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Author Topic:  Interesting Vintage Steels: Add Your Vintage Interests
C. E. Jackson


Post  Posted 28 Apr 2017 11:24 am    
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EPIPHONE ELECTAR ANTHONY ROCCO 7-8 STRING: c.1937

EPIPHONE VARICHORD: c.1939


Later posts show additional information on both the VARICHORD AND ROCCO.
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Last edited by C. E. Jackson on 3 May 2017 9:05 am; edited 2 times in total
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Thiel Hatt

 

From:
Utah, USA
Post  Posted 28 Apr 2017 11:43 am    
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1966 Edwards (Domland)....Does this fit the catagory ? Only eight of this model were built by Willy Domland for Don Edwards (the exclusive didtributor) I wonder about the other seven .

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C. E. Jackson


Post  Posted 29 Apr 2017 1:09 pm    
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Epiphone Varichord: c. 1939-Detail Photos

























These photos show some of the complicated construction of the Varichord. Not as complicated as later pedal steels, but makes me appreciate Epjphone efforts.

C. E. Smile
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C. E. Jackson


Post  Posted 2 May 2017 10:27 am    
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EPIPHONE ELECTAR ANTHONY ROCCO 7-8 STRING: c.1937 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION




Note that Noel Boggs is playing a Rocco on a stand.





1. The top is metal, aluminum, extends under the fret-board to the nuts, and has a decorative etching.
2. Overall string spacing is 2 3/16 at the nut on both the 7 and 8 string necks.
3. Pickup Magnets 1 1/4 x 4 1/2 Horse-Shoe, are adjustable.
4. There are no string-mutes on this model, because the small white knobs turn each neck on or off.
5. The black knobs in the middle adjust volume and tone.
6. No legs, so it is played on the lap or a stand.
7. Fret-boards are bound.
8. Scale length is 22 1/2.
9. Tuners on the 7 string neck have the name Grover.
10. I believe the tuners on the 8 string neck are Grover, but don't have a name.
11. The Rocco Bar can be used with the wood or metal side on the strings to produce different tones.
12. The Dale Goens photo is from "American Guitars" by Tom Wheeler Copyright 1992.
13. The Noel Boggs photo is from "San Antonio Rose" by Charles R. Townsend Copyright 1976 and 1986.
14. Tone produced by the pickup magnets is excellent.

C. E. Smile
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Tim Whitlock


From:
Colorado, USA
Post  Posted 3 May 2017 7:30 am    
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Some very cool history C.E. Thanks for sharing!
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C. E. Jackson


Post  Posted 4 May 2017 11:31 am    
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GIBSON EH-185N (v.2) 8 STRING ES-300 pu NATURAL: c. 1941


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Last edited by C. E. Jackson on 20 May 2017 6:08 am; edited 1 time in total
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C. E. Jackson


Post  Posted 5 May 2017 7:31 am    
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GIBSON EH-185 (v.1a) 10 STRING C.C. pu: c. 1940


Mr. Donald Costen, Ridgeway, PA, was the original owner of this 10-string EH-185, which was made to his
order. Mr. Costen wrote that one of his tunings was (high to low) E-B-G#-F#-D-B-E-C#-B-E, and that the
1st and 7th string E had the same pitch (I have his written note that came with the steel). This model has
a U-magnet pickup and the Hyblum metal insert is glossy black. The instrument was shipped by Gibson with
two different nuts for tunings with string gauges specified by Mr. Costen.
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Last edited by C. E. Jackson on 20 May 2017 6:18 am; edited 2 times in total
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Chris Lucker

 

From:
Los Angeles, California USA
Post  Posted 5 May 2017 12:21 pm    
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To continue the ROCCO photos, here is a ROCCO TONEXPRESSOR volume and tone pedal. It is compared with both a Bigsby and Wright





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Jack Hanson


From:
San Luis Valley, USA
Post  Posted 6 May 2017 12:57 pm    
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Here's my Gibson Century 10, circa late 1940s to early 1950s. Certainly not as rare or remarkable as Mr. Jackson's beautiful 10-string EH-185, but not particularly common. 90 produced per Duchossoir.

As far as I know it is all original with the exception of the two additional fretboard screws at about the 22nd fret, the replacement buttons on the Klusons, and the jackplate. As is my preference, I have removed the Plexiglas fingerrest and its mounting stud to facilitate ease of playing.





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C. E. Jackson


Post  Posted 6 May 2017 1:50 pm    
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Jack, that is a beautiful steel. As you noted, there were a limited number made. Always wanted one, but did not find one available. Many thanks for posting the photo of this great vintage steel.

C. E. Very Happy Very Happy
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Scott Duckworth


From:
Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies
Post  Posted 6 May 2017 1:59 pm    
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I've always wanted a D8 Carvin...


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C. E. Jackson


Post  Posted 7 May 2017 1:08 pm    
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1940 GIBSON EH-185N (v.2) 6 STRING ES-300 pu







The Hyblum plate had been originally cut for the C.C. pickup in earlier EH-185 steels. The plate was re-cut for
this modified steel, and a chrome plate with ES-300 pickup was installed before shipment from the factory. I
purchased it from the son of the original owner, who purchased it new.

