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Topic: Gretsch lap steels from the 1930s |
Noah Miller
From:
Rocky Hill, CT
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Posted 7 Jul 2015 5:51 am |
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I just purchased this septuagenarian, mainly because it was a cheap 7-string; it should arrive in a few days. The seller indicated that it worked, but there's an issue somewhere in the electronics (worst case scenario, the pickup will need a rewind).
Now, I've seen a few Kay-built Gretsch steels from this period, but not one quite like this. The "Artist" designation on the headstock and the 7th string suggest a more expensive model than the body shape and simple decoration. The other Artist steels I've seen had checkered binding and colored plastic headstock veneers. Does anyone know where my steel falls in the history of early Gretsches? Was there a whole line of Artists (like the later line of Electromatics)?
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Frank James Pracher
From:
Michigan, USA
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Posted 7 Jul 2015 7:29 am
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I have a Silvertone Deluxe from 1940 with the same pickup assembly.
I'll be curious to know what you find with the electronics. The pots were bad in mine (beyond cleaning)
_________________
"Don't be mad honey, but I bought another one" |
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Noah Miller
From:
Rocky Hill, CT
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Posted 7 Jul 2015 8:44 am
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I saw that page; unfortunately, they just copied information from elsewhere, errors and all. I was hoping that someone would have some catalog scans from the period, but they seem to be thin on the ground.
| Frank James Pracher wrote: |
| I'll be curious to know what you find with the electronics. The pots were bad in mine (beyond cleaning) |
They described the pickup as "scratchy", so hopefully it's just the pots; that would be an easy fix. |
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C. E. Jackson
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Noah Miller
From:
Rocky Hill, CT
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Posted 11 Jul 2015 6:16 am
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| Frank James Pracher wrote: |
I'll be curious to know what you find with the electronics. The pots were bad in mine (beyond cleaning) |
I received the steel this morning. The pickup and pots work; the problem that the seller referred to appears to be a bad grounding connection. I can only silence the ground hum by touching the output jack. Should be an easy fix, though. |
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Frank James Pracher
From:
Michigan, USA
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Posted 11 Jul 2015 6:37 am
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There is a wire under the metal part of the bridge that connects to ground. Probably broken or possibly corroded and not making contact.
_________________
"Don't be mad honey, but I bought another one" |
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