The Steel Guitar Forum

As we look back did you ever own a lap steel you wish you had now? Was it a Fender,National, Rickenbacher,Gibson,Chandler or some other brand?What did you love about it?

Regretably, I sold my National 16 double neck to raise money to pay for my Fender 24 triple back in 1954. I really miss that old axe now as it had a tone which was very unique. Oh well, what's done is done, but you did ask us.

I don't part with a guitar until I've given it every chance. If there's something about it that irks me and/or I can't adjust to it's idiosynchrocies - I'll sell it. No regrets so far !

My little single neck Gibson six string....
was a jewel; My dad got it for me in about 1948. Well built and a great tone. I traded it in when I got my triple-8 Fender in about 1950. It also was a great guitar. In fact, the fellow that purchased that Fender from me, wrote to me just a week ago for the first time since my sale to him. What a small world. Saw my name on the Forum, no less.

My 57 Stringmaster is the best Steel I ever had but at least I get to keep in touch with its new owner Bob Hoffnar.

That steel has the best pickups I have ever heard in it bar none. I got it from Buck Owens recording studio here in Bakersfield a few yrs ago who knows what recordings it might have been on?

I also had a really nice Bakelite Ricky back in the early 70's that had one of those pickups that was exceptional.

Wish I wasnt on disability so I could afford to keep em all but sometimes you gotta sell stuff you love to pay rent and eat. Old steel guitar strings dont taste too good unless you really boil them for along time! LOL<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Mark Davis on 17 May 2001 at 01:29 AM.]</p></FONT>

Man, I had an 40s, white mother-of-you-know-what double-neck Ohau that was sweet as pie. And I sold it in a fit of madness twenty-five years ago. It had a red and white case lined with red plush. My firend says, "Just to be safe, never sell a guitar or a car you've paid off."

Andy, if you see a little black lacquer six string lap steel with mother of pearl inlay, and one odd tuning key, floating around Birmingham, let me know.
It was my first steel, a Japanese Teisco, which I purchased in 1952 in Yokohama. It has a very warm,sweet tone.
It got sold in Huntsville around 1957 or '58.

I still have a D-8 Teisco which I purchased in '53.

Blake<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Blake Hawkins on 23 May 2001 at 01:57 PM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Blake Hawkins on 23 May 2001 at 07:47 PM.]</p></FONT>

Do I miss a lap steel I once owned? Every one I ever sold, even though doing so has usually helped get me something even nicer. Still, there are a few I'd like to have back, not necessarily because they were the greatest players, but because they encapsulated something of the unique charm of lap steel design. There were things I wasn't crazy about on the Sho-Bud fry pan, but I'd love to still have that one around. An EH-150 six-string, certainly not as desirable as the 7-string I have now, but still a sweet guitar. A Gibson-made Cromwell, a Gibson BR-4 in beautiful condition. A Fender Custom, and a Champion. Hey, why did you get me started on this? It's too depressing!

George: I've seen your Fender triple. You may miss the National, but you've got some consolation with that one - a lovely guitar.