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Topic: 1955 stringmaster $1,750 at Elderly |
Darryl Hattenhauer
From:
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
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Posted 15 Oct 2012 7:23 am |
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http://www.elderly.com/vintage/items/185U-628.htm
I don't know anything about this ax. I hope this is the right place to post this.
_________________
Steel crazy after all these years.
$100 reward for info leading to the purchase of a fender D8 white, yellow, or butterscotch. |
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Stephen Cowell
From:
Round Rock, Texas, USA
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Posted 15 Oct 2012 9:32 am
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Looks like a great axe... premium price, though. Looks like it's in great shape, including the case and legs. For this price ($2000) I'd nitpick if you get it and anything (legs, tuners, etc) doesn't work perfectly.
This one has 24" scale, considered 'long'... this is the longer of the two scales used in Stringmasters since after 1954, when the 26" was all that was available. This is considered the most desirable string length, depending on taste; slants are easier with shorter scale but the tone is improved with longer scale. The 26" was discontinued because of string breakage and general complaints.
The pushbutton selector is not the most favored of the different vintages... they are prone to wear and are not replaceable. One of my SM's has this setup and I've had no problems with it. Earlier ones (like the 1954) had slide switches which are *very* problem-prone but easily replaceable; the later ones had a Tele-style bat switch, again easily replaceable from parts at your local Guitar Center.
_________________
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 15 Oct 2012 11:42 am
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That scale length is 24 1/2".
The other scale lengths are 26" and 22 1/2".
I have some Stringmasters with the slide switches and never have had a problem. One I bought new in 1954. |
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Darryl Hattenhauer
From:
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
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Posted 15 Oct 2012 1:36 pm
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Stephen,
Thanks for the info. I don't know much about these, but now I know why the 26" scales are less desirable.
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| One I bought new in 1954 |
When you were three years old?
_________________
Steel crazy after all these years.
$100 reward for info leading to the purchase of a fender D8 white, yellow, or butterscotch.
Last edited by Darryl Hattenhauer on 15 Oct 2012 1:54 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 15 Oct 2012 1:53 pm
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Darryl,
Please be advised that the 26" scale does NOT make that model less desirable. The longer the scale, the longer the sustain.
I was playing guitar in diapers! 
This is my 1954 Stringmaster:
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Alvin Blaine
From:
Picture Rocks, Arizona, USA
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Posted 16 Oct 2012 1:29 am
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| Erv Niehaus wrote: |
Darryl,
Please be advised that the 26" scale does NOT make that model less desirable. The longer the scale, the longer the sustain.
I was playing guitar in diapers!
This is my 1954 Stringmaster:
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That thing is beautiful!!
MAN I have to get my '54 triple neck, 26 inch, back together and start playing it again.
Another advantage with the 26 inch scale is great harmonics and BIG tone.
_________________
http://www.oldbluesound.com/about.htm
http://www.facebook.com/cowboytwang |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 16 Oct 2012 5:55 am
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Alvin,
Yes, you are absolutely correct!!  |
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John Limbach
From:
Billings, Montana, USA
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Posted 16 Oct 2012 8:36 am Re: 1955 stringmaster $1,750 at Elderly
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| Darryl Hattenhauer wrote: |
http://www.elderly.com/vintage/items/185U-628.htm
I don't know anything about this ax. I hope this is the right place to post this. |
Thanks for the "heads up", Just what I've been looking for, so I bought it. |
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Darryl Hattenhauer
From:
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
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Posted 16 Oct 2012 9:29 am
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Thanks, John. That's good to know.
_________________
Steel crazy after all these years.
$100 reward for info leading to the purchase of a fender D8 white, yellow, or butterscotch. |
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John Rosett
From:
Missoula, MT
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Posted 16 Oct 2012 11:08 am
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Without going into gory details, I have to say that I have been treated very poorly by the staff at Elderly who are in charge of "vintage" instruments.
Elderly has been in business for a long time, and, like most successful vintage dealers, they sell their instruments at a premium price. The upside to this for the buyer is that, unlike ebay, etc, you are assured of getting exactly what they say an instrument is.
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"it's not in bad taste, if it's funny." - john waters |
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Benjamin Kelley
From:
Iowa, USA
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Posted 17 Oct 2012 9:23 am
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I have to agree with Erv about the 26" scale, I love it and love the tone. At the end of the day you can get used to any scale length and these are winners for tone.
Cheers,
Benjamin
_________________
If I die trying I will steel the world one honky tonk at a time. |
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Les Anderson
From:
The Great White North
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Posted 18 Oct 2012 12:52 pm
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| This may be the price a collector would pay for a Fender steel; however, the average Joe would more than likely look at the price then go shopping somewhere else. There are too many assimilates on the market now that will give you the same sound, tone and feel as the Fender Stringmasters. |
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Darryl Hattenhauer
From:
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
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Posted 18 Oct 2012 1:12 pm
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Did Fender make any quad 10's?
_________________
Steel crazy after all these years.
$100 reward for info leading to the purchase of a fender D8 white, yellow, or butterscotch. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 18 Oct 2012 1:31 pm
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As far as I know, 8 string necks were the norm.
