The Steel Guitar Forum

Why are players so crazy about these steel guitars?Are Fenders overrated?The Professional and String Master guitars are so expensive.

Andy, Play one.
I've never thought the Fender steels
were overrated.

The Stringmasters and single Deluxe's; with the stringmaster pick-ups; offer the most variety in tone control than any other steel I've played. That is the main reason I play Fender steels. I love all the other steels and they all have great characteristics about each one; but my personal emotions about the stringmaster is; I would almost pay anything for one. Anything can get overrated when alot of people are seeking them out; and there is a reason alot of people are seeking them out!! Only the individual knows why he is really wanting one.
Ricky

So what's the general opinion on the
Champions or the Champs.

I'm looking for a new guitar and any opinions are appreciated.

There are several reasons why Fender non-pedals are enduringly popular ...

1) They are fine examples of classic
industrial design that take into account
both form and function. Leo Fender took
tremendous pride in designing instruments
that would be the best he could make. He
consulted with the top professional
players of his day - like Noel Boggs &
Herb Remington - to make sure the guitars
had the features, playability & road-
worthiness the pros needed. In other
words, his ear was to the ground.

2) Both Fenders early Direct String pickups
and the later Stringmaster pickups had
a unique treble-dominated sound that cut
through a mix or blended well with a live
band. These pickups worked exceptionally
well for both Hawaiian & Western Swing
styles. Gibson steels, for example,
are more mid-range-dominant.
3) These guitars have stood the test of time.
Many are working perfectly well after
almost 50 years! And they embody a time
when companies cared about their end
users. Leo Fender would have considered
planned obsolesence an insult to his
pride.

My opinions.
<p ALIGN=CENTER><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b">[This message was edited by Andy Volk on 10-28-99]</FONT></P>
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Andy Volk on 16 February 2003 at 06:13 PM.]</p></FONT>

They are also a piece of musical history and the legacy of one of the most innovative men in this industry.

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Aloha Gerald, I've played a couple of Champs and they were fine instruments. but since this is a forum I gotta say that I was extremely impressed with the sound of Duke Ching's triple neck Fender, long scale, with the old chrome pickups. pumped through the fender twin rev. , man , tone heaven...guitar was from the mid 50's. It was great to be able to play it. The Joliet meeting was ideal for listening to a great variety of guitars , wasn't it? I think that with the Fenders what you got perhaps was a creation resulting from the vision of an individual who looked at the big picture as far as how sound was created electrically. Perhaps it was a holdover from his radio days. As a result , he created high standards in both guitars AND amplification.
Isaac.

Over-rated-No, Over-priced-Yes

Overpriced?Have you seen the prices on other Fender instruments from the Fifties?I think Fender steels are still sold at reasonable prices,for the most part.

I agree with Adam that the guitars are undervalued, relatively speaking. While they are hard to "steal" anymore, they sell for less than what it would cost to build a new one--not to mention what vintage Fender electric guitars are going for....
But I sure wish I could get 'em for what I could a couple of years ago!
DD

I've played pedals only for 24 years, and just recently got hold of a '54 Triple Custom. It's the kid in the candy store thing- I'm having a blast, almost like getting to fall in love with the steel all over again. I've played a few guitars, and the fenders all seem to work and sound great. Mine has a fat rich tone that sits well in the mix onstage and recorded, the band and audience seem to love it. I wish I could snap up a few more for nothing- but really given the vintage market I think prices are going to soar for these old beauties- they're one of the last collectable vintage guitars that haven't gone through the roof already. And I'm thinking of the 2,500 my our guitar player just spent for a NEW Les Paul- and that was discounted...

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Mark van Allen-"Blueground Undergrass" Mullen D-10, Fender Triple 8, Dobro

The instruments that are commanding the highest prices are still very playable after all these years. A lot of steel guitars from the fifties were not well made, and the prices reflect that. They are not something you would want to stand at and play for 4 sets of music. You can do that with a Stringmaster, though, and not get frustrated with the sound.

Fender pedal steels are still very cheap, because they are not good instruments by today's standards. The Professional and Stringmaster guitars still cut it today, though. They set a standard for tone, design and workmanship that endures to this day.

I for one continue to be amazed at how low those prices are compared to Telecasters of a similar vintage. It's only because steel guitar is not very popular right now among young people. If two or three "Alternative" bands started using non-pedal steel, a paradigm shift would take place and my D-8 would be worth 5 grand.

