Steel guitar brands - a list

Ian McLatchie · Post by **Ian McLatchie** » 13 Jan 2002 1:51 pm

Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association member George Rout kindly sent me a list of electric steel guitar brands compiled by HSGA members.
The list included both pedal and non-pedal, vintage and modern instruments, and had about 120 entries. I made a number of corrections and added in a few dozen items, and my Finnish friend Kari just emailed me a number of other additions. Here's the revised list, which I think stands at about 170 entries; I know Forumites will be able to add many more.
I haven't been able to confirm a number of items on the original HSGA list, so please let me know of any apparent errors. Unless otherwise indicated, a brand originates in the U.S.
ABM - Germany
Ace
Academy
Airline
Alamo
Alan - Ireland
Alien - Australia
Alkire
Amstead
Anapeg - Australia
Artist
Asher
AWH - Sweden
Baggett
Bak - Scotland
Bear Creek
Ben Jay
Bennett - England
Bethel
Bigsby
Blankenship & Wheeler
Blanton
Blue Star
Boen
Bosco
Bossan
Bronson
Canopus - Japan
Capri
Carter
Carvin
Cell
Chandler
Cherokee
Chord King - Australia
Clark
CMI
Columbus - Japan
Cougar
Cromwell
CW
Danelectro
Day
Dekley
Denley - England
Derby
Dickerson
Dobro
Domland
Dwight
Earthwood
Edge
Electromuse
Electrotone - Canada
Electronis
EMCI
EMI
Emmons
Endicote
English
Epiphone
Ericson
Ernie Ball
Excel - Japan
Fender
Fessenden
Flynn
Foster - Australia
Framus - Germany
Franklin
Fulawka - Canada
Fullner
Fuzzy - Japan
GFI
Gibson
Granada - Japan
Greenwood
Gretsch
Guyatone - Japan
Hagar
Harlin Brothers
Harmony
Harmos
Hawthorne
Hofner - Germany
Howard
Hughey
J & J
Jagiella - Germany
JCH
Jem - Australia
K & F
Kalamazoo
Kay
Kiesel
Kline
Klontz Custom
La Garritt
Lamar
Lambert - Ireland
Leilani
Linkon - Canada
Little Buddy
Lone Star
Loren
Magnatone
Market-rite
Marlen
Marlin - Japan
Marrs
Mason - Canada
Mastertone
Matses
Maui - Canada(?)
Maxim - Australia
McCurdy
MCI
McKinney
Melobar
Milburn
Miller
Mogultone
Mooney
Morrell
Mosrite
MSA
Mullen
Multi-Kord
Mustang - (?)
Mustard - Scotland
Nashville
National
New Yorker
Nichol
Noso - Finland
Oahu
Old Kraftsman
Ormston
Parker
Payne
Pedaljet
Pedal Master
Pedasonic
Ped-a-sonic
Pierce
Perina
Premier
Rayline
Recording King
Regal
Regent - Japan
Remington
Ren-Keizer
Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker
RKR - 24 - England
Robbins
Roberts
Rogers - Germany
Romero
Roto Sound - England
Royal
Russler
Selmer - England
Seymour
SGI
Shawnee
Sherwood
Sho-Bro
Sho-Bud
Sierra
Silvertone
Simmons
Singing Century
Slingerland
Slyde
Sonica - China(?)
Speedy West
Springfield - Scotland
Steelrider
Stringfellow
S.S. Hawaiian
Sunshine
Supro
Taylor
Teisco - Japan
Thomas
Tone Master - England
Trade Wind
Trotmore
Twang - Canada(?)
Ulrich
USA
Vega
VGC
Visser
VLC
Vox Humana - Netherlands
WBM - Germany
Weisenborn - Germany
West Coast
Westwind
Wheeler
Wheeler Ped-Al
White
Whitney
Williams
Winsteel - Ireland
Wright C
Yanuziello - Canada
ZB
Zumsteel
[This message was edited by Ian McLatchie on 13 January 2002 at 02:08 PM.][This message was edited by Ian McLatchie on 13 January 2002 at 02:17 PM.][This message was edited by Ian McLatchie on 15 January 2002 at 02:28 PM.][This message was edited by Ian McLatchie on 15 January 2002 at 04:23 PM.][This message was edited by Ian McLatchie on 15 January 2002 at 05:54 PM.]