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Darryl Hattenhauer
From:
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
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Posted 18 Oct 2012 2:46 pm
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That's an icon of Americana.
_________________
Steel crazy after all these years.
$100 reward for info leading to the purchase of a fender D8 white, yellow, or butterscotch. |
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 18 Oct 2012 3:41 pm
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| Darryl Hattenhauer wrote: |
| Did Fender make any quad 10's? |
No.
_________________
Brad’s Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars |
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Darryl Hattenhauer
From:
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
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Posted 18 Oct 2012 4:24 pm
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Thanks, Brad.
_________________
Steel crazy after all these years.
$100 reward for info leading to the purchase of a fender D8 white, yellow, or butterscotch. |
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Stephen Cowell
From:
Round Rock, Texas, USA
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Posted 18 Oct 2012 7:50 pm
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| Darryl Hattenhauer wrote: |
| Did Fender make any quad 10's? |
I've only seen one Stringmaster 10... a 'Deluxe 10'... Carco Clave had one at the last TSGA in Dallas. He told me it was a prototype... only one like it I've seen. The sight of it brought forth my covetous nature... I offered to buy it and Carco, after thought, quoted a price he perhaps considered ridiculous... he's lucky I didn't take him up on it. The axe has obvious emotional attachment to him that I wasn't aware of on first sight... many signatures underneath... I didn't mean to offend, it was just the drool factor.
The philosophy behind more strings I take to mean you don't need so many necks... kinda like the D10/U12 PSG thing... or the multiple bosoms adorning a boar.
_________________
New FB Page: Lap Steel Licks And Stuff: https://www.facebook.com/groups/195394851800329 |
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Darryl Hattenhauer
From:
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
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Posted 18 Oct 2012 7:57 pm
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You can't have too much of a good thing. If you don't believe me, ask Dolly Parton.      
_________________
Steel crazy after all these years.
$100 reward for info leading to the purchase of a fender D8 white, yellow, or butterscotch. |
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Bill Wynne
From:
New Jersey, USA
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Posted 22 Oct 2012 6:38 am
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| John Rosett wrote: |
Without going into gory details, I have to say that I have been treated very poorly by the staff at Elderly who are in charge of "vintage" instruments.
Elderly has been in business for a long time, and, like most successful vintage dealers, they sell their instruments at a premium price. The upside to this for the buyer is that, unlike ebay, etc, you are assured of getting exactly what they say an instrument is. |
I've only walked into Elderly once, but I got the same treatment. "Look, don't touch" isn't going to sell a lot of instruments.
By the way, I recently traded for a 1955 triple-neck Fender Stringmaster formerly owned by Bobby Ingano. I love it (26" scale), but I despise the push buttons.
~ Bill |
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Steve Ahola
From:
Concord, California
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Steve Ahola
From:
Concord, California
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Posted 22 Oct 2012 8:31 am
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| Bill Wynne wrote: |
| By the way, I recently traded for a 1955 triple-neck Fender Stringmaster formerly owned by Bobby Ingano. I love it (26" scale), but I despise the push buttons. |
Speaking of old push button switches I have had good luck cleaning the contacts with DeOxit Red and then using DeOxit Gold as a lubricant and conditioner. You do need to be careful using any contact cleaner with certain plastics. (I use both on old volume and tone controls if they start to get scratchy- a stitch in time saves nine and all that...)
Steve Ahola
_________________
www.blueguitar.org
Recordings on electric guitar:
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 22 Oct 2012 8:39 am
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Steve,
It might be a case of what goes around comes around.
You start out with diapers and end up with Depends.
Not for a while, I hope!  |
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Darryl Hattenhauer
From:
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
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Posted 22 Oct 2012 9:32 am
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I started out hairless, toothless, and sexless--and that's the way I'm ending up.
_________________
Steel crazy after all these years.
$100 reward for info leading to the purchase of a fender D8 white, yellow, or butterscotch. |
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John Limbach
From:
Billings, Montana, USA
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Posted 26 Oct 2012 1:51 pm
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| John Rosett wrote: |
| Without going into gory details, I have to say that I have been treated very poorly by the staff at Elderly who are in charge of "vintage" instruments. |
John, I guess I'm going to find out if you are unique in that respect.
The D8 came in earlier this week while I was out of town on business. Unpacked it today and set it up. Man, it does indeed look great for its age.
The inside neck is tuned to C6th and sounds fantastic. No complaints at all until I hit the pushbutton to go to the outside neck. Dead as a door nail. Will have to take the strings off to troubleshoot but the immediate suspicion is the switch. If it was a pickup there would be at least some sound out of the other one or some hum No noise at all which again points to the switch.
Other that the fact that they aren't available there are reasonably simple work arounds to the switch issue, for instance mounting one out of sight on the bottom of the instrument.
But to your point, Ederly advises under their "Expert Setup" page that for vintage instruments this means that they've checked everything out and it works. Obviously missed this one. We'll see what happens when I contact them about it.
At any rate, I'm more inclined to fix it here than send it out. Unless anyone knows a Stringmaster fixer who happens to have a stock of 1955 push-button neck change switches ratholed.
Whereabouts in Missoula are you? Right next door in Montana terms. |
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