The Steel Guitar Forum

All this talk about Stringmasters made me want to get my Stringmaster D6 out and play it tonight. What a sound.
Here is a look back to a Fender Book from 1960...they really hit the ball out of the park with these instruments.

Notice the bottom picture is of a D6 Stringmaster...seems Fender did call it a Stringmaster after all.

Terry VunCannon wrote:Notice the bottom picture is of a D6 Stringmaster...seems Fender did call it a Stringmaster after all.

...sometimes,

Either that or the art department pulled out the wrong photo and nobody noticed.

1957-58 Catalog

If it looks like, plays like, sounds like and has all the features like a Stringmaster; but you can't call it a Stringmaster, it must be a D 6

...seems Fender did call it a Stringmaster after all

Maybe the answer is that Fender started calling it a (6-string) Stringmaster by 1960, when that ad was printed. Maybe they got on board with everyone else! Originally called a Dual Six, and later called a Stringmaster? Maybe. Is that ad in the original post from a magazine, from a Fender catalog, or what?

Yes the ad is straight from a 1960s Fender book.
A old Fender salesman told me that Fender offered the Stringmaster D6 as a special order by customer only at first.
I think that Leo & Fender was just all over the place with product info in the old day. But, this ad does prove that Fender did call this one a Stringmaster at some time.

The question is ,was the book by Fender or about Fender Guitars? That is the question!

It's from the 1960 catalog.

If this was a mistake they did it two years in a row. Here's one from the 1961 full line catalog.

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Well, that settles it! The Dual Six of the 1950s was called a Stringmaster by 1960. That's good to know.

From reading Richard Smith's excellent tome "Fender: The Sound Heard 'Round The World," it's my impression that Leo built 'em and Don Randall named 'em.

Leo ran Fender Electric Instruments in Fullerton, where he and his crew designed and manufactured the instruments and the amplifiers.

Randall ran Fender Sales in Santa Ana, where he marketed what Leo built. Randall produced all the marketing materials such as catalogues, photos, advertising, etc. With very few exceptions, he hung the monikers on virtually everything that came out of the building(s) in Fullerton.

It's interesting that Fender kept the same model Names for much of their gear though the years, even though the gear changed in looks and in performance. For example, the amps. There were many versions of the Champ, Princeton, Deluxe, Vibrolux, Twin, etc. First tweed wide panel, then tweed narrow panel, then brown tolex, black tolex, blackface, silverface, bigger and louder, but the same model names. Same thing with the steels. Champ, Deluxe, etc., different versions of the same model name. Kind of confusing to a lay person.

Thanks so much for this post! My grandfather gave me his 8 string Fender lap steel before his passing. I have the original receipt from 3/23/61. Now I know it is the 8 string deluxe. I would guess it is a 60 model, since it was bout not too fat into 61? It looks identical! I am just now starting to play in high C6 tuning, and a new member to the forum. A very happy new member at that!:)

Couldn't turn the pic, but here is the cost in 1961.

Welcome, Adam. That's a great guitar you've got!

I'm surprised Jody hasn't jumped into this discussion. He was the Marketing Rep for Fender in those days and is still with us.

Welcome Adam...and...COMPLETELY jealous!

I have a feeling the Jody is watching this thread Alan...

A big thanks to everyone! I already feel at home on this forum. Very happy with the information I have found out in just my first day on the forum:)

Doug Beaumier wrote:Well, that settles it! The Dual Six of the 1950s was called a Stringmaster by 1960. That's good to know.

That is good to know Doug. Like I always say, it sure makes me feel good to call mine a Stringmaster. I have always thought, that if it has the blend wheel under the plate, it is a SM.