Jerry Brightman · Post by **Jerry Brightman** » 13 Jan 2002 1:55 pm

uhhhhh.Emmons

Jerry

Post by **Joey Ace** » 13 Jan 2002 2:01 pm

Ummmm.. Carter???

See ya in Grand Rapids, Jerry.

Ian McLatchie · Post by **Ian McLatchie** » 13 Jan 2002 2:07 pm

Sorry, Jerry, Emmons was certainly on the list (Carter I'm not sure about). A big name to get lost in transit! I'll add both to the list.[This message was edited by Ian McLatchie on 13 January 2002 at 02:09 PM.]

Johan Jansen · Post by **Johan Jansen** » 13 Jan 2002 2:10 pm

DeVis, The Netherlands

Theresa Galbraith · Post by **Theresa Galbraith** » 13 Jan 2002 2:12 pm

Ian,
I had no idea so many different steel builders. Wow, of course a few got left out. I'm still amazed!
I forgot to say thanks for keeping us informed! Theresa[This message was edited by Theresa Galbraith on 13 January 2002 at 03:34 PM.]

Mike Sweeney · Post by **Mike Sweeney** » 13 Jan 2002 3:01 pm

Blanton. Mike

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 13 Jan 2002 3:16 pm

You misspelled Mullen!

Ian McLatchie · Post by **Ian McLatchie** » 13 Jan 2002 3:33 pm

Lee: Hey, don't shoot me, I'm only the messenger! As I say, many of the items here are reproduced as they were passed on to me. As a non-pedal player and collector, I don't expect I'll miss many mistakes in those listings, but I certainly will with the pedal brands. Thanks for the correction. I'll post a revised list later.

Pat Burns · Post by **Pat Burns** » 13 Jan 2002 3:39 pm

..is Taylor the same people that make the acoustic guitars?..

Jon Light · Post by **Jon Light** » 13 Jan 2002 3:45 pm

Wow. Who knew? Here's some more--

Sherwood
Old Kraftsman
Bear Creek
SS Hawaiian

Bill Llewellyn · Post by **Bill Llewellyn** » 13 Jan 2002 4:04 pm

Taylor Guitars http://www.taylorguitars.com/ unfortunately don't make pedal steels. A buddy of mine is their sales VP, and he was one of the first people I went to when looking for my first PSG (unfortunately, "no, sorry" was the answer).

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Bill (steel not out of the woodshed) | MSA Classic U12 | Email | My music | Steeler birthdays | Over 50?

Lem Smith · Post by **Lem Smith** » 13 Jan 2002 4:06 pm

Bethel and B.M.I.

Ian McLatchie · Post by **Ian McLatchie** » 13 Jan 2002 4:32 pm

Thanks for all the additions. Keep 'em comin,' folks. My apologies to Ricky Davis for forgetting to include the S.S. Hawaiian.
You'd think that would be an easy one to remember, given the gorgeous pics Ricky has posted here in the past. Sorry, Ricky! Thanks for reminding me of Sherwood and Old Kraftsman, Jon, I totally forgot those two. What electric does Bear Creek make, by the way? In answer to your question, Lem, Taylor was on the list I originally received from George Rout, and I don't know if it refers to a new or an older brand. Any information anyone can provide on some of the more obscure brands is much appreciated. I'd particularly like to learn something about Maui. I owned one, a truly weird aluminum-body lap steel, probably from the late '30's or early '40's. The only other Maui I've seen was a wood body with a marblized plastic top, also a real odd-ball.
I suspect they were made in southern Ontario, but that's just a guess.

Jon Light · Post by **Jon Light** » 13 Jan 2002 4:55 pm

I knew I'd have you smacking your forehead with that Hawaiian omission. Only reason I thought of Sherwood is that I've got one. And I've always noticed the Kraftsman on Ebay 'cause it's pretty. Bear Creek has a Frypan now--
http://bcguitar.com/fryingpan_lapsteel_guitar.html

Speaking of odd--what the hell is this?
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1500750850

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<center>FCarter U-12 7+8E
FStartUp SteelE
FPhoto GalleryE</center> [This message was edited by Jon Light on 13 January 2002 at 04:57 PM.]

