1963 Marlen?

Olie Eshleman · Post by **Olie Eshleman** » 4 May 2012 10:37 am

A friend of mine called me today asking advice about this 1963 marlen:

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/msg/2980048170.html

Pictures are pretty bad. He is contemplating trading a sort of frankenstieny 70's silver-face bassman modded by Dr. Z himself. He was asking $900 for the amp. Do you think this PSG is worth that much or more?
Can't tell if it has any knees. I'm not even sure what the mechanics of a Marlen this old might be. Any more info you might have about this much appreciated.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 4 May 2012 2:40 pm

Early Marlens (back in the '60s) were usually nice looking but very poorly made instruments. These were all single raise/lower guitars with little in the way of precise machining and fitting. Most also have serious cosmetic issues with rusted and pitted parts, and a general "cobbled together" appearance. Few had more than one or two knee levers

Unless it's been completely refurbed or upgraded somewhere along the line, chances are good it's a pretty sad and useless instrument. $:\$

And yes, I do own one.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 4 May 2012 3:45 pm

Not to contradict a really knowledgeable guy who I respect a bunch, but wouldn't that old be pull-release?
That's not single raise, single lower: intermediate raises and lowers just require barrels on the rods.
First guitar I owned was a pull-release Marlen 3&4. Great tone. I completely agree with the assessment of the build quality. I only sold it to buy my Emmons D-10.
Len definitely put more care into the top side than the underside. The underside looked like Characitus Potts (if you've forgotten Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, that's not my fault) and Doc Brown (that's Back to the Future, not from the Hank Snow song) assembled it over a mess of cocktails during a poker game.

Looked at that ad: What's with the FrankenPickup?

richard burton · Post by **richard burton** » 4 May 2012 8:36 pm

It looks like a single neck version of my Marlen, with the same type of endplate and nameplate design.

Mine was a double neck, 6 pedals and no knee levers, and needed a small amount of modification to make the playing action more precise, and to stabilise the tuning.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 5 May 2012 3:34 am

Yes Lane, the old ones were all pull/release design (a one-piece finger), and they could be modified to add more capability. But in '63, the Marlens didn't come with barrel tuners, and so they had to be added afterwards. Heck, I can even add barrel tuners and some bellcranks (reversing levers) to a Red Baron or Maverick and make it triple raise/lower! So can any other competent tech, but that stuff is normally out of the range of most players.

Personally, although many players simply accept them, I don't like barrel tuners, and consider them an ersatz accommodation. I also don't consider the single finger pull/release design to be any different than the single finger Maverick and 'Baron actions, except that it doesn't require bellcranks for the lowers.

Sure, a Richard Burton or Ricky Davis could make a '63 Marlen a nice, capable axe...but they weren't built that way to start.

Caveat emptor

Richard Rice · Post by **Richard Rice** » 5 May 2012 5:05 am

From my very limited experience with PSG's, and even further limited experience/research on Marlens, I would strongly advise against that trade.

My '84 Marlen is a nice instrument, but Mr. Stadler had 20 years' building experience over a '63. In all honesty, if your friend is wanting to learn PSG he would do better getting a used student model of much newer manufacture. A mediocre or poor instrument is an additional hurdle, often insurmountable by a beginner- leading to frustration and eventual failure. For a few extra bux he could get a Sierra Artist with 3+4 that works right and matches the currently available instructional materials.

I tried to learn on several inferior/broken/worn out steels, with lots of motivation, mechanical abilities, etc... bad idea. To not know where the machine's problems begin as opposed to personal limitations is a common problem. Trying to play a guitar that won't play properly when you don't know what the problem is can be a source of extreme aggravation. Lack of instructional materials for a particular machine compound the problem. In your friend's shoes, I would sell the amp, add a modest amount of cash, and get a nice student model from a known member here on the Forum.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 5 May 2012 5:11 am

Why the dislike of barrels?
It wouldn't surprise me if I end up needing some under my MSA, as I think one or two strings may exceed what I can do with pull-shifting gizmos.

EDIT: Richard speaks good stuff.

Ron Beck · Post by **Ron Beck** » 5 May 2012 10:37 am

stay away from junk if you are learning to play! The pull release is a joke !

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 5 May 2012 3:42 pm

Listen to what Mr. Rice said.

Tony Glassman · Post by **Tony Glassman** » 5 May 2012 5:53 pm

......but Marlens usually sound great, probably because of that rudimentary single finger changer.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 5 May 2012 6:15 pm

Totally. And, like the nearly equally rudimentary push-pull, if properly set up and adjusted, will play great.
Of course the odds of THAT guitar meeting those criteria would qualify as a longshot.
And if it needs knees? Yeeah.

Newbs should run like hell.

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 5 May 2012 11:44 pm

Bert Rivera with an early 60's Marlen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jr9y1v0fxPE

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 6 May 2012 8:15 am

Dig the barrel he's sitting on.

Richard Rice · Post by **Richard Rice** » 6 May 2012 8:49 am

I liked the whole thing.

Think I'll share it on my FB page.. Thanks for posting it!