Back, then acquired quite a few parts from Fred Layman to create the "Desrt Rose" steel guitar. However, I believe the new "Desert Rose" steel is an all new steel. I think he's still using the original "RusLer" fretboards, and that, is where Harold Flynn got most of his parts from, the "RusLer" steel.
I think most of this is true, but, I won't swear to it.

Anders Sørås · From: Norway

Thanks for the information! It is a fantastic instrument, and stays well in tune.
Also cabinet drop is not an issue, which is great for a S10.

I was told by the seller that this was a instrument custom built for Harold J. Flynn. i don´t know the year of produsction ,but would guess in the 90´s.
The Logo says Flynn, Nashville Tennesse. The color is red.
Can anybody tell me who built it from this information?

One thing that bugs me, though, is that there are 22 frets. And not 24 that I´m used to on my old Dekley.. It would be nice to find those harmonics without gessing... Is it possible to do something here without being to radical?

Also, I need to change a bit on the pedal/leveller configuration.
Do you know of somewhere on the net or forum that can help along the if I dare to try myself? Can post pictures.

I want to change VKL (vertical knee left) from raising the 7th string a whole step, to making it lower the 5th string a half step (shortcut from major to minor with AB pedals down). i also need to fix the RKR to lowering 9th a half step as it didn´t do so on arrival. RKR lowers the 2nd a half/whole step, so that works.

I also want to know about the knee levellers. Are they supposed to be tight and fastened, or a bit vobbly (hope that is spelled right)?
I thnk they need to be fastened a bit, but this is hard to do, as they appear to be tight when turning the nut. But they´re not. Maybe I have to remove the locking metal plate underneath the nuts.

I live in Norway, and steel techs aren´t everywhere... Don´t know of anybody...

John De Maille · From: On a Mountain in Upstate Halcottsville, N.Y.

Anders,
You may want to give Chuck Back, the builder of Desert Rose steel guitars, a call. His website and phone number is in the link section, under manufacturers, for Desert Rose Steel Guitar Co.

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

Anders,
As for the missing frets,,, Craft stores sell these little, tiny rhinestones/zircons. They stick on. Visible in any light. Not obnoxious at all, cuz they're so small. Find the 24th fret node, and stick one there.

Paul Redmond · From: Illinois, USA

The late Harold Flynn did indeed build all of the guitars that bear his name. Harold had long ago acquired the Rus-Ler guitar line and later, the Bossan line. He never pursued the manufacturing of these guitars, and, yes, Chuck Back did acquire the Flynn guitar line. The changer design on the Flynn's is patented...I can speak with a bit of authority there as Harold's first application was rejected by the government. He contacted me and I was able to show 8 claims instead of the original 4 that were submitted with the original application. The 're-write' was considered by his then-patent lawyer to be a completely new application and bore little resemblance to the original application. As a result, the 'new' stuff was sent to a Washington DC-based patent lawyer, integrated into the original language, and submitted for approval. It flew and Harold received his patent on that changer design.
The guitars are admittedly heavy-weight, but play easily and accurately and have a tone quality that IMO leaves nothing to be wanted.
Fred Layman and Chuck Back would be the best possible sources for acquiring info on the Flynn guitars. They are both Forum members and can easily be contacted.
PRR

Carl Heatley · From: Morehead City,NC

Hi Anders,
Was that the steel that was on finn???

Give Dag Wolf a call....He can set it up for you.I have his number if you need it.

Where in Norway do you live???....I may know someone close to you!!!
Or you can call me 98 48 56 94.
I could have done it for you, but i go up north on tour next week for a mounth,Then I go to the USA til
the end of March.

Carl.

Tor Arve Baroy · From: Norway

Hello Anders!!
I did the setup on that guitar when it came to norway!
Rebuilt from a 5 pedal 6 lever or something to a 3+4.
I could help you if you like. I do some steel-tech work from time to time. I do setup on some of the guitars that come to norway.

(I`m from Norway, but know that the forum should be kept in english Smile

Contact me if you like, I think you have my number.
Seeya!

Jody Sanders · From: Magnolia,Texas, R.I.P.

If it is a Harold Flynn guitar, it is one of the best. Jody.