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Bobby Lee www.b0b.com/products
Sierra Session S-12 E9th, Speedy West D-10, Sierra S-8 Lap

Oh, Nevermind<p ALIGN=CENTER><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b">[This message was edited by mikey on 11-23-99]</FONT></P>

I'm onboard with the Stringmaster crowd. I just bought that 57 D8 that was on the buy and sell and I am loving life !The 57 has that sound that I have not heard from any other instrument. Fender stringmasters should and will cost ALOT more as time goes by. If you see one you like pick it up. You will feel like a big dummy if you sit on your hands and then tell that tired story a few years from now about the one that got away. I have never played a non-pedal steel before and now I'm hooked.

Bob

Glad you discovered the magic of the 57 Stringmaster and got mine last week Bob. I'm so happy someone got it that can really do it justice. I just dabbled in steel since the early 70's had a nice Rickenbacker "Panda" Bakelite once and I had a great Gibson D-8 Console Grande I got from Dana here but that 57 Stringmaster blew them all away. Its tone is unreal. Its just like the old Fender guitars its something that just cant be duplicated. The wood is all dried out and it just sounds perfect and those pickups have just enough natural distortion when you crank it, it gets that great slide blues sound.

Waa waa I want it back!!

Now I have to find a 6 string Fender lap to replace it.

Mark,
I hope I can do it justice ! That 57 is alot of guitar. I've just been hacking away at Hank tunes with it at home so far. I may take it out to a crummy bar gig on friday. It misses the beer, cigarette smoke and all those lovable losers that want to hear a sad one.

Bob

Yep Bob you gotta remember that 57 Stringmaster has spent its whole life in Bakersfield so its got that crying in my beer tone built in!! LOL

Have fun with it and make it cry and sing.

What are Deluxe eights worth?

So, bOb, would you trade your Sierra 8 string lap straight up for an 8 string Fender Deluxe? If not, why not? If so, why not?

Hi Fender fans,

Me too. I have a '52 Dual Professional Fender. Outside neck C6th, inside C# minor. "PARADISE ISLE" on the C# minor--heavenly.
Does anyone know what an early 3-neck, long scale (26") Stringmaster might cost?

Rick

There is a Fender 1958 photo that is for sale at Scotty's convention of Fender steel players(Day, Emmons, McCauliffe, Byrd, Speedy, Bob White, Boggs, etc) and most are the ISG Hall of Fame. Fender was very popular among the greatest. Curly and Leo fender went thru Fender factory and he listened to umteenjillian amps before he chose the 2 amps he played thru. On Curly's first album(Sho-Bud on the cover) was he played a Fender 1000.

I just picked up a 56 Triple 8 22+1/2" scale legs but no case, not bad shape, for 500 so there's still deals out there. I have a Post CBS Deluxe 8 but that has been my only experience with them. I got these steels from Vintage guitar dealers. They usually will deal on them. So far it's swell, tone swell that is!
The real trick,and it is a trick, is to be patient and ready. One day you'll find one.
I was looking for a Tweed Fender Super when I called a guitar dealer that has a good selection of amps and happened (I always ask and so should you)to ask if he had any steels. I got a super clean 54 Custom this very same way,for the very same price.
I've not seen a PRE-CBS Fender anything that cannot be made to play and sound great! Leo couldn't even tune a guitar according to Forrest White. He was truley an innovator. In my opinion his greatest overall contribution to music was his amplifire designs! His greatest single accomplishment? The Precision Bass.
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Mike Black on 25 May 2000 at 06:26 PM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Mike Black on 25 May 2000 at 06:42 PM.]</p></FONT>

I have a triple 8 stringmaster that's been modified with cam levers on 2 of the neck to yeild 2 different tunings on each oth them, allowing me to play in the keys of C, D, E, G, and A. (I use open chord tunings and can only play in the key the guitar is tuned to.)

Whenever possible, I'd bring both it and my MSA pedal guitar to gigs, and set them up at right angles to each other so I could switch between them. The Stringmster has a totally different sound than my MSA, a stronger, ballsier tone. It's great for playing rock and blues.

Besiders doing country gigs, I also used to play guitar in a local blues band and several times I brought the stringmaster to gigs and played it instead of my Tele. Great fun.

I love my stringmaster.

What do you think of the Fenders in 2003?Are they going up in price?Do you play one?

I just bought back my triple neck Stringmaster from the widow of the fellow I sold it to thirty years ago. It held a lot of memories for me as I bought it new in 1955. It has the long, 26" scale and the old chrome covered pickups. I had to give $500 for it. Do you think I paid too much?
Erv<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Erv Niehaus on 11 February 2003 at 07:14 AM.]</p></FONT>