Can anyone identify this lap steel?

Larry W. Jones · Post by **Larry W. Jones** » 3 Jun 2005 9:36 pm

This lap steel is on eBay with no details other than the owner's brother owned it. Can anyone identify it?

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Richard Shatz · Post by **Richard Shatz** » 3 Jun 2005 10:18 pm

Looks cheap. Probably is.
Might sound good. Might not.
Why bother?

Kunihiko Suzuki · Post by **Kunihiko Suzuki** » 3 Jun 2005 10:24 pm

It looks a Japanese steel to me. I would say it is a Guyatone steel rather than Teisco. I believe that Teisco steels should have more unique and weird features. Anyone?

Larry W. Jones · Post by **Larry W. Jones** » 3 Jun 2005 10:41 pm

I did a Google image search for Fender, Guyatone and Teisco but this one didn't come up. The design is similar to a Fender lap steel. The seller only says: "I don't know much about this. It belonged to my brother. It needs new strings. I'm sure it works good.". It's got a while to go before the auction ends.

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Jeff Au Hoy · Post by **Jeff Au Hoy** » 4 Jun 2005 12:50 am

I too think it's made in Japan. Bobby Ingano has/had the exact same model. I got to play it and the intonation was extremely innacurate (misplaced fretboard, nut or bridge or all three). I guess that would be good ear training, but it was really frustrating to play.

The tone was not real great either, kind of dull and muddy even with the tone control open all the way.

Larry W. Jones · Post by **Larry W. Jones** » 4 Jun 2005 1:07 am

Thanks Jeff. I'm convinced. (still like to know what brand it is).

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Denny Turner · Post by **Denny Turner** » 4 Jun 2005 2:03 am

It's an entry model Guyatone jobber; Unless it's a repaint to a dead-on matching color, Guyatone brand would have a logo on the headstock. The 2 pickup model is called an Argyle; I don't know what that 1 pickup model is called. I had an Argyle several years ago; Same color; Small, light and easy to take somewhere casual without worrying about having to guard / watch it; no worrys about it getting stolen or damaged at a party etc. It played reasonably well and the tone was acceptable for very casual playing but thin and rather weak.

Aloha,
DT~
[This message was edited by Denny Turner on 04 June 2005 at 03:07 AM.]

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 4 Jun 2005 11:41 am

One of my students had one of these...it's just a piece of junk. Poorly made, inaccurate as Jeff pointed out. Just a plank of lumber. My student got rid of it and bought a new Gretsch.

George Rout · Post by **George Rout** » 4 Jun 2005 5:01 pm

Hello folks. I have one with double pickups and two slide switches for the pickups, and it's a Marlin made in Japan. If I knew how to post a picture on here, I would do it, as it says "MARLIN" on the headstock. Maybe the one Keoki's student has was a piece of junk, I can't say that for the unit I have. While the metalwork looks rather "home made", the sound of it is excellent. This may bring up the picture.
http://us.f3.yahoofs.com/users/41e1a387z91859ac7/d721/__tn_/856b.jpg?phdLloCBnAmGQQL0

If not, I'll post it to a site.

George

George Rout · Post by **George Rout** » 4 Jun 2005 5:31 pm

Sorry folks, I should have this address for the picture:
http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/rout_geo/album?.dir=/d721

Geo

Larry W. Jones · Post by **Larry W. Jones** » 4 Jun 2005 6:33 pm

Don't give up on the photo George Rout. We've gotta show George Keoki what yours looks like. Try the practice site.

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Denny Turner · Post by **Denny Turner** » 6 Jun 2005 2:18 am

That Marlin is jobber branded Guyatone; ...IMHO.

Aloha,
DT~

Larry W. Jones · Post by **Larry W. Jones** » 6 Jun 2005 2:58 am

One would think the seller would have some idea of that. I see a lot of Guyatones on ebay. We'll see what it goes for in a few hours.

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Denny Turner · Post by **Denny Turner** » 6 Jun 2005 12:52 pm

Mine was an unbranded jobber. It took me 3 years of casual "searching" to find who made it.

Also worthy of mention is that mine was plywood.

Aloha,
DT~

George Rout · Post by **George Rout** » 6 Jun 2005 6:43 pm

Hey Danny. What do ya mean by the words "it's jobber branded as a Guyatone"???

I'm not being funny, I don't get what you mean!!!!

Geo

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 7 Jun 2005 1:26 am

The one my student had did not have a name on it. Possibly it was something that only resembled what George Rout was referring to. In any event, whatever it was, it was poorly made and was just a basic guitar.

Jeff Au Hoy · Post by **Jeff Au Hoy** » 7 Jun 2005 2:28 am

George, "jobber", like the guitars that Harmony manufactured but were branded with the "Sears" label. Or the "Recording King" guitars Gibson made for the Montgomery-Ward stores.

George Rout · Post by **George Rout** » 7 Jun 2005 5:16 am

Thanks Danny, I was wondering if that's what you meant. I've always referred to that is "stencil" branding. Same item, just a different decal (stencil) on it.

It's funny how I got that guitar. I'm very short-sighted and I was mentioning to my eye Dr about it, and she suggested a prescription for the exact distance from my eyes to the music stand. When I took the prescript to the optomitrist for filling, I was telling him what it was for, and he said, "I have one of those guitars (lap steel) in a cupboard at home, you're welcome to it". I had no idea what he was giving to me until I saw it. I had never seen a double pick up guitar in that brand before.

Denny Turner · Post by **Denny Turner** » 7 Jun 2005 3:17 pm

Just for a bit better clarity in my previous posts; I had some enjoyable times with my Argyle. Although it was plywood with rather cheap harware; It was playable and had acceptable tone for very casual outings, and I didn't have to worry about taking it anywhere at all; ...And I sold it to a FRIEND who wanted an inexpensive but playable steel (and I wouldn't have were it junk). I just didn't want anyone to think it was comparable to better jobbers like Harmony, Kay, etc.

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Yes, jobber means a product made by one company with another company's brand applied, or for another company to put their brand on or sell without a brand applied.

Aloha,
DT~
[This message was edited by Denny Turner on 07 June 2005 at 04:21 PM.]

Jay Fagerlie · Post by **Jay Fagerlie** » 7 Jun 2005 4:18 pm

I have the double pickup version, the pickups are the gold foil 'jobbers' like on the old Tiescos
Mines ok.....got it for real cheap and I think I got my moneys worth.

Jay

Larry W. Jones · Post by **Larry W. Jones** » 7 Jun 2005 6:55 pm

Well, we can put this thread to rest. The little beauty went for $87 bucks.