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Topic: Fender Koa Lapsteel Masterbuild PW |
Paul Seager
From:
Augsburg, Germany
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Posted 8 Dec 2013 1:24 pm |
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I did a search on the word "Masterbuild" just before writing this topic and I hope I didn't miss a previous post.
I just found this instrument on the Thomann site, the leading German on-line musical instrument retailer: http://www.thomann.de/gb/fender_koa_lapsteel_masterbuild_pw.htm
At €5,499, way past the price one would pay for a vintage T8, I feel its an optimistic offering, even when the text suggests there is only one available but I am curious if anyone has more info or perhaps has played one?
I have heard that it is still possible to buy Stringmasters via Fender Japan but this is certainly a luxury-priced instrument and, as the text states: "all of the dies were reconditioned to produce the exact parts", could this be a sign that Fender may be making a steel comeback?!?!?
I live in Hope, it's a small town just outside Disappointment 
_________________
\paul
Bayern Hawaiians: https://www.youtube.com/@diebayernhawaiians3062
Other stuff: https://www.youtube.com/@paulseager3796/videos |
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David Matzenik
From:
Cairns, on the Coral Sea
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Posted 8 Dec 2013 4:23 pm
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Yeah . . . nice guitar. But its no Rickenbacher! 
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Don't go in the water after lunch. You'll get a cramp and drown. - Mother. |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 8 Dec 2013 5:59 pm
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Koa is expensive, but not that expensive
And yeah. it's no Rickenbacher !! 
Just funnin' you Fender guys..  |
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Glenn Uhler
From:
Trenton, New Jersey, USA
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Posted 8 Dec 2013 9:59 pm Koa or nothing!
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Given the right piece of koa and some chrome plating, I don't doubt that George Piburn (Mr. Georgeboards) could come with something nicer at 1/3 the price. Show em, George!
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1974 Marlen S-12 1968 Tele 1969 Martin D-35H |
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 9 Dec 2013 3:29 am
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Koa is a beautiful wood alright. I haven't ever heard a solid body guitar made of that wood.
A few years ago, I built three identical lap steels, using three different woods....mahogany, black walnut, and white ash. Same pickups & controls etc..
Out of the three, the one made of walnut had the most pleasing sound ( to me ).
The one made of ash had a slight Fender (Stringmaster) sound, and not as mellow as the walnut, which seems normal for ash...
The one made of Honduras mahogany was kind of disappointing, compared to the other two, like nothing special about the tone etc...... |
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George Piburn
From:
The Land of Enchantment New Mexico
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Posted 9 Dec 2013 8:07 am Retro-Master - GeorgeBoards
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Hello from George Mr.Boards
About the time earlier this year Ben Elder showed the Fender Custom Shop photos, I was designing a Retro Fender type GeorgeBoard.
Since then we have engineered several variations of this Retro including a Retro Deluxe8 Single 8 String a Singe 8 Retro-Master - a Double 8 Retro-Master and we can make 3-4-5- necks no problemos.
As Glenn Suggests , We brought ours in at between 12% and 20 percent of the Fender Custom Shop's suggest retail price (12,000.00 usd)
I went into deep research about the pickups and launched our new brand VintageSpec. String master style 8 string pickups in matched pairs rwrp exact winding gauges and so on as close to original spec as we can get them. We have even added these to our parts catalog , along with router templates for the pocket hole and laser cnc cover plates allready to install these on you personal project.
This was the 1st Proto we took it to the Dallas Jamboree last march, had it played by over a dozen top flight known super players , and got 100 percent positive responses about the sonic quality and playability.
Hope This adds to the Discussion.
_________________
GeorgeBoards S8 Non Pedal Steel Guitar Instruments
Maker of One of a Kind Works of Art that play music too.
Instructional DVDs
YouTube Channel |
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Paul Honeycutt
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 9 Dec 2013 11:22 am
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| That GB D-8 is one drool-worthy instrument! |
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Mark Eaton
From:
Sonoma County in The Great State Of Northern California
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Posted 9 Dec 2013 1:49 pm
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George's guitar is indeed drool-worthy, but being in a period of forced GAS moratorium, all I can do is drool.
My wife and I were on vacation in Southern California last September, and one day we made the drive up from San Diego County where we were staying to Corona to visit the Fender factory. We both enjoyed it a lot, very impressive.
During the tour you get to stop in for a bit in the Custom Shop, and the guys proudly showed us some recently finished guitars - some outstanding work going on there. I asked one of them about the steel shown at NAMM last winter and if we could expect any more new generation Fender non-pedal guitars and they said no, that was unlikely to happen. I guess it was a rarity, and a very expensive labor of love.
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Mark |
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