The Steel Guitar Forum

Hello all,

A local music shop has a Fender Champion lap steel for sale ($600, no case, in good condition, with a few minor dings, and the tuners need to be replaced). The masking tape under the pots says "2/51". The pickup and wiring appear to be original. However, the knobs are flat-topped and don't have quite the same patina and look as the other chrome parts. My very limited understanding is that the knobs should be domed. If these are replaced, how severely does that affect the value? Could I find an original set somewhere else? Is $600 too much for a guitar like this with no case?

I appreciate any advice.

Thanks,
Shawn

I think $600 is on the high end for a Champion with bad tuners (unless just the tuner Buttons are bad), no case, and replacement knobs. Unfortunately a lot of guitar players rob the knobs, the pickup, and the pots from these Champions for their Telecaster, Esquire, Nocaster, etc.

Regarding the knobs, the originals were dome knobs with a heavy knurl. But there were different shapes and sizes of "dome" and knurl over the years. Fender makes new replacements for most styles, I believe. The picture below shows some different 'dome' styles. I'm thinking that the one on the far left looks correct for a Champion, but that's just a guess. I would just buy a correct looking set of replacements and keep looking for an original set, if that's what you want.

Doug,

Thanks for the information. From the photos you posted and other research, I'm pretty certain the knobs on this particular steel have been replaced. And it's just the tuner buttons that are bad (crumbly and disintegrating). I like the guitar, but was worried that $600 was a little on the high side considering it doesn't have a case. I'll look into the replacement knobs.

Shawn

Below are a couple that sold here on the Forum a while back. The first one has original knobs, but no case, and new replacement tuners. The second one has new replacement knobs. The selling prices were $460 and $550.

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... t=champion

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... t=champion