While netsurfing I came across this Quad Stringmaster for sale for big bucks at a shop in Salt Lake City. Intermountain Guitar and Banjo. They list it as having Serial #247.
$3500.00 is about what a nice post-'54 Stringmaster Quad goes for these days. This one is the more desireable long-scale model and is the rarer brown finish.
The original Stringmasters...1953 and 1954...are very different guitars when compared to ones like this Quad. All Quads from 1955 to end of production used this style of neck selector switch. These tend to have a habit of malfunctioning but are extremely easy to clean and repair. It breaks my heart to see a Stringmaster that has a different replacement switch installed because someone changed out the original. What causes the problem is that the two contact points for each button develop oxidation on their surfaces and this degrades the signal transference. Close the contacts by pushing the button in and run a piece of fine emery cloth between the two pieces of metal and that takes care of the problem. A ten minute job.
Sam, what is the serial # on your Dad's '53 quad?
It's not often we see an early one such as that, with the chromed PU covers and straight legs. Quite scarce.
Play that sucker til the cows come home!