The Steel Guitar Forum

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=912030283

TL

I think it's a Magnatone console.

I agree with Herb-obviously a Magnatone-they are not uncommon

That is a Magnatone tripleneck guitar, probably from the late 1950s or early 1960s. I owned a single neck version of this guitar at one time. It has a long scale neck (25" if I remember correctly) and a pretty decent tone, better than most student Magnatones.
That price is too high in my opinion, but perhaps the seller will get lucky. You don't see many tripleneck steels regardless of who makes them.

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Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

If you look closely, it has Bigsby fret boards.

Chas-I wonder where the hell those came from? I only know of one guy who has those in stock

What do you get when you cross a National steel guitar with a Fender Stringmaster?

Answer: A Magnatone steel guitar.

Clean, eh?

Bigsby designed lap steels for Magnatone and at least the ones I've seen had Bigsby freatboards. I guess they used them on this one too. But what about the PU on those laps, was that by Bigsby? Chas, Paul, any idea?

Jussi-Paul Bigsby did the design of the Mark IV and Mark V electric spanish guitars for Magnatone-I imagine that he had some input for their steel guitars as well-the Magnatone fretboards that I have seen on their steels are similiar to Bigsby but not the same graphics-this one clearly has (as Chas noted) the Bigsby fretboards which were probably added (as I have never seen them as original on a Magnatone steel)-also the Magnatone steel guitar pickups look nothing like those on a Bigsby steel guitar

Man, that pic sure brought back memories of the old 4 neck model I mentioned in an earlier thread. Magnatone built these back in the fifties...did you notice each neck has its own vol and tone control ? So it was with my 4 neck. That beast weighed a ton and almost broke my back. In hind sight, I now wish I had kept it as a conversation piece. Magnatone didn't build all that many quads or triple necks, but they built a pile of double neck models. I also mentioned earlier they supplied Jules Ah See, Barney isaacs and others with double necks for the famous "Hawai'i Calls" radio program. I can still hear Webley Edwards saying, "Listen to the waves and the Magnatone steel guitar of Alvin Isaacs jr" ... Great world wide publicity!

I have one sort of like this except "Gumby" shaped headstocks. Rosewood tuner covers with Magnatone decal, cream colored plexiglass fret boards a the plexiglass pickups with the 12 magnets. One volume and tone cotrol for all 3 necks plus a swtich. It weighs a ton but sounds great. Brads Page Of Steel calls it a Magnatone "Maestro".

That definitely is a Magnatone Maestro. I have one that is identical to that one, case too. I've had mine for about four years now. My dad picked it up at an auction for $35.00 and gave it to me. I totally dis-assembled it and started cleaning it inside out. It looked brand new after putting it back together. It's got better sound than what one might think. If they get what they're asking, you can bet mine will be on there next week.

I've got a Maestro that I imagine is similar to Guitar Bobby Leach's. One volume and tone control pot for all three necks and a toggle switch that allows you to play the middle neck plus the inside or outside one. I was actually in the market for a single or double 8 string steel at the time, but I couldn't pass it up for $300.

Of course once I brought it home I found out the middle neck needed to be rewired and two of the tuners needed to be rebuilt. So now every time I retune it or change strings I'm sure I'll be packing it up and sending it to the repair shop to rebuild another tuner. I love the guitar though... and I concur with everyone- it weighs a ton.

Anyone have a double 8 one of these for sale...? Three necks is too much for my wee brain to handle right now.

Still looking for an affordable D-8; it might be a good choice...

T

Hey Herb-

Your email didn't seem to work. You can contact me at tony@z-axis.com or tlaborie@mindspring.com

Send me some pics if you can...!

T