Gary McVay · From: Tennessee, USA

The late Harold Flynn built me a single 12 in 1991. I played it every night for 12 years. It's a great sounding guitar and plays great. Stays in tune and I think I may have broken 3 strings in all the years I played it. He built me two cases for it. One for the guitar and 1 for the legs and pedals. I have Zane Becks tuning on it. Harold was a great friend.
Gary McVay
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I play Zane Becks tuning. I have 2 keyless 12 string BMI's I also have a Sierra U12.

c c johnson · From: killeen,tx usa * R.I.P.

Jim Flynn in Salado Tx makes the Lone Star steel and they are fine steels.Won't leave you destitute either. cc

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Anders, have you seen this?

http://www.onlinesteelers.com/countrylist.php?cmnCountry=Norway

Fred Nolen · From: Mohawk, Tennessee, USA

I've never owned a Flynn guitar but I did have the high honor of having my feet under Harold Flynn's table. His wife was an excellent cook. Harold was a remarkable, though sometime opinionated, person. He was a gifted player who was always willing to share his knowledge, and it really didn't matter how long it took. The world could use more Harold Flynns.

Ol' Fred Nolen

Paul Redmond · From: Illinois, USA

While the actual dates escape my memory, Harold had undergone cardiac surgery and had passed with flying colors when he developed pneumonia and ultimately died as a result. His bride, Lynn, was in her final throes of Alzheimer's Disease at the time. She passed several months later...a very sorry epitaph to a fine pair of people IMO. I still to this day have a bit of trouble with that one.
PRR

Bent Romnes · From: London,Ontario, Canada

Anders, while you're at it sign up on the Norwegian steel forum here http://www.steelgitarklubb.com/
(in case you haven't already)
You likely got the only Flynn in Norway huh?
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Jeff Coffell · From: Killeen Texas

Jim is a very good friend of mine. A better guy can't be found. He builds a great steel guitar. Give it a try, you won't be sorry.

Did I mention he's a pretty good ole boy too!!!!!!

Thanks

Jeff C

Rick Campbell · From: Sneedville, TN, USA

Harold Flynn was a close friend of mine. We played a regular gig for about eight years. He was not only a great guitar builder, he was a great player too, and a good guy. Not a speed picker, but he could play behind a singer on a ballad as well as anyone I ever played with. Harold used two Nashville 400's and later a Peavey power amp system. He also used a Profex II. He always had super tone. I've played his D-10 guitar and there is none better. You've got a good guitar. If you ever want to sell it, let me know.

John Drury · From: Gallatin, Tn USA

I played one of Harold Flynns guitars in Knoxville years ago, nice guitar! Round knee levers on the one I played, very unusual! Sweet sounding axe!
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John Drury
NTSGA #3

"Practice cures most tone issues" ~ John Suhr

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

Jim Flynn's steel guitars bear the name Lone Star, to avoid confusion with the Flynn guitars made by Harold Flynn. Their common last name is the only connection between these two builders.

Anders Sørås has a (Harold) Flynn guitar, and that's the topic here. We shouldn't confuse things by bringing Jim Flynn / Lone Star into this topic.
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Jim Shultz · From: Seneca,South Carolina, USA

I recently bought a Flynn steel (an SD10) made by Harold Flynn. The woman who sold it knew Harold and included the original receipt as well as a copy of the patent Flynn had for his changer mechanism. She was very short and had the legs of the steel customized to her height, so the legs were only 17" long when I bought it. I am fairly new to PSG but thought this guitar sounded very nice to my ear, so I bought it, got some longer legs and pedal rods for my height (6'4") and am struggling along.
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working on being retired...
So far, so good.
Telecaster, 12 String and now a Taylor, too!
Flynn SD10 now with Nashville 400

Brett Day · From: Pickens, SC

There was a steel player in a show called The Smoky Mountain Jubilee in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee named Gary McVay, and he played a red Flynn steel. The show is gone now, but I saw pictures of Gary McVay and his Flynn steel in several brochures of the show

Richard Lotspeich · From: North Georgia

Gary also posted on this thread in 2009.
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Dick Lotspeich

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