A round pick-up?

Liz Williams · Post by **Liz Williams** » 22 Feb 2015 8:59 am

Saw this lap steel guitar with a round pick-up on ebay just now. What is that thing? Does anybody know?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281603467611

Blake Hawkins · Post by **Blake Hawkins** » 22 Feb 2015 8:29 pm

Somebody's home made monster. The knobs came from an old oven, The big round thing looks to be the remains of an old radio speaker.
The logo is some dime store decals.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 22 Feb 2015 8:41 pm

Yes, it's a home made Frankensteel. There's nothing "Oahu" about it. Not even the phony logo. I sent an email to the seller a couple of days ago telling him it's not an Oahu, but I got no response.

Tom Pettingill · Post by **Tom Pettingill** » 23 Feb 2015 4:49 am

The MacGyver is strong in this one

I get a kick out of some of these old homebrews and the creative repurposing of available odds and ends. I don't recognise what they made the pickup out of, but I'd guess that it does work to some extent. The iron bar across the large center magnet will spread the magnetic field to catch the outer strings, but my best guess is that they would be weaker sounding than the middle.

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 23 Feb 2015 5:13 am

Maybe he meant 'Wahoo.'
Very creative style in the pickup, somewhat deco.
If you liked this, a link to a next page for Les Paul's bench motor.

Michael Brebes · Post by **Michael Brebes** » 23 Feb 2015 8:05 am

The "pickup" looks like a tweeter that had a bar screwed on to the center metal slug, with some kind of black rubber to keep the slug in place. Very crude. Does the pickup even work?

John Rosett · Post by **John Rosett** » 23 Feb 2015 8:16 am

Maybe from the same people that brought us these time saving devices:

Chris Lucker · Post by **Chris Lucker** » 23 Feb 2015 12:05 pm

I think the pickup is made from an impregnated linen pulley. The center is where the bearing used to be.

James Kerr · Post by **James Kerr** » 23 Feb 2015 12:17 pm

The seller states the Pickup has never been tried and in his imagination will sound terrific.

My best guess is the Pickup is a Sanding Disc which rotates and grinds against the strings, speed controlled by the Red Cooker switch, something like a HurdyGurdy.

Deirdre Higgins · Post by **Deirdre Higgins** » 23 Feb 2015 12:56 pm

11 bidders on it now Hehe, seems at least 11 people want this one of a kind guitar.

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 23 Feb 2015 1:44 pm

Eleven that simply can't quite believe this statement:

James Kerr wrote:The seller states the Pickup has never been tried and in his imagination will sound terrific.

Gary Meixner · Post by **Gary Meixner** » 23 Feb 2015 4:56 pm

I love this guitar. I like to think that the builder was so obsessed with playing the steel guitar that he wasn't going to let anything stand in his way: not lack of funds or access to a music store - "I will just make my own". Sounds familiar to me. Maybe a Dad built it for his son or daughter - or perhaps a science fair project. I agree with Chris it looks like the bobbin is made from a phenolic line pulley. The seller doesn't seem to be trying to put anything over on any one. It probably turned up at an estate sale or auction which is where many of our beloved Fenders and Gibsons come from. No it is not made by Oahu but still a charming piece.

Just my thoughts,

Gary

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 23 Feb 2015 6:42 pm

The seller finally answered my email telling him that this is Not an Oahu. His answer was simply "Thanks". But he has not added anything to the Description. He has not corrected the misnomer, and is still selling it as an Oahu.

The seller doesn't seem to be trying to put anything over on any one...

I'm not so sure about that. His feedback shows that he has sold many vintage guitar parts, old pickups, bridges, knobs, etc. He knows guitars and guitar parts.

Gary Meixner · Post by **Gary Meixner** » 23 Feb 2015 8:41 pm

Hey Doug,

Your right. I am not much of an EBAY'er and didn't realize all the info that is available about the seller. I do still love the guitar but only as a fun example of some ones determination to make music. Hopefully who ever buys it will do so for it's charm and not as useable instrument.

Very best,

Gary Meixner

Chris Lucker · Post by **Chris Lucker** » 23 Feb 2015 9:01 pm

I kinda like the thing. I would probably make a new pickup using impgregnated linen sheet and use the circle to cock the pickup at the angle that sounds best.

Jack Aldrich · Post by **Jack Aldrich** » 24 Feb 2015 10:49 am

John Rosett wrote:Maybe from the same people that brought us these time saving devices:

From the late, great motivational guru, Zig Ziglar.

G Strout · Post by **G Strout** » 27 Feb 2015 2:41 pm

Can you believe that this "thing" is currently $82.77 with 34.61 shipping. 2 hours to go..... I can't figure it out? There is not even any parts value to this thing!!! Too funny. I have some 2 x 6's in the garage a couple of sets of strings ....old tuners and some knobs. Hmmmm. Maybe I could ....

Liz Williams · Post by **Liz Williams** » 28 Feb 2015 6:03 pm

8 bidders, and the high bid of $89.00 (plus shipping) takes it home.

I have to admit, I like the way that "pick up" looks.

The best part of the auction was this conversation. Thanks, everybody.

Jim Pitman · Post by **Jim Pitman** » 2 Mar 2015 5:41 am

I like it, the oven knobs especially - Turn up the heat!.
Maybe that's a fraternity lap steel. (used to paddle a pledges a..) The Oahu font looks greek to me.