The Steel Guitar Forum Store 

Post new topic Please help a Fo'Bro ID this Thompson Steel
Reply to topic
Author Topic:  Please help a Fo'Bro ID this Thompson Steel
Denny Turner

 

From:
Oahu, Hawaii USA
Post  Posted 5 Jul 2006 2:36 am    
Reply with quote

I received an email from a Fo'Bro asking me if I could identify the year / era and value of this Thompson Pedal Steel. I told him that I knew nothing about Thompson Steels, but that I would host his pictures and present his question to the Forum for info and comments.

I have emailed him a link to this discussion page where he can monitor your answers.

Thank You,
Denny T~

[This message was edited by Denny Turner on 05 July 2006 at 07:26 PM.]

View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website

Donny Hinson

 

From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
Post  Posted 6 Jul 2006 3:31 am    
Reply with quote

It strikes me as something built in a garage recently by a serviceman (camo paint and "USA" bumper sticker), using a few old Sho~Bud parts. Can't tell much more from the limited pictures, maybe $250-$350 value, tops. Good for someone who doesn't know if they really want to play, as it requires minimal investment, but they've got some pedals and levers to play with.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Denny Turner

 

From:
Oahu, Hawaii USA
Post  Posted 10 Jul 2006 7:08 pm    
Reply with quote

One bump helping an elderly Fo'Bro.

Aloha,
DT~




View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website

Chris LeDrew


From:
Canada
Post  Posted 10 Jul 2006 7:28 pm    
Reply with quote

That's not a bad-looking guitar. Someone put a lot of work into this guitar, and they did a good job IMO. (Not sure why all the USA stickers have been added, though.) But there's not a whole lot of original Thompson parts on it. It's a converted D-10 with a custom pad. The body and pedalboard are Thompson - that's about it. The knee levers also look stock, which could point to the undercarriage being original. Everything else has been taken from other brands, including the changer (which looks like one from an MSA I owned) and the tuners (mine has Emmons-type Klusons which are definitely stock). The fretboard is obvious in its origin.
If it's anything like my SD-10* Thompson, it doesn't hold its tune very well (due to a low-quality changer) but has great tone - maybe because it weighes more than a small horse. Mine came with Sho-Bud type pickups which sound great, and it looks like this one has the same pickup. Somebody obviously covered the body with vinyl or something. The one I have is a big heavy chunk of Maple with clear lacquer. The neck on mine is clear plexiglass, and the original fretboard is the same style as a GFI - with the horseshoes, etc. These guitars do not have much monetary value (generally under $500 IMO), although mine has sentimental value because I inherited it from deceased forum brother Fred Truitt.
I'm away from this steel right now, but when I get back in town I'll post a few pics.

All my observations are being made under the assumption that the Thompson Steel Guitar Company produced a line of guitars with distinct and consistent features. I'm pretty sure this was the case, excluded the Little Buddy student model. I presume that my guitar and the one in the pics were produced as professional steel guitars, seeing that they were D-10's.


*I recently converted it to an SD-10 in a moment of insanity.

[This message was edited by Chris LeDrew on 10 July 2006 at 09:01 PM.]

View user's profile Send private message

Chris LeDrew


From:
Canada
Post  Posted 10 Jul 2006 7:51 pm    
Reply with quote

Oh ya, the era is early to mid 70's.
View user's profile Send private message


All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Jump to:  

Our Online Catalog
Strings, CDs, instruction,
steel guitars & accessories

www.SteelGuitarShopper.com

Please review our Forum Rules and Policies

Steel Guitar Forum LLC
PO Box 237
Mount Horeb, WI 53572 USA


Click Here to Send a Donation

Email admin@steelguitarforum.com for technical support.


BIAB Styles
Ray Price Shuffles for
Band-in-a-Box

by Jim Baron
HTTP