What beast is this?

[Daniel Potthast]

A friend of mine recently gave me this steel guitar and I'm wondering if it's a homemade thing or if it's recognizable to anyone here. I'm fairly new to playing pedal steel and I'm not familiar with the changing system on this guy. It seems to me it has some pieces missing, and in comparison to my Dekley student model (3x3) it seems like this frankenbeast (although way more sturdy than my student model Dekley) would be kind of a nightmare to set up and adjust. I do like that the wood it's made from looks almost like it was pulled out of an old bowling lane, but I'm guessing this wouldn't be all that practical of a rig. I've strung it up since taking the photo posted here, and it sounds nice plugged in. Not sure what to do with it next.

IMG_8972.jpg

under 1.jpg

under 2.jpg

[Daniel Potthast]

a few more close up pics

pedals.jpg

headstock.jpg

bridge.jpg

[Ian Worley]

It's looks like an early all-pull changer design. Apparently the bridge is just a row of rollers and the changer actually pulls the strings from behind via those little yokes like the early Fender PSGs. It's hard to discern exactly how it works internally, it would be really cool to see some detail pics of the inner changer workings should you decide to take it apart.

[Chris Templeton]

Bigsby pedals?

[Ian Worley]

Bigsby pedals?

or John Deere! I'd be curious to see how the row of tuning screws on top behind the strings contact the changer underneath. It looks like a couple of the low strings have slipped into the groove between rollers, they should probably each be centered on the roller

[Mark Perrodin]

the way that the strings attach to the changer fingers is similar to the way wright customs attached. the fingers are also similar to my wright. slab cut out of hot rolled steel.

[Daniel Potthast]

Oh that picture is helpful Mark! Seems like if I got hold of some of those springs I might be in business.

Ian, good eye on the strings not being centered on the rollers. I was struggling to get the strings to line up with the rollers. Might have to cheat the bridge over somehow. I’ll try to post a closer pic of the bridge this weekend.

[Bobby D. Jones]

The fret board is what caught my eye. Either the flowers was hand painted on the paper, Or cut and pasted from greeting cards. Then covered with plexi-glass to protect the paper. Makes it look a little lady like.
I bet that blond got someone in trouble. For spending to much time with her, Building and playing her.

[Mark Perrodin]

i'd like to see the pickup when you have the time. i also had another look at the picture of the underside and the turnbuckles again appear to be very similar to wright custom. they are very distinctive.

[Ian Worley]

Searching pics of old Wrights in the archives here doesn't turn up anything exactly the same, but a few that are very similar in many respects, the pedals for sure, and the tall, boxy changer housing, similar to the one Mark posted. If it's a Wright it must be late '50s? Do you know what year the guitar you posted is Mark?

This is the best pic in this thread so far though

IMG_8972.jpg

[Mark Perrodin]

mine is a 1960 and was built for bob crooks's standel amp company. it has a wright custom badge on the deck next to the fretboard and a sierra logo on the pedal rack. i believe david wright owns ser. #001. same guitar as mine. in the bottom of this ad is the s-10 model we have.

[Mark Perrodin]

here is a pic of a wright custom pedal rack. it appears that your guitar has some pieces borrowed from a wright. i hope you can get it running.