Stringmaster Question

Bill McCloskey · From: Nanuet, NY

I'm awaiting my Stringmaster Quad to arrive and the seller says his father is the original owner and it has the original strings on it.

Got me thinking: did stringmaster quads come with a particular setup? or was it custom per order? Was there a "standard" setup? Were the bass strings always shipped with the same tuning?

Doug Beaumier · From: Northampton, MA

I've never heard of any factory standard tunings for the Quad... but it's possible I guess. If there were, it would probably be metioned in the original Fender catalogs from the era...?

There has been much discussion here on the Forum about the various tunings the players would put on the four necks. I've read that a some players tuned the bass neck to E. Fender Did put factory tunings on their early pedal steels... E7 and A6, I believe. They had to do that to set up the pedal raises and lowers properly.

Speaking of Quads, this is my walnut Quad, about 10 years ago. I sold it shortly after this picture was taken... wish i hadn't Sad

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Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Here's an article from the Feb. 1988 Guitar Player:

Bill McCloskey · From: Nanuet, NY

Thanks Erv!

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Bill,
I noticed there was some mention of tunings in the article.
BTW: Here's a picture of my quad Stringmaster, S/N 0002:

Dennis Smith · From: Covington, Georgia, USA

Thanks Erv, great artical. How many of us would like to find an instrument we had 30 or more years ago.
Dennis

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Dennis,
I'll have to tell you my own story.
When I decided that I needed a multi-neck instrument, I purchases a T-8, long scale Stringmaster. This was back in 1954.
I played this guitar for several years and then when I got my fingertip Sho~Bud from Shot Jackson, I sold the Stringmaster. Several years later, the fellow who bought this guitar passed away and I had the chance to buy it back from his widow. By this time the guitar had seen its better days and had even gone through a car wreck. Never the less, I was elated to be able to buy it back. I completely dis-assembled it and lovingly restored it to its original condition.

Adrian Adkisson · From: Oklahoma, USA

Not to hijack the thread but I didn't realize they made a 22.5" scale stringmaster. I prefer the longer scale guitars but are there any cons to the short scale compared to 24.5", other than preference?

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Some players claim that it is easier to do slants on the 22.5" Stringmaster.
However, I've always felt that the longer the scale length, the longer the sustain.

Jim Rossen · From: Iowa, USA

Please tell us the details of the guitar body restoration. How would you do it today?

Thanks
Jim

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

You need to completely dis-assemble the guitar.
Apply paint removal several times to remove all the old finish.
Repair any dings in the wood with stainable wood filler.
Sand, sand and sand with increasingly finer sand paper.
Apply wood filler, then sanding sealer, sand and start applying the color you desire.
I prefer nitro-cellulose lacquer.
Sand out any imperfections in the color process and re-apply.
When you have the color you desire, I usually start applying tinted clear lacquer to get the "aging" I desire.
Then you put on several coats of clear lacquer, lightly sanding between coats.
When you have it like you want it, you start sanding again with very fine wet & dry sand paper winding up with maybe a #2000 sandpaper.
After that, you go with a polishing compound and a auto body scratch remover to bring out the shine.
And then you re-assemble!
Nobody said it would be easy! Very Happy

I get my materials from www.reranch.com

Here are some pictures of when I did my T-8 Stringmaster:

Alan Brookes · From: Brummy living in Southern California

We're all envious, Bill. Smile

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