Fingertip Marlen? Good deal for somebody?

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 4 Jun 2009 8:29 pm

I have nothing to do with the auction below but it looked like a good deal on a D-10 if the fingertip mechanism is good.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Marlen-Model-210-Do ... .m20.l1116

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 4 Jun 2009 11:00 pm

Good deal for somebody?

Perhaps...as long as you're not a beginner. These old pull/release guitars look and sound pretty good, but their mechanism isn't the sturdiest. While a good steel tech could repair and refurb, eliminating the weak points, a beginner might be chasing his tail trying to get it (and keep it) in tune.

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 7 Jun 2009 5:42 am

I believe the changer is more like a Bud permanent. Too bad someone cut those holes in the endplates, not sure what's the deal with them? Marlens of that age should have solid endplates with probably vol and/or tone controls.

richard burton · Post by **richard burton** » 7 Jun 2009 1:20 pm

I've just bought an old pull-release Marlen.
It has a great tone, and, as I have a simple copedent, the primitive mechanism is more than adequate for my requirements

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 7 Jun 2009 5:57 pm

Free shipping. Should be at that price.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 7 Jun 2009 6:25 pm

Bill Hatcher wrote:Free shipping. Should be at that price.

Are you saying you think $895 is high for a D10 with 8+2? If you're not afraid of mechanical stuff (like I am), that's a heckuva deal even if ya had to pay the shipping.

Mike Benzschawel · Post by **Mike Benzschawel** » 7 Jun 2009 7:23 pm

i agree with jimbeaux, that'd make a very cool project....

must resist...

Eddie D.Bollinger · Post by **Eddie D.Bollinger** » 7 Jun 2009 8:17 pm

That would be a slick horn, Jim.
Pay no mind to these encouraging rays of sunshine, here.

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 8 Jun 2009 4:23 am

The serial number "191791" Read backwards is the year and month and day....So it's actually a 1971 Marlen. The window cut outs in the end plates are standard for the '70s Marlens; as it can be setup as pull-release and you tune the spring tension on the rod for the idle open note position(but looks like that it is not set up that way now.).
The two small holes drilled by the input jack; most likely was someone experimenting with coil tap switches.
That is an old bird alright....but yes; agreed, it needs a Marlen mechanic to go through it and certainly is not for the beginner steel player that needs to play a raise and lowering pedal steel.
Ricky

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 8 Jun 2009 6:14 am

Jim Cohen wrote:
Bill Hatcher wrote:Free shipping. Should be at that price.
Are you saying you think $895 is high for a D10 with 8+2? If you're not afraid of mechanical stuff (like I am), that's a heckuva deal even if ya had to pay the shipping.

Randy.

Yes. I have what is left of a Marlen D12 that looks like this model. Someone removed the back neck on it and I replaced it with a non pedal 12 neck.

You could probably find an old MSA D10 for a little more or maybe even a little less if your lucky and you would have a much more reliable guitar that is mecanically better.

If I was looking for just a cool old vintage guitar for some cool factor and some tinkering, then this Marlen might fit the bill....for four or five hundred bucks.

If money is no object then anything is a good deal.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 8 Jun 2009 7:02 am

OK, I get it. That's a reasonable point of view. Not necessarily mine, but reasonable nonetheless.

You can call me Randy (but can I be 'Frank' with you?)

Michael Weaver · Post by **Michael Weaver** » 8 Jun 2009 8:30 am

only if I can be Ernest....

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 8 Jun 2009 8:32 am

If you're not afraid of mechanical stuff (like I am), that's a heckuva deal even if ya had to pay the shipping.

Well, that could be arguable, as I, too, have a late '60s Marlen D10, only a few years older than the one pictured. The crossrods are only 5/16", and there is no center support. The bushings in the body are so flimsy as to be laughable, and the pedal stop is a piece of .032" galvanized steel tacked to a 3/4" x 1" piece of wood. To say that the action would be "less than precise" with these three ingredients would be an understatement. The best sound is useless without reliability and stability. Now, you could "play around" the limited changer, but without good tuning stability, every pedal push likely puts you further out of tune, and further into frustration. Compared to this instrument, even a Fender 2000 is a "Swiss watch".

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 8 Jun 2009 9:06 am

I yield to the voices of experience.

Frank

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 8 Jun 2009 10:13 am

Jim Cohen wrote: You can call me Randy (but can I be 'Frank' with you?)

Been playing a little tag with you with the Randy thing ever since you called me Donny in the A11 thread. Your it.

admin · Post by **b0b** » 8 Jun 2009 10:42 am

I wouldn't recommend it to a beginner, but I think it would be a fun guitar to have for country jam sessions. Limited, but in a good way.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 8 Jun 2009 10:56 am

Bill Hatcher wrote:
Jim Cohen wrote: You can call me Randy (but can I be 'Frank' with you?)
Been playing a little tag with you with the Randy thing ever since you called me Donny in the A11 thread. Your it.

Oh! So that's it! Man, that completely escaped me. Sorry 'bout that, Bill. But since it seems to be working well for us, why don't we just stick to 'Donny' and 'Randy'? It'll be 'our little secret language' (but really, I'd still like to be 'Frank' with you...) ;~)

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 8 Jun 2009 11:47 am

I agree with Donny. Flimsy mechanics.

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 8 Jun 2009 12:17 pm

Jim Cohen wrote: (but really, I'd still like to be 'Frank' with you...) ;~)

All I am is baked beans to you?

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 8 Jun 2009 1:03 pm

Better than chopped liver!

Will Cowell · Post by **Will Cowell** » 9 Jun 2009 10:08 am

Played on an old fiddle - and by extension, an old steel. I have one of these, built in 1972. It has 4 knee levers though. I have modified it to make tuning easier and to change the copedent.

I have learned so much about steel guitars from this exercise, and although the action doesn't compare to modern steels in terms of feel (and excessive free movement) it still sounds good.

It holds its tune for weeks on end. OK, I don't go out gigging, I'm not good enough for that, but it's ok and better than it is given credit for.

Marlens are ok with me.

Will Cowell,
Huntingdon, UK

admin · Post by **b0b** » 9 Jun 2009 10:15 am

I had a Speedy West Marlen that was a few years newer than this one, with a simple pull-release changer. It actually had the smoothest pedal action of any pedal steel I've ever played. It was a very "direct" sensation - I felt that I was pulling the string, as opposed to pulling a machine that pulled the string.

Paul Norman · Post by **Paul Norman** » 9 Jun 2009 10:34 am

Steve Robinson used to have a beautiful d10 marlin.
I wonder if he still has it. I have not seen him on here lately. NASA must be keeping him to busy to forum or play music.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 9 Jun 2009 10:36 am

At least as of a few months ago, Steve still had that beautiful Marlen that I used to own and sold to James Morehead, who sold it to Steve. Lovely guitar.

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 9 Jun 2009 9:54 pm

Here's some scans of old Marlen paper stuff:

The Steel Guitar Forum

Fingertip Marlen? Good deal for somebody?

Fingertip Marlen? Good deal for somebody?

marlen

Many a good tune...