Maxim No2 Australian Lap steel

Lee Holliday · Post by **Lee Holliday** » 26 Sep 2013 8:11 am

I have just picked up a Maxim lap steel.
the info I have found on google is below my story so far.
Peter Mcarthy the Aussie Jim Marshall made these in conjunction with his amps, often coming as a matched set although I only have the steel.
Interestingly it came with a broken Aluminium tailpiece bridge only capable of holding four out of six strings, I plugged it in to see where we go next and could not believe the tone/sound in the Supro/Ricky frying pan camp with a nod to an electar.
Once I started stripping the guitar down to remove the bridge and clean away the grime (this is the bit I enjoy) I noticed a stamp under the tailpiece (number 2) and when the control plate containing the electronics was lifted from the body there was a corresponding number 2 on the body. so this may well be the 2nd one made??? or does it denote the model??? The pickup is similar in configeration to the early National cast aluminium steels from the mid 30,s with the magnet attached below going through a blade/bobbin and appearing under the strings via six adjustable polepieces.
So far very interesting,and the tone has suprised me as it is my 1st experiance ofan Aussie steel, it has plenty of Low down grunt and when I get the bridge sorted we will see how good it is on the trebles.

Google Info
Some sources state that peter McCarthy's workshop was in Elwood, but I received an email from Peter's son, Brian, in September 2011 which completely debunks this statement. Brian writes;
"Peter McCarthy (myfather) was NEVER in Elwood.All his amps came from his workshop at 619 Bridge Road, RICHMOND. (Now a McDonalds - I think)"
When I asked Brian whether I could name him when correcting the record on this issue, he instantly replied;
"G'day back at you, Neil,

At 84 - 3years older than Peter when he died in 1983 - I don't mind what you say as long as it is correct. I am the eldest of two sons and a daughter. My brother Kevin died in 1990 and my young sister died in 2002.
Peter played banjo and guitar and among many of his jobs, he was in the ABC Dance Band and the ABC Concert Orchestra. He played under both Harry Jacobs and Hal Moschetti at the Palais de Danse and the Palais Theatre in St. Kilda. He was also in the George Wallace film "A Ticket in Tatts" where he and George Wallace (as band leader) did a hilarious bit of business. In the thirties there were many nightclubs in Melbourne but I only remember two of them - The Ambassador and the Green Mill (this is now the site of the Arts Centre in Melbourne).
c

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 26 Sep 2013 12:16 pm

Please post photos of your lap steel. I don't think I've ever seen a Maxim in person.

David Matzenik · Post by **David Matzenik** » 27 Sep 2013 1:40 pm

I second the request for photos. I am always interested in those early Australian built guitars. Those guys were real pioneers. As a footnote, my grandfather Tom Howley played double bass in the ABC orchestra you mentioned.

Allen Hutchison · Post by **Allen Hutchison** » 27 Sep 2013 2:29 pm

Here's a link to a music store in Melbourne.
Scroll down to Fig.4 to see a double neck Maxim!

http://www.melbournemusiccentre.com.au/ ... lect7.html

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Kelvin Monaghan · Post by **Kelvin Monaghan** » 27 Sep 2013 6:59 pm

Here is my old Maxim built by Peter,it has a big massive Horseshoe pickup probably a 40,s or early 50,s era.
I knew him back in the early sixties we used to go to his shop on Saturdays mornings where he built me a 100watt amp with an 18" Goodmans speaker,he was a very resourceful guy ,he had purchased a stock of the Goodmans 18" from a supplier who had supplied to the cinemas and he proceeded to put them in his them in his guitar amps.

Lee Holliday · Post by **Lee Holliday** » 27 Sep 2013 10:31 pm

I will try to get photos up after the weekend as this is my weekend at work and little time for other than a few lines.
Is there a thread as to how to best load up photos as when I tried with my Aiello earlier I hit a wall??
The Penguin Ricci Maxim has the same tailpiece as mine although when the photos load you will see it is more like an Electar from an earlier generation.
I didn't mention earlier but the pots (tone and volume) are twice the size I have come across old and new guitars (I have taken a shot of these as well) the twin neck looks to be later with the roller bridge although a similar cover over the pickup. A great little guitar which I am keen to get back together once a new bridge is fashioned in the big house where I work!!!
Lee

Dave Young · Post by **Dave Young** » 28 Sep 2013 1:28 am

Hello Lee-I am in the state of south australia and own a Maxim lap steel which I believe to be a 1950,s model guitar is similar in shape to a early Fender-Ihave never uploaded pics but will try over next few days-regards Dave Young

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 28 Sep 2013 8:03 am

Just drag the pics onto your desktop. Click "Upload picture." Easy from there.

Lee Holliday · Post by **Lee Holliday** » 19 Oct 2013 2:55 pm

I have finally sussed the images problem, I apologise in advance as I will re populate some of my posts.

