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Post new topic What the Heck is This?
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Author Topic:  What the Heck is This?
Antonio Aguirre

 

From:
Florida, USA
Post  Posted 29 Jun 2013 10:43 am    
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Hello all,

I am new to the forum but having been grateful for the amount of info on the board! I am looking into buying my first lapsteel and stumbled across this "Bronson" 6 string.

Can anyone identify the mechanism behind the bridge? Looks to be some kind of "chord changer" for alternate tunings.


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Brad Bechtel


From:
San Francisco, CA
Post  Posted 29 Jun 2013 11:05 am    
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It's a Stringtone tuning changer by Rowe Industries. Do a search in this forum and you'll find many previous discussions.
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Dale R Stiles

 

From:
Bradenton, FL
Post  Posted 29 Jun 2013 11:05 am    
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It's a Stringtone tuning changer made by Rowe Industries. They made several models that allow you to change to various tunings by turning a knob. Some of the folks on here may have instructions for your model.

Hope that helps a little.
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Dale R Stiles

 

From:
Bradenton, FL
Post  Posted 29 Jun 2013 11:20 am    
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This is a pretty good link too:

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=152241
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Doug Beaumier


From:
Northampton, MA
Post  Posted 29 Jun 2013 11:21 am    
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These were optional devices on some lap steels in the 1950s, especially on student lap steels made by Valco Co. (Oahu, Supro, Silvertone, Bronson). I've owned at least five lap steels that had a Stringtone, and to be honest, they don't work all that well. Nowadays it's easier to put a clip-on tuner on your lap steel and retune in seconds using the tuning pegs. It's more accurate too. The Stringtone can be easily removed from a lap steel if you don't want to use it.
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Antonio Aguirre

 

From:
Florida, USA
Post  Posted 29 Jun 2013 11:26 am    
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Awesome! Thanks so much everyone. I tried doing a search on google but couldn't read the name so nothing was coming up... those links are very helpful
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Tom Pettingill


From:
California, USA (deceased)
Post  Posted 29 Jun 2013 11:41 am    
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Welcome to the forums Antonio Very Happy

As was mentioned, they were one of those cool ideas that in practice had limited success, but a neat piece of history non the less.
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Alan Brookes


From:
Brummy living in Southern California
Post  Posted 29 Jun 2013 2:26 pm    
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Keep your Bronson in your collection. It may not be a practical guitar, but it has historical significance. Winking
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