The Steel Guitar Forum

An old fellow (older than me) that comes to some of our gigs had to put his wife in a rest home and had some instruments for sale. I bought this Gibson lapsteel from him for $200. He only wanted $100 for it but I knew he needed the money in a hurry so I doubled the price he wanted and I'm curious if it was worth the price. It is a Gibson but it has numbers on the fretboard from the factory so it's probably a student model of some kind. It also has the original hardshell case.... What might the going rate be for these steels? Thanks for any info you might have..........JH in Va.

Others might chime in with more knowledge than me, but I think these (Gibson BR-9) go for around $350 to $450. If it has the older non adjustable pick up it would probably be toward the high side of that. I don't think you would have a hard time getting your money back that's for sure.

You got a really good deal, Jerry. The prices Frank cites are definitely in the ballpark. Gibson BR-9s are very common on eBay. There seems to be about a dozen listed at any given time, but very few are as nice as yours. Many, if not most of them, have been cannibalized for their original jack plate, because it's the same one as on many Les Pauls of the period.

Yes, you got a good deal. The BR-9 was Gibson's student model in the 50s. Hence the numbers on the frets. I've read that Gibson made over 15,000 BR-9s, more than any other Gibson model. They are not rare... like Jack said, they are on eBay constantly.

I've seen a ton of these lately goin for $300-$600.

I owned one of these and played it for several years. Gave $150 for it sold for $350 with original case didn't have the numbers on the fret board. I liked this guitar very much sold it when I went to psg in 2006. Yours in better cosmetic condition than mine (to many bars)

A good deed is always a good deal.

The BR-9 is a good student steel, and you were kind to pay double his asking price. Well worth the $200. I value the non-adjustable pickup models higher than the adjustable pickup models. Which model is yours? Also, there were three generations of the BR-9 model with different finishes and lower bout shape. My best guess without examining yours in hand is that it is c. 1951. You can see 2 c. 1947 BR-9 models on my website.

Good Karma is better than a good deal. The BR stands for the Chicago design firm of Barnes and Reinecke, whom Gibson employed as consultants for their instrument designs.

Hey C.E....... How did you arrive at a 1951 year?... Mine is exactly like the two 1947 models on your website.. On the back of the headstock there's a number stamped into the wood, does that signify anything? I can't make out the first number but the second one is a 9 and then it looks like an arrow pointing to the 9........JH in Va.

Jerry, I personally have never seen a BR-9 with a serial number. Neither of the ones on my website have serial numbers. In A. R. Duchossior's book, Gibson Electric Steel Guitars 1935-1967, he shows BR-9 specs, p. 86. Early BR-9s, 1947-1951, had a sharp curve on the lower bout and non-adjustable pickups. Both steels on my website have non-adjustable pickups.

To me, your BR-9 has a more rounded bout and less sharp than the earlier models I have seen. Check your pickup, and if it is non-adjustable, you have a pre-1951 model.

C.E., when you say "non-adjustable" pickup do you mean the pole pieces are not adjustable? Is that pickup the same one Gibson used in the early Ultratones and the early (black) Century 6? That would be a fairly wide pickup with non-adjustable poles.

Yes, you got a great deal.

Doug, I need to clarify my statement about "non-adjustable" pickup. On the BR-9 it is non-adjustable poles, or adjustable poles. Most adjustable poles I have seen have a screw slot in the top of the pole.

However, there are adjustable pickups, such as the so called "Charlie Christian" U-magnet pickup for Gibson EH-185 models, with pickup adjustments on each end, but not for individual poles. The Gibson EH-185 model with ES-300 slanted pickup has a screw slot in top of each pole for adjustment.

My only Gibson Ultratone (v.2) 1956, has adjustable poles with a screw slot in the top of the pole. Not sure about the early (black) Century 6, since I don't have one.

As each of you know, Gibson was notorious for using old parts in newer steels, and all of us have found numerous differences in some steel from what specs call for. I have found that some of the spec variations can make an instrument rare and valuable (when they are original from the factory).

My first lap steel was a BR9 and it still gets a lot of use (and is now looking a bit worn). I think they sound great.

If I'm only playing steel on a few numbers in a set, I'll bring the BR9 instead of my D8 or T8 and even if I'm using my triple neck on a steel-only gig, I'll sometimes bring the Gibson too so I can tune it to Am6 that I use on one song.

Looks like you got a bargain.

Not sure about the early (black) Century 6, since I don't have one.

The early Century 6 pickup has non-adjustable, raised poles. It's a very hot pickup!

Jerry - you rate well on two counts, both good karma and a great steel.
I played one of these a while ago through a Super Champ at a jam and it had wonderful tone.

Doug Beaumier wrote: The early Century 6 pickup has non-adjustable, raised poles. It's a very hot pickup!

The pickup on the beat-up 1st generation black Century 6 I just purchased is also quite hot, and it sounds just wonderful through both my Pro Junior and my Blues Junior.

I just took my little flashlight and looked up under the pickup cover and the pole pieces are plain with no screwdriver slots or anything so the guitar definitely has a non adjustable pickup. I also noticed that the three tuning pegs on the bass side have been replaced. The ones on the treble side are the three on a strip type Klusons and the bass side has some no name type. Are the Klusons of this type available anywhere?

I also strung it up in a sort of E6th tuning from low to high B C# E G# B E so I can do simple things like Steel Guitar Rag in the key of E... The guitar has a very nice tone and I plugged it into my lead guitar rig (Fender Deluxe Reverb, Boss ME-70 pedalboard) and it's very compatible with my guitar settings so maybe I'll be able to take it to a gig and just set up an A/B switch and use it that way. I've seen some guys that just take the plug out of their pedal steel and plug it into the lapsteel on their lap or set it right on the strings of the pedal steel, I guess that'd be OK too.... There's a little "dirt" sound in the tone control but if you turn it a few times it goes away. I imagine all the controls are stock considering the good condition of the guitar..........JH in Va.

Hey Michael, I saw those in the StewMac catalog but they're not Klusons. The remaining original tuners on the treble side of the guitar have Kluson stamped right into the gear cover box so I'd like to get a matching set for the other side. Does anyone know if Kluson is still in business?......JH in Va.

Yes, there is a current Kluson Co. but the quality of their tuners is not as good as the vintage, USA made Klusons IMO. I ordered a set for my Emmons pedal steel a few years ago and I was not impressed. They felt cheaply made, lightweight, not USA made. The Gotoh Vintage-style tuners (they look like Klusons) that StewMac sells are better quality IMO.

Doug Beaumier wrote:Yes, there is a current Kluson Co. but the quality of their tuners is not as good as the vintage, USA made Klusons IMO. I ordered a set for my Emmons pedal steel a few years ago and I was not impressed. They felt cheaply made, lightweight, not USA made. The Gotoh Vintage-style tuners (they look like Klusons) that StewMac sells are better quality IMO.

Agree that the Japanese Gotoh tuners from StewMac are superior to the modern Klusons. They may even be better than the vintage Klusons. And they are certainly preferable to a worn-out set of originals. The only thing I don't like about them is their super-bright white buttons.