Marlen Custom 210 d10 info needed

Tommy Everette · From: Whitakers, NC

Hi folks.
Can anyone shed some light on age and details of this Marlen ?
Thank you.

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Reading the serial number backwards (the way that Leonard set up his serial numbers) those numbers indicate that that was the 5th guitar he built in 1972. Very Happy

Ned McIntosh · From: New South Wales, Australia

You have a D10 pull-release steel with 8 pedals and 4 knees...pretty stock-standard for 1972. You also have a piece of steel-guitar history.

If it is set up right it should play very smoothly and have great tone. But setting up a pull-release isn't for everyone. It needs to be done by someone who understands the quirks of this system.

Simple raises are easy, simple lowers likewise. But strings which both raise and lower (typically strings 4, 6 and 8 on the E9th neck using the copedent popular at the time) can be a real bear to set up because the open-note is a matter of balancing string-tension against spring-tension. If the springs are tired, they will need to be replaced. Then it is a matter of getting the pedal-travel, knee-lever travel, bellcrank throw and return-spring tensions all balanced against each other so the raise returns true and the lower also returns true on the same string. Every adjustment you make to one affects the others! It can be very time-consuming, but it can be done and once it's set, it'll stay set.

Also, since this steel has single-sided bellcranks, the rods may have bends in them to clear other bellcranks and these additional bends can cause a pull to feel a little "mushy". Careful attention to keeping rods running as straight as possible may be needed to get a good playing feel from the mechanism. (I completely re-rodded my Marlen after I converted all the single-sided bellcranks into double-sided ones so rods could run straight through the gap in the middle, thus avoiding bends.)

The changer is as simple as it gets, and easy to keep lubricated. You can see everything! One hint from pull-release experts is to make sure the changer-finger touches the body of the guitar when the raise is fully-activated...and the raise is tuned at the tuning-key with the pedal or lever activated. (Having the finger touching the body with the raise engaged is reckoned to be an integral part of the pull-release tone.)

Lowers are tuned at the changer-end using a stop-screw which the changer-finger stops against. If the string just raises or lowers (but does not do both) it is very, very easy and very logical.

I have a similar Marlen D10. If the pickups are original you may find their output is a little lower than modern steels but the tone should be rich, full and pretty much mid-way between an Emmons push-pull and a vintage Sho Bud. The feel is more like a push-pull due to the extra travel required in the mechanism to allow a string to both raise and lower.

Len Stadler had a reputation for beautiful cabinets on his steels. At the time your steel was built, he and Emmons Guitars were using some parts made for them by the same companies (Quality Castings was one of them).

The pull-release system is inherently simple and they stay tuned almost forever once properly set up. With a decent setup, and some cleaning and polishing, you might find you have a real gem there.
_________________
The steel guitar is a hard mistress. She will obsess you, bemuse and bewitch you. She will dash your hopes on what seems to be whim, only to tease you into renewing the relationship once more so she can do it to you all over again...and yet, if you somehow manage to touch her in that certain magic way, she will yield up a sound which has so much soul, raw emotion and heartfelt depth to it that she will pierce you to the very core of your being.

Edward Rhea · From: Medford Oklahoma, USA

Tommy,
You've a nice steel there buddy! I bought mine about this time last year. Mine's a year older than yours but sounds great! Yours is more complete than mine...it only had/has one lever.
_________________
“TONESNOB”

Tommy Everette · From: Whitakers, NC

Double post
Oops

Edward Rhea · From: Medford Oklahoma, USA

That's a very good deal, IMO! Very Happy

_________________
“TONESNOB”

Tommy Everette · From: Whitakers, NC

I set it up and played it some today.
A little fine tuning is in store.
But it was pretty cool.

Tommy Everette · From: Whitakers, NC

Can i get some clues what's goin on here and what is the method for tuning it?

Tommy Everette · From: Whitakers, NC

Sorry

Chris Lucker · From: Los Angeles, California USA

You will do yourself a big favor if you set up the guitar, flip the guitar over and watch what happens when you pouch pedals and move knees. Then figure out why adjustment screws are where they are.

Do not turn any screws until you know why they are there.

