What Year Is My Stringmaster ?

Bob Snelgrove · Post by **Bob Snelgrove** » 23 Nov 2001 10:42 am

Hi Gang,

Just curious. The store I bought it from said:

1957 Fender Stringmaster Double Eight
serial no. 0225

I don't see a ser.# anywhere?

Thx

Bob

Bob Snelgrove · Post by **Bob Snelgrove** » 23 Nov 2001 11:17 am

Thx, Herb

I found the ser# on the cover plate. It is #0225.

thx

bob

mikey · Post by **mikey** » 23 Nov 2001 11:23 am

the true way to date is pull the tuner pans...if you are lucky, you will pull the closest one first(the control neck), and that one will be dated, I've seen late 60's stringmasters w/late 50's pickups, so that's not reliable...once the strings are off, it's only 6 screws to take the pan off...sometimes you may have to take the nut off if it's in the way, (only 2 more screws)..nothing to be afraid of(just use the right screwdriver and don't be an animal!)....that will give you an actual date(99% of the time)
Mike

David Biagini · Post by **David Biagini** » 23 Nov 2001 12:10 pm

I pulled the tuning pans on my D8 as soon I as received it and lo and behold there it was: "2-56" written on the wood.

Bob Snelgrove · Post by **Bob Snelgrove** » 23 Nov 2001 12:17 pm

Cool, David

What ser# is yours?

thx

bob

David Biagini · Post by **David Biagini** » 23 Nov 2001 5:41 pm

Mine is number 00994.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 23 Nov 2001 5:49 pm

Serial numbers on Fenders are virtually useless for dating instruments. For example, my '56 Stringmaster triple is #01137.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 23 Nov 2001 5:55 pm

As per Herb's statement--my '54 D-8 is serial #0703. No rhyme, no reason.

Bob Snelgrove · Post by **Bob Snelgrove** » 23 Nov 2001 6:24 pm

The music store said he "dated" the guitar by the pots, however accurate that is? I don't really feel like taking a wrench to it yet

Bob

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 23 Nov 2001 7:34 pm

There really doesn't seem to be a rhyme or reason for Fender's steel guitar serial numbers from what I've seen. I think they just grabbed whatever parts were available when it came to making them, so you don't automatically get a guitar made in 1956 because the pots were made in 1956.
Fortunately every Stringmaster I've seen has had the date pencilled in the tuner pan as Herb said.

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Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 24 Nov 2001 9:34 am

Jon...there is a "ryhme" there is a "reason"
Its to confuse all of you...

One of Leo's favorite pastimes.

Herb Herb...that guitar # 01137.....thats the guitar that leo was looking for,,,its a special model,,,has something no other Fender has. Herb Steiner playing it,,,,,worth much money,,,WHY you ask?? I heard him say years ago.....I hope this goes to Herb,,,,Oh maybe he meant that other Herb,,the one that invented the "Remington typwriter.

My quad # number is 0000,,Leo told me I was a "zero" and he gave me a special number..never to be seen again.....PS to Herb
from Cape May NJ.

The link you posted is that of John W Tipka.
I was at Johns shop two weeks ago,,I drove all the way to Pickering Ohio for John to work on my Fender Quad and Custom...he is absolutley the best. And a fine person as well,,,his workshop looked exactly like Leo's
and I told him that.

I could write a complete story of my visit to
John's house and how well he treated me and my Fenders....but it would take too long.

Only to say "He Was Great" as was his wife Millie..they have a nice little dog too,,,,ever need a question answered ,,,e mail John..he's another Leo.....The guitars he repairs dont leave the shop till they are
as perfect as perfect can be.

He plays steel very well too..

[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 24 November 2001 at 09:45 AM.]

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 24 Nov 2001 10:19 am

Herb Herb...that guitar # 01137.....thats the guitar that leo was looking for,,,its a special model,,,has something no other Fender has. Herb Steiner playing it

He was looking for my guitar?! He never called, he never wrote, never even sent a Passover card!

Broke my mother's heart! I told her, "Ma, you can stop putting an extra place setting for Leo at the dinner table, I don't think he's coming."

I only met Leo one time, actually. I consider it an honor. I was visiting CA and took my dad to the NAMM show out in Anaheim because we were thinking of investing in a retail store at the time. There was a line of people at the G&L booth waiting to talk to Leo, and I got in line and after a while had a few meaningless words with the Great One. Should have gotten his autograph but didn't.

Hey Jody, I lost your email address. Send me a message so I can get it back and we can schmooze off-Forum.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 24 Nov 2001 10:24 am

I don't think the confusion on serial numbers was intentional. The way I understand it, the part with the serial number on it was in a bin. When the new parts came, with the new serial numbers, they were dumped on top of the old parts. If the parts bin got low, they grabbed one and it might have been laying there for quite a while and then you had an "old" guitar.
Whatever works! Erv

mikey · Post by **mikey** » 24 Nov 2001 11:13 am

Erv is quite right, especially in reguard to Stringmasters...they all used the same control plate...no matter deluxe or quad...and production levels were much lower than say a strat or tele...so stringmaster parts piled up and whatever was grabbed that day was used...from my understanding, the custom shop STILL has a few NOS control plates, tuner pans and P/Us(altho they deny it, but they HAVE built a few stringmasters in recent years)...so I'd imagine if you had enough cash(or knew the "right" people, or were say Clapton)...they could build you a Stringmaster with a serial # lower than say David's..BTW, I had a 2/56 and the serial # was in the 200s
Mike

Bob Snelgrove · Post by **Bob Snelgrove** » 24 Nov 2001 11:39 am

OK, Gang

I got brave and pulled the pan:

10/57 it is

Thx

Bob

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 24 Nov 2001 12:00 pm

Mikey
Call the custom shop and tell em ,,,,your'e
Eric,,but I know they dont have anything left
in the way of stringmaster related parts etc.

