The Steel Guitar Forum

there seems to be several Marlen steels sold and talked about the past 2 months it also seems there is quite a following and Marlens owners seem to like them pretty well due to the quality and tone and feel of the instrument. If you have one post a picture I would love to see yours I know other marlen owners would as well. Heres my gorgeous Marlen notice the quality is second to none.. I'm so glad I bought it (and kept it:).Show us yours..

My first Marlen (1975, pull-release, 8X4), rosewood formica...sold in 1992 to a ship's electrician (along with the Dobro 60D in the picture). The amp was a Vibrosonic Reverb with a single Cerwin Vega 15" speaker.



My latest, a re-finished 1972 pull-release (8X4). First, the undercarriage:-



and the top-side view with an unusual background.



and the playing-surface from the player's side:-



Len Stadler built some of the most beautiful steels to come out of North Carolina. If you own one you have a piece of steel-guitar history...however "quirky" it may be.

My little All Pull S10, needing a polish job... Check out the wonderful pattern formica, "The Man" used on this beauty. Thank you Len for building her and Jack for allowing me to buy her.

Thanks guys those are really nice ones.
Not met one person who has a marlen that doesn'r love theirs...
I played mine this morning and love it more everytime I play it. I have never had easier pedal action yet still has the firm control factor so you don't feel like your stomping on jelly:).
The biggie is TONE TONE TONE, MAN mine has those old single coil Marlens,I wouldn't change a hair on her head...YESSSS

I bought a basket-case Marlen D10 about 3 years ago.

It had 6 pedals and no knee levers.

I converted it to a padded rear neck 3 pedals 4 levers, making all the bits myself.

Youtube video HERE

Here is a 1966 Marlen D10 I bought a few years ago. It was my first steel.

He is me and my first Marlen circa 1974 or so. I no longer have this one but I traded it for an later all-pull model that I have loaned to a friend that is trying to learn. Dale

Dave that is one of the best looking Marlens make that one of the best looking steels I ever saw!!.
that cabinet is beautiful

I'm LOVING mine. 1984 D-10. BL 705 chrome pickups. Many thanks to SGF member Bob Moore for having taken good care of it, and to Dennis Wireman,for a wonderful deal. This one eclipses my previous 4 steels in every aspect.

I'll try to get some better pics, this is an absolute stunner, sounds and plays great.

Thanks Bill - It sounds and plays as good as it looks. I've never had to do anything to it but tune it and never thought about changing the pick up. A very stable guitar, never broke a string!

Dave I have not found one bad thing about this guitar usually when you get a new axe of any kind there is something that bothers you not with this.
I still have the same strings rick fitzgerald put on it I even played 3 or 4 sets with them,not broke nary one:). The Tone and ease of playing just floor me.I have developed a cpl ew rifts with this becase the Pedal action is so accurate and easy,I mentioned the fact not loose or mushy feeling,I played a friends Old Rusler several yrs ago now talk about worn out steel ...I noticed new interest in Marlens
I guess because all of us know how great they ARE!.

....still luv my 1974 Marlen

1971 Pull/Release

Sweet!

My 2003 (I think that was the year it was built) Marlen D-10