Read the Marlen set up guides posted in the past on the Forum.

But first, figure out why parts move, have adjustments etc.
_________________
Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars.

Tommy Everette · From: Whitakers, NC

Chris Lucker · From: Los Angeles, California USA

"I will definitely follow your advice.
Does it look right on the end?
Some adjustable and some lock collars?
Thank you!"

Don't worry about any of that right now. Just look at the E9 neck for now. Figure out why each string is tuned the way it is. Then figure out why there is an A pedal, and a B pedal, and a C pedal. Why there are knee levers and why they do what they do.

Read the set up guides that are in the archives.

You have a simple guitar to set up, if you understand why parts are where they are.
_________________
Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars.

Tommy Everette · From: Whitakers, NC

Bill Moore · From: Manchester, Michigan

Due to the way a pull-release is tuned, you don't need tuning nuts on some strings. You tune the raises at the keyhead, with the pedal down. The upper row of screws is then used to tune the open, no pedals note. For example, the 10th string has a raise; step on the A pedal and tune the C# at the keyhead. Release the pedal. If the open note is too low, screw in the upper screw until it's right. No need for a tuning nut on the rod. String 8 has a raise and a lower. Hold the lever that raises, and tune the F note at the keyhead. Release the lever, engage the lever that lowers the string, tune the D# note using the upper screw. The tuning nut should be on the rod that lowers the string, use that to tune the open note. The 4th string will be more complicated, you need to tune the C pedal, F# note, pedal down, at the keyhead. Hopefully, the F note will be in tune when you engage that lever. You don't have a tuning nut for the F, so the only way to tune that is under the guitar. I can't tell from the pictures, maybe there is a half tone tuner on that rod. If not you will have to tune it by moving the collar that hits against the bellcrank when you engage the lever. The open note is tuned using the tuning nut on the rod that lowers the string. On the strings that only lower; tune the open note at the keyhead, then tune the lower with the upper screw. As long as no one has moved any parts under the guitar this should be pretty simple. If you need to set up the guitar from scratch, it will take some time to get it right. These are great sounding guitars, you got an real bargain on this one.

Chris Lucker · From: Los Angeles, California USA

Tommy Everette · From: Whitakers, NC

Tommy Everette · From: Whitakers, NC

Scott Duckworth · From: Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies

Here is what Lane shared with me as to tuning for the pull / release Marlen...

Mule Ferguson · From: N Wilkesboro NC,

mikeca30@comcast.net

Mike Calaway lives in Salem, VA. He use to assembly the Marlens and very knowledgeable about it. I purchased a S10 over a year ago and took it up there and had him change it over to the Emmons setup and fine tune it.
He even showed me a Monney lick.
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Emmons La Grande D10, Zum Encore, Multicord,Marlen S10 1972, Nashville 112, Evans HVP #2, Peavey Profex ll, Martin, Merle Travis D28M Bigsby Neck.
D28 Henderson, Dobro and Tut Bro. Fender Tele, Stelling Stagehorn Banjo

Tommy Everette · From: Whitakers, NC

I've cleaned and lubricated and decided to sell.
I have it listed in the for sale section.

Tommy Everette · From: Whitakers, NC

Double post...

Chris Lucker · From: Los Angeles, California USA

Is it on ebay?
_________________
Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars.

Tommy Everette · From: Whitakers, NC

Tom Stacy · From: North Carolina, USA

I have a Marlen 10 pedal steel I just bought...I'm a newbie...it has 4 knee levers
What I have discovered is the far right knee lever drops string 2 a half step
The next lever to the left flattens string 6 and sharpens string 1, next lever to the left lowers 4 and 8 and the last levr to the far left sharpens the 4 and 8.

Question is this all correct function? Seems to me the levers are out of order from what I've read and how can my second lever from the far right perform a sharpening and a flatting function on the 1 and 6 string

Any clarification would be greatly appreciated

Tom

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

There is no standard for the knee levers. You place the changes on what lever is most comfortable.

The real standard is in the way the pedals are set up. ABC (Emmons) or CBA (Day). Each of those will dictate which levers the E lower and E raise if they are on the left knee.

Your setup is fine.
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Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 55 years and still counting.

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