The Restoration of a Fender Stringmaster D8

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 5 Nov 2007 1:45 am

Another question for Jody, what's the significance of the number "3" in the cavity ? it doesn't appear to be stringmaster specific because this '54 Strat has it.

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 5 Nov 2007 5:31 am

Basil, I really don't know....there is no mention of "Lupe" in this thread, she too assembled steel guitars. There was a Gloria Valdez trust me. Bill Carson worked in production, I was a salesman who spent all of my time at the sales office with Don Randall. If Bill's sez it was Gloria Fuentes, so be it
But...however Gloria Valdez was a cute gal and the 3# in the tuning pan cavity insignificent..it means nothing. I spoke with Mr. Randall many times and Dale Hyatt as well..it means nothing. Baz I jkust took the tuning pans off on my Triple Custom....there is the number #3 inside.......it means nothing..date 10/2 1952 Mint triple Custom...with the help of a good friend here in PA.....

Jon Moen · Post by **Jon Moen** » 5 Nov 2007 7:06 am

There are other pictures in Bill Carson's book. There is a picture of Carrie, Lupe and Annie water sanding bodies. There are some other ladies installing electronics and inlaying fret markers. The picture I posted previously of Gloria and Mary etc. is 25 years after the early 1950's. They probably don't look the same (I know I don't, I wasn't quite born then).
Jon

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 5 Nov 2007 7:12 pm

Doug Beaumier wrote:Alan, I flipped the picture of the label over and enhanced it a little... and I believe it says:

Mary
4-10-53 (or 11-10-53)

Very cool!

Doug, you're absolutely right, it does say "Mary"

I'm blown away by the accumulated knowledge of all the good folks in the Forum. I wonder if Mary is still around.

I would love to know if anyone has any information about this particular guitar. Does anyone recognise it ? Who was it that tried to attach pedals ? Who played it ?

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 5 Nov 2007 11:25 pm

This masking tape with the name/date sometimes shows up in the control cavity of 1953-55 Fender Telecasters,
Strats, No-casters, Esquires, etc. Guitar collectors are always excited to see these labels.
Fewer of them have survived in regular guitars, probably because most old guitars have had work done,
changed parts, and played to death. The electronics in old steel guitars are more often intact and complete.

Here's another one:

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 6 Nov 2007 6:09 pm

Can I ask everyone who has a Stringmaster to raise their control panels and look underneath ? Or is that like asking everyone to raise their kilts ?

Mike Bagwell · Post by **Mike Bagwell** » 13 Nov 2007 5:25 am

Jody,

Maybe Gloria got married,that would explain the last name change.

Mike

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 17 Nov 2007 9:47 pm

The case is now lined with green felt.

A set of strings, and the Fender logo added, and it's looking like a Stringmaster again.

Waterslide transfers almost always come apart when you slide them off the backing paper. You then have to move them into position with a toothpick and align the various separated parts as best you can.

A cause of concern is now the string height. The wiring under the pickups causes them to be too high, so they touch the strings. The solution is going to be to rewire with smaller gauge wire or to fabricate a metal plate to go under and raise the bridge plate.

Andy Sandoval · Post by **Andy Sandoval** » 17 Nov 2007 10:59 pm

Alan, is there no adjustment on those pickups? The pickups on my T-8 Stringmaster are adjustable.

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 18 Nov 2007 2:59 am

Alan, B.J. Cole called by on Friday and brought his Kline

and Stringmaster Quad Mk 1 (August 1953)
He has coins (£1) under the bridges

More of BJ's
Click here

There ARE height adjustment screws on the pick-ups on mine, there should be springs on them UNDER the plate and they lower by turning the screw on the top of the plate anticlockwise, of course if the screws have been replace at some time with shorter ones, that could be the cause.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 18 Nov 2007 10:33 am

Basil: I could put coins underneath. Hey, then when you were stuck for cash you would have a reserve !

I'm thinking of cutting out a sheet of metal exactly the same size as the bridge plate. Alternatively I could remove the pickups and drill the cavities deeper, which would give some adjustment to the pickup height. At the moment the bottom of the pickups seem to be sitting on the wiring.

I think I'll think about it for a while before I do anything, and get back to working on your lap steel.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 19 Nov 2007 7:48 am

The bodies may have been made in October 53, but the guitar may not have been assembled until April of 54. I wouldn't think that at all unusual for Fender. You make a run of bodies, and finish them as orders come in.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 20 Nov 2007 11:53 pm

You may be interested to check out my next restoration project, which, I fear, will be a much bigger proposition.....

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... 44#1052444

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 21 Nov 2007 6:09 am

Alan, didja get my Forum Email questions about the case restoration?

Rick Collins · Post by **Rick Collins** » 21 Nov 2007 9:28 am

Alan, I'd check with Willie Nelson before I started the restoration. He might give you a premium price for the instrument.