I have a few close friends at the custom shop
and have asked for some parts.My friend is head of the custom shop.

I couldnt't even get a bottle of touch up paint from them. And Iam a "vintage member"
of Fender past.

Its nothing personal,,they just have a lot of work to do,and sometimes it gets "hot in the kitchen" pressure cooker.

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 24 Nov 2001 12:07 pm

Herb
Dont feel bad about leo not sending you a birthday card. He often spoke of you to me,he would say I have to have a cup of herb tea...everything was about herb.

You and the other guy who wrote that tune,,,,whats his name??? Herb??? As for your not getting Leo's autograph ,,,I know what you mean,,,at the time G&L was in progress is when his health began to fail.

He was a a character all right and as down to earth as you could get. Will send you my e
address.

I dont display it as Iam in the "Witness Protection" program....I was convicted of steeling.....corny aint I ??? PS as for setting a place at the table for Leo....dont feel bad,,,he didnt eat bacon..he was kosher.

He had an expression when something wasn't right ,he would say,,it dont sound Kosher to me,,,maybe he thought you weren't kosher...nothing personal,,,,thats the way he was. I think he had you confused with Herb Shriner.....remember him?? he was NOT as famous as you,,,,"whew" I wrote it the other way around,,

Herb Shriner was popular TV personality back in the mid 50's
no connection to Merv.
[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 25 November 2001 at 06:46 AM.]

mikey · Post by **mikey** » 29 Nov 2001 10:49 am

Gosh Jody,
You mean John English was pulling my chain?

mike
(but, now it makes me wonder where did that NOS short scale fretboard come from?...I didn't think the Japanese Stringmasters were short scale...

)
Eric

[This message was edited by mikey on 29 November 2001 at 08:30 PM.]

Paul Warnik · Post by **Paul Warnik** » 1 Dec 2001 7:26 am

Many Stringmasters from 1957 have serial numbers that start with - like 1957 model standard Fender guitar serial numbers also many Stringmasters from 1958 have serial numbers that start with 00 like 1958 model standard Fender guitar serial numbers

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 1 Dec 2001 7:52 am

Paul
You Got It...

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 3 Dec 2001 6:15 pm

Mikey
I dont think John English was mis-leading you
he is a good man. John Grunder who works with John English and so far as I stated before many times,,,,Fender has no interest in the steel guitar.

Their plate is full with many other projects
and the steel guitar is not one of them.

As for your comments regarding the fretboard
I have no idea of what you are making reference too.

I do know that a limited supply of parts were available a few years back and they were sold to a Japanese firm who then assembled them and sold a limited amount of Stringmaster guitars.

Anything other than that,,I am not aware of.
Richard Smith author of the Fender Book,,,is head of the Fender Museum,,,I have asked for Fender parts I needed and Richard spoke to John English and according to Richard, they were unable to help me.

I dont think anyone at Fender would "pull" anyone's chain. They are all "stand up guys"
and they carry the Pride that Fender stood for and still does to this day.

There is nothing like a FENDER......thats my opinion& that goes for Fender employee's as well.

Hope this clears that issue..
Jody PS unless they found a short scale fretboard in Leos closet,,,Mmmmm interesting
Ya got me thinking now,,,

wonder what else they found?? think I'll call them..be well Mikey...Thanks for the info..
edited for spelling,,,[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 03 December 2001 at 06:22 PM.]

mikey · Post by **mikey** » 3 Dec 2001 8:06 pm

Jody,
"pulling my chain" was my attempt at a humorous euphemism..they are all stand up guys(IMO)...and I got the fretboard a while ago...(Time flys)..from Freddie Tavares..(but I still think they are in denial about the parts 1. because they ARE so busy and 2. They really don't have any interest in producing steels, oh, and you'd be better off going to DuPont for your touch-up paint)
Aloha,
Mike

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 3 Dec 2001 8:56 pm

Mikey
You are right,,,I knew what you meant re; them pulling your chain. As for your getting your fretboard from Freddy that must be a nice thing to have,,,Freddy was a wonderful
man.

Hey ,,,,I quit this Forum yesterday,Im not supposed to be on here anymore,,but when I saw your post,,,I had to reply. Thanks for the info. Iam aware of the no interest of steel guitar at Fender.

Take care,,wished I was in hawaii...

mikey · Post by **mikey** » 3 Dec 2001 9:20 pm

Jody,
He certainly was, and his family here in Hawaii ARE ALOHA,to say that they are wonderful people just doesn't say enough...and the weathers fine and airline Tix are cheap now, so come on out!!!
Aloha,
Mike