The Steel Guitar Forum

I just picked up a Multi-Kord for a future research project and had a few quick questions for the collective wisdom. Any way to date one of these things? Mine is an eight-string, four pedal model. Seems to be made out of some sort of composite material. Has a red button between the volume and tone control that sounds like it's trying to be a Boo-Waa device, but is mostly static at the moment.

Also, the tuning knobs are crumbling when I turn them. Anyone know where to get tuning machines for one of these things?

Thanks for all and any advice.

Dan

Stewart-MacDonald has replacement knobs.
www.stewmac.com

I still have one that I bought in 1953; they have a great tone; I did all of my Sun Studio recording with it. One needs to be careful of the tuning screws: they wear down and will put a string out of tune. They are tuned with a special screw driver which has a "locking barrel" over it. When tuning a string is complete, the screw must be locked into place. I abandoned the braided cables because they break like spagetti. I devised a system of screen-door turn buckles for each pedal--no problem after that. They were popular in the 1950's; maybe the serial number would give a clue as to the time built; that number is found on the underside left end.

Dan, that red button is a " shot gun " button. It interupted the signal to create the so called boo wah effect. They worked very well.As far as the year, I guess it really doesn't matter as they were pretty much the same. They were availabl in six and eight string models with four to six pedals and also they made a double neck with pedals on one neck.
There may have been other variations but I'm not sure.They were built by Harlin Bros in Indianapolis In.

Thanks for the info guys. I have the knobs from stew-mac and will try putting them on when I have a little breathing room.

Dan

These were made in Indianapolis Indiana (my hometown),they Started making them I think in either late 40's early 50s and made them until the late 60's,In 1961 Harlin Brothers who made them had a Radio show on local radio station and little Jimmy Bob is now going to play his HARLIN Brothers Multi kord, understand these things were high price for the time,,,Kids took lessons and with the Guitar and Amp and lessons $$$$$$$. Of course 98% of what they play sounded like Lester road hog and the cadillac cowboys.... Polly Wolly doodle all day:),Home on the range....In the 70's and 80's you could get these at local yard sales in Indpls for 5 or 6 dollars, and of course just a few months ago someone called my brother with a Steel Guitar that turned out to be a Multi kord but a lot of people still like them I think I saw this one on e Bay??, best wishes Bill H

The way I understand it, they sued Gibson when they came out with the "Electraharp". The changer design was too much like Harlan Bros. patent.

I want to dispel one thing about this instrument. Folks say it is great for changing chords but not too well suited for the modern pedal sound.
I played in Battle Creek Michigan with my fried Gene Mears back in the fifties and sixties. He used both feet on the pedals and did the volume with his little finger. He could pedal " Above and Beyond " and a lot of other Buck Owens stuff every bit as good as Ralph Mooney. He was from Indianapolis and played the Multi-kord better than anyone I ever heard. He passed away some years back and I still miss him.

I've given some thought to getting a six or eight string Multi-Kord, tuning it like a Dobro and linking it with a Goodrich Match-Bro or Bobbe's Bo-Bro. Does this idea sound like it would work?

I've got a couple of them and the one you have with the "mama button" is a later version and has the string through pickup. If you ever take the pickup apart be sure not to change the magnet direction. They are not fastened except for the tension of the two screws. I removed the tuning gears from the guitar and cleaned them up, heated them with a torch and pushed the buttons on. They have never come off since. Replacing the cables with rods and screen door turnbuckles is the way to go. The cables have probably stretched anyway.

I also used both feet and controlled the volume with my pinky. It can be done but I prefer my D10 with a volume pedal now. If I remember correctly I have one in Emajor (EBEG#BE)Lo to Hi and I have pedals drop the E to Eb, G to F# and raise the B to C# and the G# to A. You should also reinforce the legs with a cross brace at the pedal end to keep it from wiggling around when you play. There is a C6th setup for a Multi-Kord that has been posted here that may suit you too but I don't remember it.

If you didn't get the tool to set it up, use a socket and a small screwdriver.

I one that was my first steel guitar in about 1965. I have not taken in out of the case for many many years. I would be fun to set it up and mess with it just for fun. The one thing I remember is that the string spaceing is wider that what all the current guitars are. It would take some getting use to I suppose.

Wide spacing but, great for slants...

I have a Multi Kord too, and have crumbling tuner knobs. Which knobs do you order from Stewart McDonald? There are several types.

Fred Glave wrote:I have a Multi Kord too, and have crumbling tuner knobs. Which knobs do you order from Stewart McDonald? There are several types.

I used the cheap white button type for one Multi-Kord and made my own out of 1/4" Plexiglass for the other. The covers on the guitar hide the tuners anyway, so go cheap. If you use a propane torch to heat the shaft of the tuning machine it will insure that the plastic doesn't split. Don't get them red hot, only hot enough to press the button on. Remove the tuning assembly before doing this.

If you go into www.stewmac.com the white plastic replacement knobs are #0113.
Depending on how many you buy, they range in price from $1.71 to $1.07 per each.

Thanks for all the feedback and advice guys. I finally got around to putting the new knobs on, strung it up to C6th (strings 1-8) and am having a lot of fun with it. Currently working on Mike Neer's lesson for 4-wheel drive; great stuff!

I am finding that if i rest the outer edge of my right hand on the strings (as is my wont), they bang the poles on the pickup quite a bit. Is there any way to adjust the pickup height on this thing? Mine is the string through type, For now I'm laying my hand on the pick up cover, but one or two of the strings are still too close to the pole; they start touching it if I bar above the eighth fret or so.

Fun toy.

Dan

Dan,

On my MK the individual pickup posts are slotted and can be adjusted up or down individually. If yours are not adjustable then you could remove the bridge on the pick-up end and shim under the assembly to raise the whole nut to elevate the strings. Be careful not to raise too high and rub against the pick-up cover.

Jim K

Thanks Jim,

they are indeed slotted. I didn't want to mess for fear of screwing it up, but I'll give it a shot if it's supposed to be, well, "screwed up" (or down, as the case may be).

Dan

If I wanted to replace my tuners on the MultiKord (not just the knobs), which ones would fit?

Good question Fred. That's what I wanted to do, but I couldn't find one listed with the right length shaft. I would probably change them If I could; several of the shafts are slightly bent and they seem pretty flimsy overall.

Dan

I have four, and a fifth one that I'm going to be putting regular pedals on.

If you just use the Search function on Multi-Kord you'll find everything you ever wanted to know has already been discussed on the Forum.

The expert is Danny James, a member and regular poster on the Forum, who used to work on their manufacture. The company was owned by the Harlin brothers, and Danny knew them all personally.

I think the date of late 40's is about 10 years out..Not for this specific guitar, but for the initial start of manufacturing them. I'm pretty sure it's pre 1940.