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Topic: "Russ Ler" Guitar? |
Dale Lee
From:
Down Yonder
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Posted 16 Mar 2007 4:53 pm |
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Are these any good?
click here |
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Kevin Hatton
From:
Buffalo, N.Y.
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Posted 16 Mar 2007 5:09 pm
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| It depends on who worked on it last and when. Great sounding steels, but if it hasn't been maintained or properly set up it could be a dog to play. These older guitars need setup by a proper mechanic. |
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Darvin Willhoite
From:
Roxton, Tx. USA
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Posted 16 Mar 2007 5:37 pm
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Fred Justice will know, he's had one for a long time.
_________________
Darvin Willhoite
MSA Millennium, Legend, and Studio Pro, Reese's restored Universal Direction guitar, a restored MSA Classic SS, several amps, new and old, and a Kemper Powerhead that I am really liking. Also a Zum D10, a Mullen RP, and a restored Rose S10, named the "Blue Bird". Also, I have acquired and restored the plexiglass D10 MSA Classic that was built as a demo in the early '70s. I also have a '74 lacquer P/P, with wood necks, and a showroom condition Sho-Bud Super Pro. |
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 16 Mar 2007 5:49 pm
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My mentor Dave Zieglar (The other one, not our fellow forumite) had one. He sold it to buy an MSA which he preferred.
As I recall, the Rus-ler had ball bearings in the roller nut to prevent string over or under return.
_________________
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin |
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Al Marcus
From:
Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)
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Posted 16 Mar 2007 7:48 pm
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I bought a Rus-Ler from Russ Russell in Phoneix.Az. It was a red wood lacquer S12 with 10 foot pedals and 7 knee levers. All the metal parts were machined Scrolled, just beautiful. It was a beutiful guitar and had a good sound. It was over engineered like MSA"s so it was heavy.The only reason I sold it back then was it was getting too heavy for me to carry around. I should have kept it. It had those stainless steel inserts over the changer fingers like the ZB. He used to work for ZB before he went out on his own.He passed away, several years ago.
If you clik on My Website, Page 4,there is a nice picture of the Rus-ler. I don't know how to upload it from my Website.
The one you are referring to looks like a Mica and no scrolls. Russ did that to his top of the line guitars. .....al.
_________________
Michigan (MSGC)Christmas Dinner and Jam on my 80th Birthday.
My Email.. almarcus@cmedic.net
My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus
Last edited by Al Marcus on 17 Mar 2007 7:23 am; edited 1 time in total |
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John De Maille
From:
On a Mountain in Upstate Halcottsville, N.Y.
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Posted 16 Mar 2007 8:35 pm
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I still have my RusLer. It's an S-11, with 5p and 4k's, that I bought in 1977. It's black lacquer, with pearl inlay, and "jeweled" metal. It also has a triple tap, humbucking pickup. I don't really know the specs on it, though. The steel still plays and sounds like it did, when I first got it. I've NEVER had a problem with it, even though, it's got a million hours playing time and a zillion miles travel logged. I wore the case out and got a road case for it in 1990, to protect it. It's got a few scratches on the pedal bar and a couple of bar nicks on top, but, it's still a thing of beauty. I got a new fretboard from Fred Layman to replace the old one, a couple of years ago. My RusLer has been a beautiful workhorse for me in the years past
I'm playing an S-12U ZumSteel now for 3 years, but, I'll never sell my RusLer. It has been an intregal part of my steel career and made it easy for me to advance my steel playing.
I'm glad to see a post about RusLer's. They have become like lost steels, today. |
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Jim Bob Sedgwick
From:
Clinton, Missouri USA
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Posted 17 Mar 2007 5:48 am
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I've never owned one, but I have heard about 3 Russler guitars. All of them sounded great. Only drawback ( You had better purchase a block and tackle to move it.  ) Built like a tank and weighs almost as much. I would consider the price to be very good for a professional instrument. JMO |
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Mike Ester
From:
New Braunfels, Texas, USA
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Posted 17 Mar 2007 6:04 am
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| Is it my imagination, or are the pedals set really close to the changer end of the guitar? |
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Jon Light (deceased)
From:
Saugerties, NY
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Posted 17 Mar 2007 6:11 am
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| Question for current & former RussLer guys---is that ebay photo of the undercarriage typical looking for a RussLer? I once had a peak at the underside---John, it was yours, as you were putting it in its case at a PSGA show a number of years ago---and I thought I remembered it having some similarity to a ZB (which this ebay guitar cetainly does not, although the pickup is ZB-esque). |
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Al Marcus
From:
Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)
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Posted 17 Mar 2007 7:16 am Rus-ler
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Jon, The underneath of my Rusler was the same as the MSA"s Brass bushings in a double bellcrand with the pull rod through it and locked down with a setscrew. The were easy to change, but bell cranks were not easily removable or added, . He did have the ZB inserts on each string where it goes over the fingers. Stainless steel, had a good tone, if you wore a groove in it, they were esily replaceable, but I dont think you ever would. Yes, it was very heavy. If I remeber the bellcranks and bushings were a little larger than the MSA's.