The tone is great and it is a pleasure to play.
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Last edited by C. E. Jackson on 20 May 2017 7:01 am; edited 1 time in total
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Thiel Hatt

 

From:
Utah, USA
Post  Posted 7 May 2017 4:04 pm    
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A bit of history on the DOMLAND pedal steel guitar. They were manufactured in the Denver Colorado area by Willy Domland and were distributed through Don Edwards Music City. Don had a special interest in the pedal steel guitar and linked up with Willy Domland to make them. They shared concepts and designs. Don Edwards also manufactured a Light Beam foot volume control which sold quite well for a while. My first pedal steel was a Fender 1000 (D-Cool. My first D10 was a Domland and they were cable operated at that time. The string spacing was slightly wider than the standard today. In that era Terry Bethel had a Domland and in the Denver area was Don Buzzard. I was teaching guitar at that time and sold several Domlands to to students and fellow steel players. Eventually Don Edwards and Will Domland changed the under-carriage to rod operated rather than cables. After some years they came up with a new model, with a different kind of changer. Only eight of them were built and I bought one of them. I played it for quite a few years and got many miles out of it and made a living with it. It was Black when I got it but after I sold it the new owner refinished it in a light blue. It eventually found it's way back to me and I dis-assemble it and refinished it in black again. It is very sturdy, stays in tune very well, but it is a heavey monster. It came standard with ten floor pedals. The knee levers do not fold away but have to be screwed on when assembled. I often wonder where the other seven wound up and if they are still around somewhere. They are quite a machine. But it doesn't compare with the D10 Zumsteel I now have and cherish.




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C. E. Jackson


Post  Posted 9 May 2017 9:07 am    
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1937 RICKENBACHER ELECTRO SILVER HAWAIIAN (1 knob)


















The SILVER HAWAIIAN ELECTRO STEEL was the first RICKENBACHER ELECTRO produced in 1937 with the body
made from chrome-plated brass sheet metal. The 1937 SILVER HAWAIIAN ELECTRO model also used the same
chrome-plated 1 1/2" wide magnets for the adjustable pickup (patent no. 2089171) as the 1937 bakelite
Rickenbacher models. The 1937 Silver Hawaiian Steels have an excellent sound that, in my opinion, is superior
to later non-brass sheet metal steels with different pickups.
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Last edited by C. E. Jackson on 20 May 2017 7:13 am; edited 1 time in total
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Andy Volk


From:
Boston, MA
Post  Posted 9 May 2017 10:09 am    
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1952 Magnatone Varsity



Federated Teachers Set (Epiphone?)


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Jack Hanson


From:
San Luis Valley, USA
Post  Posted 9 May 2017 11:53 am    
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Andy Volk wrote:

Federated Teachers Set (Epiphone?)

The pickup looks like postwar Harmony and the bridge looks like prewar Gibson. And the amp looks like a 1930s portable radio.
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Dave Van Allen


From:
Doylestown, PA , US , Earth
Post  Posted 9 May 2017 11:59 am    
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This followed me home a while back
Harmony Consolectric, steel and amp in case


here's some ephemera about it

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Michael Hogan


Post  Posted 9 May 2017 12:41 pm     outfits are my interest
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Hi C.E. thanks for this thread. I have concentrated on collecting matched laps steels and amps. Very hard to do as I am sure you know.

http://resonatorandlapsteelguitars.blogspot.com.au/











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Jack Hanson


From:
San Luis Valley, USA
Post  Posted 9 May 2017 1:58 pm    
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Thanks to everyone for sharing their photos of these classic instruments. Especially to C.E. Jackson and Michael Hogan for their treasures from Kalamazoo.

'Scuse me -- gotta go empty my drool bucket.
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C. E. Jackson


Post  Posted 11 May 2017 8:38 am    
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1936 EPIPHONE ELECTAR MODEL M ELECTRIC HAWAIIAN













Notes:
1. Black body finish (the bright sunlight makes some photos appear blue) with bound rosewood fret-board.
2. Black aluminum plate, extends from lower body end, under fret-board, to nut.
3. Notice the very nice design on the black metal top.
4. The overall length is only 29 3/4".
5. The sound is great, and it is a great player.
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Last edited by C. E. Jackson on 20 May 2017 7:35 am; edited 1 time in total
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Chris Lucker

 

From:
Los Angeles, California USA
Post  Posted 11 May 2017 2:38 pm    
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Here is an earlier Electar that has the first version horseshoe pickup that Rickenbacher forced them to stop using. It is also the pickup that Bigsby copied on his first guitars that had horseshoes.








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Michael Hogan


Post  Posted 11 May 2017 11:42 pm     ok then
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C. E. Jackson


Post  Posted 12 May 2017 4:54 am    
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We are certainly having the opportunity to see many interesting vintage steels.
I sincerely hope many others will keep the photos and/or comments coming.

C. E. Smile Smile Smile
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C. E. Jackson


Post  Posted 13 May 2017 11:05 am    
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1935 GIBSON METAL EHG
"The Granddaddy of Gibson Electric Steels"















Gibson EHG Bar Pickups (a.k.a. "Charlie Christian Pickups") And Other Information
Gibson's first bar pickups used a pair of large flat magnets, 4 1/2” x 1 1/4” x 3/8”, made of
nickel and steel. By late 1937, Gibson changed to cobalt and steel. The Fret-board is V-end
unbound ebony–29 frets. There is a fret marker after the 29th fret.

Still sounds great and a pleasure to play. Truly a piece of steel guitar history.
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Last edited by C. E. Jackson on 20 May 2017 8:04 am; edited 1 time in total
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Michael Hogan


Post  Posted 13 May 2017 10:52 pm     Question for C.E
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Hi C.E.,
What serial number is your E150?
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