Formica covered steels look cheap and ugly

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 14 Dec 2008 12:22 am

Ned McIntosh wrote: my current steel, a Carter D10, is clear lacquer over sausage-quilted maple with abalone inlay strips on the front of the cabinet.

That sounds like it would be very beautiful. Can you post some pictures?

Glen Derksen · Post by **Glen Derksen** » 14 Dec 2008 12:54 am

I don't like the look of formica except black, and I don't care for the look of my steel, which is blonde formica, and I definately don't like the look of Emmons steels in fake wood grain formica....looks too much like mactac! I'll take the Shobud or Bigsby look anyday!

Ned McIntosh · Post by **Ned McIntosh** » 14 Dec 2008 1:46 am

Hi Mike,

Here 't is! Has been posted before in another thread, preceeding it is a photo of my old Marlen D10 and Dobro 60D...both long gone, sadly.

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 14 Dec 2008 3:33 am

Ned McIntosh wrote:

Man, that's one handsome steel guitar.

I think abalone looks better on blond instruments, and mother of pearl on darker, stained ones.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 14 Dec 2008 4:05 am

Well said, Ned. We know that everyone's tastes are subtly different, but I doubt that we could express exactly WHY - even with unlimited bandwidth - because most of us don't really know!

I still say that the black Emmons shown earlier says it all.....

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 14 Dec 2008 4:52 am

I just realized I've never seen any formica-covered pianos with the exception of a couple of piano bar tops in dives.
I have seen some ugly pianos, including a picture of the Egyptian Revival one in the White House. The picture I saw was in architecture school, where the trend at the time was to allow the material to express itself without cladding it in something else.

So I had two MSA's with formica, a white and a black.
I don't know if dieboard is better than solid maple since it's denser, but I settled on a 30-yr. old maple MSA because it's solid maple and it's aged.
Formica doesn't age; it retains its looks.

What's a guy to do?
Give me spots on my apples and dings on my guitars.

Danny Bates · Post by **Danny Bates** » 14 Dec 2008 5:46 am

The quote below is from this page... http://www.formica-asia.net/history.asp

And in Scotland, the Formica name got a tremendous publicity boost. A shipyard there was building a luxurious new ocean liner for Britain's Cunard Line. The designers had specified Formica laminates for decorative wall surfaces throughout the great vessel. The ship’s name –The Queen Mary.

BTW, For 34 years, the Queen Mary ruled the north Atlantic sea routes, ferrying the rich and famous to New York or England in luxury and splendor. The ship was originally for luxury travel, and hosted many famous guests like the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Greta Garbo, Clark Gable, George and Ira Gershwin, and Sir Winston Churchill.

Richard Burton said:

it's just an easy short-cut for manufacturers... Formica covered steels look cheap and ugly

Howard Tate · Post by **Howard Tate** » 14 Dec 2008 6:12 am

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 14 Dec 2008 6:25 am

Maybe it's because, while I don't mind being called cheap, it gets insulting if somebody throws ugly on top of it.

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 14 Dec 2008 7:11 am

IS there a difference in the tone of a steel guitar made in mica vs. one with a beautiful wood finish?

Yes, but only if you've got yer eyes open....

I'm sure somebody can post endless paeans about focused tone, resonance, clank, shimmering chimes - sustain, anyone?

- but can they win a blindfold test? No, of course not. Do they own an oscilloscope? Do... oh never mind. I'm gonna go formica the kids, you wanna talk about dings.

Howard Tate · Post by **Howard Tate** » 14 Dec 2008 8:13 am

Formica the kids? I should have thought of that fifty years ago. $:\$

Ulf Edlund · Post by **Ulf Edlund** » 14 Dec 2008 8:15 am

Jimmy Gibson · Post by **Jimmy Gibson** » 14 Dec 2008 8:30 am

THERE`S NOTHING UGLY ABOUT THIS,SORRY FOR SHOUTING.

JG

Latest Carter,with the new premium necks,and pedal board,Peavey Vegas400/Nashville400,and other toys.

Tamara James · Post by **Tamara James** » 14 Dec 2008 8:55 am

There is nothing wrong with Mica.
There is nothing wrong with wood.
It's all in what you do with it.
I love my Fender and I love my Performance. One is wood and one is mica. They both have beautiful tone.

"Beauty is in the eyes of the barholder." - I like this quote.

richard burton · Post by **richard burton** » 14 Dec 2008 8:57 am

'Yeouccchhh'!!

Jimmy's Carter looks absolutely hideous !! (IMHO)

Jimmy Gibson · Post by **Jimmy Gibson** » 14 Dec 2008 9:47 am

Please all those with hideous looking steels please step forward and be insulted,oop`s sorry i meant counted.Just kidding Richard,no offence taken,you got your opinions as we all have,and this topic could go on for a long time.

Jimmy.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 14 Dec 2008 10:04 am

Formica covered steels look cheap and ugly

...not necessarily!

(Edit: these are Tommy Cass restorations, pictures taken by Tom)

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 14 Dec 2008 10:54 am

Charlie...Zippy?

Glen Derksen · Post by **Glen Derksen** » 14 Dec 2008 11:07 am

Doug, you have a point. Your Emmons's look pretty tastefully done. Very nice.

Marc Jenkins · Post by **Marc Jenkins** » 14 Dec 2008 11:11 am

The solid colors (like Doug's black and red steels) have never bothered me. The wood-grains, on the other hand, have never agreed with my taste. Too, I don't know, late 70's station wagon?

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 14 Dec 2008 11:12 am

I have a confession to make.

The only console steel I built during the 70s I covered in black Formica and the edging was a shiny silver stuff made for cars.

I apologise to everyone for my shame.

Unfortunately no photograph of it remains. I stripped it of its parts and the body was in my mother's attick for 30 years until the house was demolished about three years ago. (Not by steel guitar lovers, I might add. )
Requiem in Pax. $:\$

$:\$

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 14 Dec 2008 11:31 am

I guess I'm a little thin skinned, but when you say my house, my car, my guitar, my steel, etc look cheap and ugly I can't help feeling a little insulted

If they're not paying my bills, and I'm not sleeping with with them, I don't care what they think about me.

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 14 Dec 2008 11:48 am

Richard...Here I got something 4 ya'

Ray Kedge · Post by **Ray Kedge** » 14 Dec 2008 12:03 pm

C'mon guys you gotta love em both,I do,they both play and sound great.

Ray

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/userpix0 ... teel_2.jpg[/img]

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 14 Dec 2008 12:13 pm

I still like my cheap, ugly, plain rosewood mica push/pull!

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Formica covered steels look cheap and ugly

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