Leo Fender was a fanatic on treble & bite and thats obvious when we hear what he has accompolished.

Its all in the players hands and feel and most of all imagination and of course the amp and the settings.

I like my Fenders punchy with treble, bass, and everything it has to offer. If it dont have that Fender thing I cant play it.
It Dont Mean A Thing If It Aint Got That Swing.

They can say what they please but it was LEO
FENDER who took the steel guitar and contributed more than anyone else in our business.

Once the existing Fenders are bought up,there will be a price explosion. If you can,,, buy one now. Your CD is Great Dana.

Needless to say John wowed everyone in attendance. His virtuosity and total
musicality overflowed on everything he played, Hawaiian, Western Swing, Jazz
standards etc.

On the Friday night of the convention he held a FREE informal seminar where attendees could ask questions on any aspect of his playing. The seminar lasted two hours and
John was very open and willing to share his "secrets".

This year's Joliet convention is set for October 2-4, 2003. Same place, same fun,
Holiday Inn Express, Joliet IL (just outside of Chicago).

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Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'

Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website

[This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 12 February 2003 at 08:01 AM.]

That sure is a nice photo and I'm sure people
that admire John Ely's exceptional talent will appreciate you posting that.

I feel that John Ely is much underated overall and he is one of the "giants" of non
pedal guitar. I'm sure happy he chose a Fender as his choice of the many other fine guitars out there.

Thank you again.

The picture below was taken at the MASS STEEL BASH 2002 where I played my quad stringmaster and my Emmons D-10 (also shown in the photo). The room was acutually full of people but I blacked them out to focus attention on all that chrome!

I bought the Emmons new in 1978 and it's been my main ax for 25 years. Switching between the two instruments in the same song is an adventure in tonality!

The 4-neck stringmaster has a richer tone and more sustain than any of the other Fender non-pedal steels I have owned. Probably because of the massive amount of wood.

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My Site - Instruction | Doug's Free Tab | Steels and Accessories

I'll bet you make that quad growl.

Nice photo, great guitar,great steel player.

Good Luck and keep that Fender on top.
Thats where it belongs.

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My Site - Instruction | Doug's Free Tab | Steels and Accessories

I recieve mileage and fuel costs,tolls etc etc.Weigh your gear and clock your time re the tuning,check your odometer and then you are all set.

Of course I play the gig for nothing.

What do they expect for these prices???

Noel Boggs?? take care my friend.

The prices quoted are subject to change without notice. Prices are based on "seasonal condition" and customer demand.

[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 17 February 2003 at 09:29 AM.]

It was Gerald who led me to the path of finding my long lost Fender triple neck Custom guitar which was in Elderly Music's inventory.

This guitar was my first ever Fender that I received from Leo Fender and Donald D Randall. I recievd this guitar back in 1951 and lost track of it until Gerald posted something which led me to the trail of my guitar.

Gerald I have never publicly posted your efforts in helping get a piece of my
memories back in my possession and the people at Elderly Music,Dawn and Frog and everyone that was so kind to me..

I have a special place in my memories and will add this story regarding Gerald Ross to my book.

Thank you my friend. It looks a great as it did back then. And it sounds as plays every bit as good as it did back in 1951.

[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 17 February 2003 at 02:12 PM.]

May your strings never rust, your harmonics always ring true and your vibrato remain steady.

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Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'

Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website

[This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 18 February 2003 at 06:28 AM.]

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My Site - Instruction | Doug's Free Tab | Steels and Accessories

[This message was edited by Doug Beaumier on 18 February 2003 at 11:12 PM.]

The cost of ownership was easy on the buyer and it made for a fine beginners instrument.

I have known a few steel players who take it on a job now and then,,but only for the light weight and portabilty as they do one or two tunes such as "Sleep Walk" and then back to straight guitar.

You are correct regarding the tone.
Yes they are beautiful and regardless of being inexpensive,they are good looking,I never saw a Fender looking "not beautiful"

Your quad is a beauty,,looks like Walnut and one of the limited production early models such as Boggs used.

I think the quad is about a '57. It has the pushbutton neck selectors, which are kind of a pain to use IMHO. I never took off the tuner pans to check the date. With my luck I'd have to take off all 4 before finding the one with the date under it! The serial number under one of the bridge covers is 4838, if that means anything. The case is black tolex w/logo on it, and orange lining. That dates the case between '62 and '65. There's a chance that the case could be a replacement that was made at a later date. The case is huge... about 3' x 2'. I stored it away to keep it in nice condition, and I had John Tipka build me a new case to haul the guitar around.