Fred Jack · Post by **Fred Jack** » 13 Jan 2002 6:29 pm

Roto Sound ... my first one.

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 13 Jan 2002 6:39 pm

Ian
Stay tuned for a new entry in the pedal and
non pedal guitar marketplace.

A well guarded secret is about to "unfold"

I cannot say any more at this time,,,but if and when it happens,,,I will more than likely
rep the steel guitar line.

It will have all of Leo's designs that were halted after his death. This will be something special,,,btw ,,,,do you still want
that CD?? Leo was working on this a few years before he passed on. I saw,I played and
I loved the guitar,,built like a Sherman tank and a walnut body.

I'll get the first one

Tim Rowley · Post by **Tim Rowley** » 13 Jan 2002 6:55 pm

Klontz Custom (a MI brand, no longer made)
Market-Rite (remember, Barbara Mandrell?)
Pedaljet (Netherlands)
Blue Star (Lap steels, a current MI brand)
USA (1980's successor to Little Buddy)

Are Thomas and Pedalmaster the same guitar?
Are Marlen steels made in Japan now? If so, I didn't realize it.

Tim R.

Ian McLatchie · Post by **Ian McLatchie** » 13 Jan 2002 7:59 pm

Jody: Do I still want that CD? Darn right I do! Exciting news about a possible new line of steels - hope you're able to share the details soon. Thanks for posting the pic of that whacked-out aluminum lap, Jon. You've reminded me that I know someone who owned the same instrument, and I'll have to phone and see if he knows the brand name, if there is one. Thanks for your additions too, Tim. I shouldn't have forgotten Blue Star, a good bargain instrument and my choice for the ugliest lap steel ever made. As for Marlen instruments, there's a mistake here. Marlen are American, Marlin are Japanese. I'll be sure to correct that on the revised list.

Steve Stallings · Post by **Steve Stallings** » 14 Jan 2002 11:38 am

My buddy Jim Flynn from Salado, Tx makes his own brand..
"Lone Star Steel"

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Steve Stallings
Bremond, Texas

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 14 Jan 2002 12:16 pm

The eBay auction that Jon referenced appears to be for a very early National lap steel. Gruhn's Guide to Vintage Guitars does not list this model among their offerings, so I can't verify whether or not this is the case. I've seen two of these in the past, and the sell is right in describing these as "primitive".

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Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

Milton Guilbeau · Post by **Milton Guilbeau** » 14 Jan 2002 12:50 pm

Here are a few more names which were on a previous post.

Anstead (Predecessor to Anapeg)
Benoit Resonators, Mauriceville, TX
Blanton
Cell (by George Bell)
Cherokee
CW (Carson Wells)
Day
Harmos (Lapsteel)
Kraftsman
Mooney
Ormston
Parker
Pedalmaster
Rayline
Romero (Harold Romero, New Iberia, LA)
Rotosound (British)
Shawnee
Teisco (Japan)
VCG
VLC (Very Low Price)
Wheeler

Note: Pedalmaster Guitars are built by Mr. Roy Thomas and not the same as Thomas Guitars.

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Bruce Clarke · Post by **Bruce Clarke** » 14 Jan 2002 1:19 pm

Ian, Should Mustard be spelled Mustang? There was, maybe still is, a steel by that name.

Dave Burr · Post by **Dave Burr** » 14 Jan 2002 1:41 pm

Ian, Here is a thread from last year on the same subject. http://steelguitarforum.com/Archives/Archive-000003/HTML/20011227-1-014051.html

Respectfully,
Dave Burr

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 14 Jan 2002 2:09 pm

I'm wondering if the entry for Miller is the same as Miller Custom guitars that were made in Chillicothe, IL ? I did an article on Roger Miller in the 1968 Vol 2 issue of Fender/Fretts but I have been out of contact since then.

I made mention that Bert Rivera with the Hank Thompson Brazos Valley Boys was playing a Miller Custom while his "MSA was missing" ???? It may be they are not the same company.......

Regards, Paul