Lee Holliday · Post by **Lee Holliday** » 20 Oct 2013 2:41 am

So here are the photos, it has similarities to the early K&F/Fenders bodies, although the electrics are in a different league, more electar/national cast aluminium in design & tone. The original cast aluminium/pig iron??? bridge is now in multiple pieces and was used as a template for a replacement machined from solid stainless steel.so all in all a very nice guitar with the unusal history.I can see why the original inventor/luthier went on to be revered as a great Amp maker in Australia. so now I move onto the next project, look out in the for sale section as and when I need to raise the funds to get the premiervox back together.
oh and by the way I have started using flatwound strings (smooth to slide on which stops the bar grinding on the windings!!!)
Regards Lee

Jeff Spencer · Post by **Jeff Spencer** » 21 Oct 2013 12:56 pm

I am sure we have a gentleman with a old Maxim he has bought, who has started learning lap steel, coming to our club meets. I will have to get a photo next month. I will post it when I do. Alan, you would be aware of Dan's guitar?

Allen Hutchison · Post by **Allen Hutchison** » 21 Oct 2013 1:57 pm

Sorry Jeff, like you I'll have to wait till next meeting. Tony Davis may know?

Jeff Spencer · Post by **Jeff Spencer** » 13 Jan 2014 12:59 pm

Well here are some pics of a fellow club member's guitar. He now is a forum member - Dan Dickie

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David Matzenik · Post by **David Matzenik** » 13 Jan 2014 1:28 pm

Pretty cool guitar. I am guessing the Maxims were made in very small numbers. This one is styled after the Epiphone Model M.
I should add that both Jake Keli'ikoa and Tommy Castro played Model Ms in the 1940s.

Jeff Spencer · Post by **Jeff Spencer** » 14 Jan 2014 3:43 am

The black you can see on this one is a 1/8 steel plate all the way to to the nut under the fretboard at the headstock. This makes it quite a heavy guitar. It has quite a dark tone but that could be a matter of tweaking a little. Great guitar!!

Lee Holliday · Post by **Lee Holliday** » 23 Jan 2014 2:12 am

Other than the obvious Maxim logo badge, there is a variation in the models which were based on the various American steels around at that period.
The common item that seems to be the same is the tailpiece, mine was rebuilt of stainless using the original cast item as a template.
Great guitars with an interesting history and a nice tone and playability as good as the American guitars they paid homage to.
Australian instruments are well worth checking out, a bit like there animals because it is an isolated continent they have evolved with unique innovative and interesting guitars & steels, Maton guitars as an example currently make interesting electrics and acoustics.
Cole Clark make interesting steels and acoustics,
Regards
Lee

David Matzenik · Post by **David Matzenik** » 23 Jan 2014 5:26 am

A little bit of background: Comparisons are often made with Australia and the United States of America. There is no comparison. Not then, not now. At the time the Maxims were made, Australia had a population of about 9 millions on a piece of real estate two thirds of the USA. The market for steel guitars was close to non-existent, but the few people who might have bought a steel guitar were hampered by ridiculous import regulations and weekly income reminiscent of the Great Depression. If you ever saw the BBC Tony Hancock sitcoms, that's what is was like in Australia also in those days. In the post 1970s consumer boom, we now have a generation of young Australians who think the late 50s and early 60s were like American "Happy Days". Happy days it was not, and we are bloody lucky Maxim produced anything at all.

Lee Holliday · Post by **Lee Holliday** » 23 Jan 2014 7:34 am

50,s UK was much the same, although we were deeper in the shite with bombed out cities etc.
The Americana tag, was the same here with v-limited access to the American guitars improvisation was the word, but Australia did & still does have big roads big cars & country music was popular via returning troops.
Oh and you had the sunshine!!!
Lee

Andrew Gallus · Post by **Andrew Gallus** » 23 Jan 2014 7:35 pm

Here's a few pics of a Maxim I picked up recently off the eeb:

According to the seller, his father used to play this guitar, but stopped playing circa 1985. It's been sitting in it's case ever since.

It sounds great! It's got a beautiful, clear tone. The strings ring out for about a week* if you let them. I've restrung it for C6 tuning. I'll put up some sound clips when I get a bit of time.

* may be a slight exaggeration

Lee Holliday · Post by **Lee Holliday** » 24 Jan 2014 4:47 am

Andrew,

great to see that guitar, I recently emailed the ebay seller and asked him to pass on the details regarding this thread so one way or another you got here.

You have a white/cream version of mine which is black.

As and when it would be interesting if you could slacken the strings off and remove the bridge tailpiece as on mine there is a number 2 stamped, this is what started the thread with regard to is this a serial number or does it denote a model???

It would be intersting to get some clarity.

Enjoy that guitar, the pickup is great no???

Regards

Lee

Andrew Gallus · Post by **Andrew Gallus** » 24 Jan 2014 5:54 am

No worries, Lee. I'll check it out at the next string change.

I was kinda surprised there weren't more bids on it, actually....

Jeff Spencer · Post by **Jeff Spencer** » 25 Jan 2014 4:35 pm

There would have been had I seen it!!!

Lee Holliday · Post by **Lee Holliday** » 14 Apr 2020 4:19 am

Just found another lurking on Aussie Ebay, no affiliation and seems expensive to me, maybe when they realise it is not a Stradavarius they will adjust the price.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/LAP-STEEL-G ... 2030522471

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