I feel very comfortable playing Fender steel guitars for some reason, more so than any other non-pedal steels, and I've owned a bunch of different ones. Fender, Gibson, and Rickenbacher all had great workmanship, but there's something about the feel (and sound) of a Fender steel guitar. Much like a cozy old pair of slippers.

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My Site - Instruction | Doug's Free Tab | Steels and Accessories

Are the pickup covers black or chrome??
Is it 26" inches in string length?
The case is more than likely a recover job.

The early stringmsters were tweed cased and then Fender went to the coco or brown tolex and later to the black case. So I dont know why the case is black unless it had been re-covered?

I cannot determine the origin of the case as the quads were discontinued before the black cases were introduced.

You have a 55 to 56 guitar there Doug.It look like an original walnut from the photo
but as far as I remember,walnut guitars both
Custom and Dual Pro's were discontinued back in 54.

Im afraid to post this for fear of being torn apart by those who have taken issue with my comments in the past. I am NOT making this information available only as my memory serves me as to my knowledge of subjects such as this. I make no claim for this information to be accurate,it is based on my expierience and my own opinions.
but I have a strong feeling that your guitar was one of Noel Bogg's guitars. He had a few of them and if I can stick myself out on a limb,I would bet a dollar to a donut
it may have been Noel's. If it is indeed walnut? the year and description are in place
as Leo did extend himself to Noel and had some walnut left over to make Noel a guitar
long after walnut was not being used at Fender,but for Noel everything was done to accomodate Fenders prime player and endorser.

There is a way I can find out,but at this time the only person I can ask is Don Randall
Leo's partner and Don at present is having a family health crisis.

If you need to know (I would I'll do some checking,,,did you see the person who was asking $100.000 for what he claimed was Noel's guitar?? stay tuned I'll check it out..I have to know whether or not it is walnut? if its ash it may be another story.

Its value may change to $50.000.00 I'll mail you something later today.
Its a sad day when someone who tries to offer information based on expierience is taken to task by some of those who make a
federal case out of something that is one person's opinion. I am careful as to what I post as I dont want to invite e mail taking issue with what I remember.

I do this for the enjoyment (if thats what it is)and not for personal gain. I have nothing to gain by posting information that I believe is the truth.

I'm sorry to have to take this stance but I have been taken to task too often,and I have become a believer that its better to listen and say less,but there are times such as this,I wanted to post this information for the benefit of those may find this of some interest if any.

Jody I wished there was a "spell check" option available on the Forum.

[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 20 February 2003 at 08:40 AM.]

His primary reason for his going to the 24/1/2 scale was because of excessive string breakage on what he reffered to as "the little" string which was the 0.10 and 0.11 guage he used.

Noel gave me a chart of all his tunings and
I do know for a fact that he went to the 24/1/2 stringmaster. Noel helped Leo design the pushbutton project and Noel himself would always keep all 4 necks open.That is why sometimes his tone sounded a bit thin to many,but to my ears,he was the greatest and a wonderful man as well.

Put this and the fact together that your guitar came from Southern California and all the issues I wrote,it may give you a hunch as to who owned this guitar.

Let the skeptical people take issue,I beleive you have what I think you have.

Dont ever sell it.Its the last of Fender history. I knew it was walnut when I saw the
wear area on the players side of the guitar.

That was caused by the original player rubbing his Cowboy belt buckle against the guitar,,,did you ever see the belt buckle that Noel wore?? well I did and it was BIG.

Let your imagination take you there. #4838 indicates it was a "promo" guitar and NOT sold to a music dealer,,get an alarm system. You may need it.

[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 20 February 2003 at 10:47 AM.]

A far as string breakage... I haven't had a problem yet. My thinnest string is a .010 tuned to high A. I guess if I had a problem I could install a "Lucky 7"

I forgot to mention: black pickup covers

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My Site - Instruction | Doug's Free Tab | Steels and Accessories

[This message was edited by Doug Beaumier on 20 February 2003 at 11:40 PM.]

There was "no charge" for this. some dealers
did, some didnt. Many players preffered the
chrome over the black. The person who owned yours was kept up to the "latest & greatest
by CLF.

And YES he did like them..in fact he LOVED
them. Leo did it all.The others followed.

Donald D.Randall was the marketing and sales
genius and Leo and Don made all the decisions.

Don is still with us Thank God.

[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 22 February 2003 at 08:36 AM.]

Thanks for the info.You are the Fender King around here.We are always waiting to read your post.When will your book be out?

Thanks my friend

I wrote him back and told him, I had my head examined,but they found "nothing there"