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Post new topic Marlen S-10 questions
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Author Topic:  Marlen S-10 questions
William Hatcher

 

From:
Washington, USA
Post  Posted 7 Mar 2016 10:37 am    
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I'm a novice. But I'm looking to buy a single neck 10 string and I've been on a search for an LDG ShoBud for sometime now, just to give you a background story.

Locally for sale I found a Marlen S-10 for a really reasonable price and I'm curious what the general consensus on them would be and what I should look out for on these?

Or any other information would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!



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Lane Gray


From:
Topeka, KS
Post  Posted 7 Mar 2016 10:42 am    
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Excellent tone. As long as the machinery isn't sludged up, it's a marvelous guitar.
The mechanism is what we call pull-release, an old system but dead reliable. I STILL miss mine
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects
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William Hatcher

 

From:
Washington, USA
Post  Posted 7 Mar 2016 11:59 am    
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What should be the target price of something like this do you think? How would I know if it's "sludged" up? I'm a lap steel player with no knowledge of pedal steels, but I'd like to learn more.
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Lane Gray


From:
Topeka, KS
Post  Posted 7 Mar 2016 12:16 pm    
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Sit behind it, press the A pedal, tune the 5th string to C#. When you release the pedal, it should drop smoothly to the B (the screws at the top of the endplate). The pedal should move smoothly and accurately. Knee levers should go to and from their stops, and the fingers should have no resistance other than the string tension.
Or if you loosen the strings and manipulate the fingers, they should move easily.
Even gunged up, it should need nothing more than a few drops of oil. NOT WD40.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects
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Lane Gray


From:
Topeka, KS
Post  Posted 7 Mar 2016 12:17 pm    
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In great shape, should be around 1300. If iffy shape, less
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects
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Donny Hinson

 

From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
Post  Posted 7 Mar 2016 1:00 pm    
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Marlens, the most popular of the pull/release guitars, are really a mixed bag. Some, like the '70s model you've pictured, are decent, while others (the earlier '60s ones) were pretty poor as far as design and mechining. Their cabinets were often their most appealing aspect, many of them rivaling those of the early Sho~Buds. However, they never had the cachet or desirability of the 'Buds, and consequently, they usually sell for significantly less.
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William Hatcher

 

From:
Washington, USA
Post  Posted 7 Mar 2016 1:06 pm    
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So a sub $1,000 price tag is a steal or good deal then?
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Lane Gray


From:
Topeka, KS
Post  Posted 7 Mar 2016 1:32 pm    
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Yup. And I just blew up the pics. It LOOKS good. I'm a bit disappointed in only three knees, but they can be added later. Under a grand is a good deal. I'd be happy with it.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects
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William Hatcher

 

From:
Washington, USA
Post  Posted 8 Mar 2016 8:47 am    
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Silly question but what does TTT mean?
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Lane Gray


From:
Topeka, KS
Post  Posted 8 Mar 2016 9:03 am    
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To
The
Top

It just means that the poster wanted to bring the post to the top of the list.
Unless you saw it in a different context.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects


Last edited by Lane Gray on 8 Mar 2016 9:57 am; edited 1 time in total
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William Hatcher

 

From:
Washington, USA
Post  Posted 8 Mar 2016 9:15 am    
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Thanks!!
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Chris Lucker

 

From:
Los Angeles, California USA
Post  Posted 8 Mar 2016 1:34 pm    
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The only things I look for in old Marlens is parquet inlay falling out, failing glue lines if exotic woods are used for the front apron, and metal fatigue on the knee lever joint where the blade connects to the knee lever cross shaft mount. Side pressure from a knee banging into those knee levers bends that joint and can break the knee eventually.

That is an upgraded pickup, but I like the sound of the original Marlen single coil myself.
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Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars.
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Bob Carlucci

 

From:
Candor, New York, USA
Post  Posted 8 Mar 2016 4:03 pm    
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$1000 is a fair price, not a great one unless the guitar is immaculate.. Marlen steels are NOT an easy sell, as so many players are absolutely terrified by the pull/release changer.. Let me just say this about the design.. Once set up right, it never moves, and the guitar stays and plays rigidly in tune in all conditions and for years on end... Personally, I would not pay more than $1000 for a clean Marlen.. They can be had for less at times because so many players are afraid of them.. I bought one years ago, sweated for a week learning the pull system, changed it to my set up[quite a chore], and it is a simpy wonderful steel.. plays softer than ANY modern guitar.. it is by far the softest pedaling steel i have ever see,, Effortless. It sounds beautiful.. These are seriously well built steel guitars, just different than a modern all pull.. NOT inferior,, just different... bob
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I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!

no gear list for me.. you don't have the time......
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Donny Hinson

 

From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
Post  Posted 9 Mar 2016 6:07 am    
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Bob Carlucci wrote:
$1000 is a fair price, not a great one unless the guitar is immaculate...Marlen steels are NOT an easy sell...These are seriously well built steel guitars, just different than a modern all pull.. NOT inferior,, just different... bob


All Marlen's are not created equal. Here's a picture of an early Marlen changer. I'll let you draw your own conclusions about the "precision" of the machining. Muttering




.
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Bob Carlucci

 

From:
Candor, New York, USA
Post  Posted 9 Mar 2016 6:16 am    
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Donny Hinson wrote:
Bob Carlucci wrote:
$1000 is a fair price, not a great one unless the guitar is immaculate...Marlen steels are NOT an easy sell...These are seriously well built steel guitars, just different than a modern all pull.. NOT inferior,, just different... bob


All Marlen's are not created equal. Here's a picture of an early Marlen changer. I'll let you draw your own conclusions about the "precision" of the machining. Muttering




.


That looks like a real early one.. Never saw onelike that.. I wouldn't pay much for that, looks pretty limited.. My P/R has a lot more going on, and I have 4&4 with lots of pulls...the pull fingers on mine have 5 holes, and will do anything I need them to, but Donny is right, from what I understand, Marlen had several versions of its P/R mechanism before they went all pull...I don't see many all pull Marlens,, They don't come up for sale often.. My particular guitar is very well built, with good[if old school] machine work... bob
_________________
I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!

no gear list for me.. you don't have the time......
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Lane Gray


From:
Topeka, KS
Post  Posted 9 Mar 2016 7:51 am    
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Wait. I see three knees, but a shaft for the 4th. A Zum-style lever and bracket could get that working.
I'd buy it.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects
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Brett Lanier

 

From:
Madison, TN
Post  Posted 10 Mar 2016 9:12 am    
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Maybe I'm just going through a simplicity phase, but I would not pass on a guitar because it has "only three" knee levers. Take away Lloyd Green's first string raise (which he could probably do with his finger if he had to) and that's all he has, 3 knees. Ben Keith had 1, Ralph Mooney 1, Buddy Charleton had 1 in the early days with Ernest Tubb. There's so much you can do with just two pedals, and sometimes it takes limiting yourself to that to find it.

That said, me and my Marlen with one knee lever (F) will be in the studio today, while my emmons with 5 knees will be sitting in the van.
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