Magnatone Lap Steel
Moderator: Brad Bechtel
- Danny Hullihen
- Posts: 2415
- Joined: 2 Aug 1999 12:01 am
- Location: Harrison, Michigan
- Contact:
Magnatone Lap Steel
Has anyone ever heard of a Magnatone lap steel? These were allegedly made by Gibson, or at least that's what I've been told. I would like to find more information on this.
-
- Posts: 869
- Joined: 29 Dec 1998 1:01 am
- Location: Sechelt, British Columbia
-
- Posts: 149
- Joined: 5 Feb 2000 1:01 am
- Location: Bailey,Co. USA
- Blake Hawkins
- Posts: 1844
- Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
- Location: Florida
- Brad Bechtel
- Moderator
- Posts: 8146
- Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Magnatone was founded by Delbert J. Dickerson around 1937 in Los Angeles, California. They made lap steels, amplifiers, phonographs, and electric guitars (both hollowbody and solidbody). Dickerson also made steel guitars under the brand names Oahu, Varsity, Souther California Music Co., Bronson, and Roland Ball (father of Ernie Ball).
Dickerson sold the company to Gaston Fator in 1944. Mr. Fator later sold the company to Magna Electronics, who turned out guitars under the Magnatone label.
In 1966 the company relocated to Pennsylvania, and in 1971 the company was bought out by a toy company who discontinued instrument production.
Most Magnatone lap steels I see are student model six string guitars with basic electronics. Some of the higher end multi-neck steels are quite good.
------------------
Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars
Dickerson sold the company to Gaston Fator in 1944. Mr. Fator later sold the company to Magna Electronics, who turned out guitars under the Magnatone label.
In 1966 the company relocated to Pennsylvania, and in 1971 the company was bought out by a toy company who discontinued instrument production.
Most Magnatone lap steels I see are student model six string guitars with basic electronics. Some of the higher end multi-neck steels are quite good.
------------------
Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars
- Danny Hullihen
- Posts: 2415
- Joined: 2 Aug 1999 12:01 am
- Location: Harrison, Michigan
- Contact:
-
- Posts: 45
- Joined: 2 Jul 2000 12:01 am
- Location: St.Louis, MO USA
Hi Danny, I've seen many Magnatone lap steels, moslty six strings and many different pickup styles. I have a Magnatone Maestro triple neck 8 string. All wood, necks are the same thickness unlike my other multi-neck steels. The table they're mounted to are routed to different depths to make each neck higher than the next one. Beautiful tone ! I have seen a single neck like the Maestro, you can always tell by the "Gumby" shaped headstock. Only draw back are the tuner buttons are trapizoid shaped and are really close to each other. Enjoy your guitar. Bobby Leach<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Guitar_Bobby_Leach on 25 April 2001 at 10:54 AM.]</p></FONT>
- George Keoki Lake
- Posts: 3665
- Joined: 23 Nov 1999 1:01 am
- Location: Edmonton, AB., Canada
In it's "hay-day" Magnatone turned out single, double, triple and four neck steel guitars made from wood. I owned a 4 neck and foolishly got rid of it because it weighed a ton. Wish I still had it if only as a collector's item. Each neck had its own volume and tone control. It had the appearance of being 4 single necks all attached to form the 4 neck model...not the greatest of designs, but it had a nice sound in its own fashion. (The late)Barney Isaacs played a double neck Magnatone during most of his 20 years on "Hawai'i Calls" as did (the late) Jules Ah See. I think Alan Akaka still has Jules Magnatone double neck as a keepsake.
All,
I'll vouch for the quality of Magnatone's higher-end steel guitars. My Waikiki workhorse is the longscale D-8 Keoki mentioned above. The story I heard was that Magnatone gave away a bunch of these instruments to the more prominent players in an attempt to cut into Fender and Rickenbacker's stranglehold on the Hawaiian steel market here. In some respects they look like cheap Fender copies, but many of them have a beautiful throaty, hollow tone that's super hard to get on a Fender.
I'll vouch for the quality of Magnatone's higher-end steel guitars. My Waikiki workhorse is the longscale D-8 Keoki mentioned above. The story I heard was that Magnatone gave away a bunch of these instruments to the more prominent players in an attempt to cut into Fender and Rickenbacker's stranglehold on the Hawaiian steel market here. In some respects they look like cheap Fender copies, but many of them have a beautiful throaty, hollow tone that's super hard to get on a Fender.
- Danny Hullihen
- Posts: 2415
- Joined: 2 Aug 1999 12:01 am
- Location: Harrison, Michigan
- Contact:
I've also recently acquired an old "Mastertone Special" lap steel. Does anyone have any experience with these? The person I got it from claims it was made by Gibson. It seems like that would be the case, but I don't really know that? This lap steel has a brown "crinkle" type of finish, with the pickup and cover plate being a sort of a yellowish crinkle.
-
- Posts: 4
- Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
- Location: Santa Rosa, California
-
- Posts: 51
- Joined: 14 Oct 1998 12:01 am
- Location: Atlanta, Ga. 30214
-
- Posts: 871
- Joined: 20 May 1999 12:01 am
- Danny Hullihen
- Posts: 2415
- Joined: 2 Aug 1999 12:01 am
- Location: Harrison, Michigan
- Contact:
-
- Posts: 869
- Joined: 29 Dec 1998 1:01 am
- Location: Sechelt, British Columbia
Danny:
Mastertone was one of several Gibson budget brands. The Mastertone lap steel was made for just a couple of years (sorry, I don't have my Gruhn guide handy to check the dates), and is essentially a Gibson EH-125, but with a crinkle-painted body and hardware, rather than the 125's sunburst and chrome.
Mastertone was one of several Gibson budget brands. The Mastertone lap steel was made for just a couple of years (sorry, I don't have my Gruhn guide handy to check the dates), and is essentially a Gibson EH-125, but with a crinkle-painted body and hardware, rather than the 125's sunburst and chrome.
- George Keoki Lake
- Posts: 3665
- Joined: 23 Nov 1999 1:01 am
- Location: Edmonton, AB., Canada
- Jim Mathis
- Posts: 276
- Joined: 10 Sep 1999 12:01 am
- Location: Overland Park, Kansas, USA
- Contact:
- Al Marcus
- Posts: 9440
- Joined: 12 May 1999 12:01 am
- Location: Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)
- Contact:
Brian Beebe- I played one of those Magnatone steels with the solonoid buttons to change the tunings. It was at the NAMM show in Chicago in 1953. It had about 6 buttons and as George says, was noisy when you hit the button, CLANG! Good idea though at that time, too bad no more research was done on it. Theroetically, you could play 7 tunings on your 6 string lap steel.Pretty good, eh?.
But I already had my 6 pedal Gibson Electra-Harp since 1946 so I could already play 7 tunings.....al
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Al Marcus on 27 May 2001 at 03:22 PM.]</p></FONT>
But I already had my 6 pedal Gibson Electra-Harp since 1946 so I could already play 7 tunings.....al
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Al Marcus on 27 May 2001 at 03:22 PM.]</p></FONT>