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Topic: Under the bed for 50 years.. Fender steel guitar |
Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 1 Mar 2016 8:42 am |
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Just picked up my latest and greatest Fender 800 pedal steel. My 3rd 800. I knew it was in very good shape from the pictures the Canadian seller sent, but when I finally got the guitar I was astounded. Here was a 1966 pedal steel, that has not been played. Every single metal piece on the guitar is shiny new. NO wear at all anywhere. NO tiny scratches on the changer fingers indicating use, the pedals are all still covered in new looking black paint for the most part, the pedal rods and holes are still tight, the tuner pan is shiny as new, NO dust, no dust on the fretboard or in any crevices on the guitar.. I was shocked... Someone bought this guitar in the mid 60's, probably tried to play it a few times, couldn't figure it out, and simply put it in the case.. for multiple decades... It had a strange tuning, low to high-G#-E-B-F# G#-E-B-F#-G#-E.. Pretty weird to me...
The leg bag was in contact with the painted pedal rack, probably for decades, and some of the paint reacted with the plastic leg bag material and did some damage, but not too bad.. Still has all the bright color, just a little "melty" where the leg bag was touching.. Over the years I have seen old guitar finishes react the same way when a coil cord was in the case, leaving a "melted in" coil pattern in the finish.. Actually, this steel is so pristine, I am not even sure I want to make a player out of it.. I have never in my life seen a pedal steel this old that has not been played. Working on it now getting a proper E9 copedent on her.. Now I just have to decide what I actually want to do with it... bob
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I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!
no gear list for me.. you don't have the time...... |
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steve takacs
From:
beijing, china via pittsburgh (deceased)
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Posted 1 Mar 2016 2:40 pm Super
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| Glad to know good things are happening to good people. Enjoy!!! stevet |
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Larry Robbins
From:
Fort Edward, New York
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Posted 1 Mar 2016 3:08 pm
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Congrats on a rare find, Bob!
How about a few pics when you get a chance? 
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Twang to the bone! |
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Larry Lenhart
From:
Ponca City, Oklahoma
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Posted 1 Mar 2016 6:25 pm
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Bob, that sounds great ! And yes I agree, we would like to see some pics when you get the chance !
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Zum Encore, Remington D8 non pedal, Hallmark Mosrite clone, Gretsch 6120 DSW, Gretsch G5210T-P90 Electromatic Jet Two 90,1976 Ibanez L5, Eastman archtop, Taylor Dreadnaught, Telonics pedal, Squire Tele, Squire Strat, Fender Tonemaster, Gold Tone 5 string banjo, Little Wonder tenor banjo, 3 Roland cubes 30s and 80, Carvin combo bass amp |
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Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 2 Mar 2016 3:14 am
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actually did post pics a few months ago while the guitar was still in Canada,, Took a while to get it down here..
I will repost them.. bob
_________________
I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!
no gear list for me.. you don't have the time...... |
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Craig Baker
From:
Eatonton, Georgia, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 2 Mar 2016 4:57 am
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Bob,
Congratulations and keep your door locked!
My first steel, a Fender 800 was also purchased in 1966. Could it be. . . I don't think so.
No pictures? What color scheme is it Bob?
Happy for you,
Craig
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"Make America Great Again". . . The Only Country With Dream After Its Name. |
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Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 2 Mar 2016 8:21 am
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_________________
I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!
no gear list for me.. you don't have the time...... |
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Larry Robbins
From:
Fort Edward, New York
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Posted 2 Mar 2016 9:14 am
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Now that's some eye candy!!
Great score, Bob. 
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Twang to the bone! |
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Rich Peterson
From:
Moorhead, MN
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Posted 2 Mar 2016 10:49 am
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What a beauty. I can understand your reluctance to treat it as a player. It is museum quality.
But musical instruments deserve to be played. Just get it into the hands of someone who will treat it right. |
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David Slute
From:
Brooklin, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 3 Mar 2016 10:42 am
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Hi Bob. I'm from Canada Customs and it is illegal to export pristine Fender 800's from Canada. It must be returned immediately. PM me and I will give the address to mail it to.  |
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Kevin Hatton
From:
Buffalo, N.Y.
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Posted 3 Mar 2016 11:04 am
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| Pretty amazing Bob. |
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Larry Lenhart
From:
Ponca City, Oklahoma
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Posted 3 Mar 2016 1:26 pm
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Bob, Thanks for reposting the pictures...that is in amazingly good condition ! Good for you ! Have fun with it.
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Zum Encore, Remington D8 non pedal, Hallmark Mosrite clone, Gretsch 6120 DSW, Gretsch G5210T-P90 Electromatic Jet Two 90,1976 Ibanez L5, Eastman archtop, Taylor Dreadnaught, Telonics pedal, Squire Tele, Squire Strat, Fender Tonemaster, Gold Tone 5 string banjo, Little Wonder tenor banjo, 3 Roland cubes 30s and 80, Carvin combo bass amp |
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Damir Besic
From:
Nashville,TN.
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Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 3 Mar 2016 3:05 pm
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| David Slute wrote: |
| Hi Bob. I'm from Canada Customs and it is illegal to export pristine Fender 800's from Canada. It must be returned immediately. PM me and I will give the address to mail it to. |
LOL!!!
_________________
I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!
no gear list for me.. you don't have the time...... |
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Jim Pitman
From:
Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA
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Posted 3 Mar 2016 3:38 pm
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Wow! Great find Bob.
I've always loved that design - It's evolutionary.
"look", said the envious guitar player, "someone glued a lapsteel to a table top and put some pedals down below. Oh !@#$!" |
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Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 3 Mar 2016 4:34 pm
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That "string mute" is godawful.. Fender design team guys must have gotten loaded one night and said to one another...
"What can we come up , thats utterly useless, and will never ever under any circumstance be of any use to the sound and function of a pedal steel guitar"?.. They came up with the string mute. It sounds terrible!. Not a nice chunky "thunk" as you would get on a muted 6 string at all. Just really bad...
Like,,, Oh I dunno, maybe muting a standard E9 with a hair brush or something... ... bob
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I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!
no gear list for me.. you don't have the time...... |
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Jim Pitman
From:
Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA
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Posted 3 Mar 2016 4:52 pm
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| Ok, the design had a flaw. You have to admit, you can hear those guys thinking aloud. |
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Dennis Montgomery
From:
Western Washington
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Jim Pitman
From:
Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA
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Posted 3 Mar 2016 5:15 pm
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| Anybody know who was the designer, Gene Feilds, Leo Fender, or a Fender marketing comitee? |
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