The Steel Guitar Forum

Hi!
Jim from Minnesota here. Have been playing guitar for around 44 years now and have been exploring the world of lap steel. LOVE IT! I have a chance to pick up THIS insturment from a local mom & pop store that I frequent. I'm a bit baffled...because it's a Tone Master...but NOT an OAHU! EVERY other example I see of this instrument is an OAHU. It has a "1543" (Serial Number?) stamped into the wood on the top of the headstock and has NO metal plate with any numbers which might lead me to the Valco/Supro direction. They're asking $399 for it. Any help in identifying this steel would be GREATLY appreciated. Oh Yea...it plays and sounds great, is in VG condition and comes in the original case. I'm "borrowing" it for the weekend! GREAT to be here and thanks in advance for any help!

---Jim

That is an Oahu...
I have one just like it, it is the best sounding lap steel I have heard ever....

IMO...it sounds better than my Stringmaster...

I don't see them often without the Oahu name but like I said, that is how mine is...

Yours looks to be in good shape as well!

Not sure about the year...

Thanks Jim.
Anyone have any info on the manufacturer? Is it Kay or maybe Harmony? Wouldn't be Valco/Supro I wouldn't imagine because I've been told those all have a metal tag with a serial number.
The store owner said he was pretty sure it was mid 50's vintage. I've just not seen another one like it without the OAHU logo. Hmmm...
Are these steels 25" scale? It seems longer than some I've tried.

I, too, have one of these (without the Oahu brand on it) -- serial number on mine is 1043. Mid-50s is also what I've been told for the vintage on these. And the scale length is actually 25.5" (on mine).

Like Mr. Konrad I think mine is one of the best sounding lap steels I've played.

Mine doesn't look quite as nice and clean as the one you're contemplating, but it's the sound that matters most.

-Dave

James Detloff wrote:Thanks Jim.
...
The store owner said he was pretty sure it was mid 50's vintage. I've just not seen another one like it without the OAHU logo. Hmmm...
Are these steels 25" scale? It seems longer than some I've tried.

Thanks David. Makes me wonder, IF this is an Oahu brand, why they wouldn't have their brand name on it anywhere. I've also come across a few Tone Masters branded "English Electric". I wonder if Oahu sold the Tone Master rights to English Electric...and maybe in the transition some were produced with no branding?? Maybe someone else has some knowledge they can share. It is a tonefull little guy though! Any idea of the manufacturer? Harmony? Kay?
Thanks!

David Venzke wrote:I, too, have one of these (without the Oahu brand on it) -- serial number on mine is 1043. Mid-50s is also what I've been told for the vintage on these. And the scale length is actually 25.5" (on mine).

Like Mr. Konrad I think mine is one of the best sounding lap steels I've played.

Mine doesn't look quite as nice and clean as the one you're contemplating, but it's the sound that matters most.

-Dave

James Detloff wrote:Thanks Jim.
...
The store owner said he was pretty sure it was mid 50's vintage. I've just not seen another one like it without the OAHU logo. Hmmm...
Are these steels 25" scale? It seems longer than some I've tried.

I believe oahu tonemasters were made over quite a long period, and seem to have come from different shops with varying amounts of quality control. They are definitely not all equal. Yours seems to be a very fine example. $400 is a bit steep, but in that condition with the really nice case it is not a rip-off either.

I see Oahus on Ebay but have hesitated to buy one because they seem to
sell for fairly low bids.. so I thought that might indicate low quality.
Good to hear certain models have some " mojo".
Thanks for the information!

This steel was built by Kay, back when Kay still made some reasonably nice instruments. Valco built a lot of Oahu steels in the '50s and '60s, but not this model.

Well...
I'm the proud new owner of the Tone Master. I Ordered a couple sets of Scotty's C6 string sets, a Tribo-Tone standard "B" slide and the Basic C6th Nonpedal Lap Steel Method book/CD. Wish me luck! :wink

nice. I hope it does you well.

James,

Nice looking guitar and just by appearance is seems to have "mojo"! Just don't get frustrated, relax, enjoy and as a fellow "newbie" I welcome you.

Tom
PS: Once you start to get the hang of it I would strongly suggest getting Doug Beaumier's 25 C6th songs for Lap Steel. He has two out both are great but if you can only swing one then #2 is the way to go.

Thomas Temple wrote:James,

Nice looking guitar and just by appearance is seems to have "mojo"! Just don't get frustrated, relax, enjoy and as a fellow "newbie" I welcome you.

Tom
PS: Once you start to get the hang of it I would strongly suggest getting Doug Beaumier's 25 C6th songs for Lap Steel. He has two out both are great but if you can only swing one then #2 is the way to go.

Thanks a lot Tom!
I'll be sure to check those out!
Jim

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I have one very similar to yours and I love it. The pick up is Crazy powerful. I keep mine in Open E.
Tonemaster + Blues Jr =

Have fun!

James, you made a good decision. I don't think you will be disappointed. One little thing that may be of help - it is rather easy to knock the tone control out of position when your picking hand is moving about. I took the knob off and placed a garden-hose rubber washer under it. Then I put a little downward pressure on the knob as I tightened the screw. This created enough traction to keep the control in its correct position for most accidental knocks. Kind of Rube Goldberg, but it works.

David Matzenik wrote:James, you made a good decision. I don't think you will be disappointed. One little thing that may be of help - it is rather easy to knock the tone control out of position when your picking hand is moving about. I took the knob off and placed a garden-hose rubber washer under it. Then I put a little downward pressure on the knob as I tightened the screw. This created enough traction to keep the control in its correct position for most accidental knocks. Kind of Rube Goldberg, but it works.

Great idea David! I'll try that if it becomes an issue!
Jim