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Topic: 55 Fender Deluxe 8-String? |
James Hull
From:
London, United Kingdom
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Posted 7 Mar 2021 7:47 am |
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Hi,
I have what looks like a 50s Fender Deluxe 8 String. I don’t know a lot about lap steels so I was wondering if anybody knew what I should be looking for in order to date it? There’s no serial numbers I can find on it but 2/55 is written in green pencil in the cavity under the tuning pan.
It’s in pretty rough shape but if it’s a 50’s original I’d certainly look into getting it restored.
Does anyone have an idea?
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 7 Mar 2021 9:24 am
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It appears to be a 1955 Fender Deluxe 8. The date you found under the tuner pan is the date it was assembled and is the best way of figuring out when it was made.
It's worth restoring, depending on what it needs.
_________________
Brad’s Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars |
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Duane Becker
From:
Elk,Wa 99009 USA
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Posted 7 Mar 2021 9:34 am
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 Hey James, I have one just like yours, mine has Oct 1953 written under the tuner pan. I had a bunch of sharpie writing on mine along with number stickers all along the frets. My dad bought it at a pawn shop back in the 1970s, brought it home and I remember spending hours trying to get the crap off of it. Finally did. Nice instrument too. You will love it-keep it and play it! |
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Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
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Posted 7 Mar 2021 11:01 am
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| That's an interesting tuning. |
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Clyde Mattocks
From:
Kinston, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 11 Mar 2021 6:42 pm
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These are sweet and versatile steels. I have one I use on sessions. Of course, it gets that classic Fender sound, but I have fooled people with a very close
Ric sound. It has the best boo-wah of any of my guitars (think Bob Foster on those early Faron Young records). And it really lights up a distortion pedal when called for.
_________________
LeGrande II, Nash. 112, Fender Twin Tone Master, Session 400, Harlow Dobro, R.Q.Jones Dobro |
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Jeff Mead
From:
London, England
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Posted 12 Mar 2021 8:41 am
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| Yes, February 1955 looks like the date. Those are great steels and well worth getting back into shape. I have the double neck version and it is the one I use for pretty much all my studio work. Have you plugged it in to see if it works? Do the tuners work OK? It may need nothing more than a clean and a set of new strings. Did it come with a case? |
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Glenn Wilde
From:
California, USA
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Posted 13 Mar 2021 8:47 am
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Nice, i have one too! Mine has no date on it though.
Yours looks more dirty than anything, I'd bet a good cleaning and some new strings would put it right back on the road.Just pulled my control plate to spray out the tone pot and its code is 137006 so, 6th week of 1950 for mine. |
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Glenn Wilde
From:
California, USA
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Posted 22 Mar 2021 5:16 am
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| One thing I've noticed looking at yours and mine is that the paint changed just like the Telecaster, my '50 being butterscotch and your '55 being white blond. |
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