The Steel Guitar Forum

Anyone know what this thing is?
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=266195926

I placed a modest bid, hope it wasn't a mistake. I guess it has some sort of hex nut or hex screw for tuning machines.

Maybe Brad has some info?

I saw one at a Guitar show in Orlando, FL, a couple of weeks ago.
I tried to fool around with it and tried to tune it, but I wasn't too succesful at it.
Works like you described (when it works).
"They" wanted $200.oo for it but it didn't sell.
... J-D.

Chris is right; this Magnatone model uses a hex nut for a tuning mechanism. A friend of mine owned this model guitar and used a regular hex key from Sears to tune it. I don't know what size, but it was a standard size.
It's not a bad sounding guitar, if you like the Magnatone sound. I wish I knew what they called this model!
Magnatone made another similar model with an electronic tuning mechanism - a motor attached to three buttons. When you pushed a button, the motor would tighten or loosen the strings. The one version of this guitar I saw had the noisiest motor imaginable. Sort of like hooking up a lawn mower engine to a pedal steel to change strings!


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Brad's Page of Steel:
www.well.com/~wellvis/steel.html
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

Thanks guys.

Hey Brad, do you have any idea if the tuning mechanism was a major problem with the guitar?

Maybe I don't want to know, since I've already placed my bid. Like I said, it was a modest bid, and I could easily be outbid. Anyway, if you have any other info on its performance I'd love to hear about it. Did the player you know like it?

FYI, Doc Pittilo in Fountain Valley, CA has an entire set (steel and matching amp) in VG condition. Supposedly, Billy Gibbons borrowed the amp from Doc to record with (Doc likes to throw names around).

Anyway, I think he wanted $300 for the set. I wouldn't bid too much on just the steel. You'd never move it if you didn't like it.

The tuning mechanism is just weird. It's kind of a hassle to change strings. I think he got rid of it precisely for that reason (that, and the fact that he found a Fender lap steel that sounded much better).
As of this writing, $149 is the high bid. That's probably the most I'd pay for something like this even in excellent condition.

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Brad's Page of Steel:
www.well.com/~wellvis/steel.html
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

The guitar was built by Magna Electronics for the NATURAL MUSIC GUILD Sanata Ana, Calif. in the 50s. It was called STA-TUNE GUITAR & MY PAL AMPLIFER it came as a set.

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Well, I was outbid. I'm kinda relieved, judging from the reactions above. Thanks for your input. Guess I should just save up for a melobar with dobroism installed. That would be smart, but then I've never been accused of being smart...