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Topic: EH-185 Questions |
Eric Vazquez
From:
New York, USA
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Posted 23 Jul 2008 7:05 am |
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Hello everyone:
I recently picked up an old lap steel at a garage sale, and I believe it is a 1939 EH-185 8-String lap steel. The serial number is E4364-2, and I was wondering if someone can confirm the year/model for me.
The ES-300 pickup (not the Charlie Christian) is intact, but all of the wiring & knobs are missing. In addition, the screws that hold the fingerboard to the neck and the screws that hold the bottom of the metal plate to the body are missing. Does anyone know of anyone who would be selling replacement vintage hardware, or the specs for the parts so that I can try to restore this instrument?
Thanks in advance,
Eric |
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CrowBear Schmitt
From:
Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 23 Jul 2008 9:30 am
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Good luck finding replacement parts. You should be able to rewire it using contemporary pots for the tone and volume (assuming it's wired much like any other single pickup guitar), but the knobs will be the problem.
R.F. Charle's Gibson EH-185 shows you how it ought to look.
I believe the screws are standard Phillips screws, but I don't know the size.
_________________
Brad’s Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars |
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Eric Vazquez
From:
New York, USA
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Posted 23 Jul 2008 9:34 am
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Thanks for both of your help! That document on the Gibson factory & serial numbers was very helpful!
Regarding the volume knobs, is there anyone on this forum that has an EH-185 that would be able to take a close-up picture of their knobs, so I can try to find ones as close to the originals as possible?
Last edited by Eric Vazquez on 23 Jul 2008 11:55 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Denny Turner
From:
Oahu, Hawaii USA
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Posted 23 Jul 2008 10:09 am
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Eric,
And ES-185 is a very nice Steel. (I would take that old project thang off yer hands, if'n ya get tarred of messin' with it  ...as would any number of others in a heartbeat  !).
Just in case there's something here that might help:
Off the top of my head:
Screws are best duplicated by taking an original to a good hardware of fastener store and getting the exact right type / shape and size in STAINLESS (stainless is not original but best imho). Take 3 of the screw you're looking for and you won't drop / lose any; Take one and you're sure to drop / lose it! 
If you don't have an original screw, try to get someone to take some pictures of a same screw in a micrometer to show it's exact type and sizes. Short of that, the depth of the hole can be measured with a toothpick (small end of a flat toothpick if a small hole), while a range of small holes diameters can also be gauged with a round toothpick; Or if the hole is bigger than a round toothpick, then try match sticks etc, or a mixed size screw assortment of similar size to use as a GAUGE (don't fudge on a wrong replacement from such a set of screws). Also look at the screw hole and the piece being mounted to determine if the screw head should have a flat or counter-sunk bottom and whether the top should be flat or rounded. You can look online for several good / different source pictures of a same-type guitar to determine if the screw heads should be standard or phillips. Many times I've not been able to find the exact right type of replacement WOOD screws in steel or stainless steel, but have found sheet metal screws smaller than #10 are usually nigh identical to the wood screws.
To refresh old screw holes, put a flat toothpick or two into the old holes, small end inserted, then broken off flush then tapped down just below the top of the hole with a carved-tip chopstick or match stick as a punch. Then tap a centered pilot hole into the toothpicks with a small nail (doesn't have to be deep at all), to guide the screw tips into the center of the hole (otherwise they can screw in off center).
Electronics information for wiring and pots / caps choices:
http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/Electronics.html
All other info and data links index for restoring a guitar:
http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/
Electronic parts:
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics,_pickups.html
Knobs:
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Knobs.html
------------
Enjoy the work. I sure do. FWIW: Playing background music makes the work environment better for me; And remarkably, I find classical music sets the best atmosphere! ...although I'll be in the mood for other kinds too as long as it soothes and doesn't distract from the work (I don't need my body to be digging / swinging with a dremel at work  ) !
I hope some of this might help.
_________________
Aloha,
Denny T~
http://www.dennysguitars.com/
Please help support humanity:
http://www.redcross.org/en/aboutus |
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CrowBear Schmitt
From:
Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France
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Eric Vazquez
From:
New York, USA
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Posted 23 Jul 2008 11:57 am
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Thanks for all of those links, I'm now planning on ordering the pots from Stewart Mac, and I have a better idea as to what the original knobs looked like, so now I can try to locate something similar.
Thanks again for all the help! |
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CrowBear Schmitt
From:
Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France
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Eric Vazquez
From:
New York, USA
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Posted 23 Jul 2008 12:33 pm
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The best picture I can find is this, which is from an old ebay auction:
If anyone knows where to find these, or can tell me what the style is called, it would be much appreciated. |
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Blake Hawkins
From:
Florida
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Posted 23 Jul 2008 1:11 pm
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Eric, Those knobs were standard on many 1930's and 1940's radios.
You might try some vintage radio sites.
Also check www.tubesandmore.com |
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CrowBear Schmitt
From:
Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France
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Eric Vazquez
From:
New York, USA
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Posted 28 Jul 2008 5:37 am
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| Wow, you can't get any closer than that! Thanks a lot! |
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CrowBear Schmitt
From:
Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France
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Posted 2 Aug 2008 7:58 am
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2 hours & 45 " left to go & they've hit 152.50 $
have mercy ! 
edited : sold at 182.50 $ !!! |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 2 Aug 2008 10:43 am
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| Find out if there are going to be any Ham Radio Fests near you. The stuff you can find there will amaze you. I've seen huge boxes full of nothing but knobs. Others full of old, but working, pots. |
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