...don't know whether he plays steel guitar or not; but if he does, it's just his style.

Spray it for termites first.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 21 Nov 2007 4:13 pm

John Billings wrote:Alan, didja get my Forum Email questions about the case restoration?

Yes, sorry for the delay. My father-in-law passed away and I had to spend most of last week in Nebraska. I don't have anything special to say about the lining other than I bought a roll of green felt and glued it inside using a combination of impact adhesive, where it had to glue to the imitation leather, and Elmer's General Adhesive where it had to glue directly to the wood. To cut the felt I clamped it to wood and cut it with an Xacto blade. Scissors are difficult to work with and seldom cut staight. I clamped a metal ruler, the felt, and the wood together.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 21 Nov 2007 4:17 pm

Rick Collins wrote:Alan, I'd check with Willie Nelson before I started the restoration. He might give you a premium price for the instrument...

If you look back on this thread, I wrote a song, "Daddy, Can I have a guitar just like Willie's ?", which I recorded last February with Basil and Pat backing me. As Basil said, we had all consumed an abundance of the magic elixir, so it's unlikely the recording will ever see the light of day...

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 21 Nov 2007 4:19 pm

John Billings wrote:The bodies may have been made in October 53, but the guitar may not have been assembled until April of 54. I wouldn't think that at all unusual for Fender. You make a run of bodies, and finish them as orders come in.

Yes, you're right. I do the same with instruments I build. I have to glue the label in before I seal up the body, and it might be several weeks before the instrument is completed.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 21 Nov 2007 6:05 pm

Alan, thanks for your response. My sincerest condolences to your family. It's very difficult when a parent is lost.
You didn't have to put a hem in the felt pieces? My cases for the Madison Shobud, and the Fingertip are amazingly skankoid. I can't open them in the house! The musty smell is truly incredible!

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 23 Nov 2007 11:00 am

John Billings wrote:Alan, thanks for your response. My sincerest condolences to your family. It's very difficult when a parent is lost.
You didn't have to put a hem in the felt pieces? My cases for the Madison Shobud, and the Fingertip are amazingly skankoid. I can't open them in the house! The musty smell is truly incredible!

Thanks John. Open the cases up outside (assuming it's not raining), but don't leave the instruments in musty cases or they could start deteriorating.
Felt is pretty flexible, and you can either calculate the size ahead of time and cut the exact size you need, or you can cut individual pieces for each side. Assuming your cuts are straight, the pieces will buffer up against each other and you won't see the join. Yes, if you cut it all out of one piece you will have to cut squares out at each corner to get it to fit.
I usually cut felt by clamping it between wood and a steel ruler, then use an Xacto knife, thus.....

...then I clamp it using laths....

...but, in reality, felt is so light that you can get away without clamping, as the slightest bit of glue will hold it in place.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 23 Nov 2007 11:09 am

Thanks Alan! Good to see another man who values clamps!

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 27 Dec 2007 10:40 pm

Check out this thread...

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... 84#1077084

The Fender D8 that they were talking about was the very instrument in this thread. Ironically it was in a thread that I started on a different subject.

So Ron Victoria bought this guitar and returned it, and Henry Nagle looked at it and decided not to buy it. It took Basil from 5,000 miles away to appreciate its worth. I'm glad we saved it.

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 25 Feb 2008 2:50 am

SOON !!!

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 19 Mar 2008 3:18 am

The bridge problem has been solved by judicious routing of the cavities, and she's now awaiting Alan's arrival over here in 'Blighty' so we can record some sound and video clips to post.

My goodness that 26" long scale sure is long and sustains until tomorrow.

There was never a balance control on the Mk1's, just a switch that allowed you to select 1 or both of the necks, BUT both of the pickups were ALWAYS on, on either neck. , so, I've rewired it and added a switch that allows the selection of either or both of the pickups on either or both of the necks.

As a point of interest the pickups are between 5.7k and 6.14k normal magnetic orientation and normal winding direction. Obviously the humbucking arrangement of the Mk2 Stringmaster was new to that model.

I wonder how many of the Hawaiian Players recorded with a Mk1, It sounds remarkably like the tone Barney & Jules had on the Hawaiian Guitar album by the "Stars of Hawaii Orchestra"

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 19 Mar 2008 3:47 am

I was referring to this album
"Hawaiian Guitar" (RD-27029)

The Hawaiian Wedding Song

Little Brown Gal

Pua Mana

Moku Kai Kahi - Leahi

Silhouette Hula

Hawaiian Guitar

Pagan Love Song

Kuu Ipo Ika Hee Pue One, Mauna Kea

The Luau Song

The Moon of Manakoora

Analani e'

Queen's Hula

The Steel Guitar Forum

The Restoration of a Fender Stringmaster D8

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