| Author |
Topic: Identify This Marlen? |
Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
|
Posted 29 Mar 2022 9:34 am |
|
I don't really need to know -- the guy will be bringing it to me to do some work and I will know as soon as I see it but I'm just curious, in advance, as to whether this is an earlier pull-release or a later all-pull guitar. I'm betting someone here will know immediately:
 |
|
|
 |
Liam Sullins
From:
Brookville, Ohio
|
Posted 29 Mar 2022 11:59 am
|
|
Could be either! I'm betting it to be a pull release one.
_________________
'66 Sho~Bud Fingertip, Sho~Bud amps, Fenders, old cars and Tinkerin with steels! |
|
|
|
b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
|
Posted 29 Mar 2022 12:10 pm
|
|
The block holding the changer fingers looks exactly like a pull-release Marlen I have in my shop. I'm not sure if a similar looking all-pull was made.
_________________
-𝕓𝕆𝕓- (admin) - Robert P. Lee - Recordings - Breathe - D6th - Video |
|
|
|
Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
|
Posted 29 Mar 2022 1:17 pm
|
|
| I'm (only vaguely) remembering the later all-pull guitars looking a bit more 'generic'. That block is a distinctive look. |
|
|
|
Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
|
Posted 29 Mar 2022 1:59 pm
|
|
The vast majority of Marlens were natural-wood, pull/release models. But this one looks like a later (laminate-covered) all-pull model. If it is, it's one of the better Marlens, IMHO.
¥ |
|
|
|
Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
|
Posted 29 Mar 2022 2:37 pm
|
|
This showed up on his Facebook. ( can't even figure if it's wood or 'distressed' mica.
 |
|
|
|
Herb Steiner
From:
Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064
|
Posted 29 Mar 2022 3:18 pm
|
|
Some of the Marlens that passed through my hands or shop were among the absolute sweetest sounding E9 guitars I've ever heard. These were late 60s/early 70s lacquer cabinet PR guitars.
I always felt that the Marlen was the best of the Sho~Bud design guitars; there were a lot of, for want of a better term, S~B "knock-offs" in the 60s. The most prominent of which, after the Marlen, was the Miller guitar. I preferred the Marlen.
_________________
My rig: Infinity and Telonics.
Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg? |
|
|
|
Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
|
Posted 30 Mar 2022 3:54 pm
|
|
Ok. So, it is a sort of 'denim' laminate. Pull-release.
Needs some serious work but nothing worrisome.
I love receiving steels with dead strings. First thing the owner will notice is the sound of fresh strings.
The client is a beginner with tons of enthusiasm. The difference, when he gets this back, after fighting with the poorly maintained instrument (as he received it), will send him to the moon.
 |
|
|
|
Andrew Goulet
|
Posted 30 Mar 2022 4:16 pm
|
|
The bridge, pickup, logo, and pedals all look exactly like my 1974 S12 pull release Marlen I got from K Maul, although mine has a wood body.
I won't go on and on, but the one I have has incredible tone and is a dream to play. The owner is going to be one happy camper with a fresh, clean mean Marlen.
_________________
Marlen S12 and a ZT Club |
|
|
|
Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
|
Posted 30 Mar 2022 5:07 pm
|
|
I'm already up against a wall. B pedal cross shaft is extreme bound up. All other shafts move freely but this one is almost seized. All rods removed, it takes effort to rotate this shaft. The pedal return spring barely returns it. I can't for the life of me see how to relieve it, either by removing the shaft or expanding the body.
I am going to sleep on the one thing that comes to mind -- cutting the shaft (which runs apron to apron and is embedded in each apron) with a Dremel and fitting the half-shaft with a collar at the center support, a la a Push Pull. |
|
|
|
Bobby D. Jones
From:
West Virginia, USA
|
Posted 30 Mar 2022 6:54 pm
|
|
Are you saying some type of lube, Oil or Powdered graphite will not get it to turn smoothly.
Wonder if someone got mad at the guitar, And jumped on it with their feet while guitar laying in the case, And bent the cross rod.
Good Luck on this job. And get your customer Happy Steelin. |
|
|
|
Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
|
Posted 31 Mar 2022 2:33 am
|
|
Yeah. No lube helps.
There are deep gouges on the shaft that look like vice grip markings and some individual other marks that look like hammer & screwdriver blows. These tell me that someone else has tried some extreme measures. Also, one of the two screws attaching the apron to the endplate is broken off. Makes me think that someone tried ... something.
It is baffling to me that only this one shaft on this 8 + 4 D-10 has problems. All the rest are ok.
Cutting the shaft should relieve the friction and, if necessary, allow the removal in order to file, sand, straighten....whatever it needs. I've got the owners go-ahead.
Then on to the job of changing the setup and making it play well. |
|
|
|
