Marlen Owners??? How Many Are There??

[Bill Howard]

there seems to be several Marlen steels sold and talked about the past 2 months it also seems there is quite a following and Marlens owners seem to like them pretty well due to the quality and tone and feel of the instrument. If you have one post a picture I would love to see yours I know other marlen owners would as well. Heres my gorgeous Marlen notice the quality is second to none.. I'm so glad I bought it (and kept it:).Show us yours..

[Ned McIntosh]

My first Marlen (1975, pull-release, 8X4), rosewood formica...sold in 1992 to a ship's electrician (along with the Dobro 60D in the picture). The amp was a Vibrosonic Reverb with a single Cerwin Vega 15" speaker.



My latest, a re-finished 1972 pull-release (8X4). First, the undercarriage:-



and the top-side view with an unusual background.



and the playing-surface from the player's side:-



Len Stadler built some of the most beautiful steels to come out of North Carolina. If you own one you have a piece of steel-guitar history...however "quirky" it may be.

[Dick Sexton]

My little All Pull S10, needing a polish job... Check out the wonderful pattern formica, "The Man" used on this beauty. Thank you Len for building her and Jack for allowing me to buy her.

[Bill Howard]

Thanks guys those are really nice ones.
Not met one person who has a marlen that doesn'r love theirs...
I played mine this morning and love it more everytime I play it. I have never had easier pedal action yet still has the firm control factor so you don't feel like your stomping on jelly:).
The biggie is TONE TONE TONE, MAN mine has those old single coil Marlens,I wouldn't change a hair on her head...YESSSS

[richard burton]

I bought a basket-case Marlen D10 about 3 years ago.

It had 6 pedals and no knee levers.

I converted it to a padded rear neck 3 pedals 4 levers, making all the bits myself.

Youtube video HERE

[Jaclyn Jones]

Here is a 1966 Marlen D10 I bought a few years ago. It was my first steel.

[DALE WHITENER]

He is me and my first Marlen circa 1974 or so. I no longer have this one but I traded it for an later all-pull model that I have loaned to a friend that is trying to learn. Dale

[Dave O'Brien]

[Dick Sexton]

[Bill Howard]

Dave that is one of the best looking Marlens make that one of the best looking steels I ever saw!!.
that cabinet is beautiful

[Richard Rice]

I'm LOVING mine. 1984 D-10. BL 705 chrome pickups. Many thanks to SGF member Bob Moore for having taken good care of it, and to Dennis Wireman,for a wonderful deal. This one eclipses my previous 4 steels in every aspect.

I'll try to get some better pics, this is an absolute stunner, sounds and plays great.

[Dave O'Brien]

Thanks Bill - It sounds and plays as good as it looks. I've never had to do anything to it but tune it and never thought about changing the pick up. A very stable guitar, never broke a string!

[Bill Howard]

Dave I have not found one bad thing about this guitar usually when you get a new axe of any kind there is something that bothers you not with this.
I still have the same strings rick fitzgerald put on it I even played 3 or 4 sets with them,not broke nary one:). The Tone and ease of playing just floor me.I have developed a cpl ew rifts with this becase the Pedal action is so accurate and easy,I mentioned the fact not loose or mushy feeling,I played a friends Old Rusler several yrs ago now talk about worn out steel ...I noticed new interest in Marlens
I guess because all of us know how great they ARE!.

[frank rogers]

....still luv my 1974 Marlen

[Edward Rhea]

1971 Pull/Release

[Richard Rice]

Sweet!

[Jonathan Reynolds]

My 2003 (I think that was the year it was built) Marlen D-10