Please L@@K and give me info on this Steel ??

Buster Warren · Post by **Buster Warren** » 17 Dec 2007 2:10 pm

Anyone know what year and model this guitar is ?????
Marlen ????? ANYTHING ?? Opinions ?? Thank's ,,,

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 17 Dec 2007 4:06 pm

I love this kinda stuff! But more pics please!

Brett Crisp · Post by **Brett Crisp** » 17 Dec 2007 4:27 pm

Kinda looks like a Marlen in one way, but as i look at the changer end, it looks like a ShoBud...Not 100% sure..oh yeah, Is that tear-drop type knee levers that im seeing?

Bob Knight · Post by **Bob Knight** » 17 Dec 2007 4:36 pm

Marlen

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 17 Dec 2007 5:19 pm

Looks VERY much like an old pull/release Marlen I recently did some work on.. check the slothead screws on top of the neck, and very distinctive figures on the fretboards... both old Marlen traits ... bob

Paul Wade · Post by **Paul Wade** » 18 Dec 2007 5:04 am

may be a "miller" or a marlen....

p.w

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 18 Dec 2007 6:28 am

Interesting. Lots of Shobud characteristics, but a bunch of people copied Shobud. Keyheads, fretboard, not Shobud. Although the endplates look more Shobud than Marlen, Shobud endplates and bodies were rounded in the step between the two tops. The pot is in the right place for a Shobud, but the legs don't seem to splay out as much as a Bud. From what I can see, the pedals look pretty much Shobud.
So, quit teasin'! How about a pic of the front?

Buster Warren · Post by **Buster Warren** » 19 Dec 2007 12:05 am

Front View >

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 19 Dec 2007 4:46 am

Well, the legs do splay out. I like the ivory knob!

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 19 Dec 2007 7:56 am

I think it's a "Frankensteel"!

Paul Wade · Post by **Paul Wade** » 20 Dec 2007 2:48 pm

buster,

that is a Miller for sure. my bass player has one just like a d-10 8+2 i work on it for a while got the e9th working they a hard to work on i hope russ weaver can shed some light on this....

p.w

Steve Waltz · Post by **Steve Waltz** » 20 Dec 2007 3:17 pm

Here's the backside of a Miller I've seen. The inlay looks the same. Necks and changer are different.Fret board is different.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 20 Dec 2007 3:21 pm

Steve, a lot of different brand guitars have the same inlay. You can probably still by some that's the same. Standard luthier,furniture maker supply stuff. The knee levers are a lot different. But they were copying Shobud,,,,,,

Steve Waltz · Post by **Steve Waltz** » 20 Dec 2007 3:30 pm

I'm wasn't trying to give an opinion on this guitar. I thought they looked similar to each other. I think a lot of guitars had things in common. I know the same inlay was used by many people so I wasn't saying that the inlay proves it's a Miller. The endplates are different on that guitar as well. The changer style seems unMiller like but that is only because I haven't seen one like it. If Paul wade says it's a twin of his freinds I don't have any reason to disbelieve him. To me it's interesting that it is such a different changer from Millers I've seen.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 20 Dec 2007 3:40 pm

Steve, my first guitar was a Miller. And it was totally different than any of these. But I have seen Millers that look almost identical to Shobuds. Everyone was trying to cash in on Shobud's innovative, and successful design at that time. The mechanics in that guitar are virtually identical to my Shobud's! A while back, someone posted a link to steel guitar patents, and David Jackson didn't even patent the Fingertip design until the early 70's I believe.

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 20 Dec 2007 3:42 pm

Unless someone took a Miller or other brand,and put old Marlen fretboards on it, used a darker neck than body wood just like Marlen did, and put on big slot head screws to bolt down the necks as Marlen did, and then added Marlen pull/release changer fingers and rods, its a Marlen... bob

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 20 Dec 2007 3:54 pm

Here's a shot of my F-tips underside, you can see how remarkably similar they are. Marlen's of this period had an "M-shaped" cutout on the sides of the endplates. Don't know if they all did though. Of course, all the parts are still on mine.

Buster Warren · Post by **Buster Warren** » 20 Dec 2007 4:51 pm

John,, Who's teasing who ?? Show me more ! I believe
that ones like mine !! Thank's !!

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 20 Dec 2007 5:04 pm

Here ya go!

Buster Warren · Post by **Buster Warren** » 20 Dec 2007 5:34 pm

Thank's John ,,, I believe mine must be a Bud !!

The Steel Guitar Forum

Please L@@K and give me info on this Steel ??

Please L@@K and give me info on this Steel ??

Old Marlen ??

miller p.s.g