I have a picture of my rueLer on my WEbsite page 4..al.
_________________
Michigan (MSGC)Christmas Dinner and Jam on my 80th Birthday.
My Email.. almarcus@cmedic.net
My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus |
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James Quackenbush
From:
Pomona, New York, USA
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Posted 17 Mar 2007 8:37 am
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| I re-did a Russler and put TrueTones on it ...It was the best sounding pedal steel I ever heard !!...It weighed a TON , but what tone !!....Jim |
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Jerry Hayes
From:
Virginia Beach, Va.
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Posted 17 Mar 2007 9:04 am
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Hey Dale, Norm Hamlet with Merle Haggard played one of these for a good while, I belive it was a S-11 but I'm not sure. He's back with a D-10 or 11 now I believe..........
Mike P. I remember when Dave Zieglar got his Rusler. It was a very nice looking and sounding guitar for sure. Did Dave get rid of his old MSA then?.........JH in Va.
_________________
Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!! |
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 17 Mar 2007 9:56 am
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Jerry, Dave sold his old white mica MSA to a fellow named Howard Hansen, who in turn sold it to me. I still have it.
Dave new has 2 maple/lacquer MSAs.
_________________
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin |
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John De Maille
From:
On a Mountain in Upstate Halcottsville, N.Y.
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Posted 17 Mar 2007 10:02 am
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Jon,
Yes, I believe the changer is identical with the ZB, as is the pickup. The pulling mechanism is like that, of an MSA. It has cross shafts and 4 hole bellcranks,sort of easily changeable to any co-pedant. You have to remove the plate on the back to pull out the cross shafts, which rotate in "Delrin" bushings. Not too bad a job ! Everything is adjustable and easily changed. The individual rollers on the bridge (nut) all spin on tiny ball bearings. Of course, the biggest drawback IS the weight. My S-11, without a case, weighs as much as a modern D-10 in the case.
And yes, I've been told my RusLer has that ZB sound. I was going to buy a ZB, but, was talked into buying a RusLer because of it's more modern pulling system, that was easily chageable with less headaches.
BTW- Norm Hamlet still has his D-10 green RusLer. |
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John De Maille
From:
On a Mountain in Upstate Halcottsville, N.Y.
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Posted 17 Mar 2007 10:33 am
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Jon,
I just looked at the pictures of the e-bay RusLer. The pulling system is identical to mine, but the end plates are not. These look like ZB endplates. The headstock with the keys is very close to mine, but, mine seems narrower. Also, I've never seen a "laminate" RusLer before. I really thought they were all lacquer wood bodies. It also seems that, the pedal rack setup has been customized for a particular player. It doesn't look standard. The changer with the changer surround looks like mine though, as does the fretboard. |
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Jon Light (deceased)
From:
Saugerties, NY
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Posted 17 Mar 2007 11:20 am
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Thanks for the observations, John. My faulty recollection was that your guitar had a similar pulling system to the ZB with all those pull-swivels and non-parallel rods & all----intimidating for a non-ZB player. Obviously I'm totally misremembering.
As to the positioning of the pedals----the pedals and knees seem to be in the proper relationship with one another. But if that positioning of all of them down toward the changer didn't work for the buyer, I'd sure hate to get involved with moving them all back to a more standard position. It would be a pretty comprehensive job moving pedals, levers, cross shafts, lengthening pull rods & all. Big job. |
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Al Marcus
From:
Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)
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Posted 17 Mar 2007 12:03 pm
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John DE Maille, made some pretty astute observations, I also thought all Ruslers were wood lacquer as he could make them so beautiful. But it does look like some Zb Castings. He used to work for ZB....al.
_________________
Michigan (MSGC)Christmas Dinner and Jam on my 80th Birthday.
