Bigsby Special Pedal Steel Guitar... Any information ???

Anthony Blair · Post by **Anthony Blair** » 27 Jan 2022 9:18 am

Here's the page of the Bigsby catalog that describes the Hise:

A couple of pictures of the guitar in question disappeared from this thread. I'm sure several of us would like to see them again.

robert kramer · Post by **robert kramer** » 27 Jan 2022 12:04 pm

Mr. Blair, Thank you sir, for the image of the Hise Tone Changer.

Here is one of Hise's patents. He had several. I'm not sure of this is the one for the Tone Changer in question.

https://patents.google.com/patent/US246 ... US2467086A

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 27 Jan 2022 12:58 pm

The Hise Tone Changer was a very popular accessory on Carvin Hawaiian steel guitars back in the '50s and early 1960's. They were also sold outright by music accessory companies like Ed Sale Music and Chesbro music. I've got the old catalogs around here somewhere, but as I recall they sold for about $30. They worked just "okay", as they required some fine tuning whenever the lever was activated, but they did give fairly quick access to alternate turnings.

The patent pictured above isn't for the tone changer, but a design for a pedal activated tone-changing guitar, one somewhat similar to the Harlin design.

Jim Pitman · Post by **Jim Pitman** » 27 Jan 2022 1:21 pm

I had a double neck that I sold to Bobby Seymore for too cheap, with the (verbal) promise I could come into Steel Guitar world and walk away with any guitar for nuttin. He died, end of story.
Make sure you figure out what the market will bear.

Jerry Jones · Post by **Jerry Jones** » 27 Jan 2022 1:36 pm

Somewhere around 1953, Buddy Emmons had H. J. Hise put a lever on his Fender to change tuning.

Don Downes · Post by **Don Downes** » 27 Jan 2022 2:27 pm

That is one beautiful piece of history. I'm no expert, but that sure looks like maple.

Roy McKinney · Post by **Roy McKinney** » 27 Jan 2022 6:06 pm

Didn't Barbara Mandrell have a lever on the front neck of her Wright Quad to change strings? It's been many years since I visited with Erby at his home and got to set down at her steel. Still have my picture of Barbara and her Quad she signed for me.

Jay Jessup · Post by **Jay Jessup** » 14 Feb 2022 11:57 am

I had this guitar for many years, made in 64 with 9 pedals, it took me quite some time to sell it once I arrived at the 'thinning the herd' stage. Things could have changed but there weren't many buyers out there for these 3 or 4 years ago when I was selling. At the risk of sounding a little flakey I can't remember the exact price I finally sold it for, it was either 10,500 or 12,500.
It was 77 lbs in the case so I also paid a packing company close to $400.00 to pack and ship it from VA to Nevada as I wanted to make sure it arrived in good shape.
Good Luck, looks like a nice guitar you have.

edit....I hadn't noticed Bill Hatcher's post earlier in this thread when I made this post. The Reverb link he provided was for this guitar. I first listed it at 16,500 here on the forum and gradually decreased the asking price before moving it to Reverb where I continued to lower the price. I'd actually forgot I still had the add up when a truly interested buyer finally appeared.