The Steel Guitar Forum

Unfortunately, the original pickup and electronics were missing. I had to best-guess what it would have been based on the routing under the original cover plate as well as the holes in the cover plate. Pickup the latest issue of Fretboard Journal for the entire story as well as pictures.

Never thought this would happen.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Scotty-Prototy ... 2847404442

Looks interesting, anybody know anything about these? Thanks.

Thanks for the post. I have had the top of one of these for years and could never figure out what it was.

Looking at this it looks like an original finish after all.

Years ago a short discussion about this set appeared on this forum. Many folks doubted the story that it had anything to do with Fender. I am here to tell it you it most certainly did. It may very well be one of the reasons the Fender company exists today. I have owned this set since 2010 and resear...

Noah, did you notice if there were any holes in the butt end? I need to take a close look inside my early Dobro's, but I seem to remember they also have a depression for the pickup to fit in. Are you going to have it done in polished aluminum with gold panels? Still a very cool one. I should have kn...

Hi, Noah, I am pretty sure the pickup is not original;. By this time they had made a few of the early Dobro models using the same pickup they had used in the All Electrics. It would make no sense for them to abandon the technology they had been using for years and continued to use. This looks like t...

Are you saying the body is built of metal? I have one that is covered in pearloid that has the roller knobs in either side. I would like to see the pix also.

My 401 is Sn. 141, my 400 is 147. I also have both models of the Maybell the EH and ES. I think the Maybell's with the regal pickups are easier to find. know of at least 2 others. One in EMP Seattle one in a collection in New Jersey. I think what you paid was a great deal considering what they are a...

If my info. is correct and the FON is 282-11 this is an original 7 string shipped to Continental Music, Chicago Sept. 1,1937

I have seen one other like this. I am pretty sure yours is a refinish. It would help to have pictures of the back. Is it screwed on or glued on? Are there any numbers stamped into the back at the heel or on the back of the peghead? If the back screws on there may be more info. available by examining...

The ledgers are in the Rickenbacker files at the company head quarters. I was able to see and use some of the information they contain for the Vintage Guitar article I wrote on the Ro-Pat-In prototype electric spanish guitar a few years back . I worked in conjunction with Matthew Hill who is the cur...

Yes, the Ric ledgers indicate they began shipping in Aug of 1932. The first units, or at least the earliest we have found are marked eleKtro with a K instead of a C This is consistent with the Sept 1932 entry in the National board of director minutes which spells it twice as eleKtro. The logo is etc...

The electric Harp guitar is not what it is represented to be. It was most likely retro fitted with the ViVi-Tone pickup in about 1933-34. The ViVi-Tone ads of 1933 offer the conversion of of your instrument to electric. I and a few others have continued to gather information on Loar and ViVi-Tone fr...

Pretty sure the pickup Dunn used was a Volu-Tone made in So Calif. It did require the strings to be magnetized either by energizing the pickup turning it into an electro magnet of using a magnet to do the trick.

Mark, do you have any pictures of the inside? Does it have the heavy cast 3 legged spider or is it one that has both the pickup and the cone?

Thanks

Hey folks, I am looking for information on the earliest pedal steels as well as those with pretty much any pitch changing device from pre-1942. I am looking to do an essay up on this early tech as part of a story on Alvino Rey's involvement. Any info. and pictures would be very helpful. Thanks Lynn

Dave, Got it off the interweb years ago, built by Ken Johnson out of Iowa. Seems he had a small instrument building business for a number of years.

This crazy dbl nk seems to be a remnant of the wood pile. The bridge, nut and even the inlays are antler, deer I assume. The Pickup is hand built and the volume knobs appear to be from the dash of a chevy. http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/userpix1205/4218_Log_Steel_Use_40_2.jpg http://bb.steelguitarfo...

All hand built from the body to the pickup. Gotta love that Formica

James, Thanks for the kind words.

Brad, I have a couple Star branded lap steels. I believe they were Teisco made of the Australian market.

Sorry for the dbl post