The Steel Guitar Forum

I was truly impressed with that fender quad stringmaster. I can recall only seeing one other for sale. Did any other company make one? Anyone have one? You must be in good shape to tote it around. Is it stable on four legs? What do you think it will sell at?

Paul A. Bigsby, Downey, California, made them. I have one dated 4-15-56; six pedals with my name emblazened right there on the front. It is quite stable on four legs. Yes, I am in great shape and pack it around easily; 105#. Some have commented that my physique is a cross between Charles Atlas and Tarzan. What more could anyone want? What will it sell for? Only the potential buyer will know that figure. Triples have gone for as high as $7,500. Only three were built; one was destroyed when cut in half to make two doubles. Another Forumite has the other unit; a non-pedal guitar.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Ray Montee on 02 November 2003 at 10:19 AM.]</p></FONT>

I have a triple neck Bigsby, and since I play with pedals I play sitting down. That outside neck is hell to reach for me on a freakin' triple, I can only imagine what a quad must be like to play!

------------------
Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

Magnatone made a quad. I have a T-8 and it's long...there's a lot of space between each neck, almost to the point to where a 4th neck would fit in there. The frame isn't built to accommodate that, but just measuring distance you could move a neck down and sit a 4th neck in there. If the spacing stayed the same on the Magnatone quads, that 4th neck is waaay out there! It must be quite a stretch. In position, it would probably be equivalent to where your hands would need to be if you had a 5th neck on a Fender (without the same stairstep design)! Even on my T-8 I can't play on the outside neck for too long a period without stretching my back and shoulders. And lately, when I drop the bar, my bones are starting to creak when I have to bend down to pick it up.

Fender produced many more than three quad necls. Heck I heard Leon had at least six.*8^D Anyway, Magnatone also made at least one quintuple neck Lyric. I saw it on ebay a while back. Quite a stretch to reach that outside neck. This particular quad is a 1954/55 witht the push buttons. Oficially Fender took them out of production iint 1968.

Kobe


------------------
Gibson D-8 Console Grande - Stringmaster T-8 - Alkire EHarp D-10
Fender Super Reverb
kobe@austin.rr.com
http://home.austin.rr.com/kobeco

Karl, I think Ray meant that he has one of the three Bigsby quads that were made. I'm sure Fender made lots of them.

------------------
<font size="1"><img align=right src="http://b0b.com/Hotb0b.gif" width="96 height="96">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (C6add9),
Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6),
Roland Handsonic, Line 6 Variax</font>

Ahhh, OK makes sense now. I'd like to see
one of the triple bigsbys. Anyone want to post a picture?

Kobe

------------------
Gibson D-8 Console Grande - Stringmaster T-8 - Alkire EHarp D-10
Fender Super Reverb
kobe@austin.rr.com
http://home.austin.rr.com/kobeco

I have a Fender Quad and the 4th neck is not hard to reach at all. When I bought it I thought that it would be very hard because I am 5'9" with short arms. The one I bought is very clean, the one on ebay is all beat up.

I have a Fender long scale quad that's a bit of a reach, but not as far as my Wright Q-8 with pedals. I got to sit at Barbara Mandrell's Wright Q-10 and it was like looking at a football field. Compared to that, all of my triple neck guitars, pedal and non-pedal, seem managable.

Can someone please post the link to this auction?.

Thank You.

This will cost you more than you think! Know what I'm talkin' about mister?

<h6>Edited by Brad to shorten the URL.</h6><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Brad Bechtel on 04 November 2003 at 09:14 AM.]</p></FONT>

The truth of the matter is....phhhhhhhht this
looks pretty well beat. If those push button switches are faulty,It could be a hassle to repair them. Many early models have a different axle mount. Understand what Im talkin about mister?<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 02 November 2003 at 08:28 PM.]</p></FONT>

Karl,
The auction to which you refer was advertised as 5 necks.
However, it was actually two guitars, one double and one triple.
I did bid on it.
The seller pulled the guitars with 31 seconds to go.
I guess he didn't like the bidding and it was a "no reserve" auction.
Blake

Here is a link to Chucks Stringmaster.
There is a video and a picture here.
Boy can he play it.
It sounds great.
http://homepage.mac.com/cbdyermaker/Menu1.html <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Cindy Burch on 04 November 2003 at 07:38 AM.]</p></FONT>

I have the other Bigsby quad that Ray Montee was talking about-It has been restored to it's original neck configuration 8-10-8-10 I also added a few more pedals (they work on the center two necks)1954 date-no players name on front-My Wright custom quad (non-pedal)is cool too-Herb us tall guys with monkey arms CAN reach the outside neck on which I use a low bass tuning

Why must people put guitars on the dirt and lean them up against trees? No wonder it's not mint.