My Email.. almarcus@cmedic.net
My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus |
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John De Maille
From:
On a Mountain in Upstate Halcottsville, N.Y.
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Posted 18 Mar 2007 3:24 pm
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Jon,
Yes, I agree. Reconfiguring the pedals & knee levers would be a daunting task. You'd probably have to get at least 1/2 more pull rods, in order to have enough length for the move, plus, who knows what else to get the pedals over ( pedal shaft, bushings, blocks ) But, then again, this steel might sound and play good just as is. I don't think I'd buy it for a first steel, though. |
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Jon Light (deceased)
From:
Saugerties, NY
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Posted 18 Mar 2007 5:18 pm
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Just for the fun if it----my A pedal just about lines up with the nut. The photos of this guitar show the 1st pedal at around the 3rd fret. I tried that out, for feel---pretending that P4 was the A pedal---and it really isn't awkward. Actually, because I'm short, my A pedal & F lever bring me more toward the keyhead than I should be, sitting around fret 12. I'd probably be better positioned with this steel's setup.
Just mentioning this so as to not scare anyone off because of the unconventional pedals positioning here.
Also--I've noted what I believe to be the correct spelling that you gentlemen are using---RusLer. But if you look closely, it is spelled RussLer on the fretboard. What is up with that?! |
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Dale Lee
From:
Down Yonder
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Posted 18 Mar 2007 5:29 pm
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| I just copied the text "Russ Ler" from the ebay listing. Ignorance on my part about the proper spelling. |
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Jon Light (deceased)
From:
Saugerties, NY
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Posted 18 Mar 2007 5:45 pm
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| No--I'm saying that the guitar itself says "RussLer" HERE. |
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Dale Lee
From:
Down Yonder
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Posted 18 Mar 2007 5:52 pm
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| I didn't see that. I just copied the listing title. But now that that you mention it, it looks like "Russ-Ler Guitars" |
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Al Marcus
From:
Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)
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Posted 18 Mar 2007 7:59 pm
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To me Russ's guitars were alway called RusLer.Some one might have put that on the neck and mispelled it. Russ, never put his name on the fretboard, as far as I remember....al.
_________________
Michigan (MSGC)Christmas Dinner and Jam on my 80th Birthday.
My Email.. almarcus@cmedic.net
My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus |
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Jack Francis
From:
Queen Creek, Arizona, USA
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Posted 18 Mar 2007 8:16 pm
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I own a RUS-LER S10..
It is spelled that way on the fretboard.
As I have mentioned before I traded a Tele to Jeff Newman for it back in the mid 80's...When we were making the deal Jeff told me that it was a GREAT guitar that was made by Russ for him, he said that it was VERY heavy...He didn't lie about that but he did say that I would sell my Sho-Bud after playing the Rus-Ler...He told the truth about that also.
I had Chuck Back add a fourth knee lever and change the pickup to a George L E-66. I LOVE it!!
Chuck bought the old stock of parts and wood for the Rus-Ler guitars and that old wood is what he uses in building the "Desert Rose" steels. Obviously the "Desert Rose" steels are lighter and are using 'NEW' technology in its design...GREAT steels...I should be getting my new Desert Rose D-10 soon and can't wait.
If anyone has a Rus-Ler and needs any up-grades Chuck has the parts and knowledge to git'r dun..and he's a great guy to work with.
Hope this helps.
_________________
DESERT ROSE D-10 8/5...Joe Naylor "SteelSeat"...
Gallien-Krueger MB200 amplifier through an Alessis MicroVerb w/15'Peavey cab.
TELES & STRATS...
FENDER TWIN & SEYMOUR DUNCAN 50W tube amps...1-12" 2-12" & 4-12" cabs and a FENDER MUSTANG-3 |
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Danny Letz
From:
Old Glory,Texas, USA 79540
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Posted 19 Mar 2007 5:41 pm RusLer
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| My first steel was a S-10 RusLer, but it didn't look anything like any of the ones shown. It's hard to describe what it looked like. It was all black and had a (best I can remember) a metal perimeter with the board sitting inside it and secured with four screws. The edges of the soundboard were rounded. The bellcranks were very similar to an old MSA. I was a beginner and can't tell you how good it worked or sounded. I didn't have it long until I ordered my S-10 Zum. I might could scan a picture of it if anyone was truly interested. I don't know that I've ever seen another steel like it. |
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