Help Identify Old Frying Pan Steel Guitar

[William Squier]

Hi Members,

Attached are some photos of a cast aluminum 8 string laptop frying pan guitar with no serial number or maker's ID. The only printing I could find is on the backside of the volume control. It is marked CENTRALAB with 4 serial numbers. The latest being 2041380 which dates it to May of 1936.

It has a few unusual features. The tuning keys require a tool to adjust and the fretboard scale extends onto the body of the pan. I can't find any similar to this.

It does play, and the case appears and smells original.

Any help in identifying and valuing this instrument will be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Bill Squier







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[Lee Baucum]

Very interesting. It looks like the tuners require a key, similar to those used on banjos (forgive me b0b) and drums.

[Ted Duross]

I checked out the Patent references.

The ones I could make out referred to variable resistors and included drawings of potentiometers. The inventor was Erwin R Stoekle and the patents were assigned to CENTRAL RADIO LAB.

Most of these patents were applied for in the late 20s or early 30s.

[William Squier]

I know about the patent that's where I got May 1936 for the patent date. But I know nothing about the make or value of this frying pan.

As for the patent, that's why I'm pretty sure it's pre-1940 in make. Any help in identifying the maker or the approximate value of this instrument would greatly be appreciated.

[Andy DePaule]

Hi William,
I have no idea who may have built this, but looks to be well made.
Sure looks to be very well made by a professional.
If it sounds good I'd say you have a very nice and lucky find.
Congratulations...

[William Squier]

Thanks for the info Andy. If I decide to sell it, what do you think would be a market price?

[Andy DePaule]

Thanks for the info Andy. If I decide to sell it, what do you think would be a market price?

Wish I knew... I'm sure not an expert on the value of older vintage steels.
I do know it would have more value if some history were available.
Without that, it's just a matter of how it plays, sounds and if the buyer likes unusual steels.
The old Rickenbachers go for very high prices, but others seem to stay for sale a long time.
Good luck if you try to sell it. I'd bet there are some people who'd be interested.
I know I would have grabbed it if I saw it and the price were right.
Best wishes,
Andy

[Bill Creller]

Very interesting instrument. I kinda suspect that it's a one-off, built by a decent craftsman. Being that it may be from the per-war days, having 8 strings is kinda strange. But maybe it's not really that old (?) The bottom cover is similar to the post-war Rick frypans as far as design ...
If you like it, keep it & play it !!

[Marc Bell]

The precise casting, open backed neck, and open back with cover is all very similar to Century cast aluminum guitars from Chicago which were made in late 30s. I'd hazard a guess this could have been a prototype from the Century factory and they decided it would be more stable with the "wings" their production fry pan ended up with.
Very interesting guitar, thanks for sharing the pics.

[David Matzenik]

Looking at the photos, it seems the neck is not wide enough for 8 strings, and the outer string holes behind the bridge are empty.

[William Squier]

David, I'm not sure what you are trying to say. It is an eight string with two missing strings and a broken tuner.

I'm eventually going to have a new key machined and restring the guitar with 8 strings.

Again, I'm confused at what you're saying??? I've had two luthiers look at it, and they said everything should work fine.

[Bill Groner]

David, I'm not sure what you are trying to say. It is an eight string with two missing strings and a broken tuner.

I'm eventually going to have a new key machined and restring the guitar with 8 strings.

Again, I'm confused at what you're saying??? I've had two luthiers look at it, and they said everything should work fine.

I see what David is saying. He is saying #1 and #8 hole are wider than the neck is wide. At least it appears that way from the picture. I put a straight edge from the neck down the stringer holes and it looks like the line from the edge of the neck would fall in between the 1st and 2nd and 7th and 8th hole.

[Former Member]

Thanks for joining the forum yesterday so we can help you get the maximum for your stick!
Folks often do that.
You could always put two more strings on it, but saying that, it's not crucial that they sit over solid neck. --It's the PU more than anything..
So, I've had a few frypans go by me, but I don't buy anything for simple collector value, I'd have to want to play it also.
Your FP is cool. Has some nice touches. Don't know where it came from.
without going into a bunch of explanations as to why and what I'd change about it, if selling, I would offer no more than 800$.
It's not a Rickey, JB, Aiello, Clinesmith. -But still cool.

[Andy DePaule]

Hi William.
Yes David has a good eye and is right. Would need to be a six string because the outer 2 strings would be outside the neck if a straight line is drawn.
True that a person could play it just as well even if the strings were a little out of bounds, but that brings up the next problem;



The nut is too narrow for 8 strings and the 1st and 8th string would also be outside the width of the nut.
If you re-filed the string slots in the nut for 8 strings then the strings would be so close together on that end it would be hard to do slant bar work. A very important part of lap steel playing.

Last issue is if it has a pole pickup instead of a blade type, are there 6 or 8 poles?
Whatever the answer to that, it's best to keep this as a six string. Most were six strings and plenty of players are happy with six... But then you may consider having the tuners removed, the holes filled by a professional and re-drilled for six standard tuners.

That being said, all the above would raise the cost and lower the value "As is" quite a bit.
Oh well, Thats why they call them "Proto".... Working out the problems?

Best to just leave it as is and play it if it has good tone.
Best wishes,
Andy

[Charles Stange]

A closeup picture of the nut would help, Its hard to tell how many grooves there are. When I look at the picture of R.A.'S 'Black Pearl', now for sale on the Forum, even with six strings the 2 outside strings look outside the neck/fretboard?

[Loren Tilley]

I dig the fretboard extension onto the body.

[Former Member]

So widen the nut!
I’m the inventor of the “crown nut”! Hahaha
Grind yourself a nut slot, and make a nut that at the top has any 8 string spacing you want, and then contour the sides angled so by the time it gets to the bottom, it matches the width of the neck.
Todd did that for my 10 string because I wanted wider spacing than his specs. And it works fine...

[William Squier]

Hi Charles and other members.

As requested, I've added a few photos of the nut and pickup.

[Charles Stange]

The new pictures do give some insight. In thinking about this guitar I wanted to also give some credit to the idea that some inventive individual might have built a one off similar to some of our own talented builders here on the Forum. Sort of an 'Occam's Razor' way of thinking about it.
Maybe?

[Bill Groner]

Well it looks like all the strings are within the nut that is no wider than the neck. I'm sure it was a home built. All in all, KUDOS to the builder. Pretty nice lap steel.

[Andy DePaule]

Great to see those new photos.
Set for 8 strings after all since the nut is grooved for strings #1&8 and the pickup does have 8 poles.
So the only issue is that if strung with 8 they will hang over the edge of the neck a little, not ideal, but would not inhibit playing.
Fix the broken tuner and you'l have a nice little 8 string no name Fry Pan.
Bet it will sound fine too... Maybe need the pot cleaning??? Easy.
Best wishes,
Andy

[Ron Simpson]

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[Ron Simpson]

Hopefully I've attached some photos of a frypan I purchased many years as a body only. The nut is part of the casting. The four on a plate tuners fit perfectly' The bridge, casted as part of the body, now holds a taller metal bridge proper height. I had hoped to find a proper horse shoe pickup, but had no luck. but the replacement sounds so good though it, I will just keep it on there.
It came to me with the stick on letters attached.


The seller said the guitar was made by Dick Sanft, but I haven't verified that, but I finally got a Frypan.