Goldtone lap steels? Anybody buy one?

Michael Miller · From: Virginia

Some months ago there was a lot of talk about the new Goldtone lap steels styled after the Oahu Tonemasters. Elderly was having difficulty keeping them in stock. Anybody on the Forum get one? Opinions?

Gerald Ross · From: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

I was at Elderly a few days after Christmas and they had the Goldtone in stock.

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Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'

Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website

Michael Miller · From: Virginia

Gerald-Did you play the Goldtone? If so, what was your impression?

Gerald Ross · From: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

I didn't play it on my recent visit but I demoed it about a year ago and was impressed. It is very well constructed, very solid and a good weight. I liked the tone. I can't remember the qualities of the tone (bassy - bite - treble etc.) but I do remember that I liked it. I do feel it's the best new non-pedal steel available in the $300 price range.

Elderly gives you 24 hours to decide if you want to keep an instrument (you pay shipping back to Lansing if you refuse the instrument though).

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Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'

Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website

Russ Young · From: Seattle, Washington, USA

I played one about a month ago and was quite impressed -- it was very solid and the workmanship looked pretty good, especially at that price.

Although I'm not renowned for my sense of tone (or touch, for that matter

) I thought it sounded good -- not too fat, not too thin.

[This message was edited by Russ Young on 08 January 2003 at 12:45 PM.]

Jesse Pearson · From: San Diego , CA

The price I was just given by Elderly for this lap steel was $280.00. The scale length is 25.5", which would be great for Don Helms E6th tuning. I believe he had a 24.5/8th" scale on his Gibson double neck. I would think the Gold Tone had pretty good tone. Sounds like the perfect starter instrument to learn that "Hank Williams/Don Helms" no slanting style.

[This message was edited by Jesse Pearson on 08 January 2003 at 09:54 PM.]

[This message was edited by Jesse Pearson on 09 January 2003 at 08:25 AM.]

John Bechtel · From: Nashville, Tennessee, R.I.P.

To the best of my knowledge, the old Gibson Consoles had a 23" scale! "Big John"

Jesse Pearson · From: San Diego , CA

Elderly Instruments Vintage & Used Instruments - Lap and Pedal ...
GIBSON CONSOLE GRANDE 520 DUAL 8 STEEL GUITAR (1956) 13 photos EC-, 2 tiered 8-string
necks (each with 24-5/8" scale length), large black triple coil pickups ...

Rich Sullivan · From: Nelson, NH 03457

Jesse, That guitar is completely different from the one that Don played. Gibson redesigned the CG that year. It is oak, long scale,etc. The earlier models were maple and only came in short-scale (22.5")

Jesse Pearson · From: San Diego , CA

So did Don use a short Scale neck for sure? I've been trying to answer this for some time now. Don did have a pretty high pitched sound, but I thought it was his tuning and the fact he played high up on the neck. The fact that he didn't like to slant, made me think he played that way because he had a long scale neck. A short scale played high on the neck really gives you a tight sound. Also, was Big John correct about the 23." scale on some models? Thanks...

[This message was edited by Jesse Pearson on 10 January 2003 at 08:33 AM.]

Michael Miller · From: Virginia

Makes good sense to me. Hank died in 1953.

Jesse Pearson · From: San Diego , CA

Wow, this is gonna trip me out if Don was using a short scale neck. I've sent an E-mail to Steve Larios asking him what the scale was since I know he got to play that Gibson that Don used with Hank. Looking at a picture of Don and Steve together with the Gibson in question along with a Fender quad that Don is playing, does look like a short scale. Man, can't wait to answer this one

Maybe I should start a new thread concerning this question?

[This message was edited by Jesse Pearson on 10 January 2003 at 10:12 AM.]

John Bechtel · From: Nashville, Tennessee, R.I.P.

I will be talking to Don before too long and I will get the answers to some questions you may have about the Gibson CG as well as the one he uses now, if you will E-Mail the Questions to me at: KeoniNui@webtv.net "Big John", Nashville, Tn. The first Dbl neck Gibson CG that I had was after they started making them with 4 legs, and just before they changed the body and the design with the name Gibson on the front in large black letters, and the Hum-Bucking pickup w/5way tone switch. The basic body color was Blonde, and was first tested with the PeeWee King band, before production began! I had one of those also, before I switched to a 24 1/2" sale Fender D-8 S/M. This all happened somewhere between '50 and '54. http://community.webtv.net/KeoniNui/doc http://community.webtv.net/KeoniNui/doc0

John Bechtel · From: Nashville, Tennessee, R.I.P.

Upon further reading, I would have to concurr with Paul Warnik on [the D.H. set-up w/Hank Williams topic] "Big John" Nashville, Tn.

George Rout · From: St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada

Hi guys (and gals)...I have had the exact same model Gibson Console Grande since about 1952. It's 22 5/8" scale. I play it regularly. When I bought it, it was modified by a chap for the owner. It has a pedal which, when depressed, raises the 2nd and 3rd strings on the outer neck through a series of pivots, rods, etc!!!!! Works well though. That neck I keep in E7th and when I depress the pedal, it comes up to the A major for the first four strings. It was owned by steel player Mervyn Maxwell in Halifax who had purchased it new.

John Bechtel · From: Nashville, Tennessee, R.I.P.

It seems very unlikely and impractical that one co. would use so many different scale lengths on basically the same instrument! I tend to think that some are not measuring properly! The correct mesurement runs from the center of the nut, to the center of the bridge, on the top surfaces, right where the string crosses over."Big John"

Cliff Oliver · From: San Antonio, Texas, USA

I have a Gold Tone...great workmanship, solid construction, mahogany wood, 25" scale and approx 3/8" string spacing..single coil pickup with individual adjustbable pole pieces...can't beat the price at around $300

Jesse Pearson · From: San Diego , CA

Hey Cliff, when I checked out the Gold Tone site I was told the scale length was 25.5". I was wondering if you play in the western swing style without much slanting, and if you are slanting, are you doing most of it higher up the neck? How do you like the tone and what kinda bar are you using? Thanks...

P.S. I went to elementry and high school in San Antonio. Once in the early 80's the Rockabilly band I was in went south and I ended up working as a waiter at La Bare(male strip club for women)untill I got some money together to move to Austin. Some wild times back then!

[This message was edited by Jesse Pearson on 30 January 2003 at 07:53 AM.]

Cliff Oliver · From: San Antonio, Texas, USA

I measured a scale length of 25"..measuring the string from the exiting contact point on the bridge to the contact point on the nut..believe that is how it is done...
I am playing Americana type of music (original), for the most part, with some slanting, tuned to C6th...it has a very rich tone, the pickup is made just like the Oahu Tonemasters, as is the design of the lap...been using Carvin Nomad 50 watter w/ EL84's power tubes. This is a better instrument than my Gibson 150 or the Supros. Been playing guitar for 37 yrs and new to the steel, taking lessons from "Master" Denny Mathis here in San Antonio, he makes the Gold Tone "swing", he said he wanted one, then he said, "you can't have too many guitars."
The pickup cover as is the volume control are in the way of my picking hand...i just take them off...ha,ha.

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