|
Author
|
Topic: Steel guitar brands - updated list
|
Ian McLatchie
Member From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
|
posted 11 July 2004 09:38 AM
profile send email edit
Here's an updated version of the list of pedal and non-pedal steel guitar brands that I've posted a couple of times over the past two or three years. As before, I welcome any additions or corrections. I'm leaving on vacation tomorrow and will only have occasional access to a computer the next six weeks, but will check in whenever I get the chance.Unless otherwise indicated, country of manufacture is U.S. Where country of origin is unknown, this is indicated by (?). ABM - Germany
Abbott - England
Ace
Academy
Adkins
Airline
Alamo
Alan - Ireland
Alkire
Aloha
American Steel
Amerloha
Anapeg - Australia
Artisan - China (?)
Artist
Artistcraft
Asher
Audiovox
AVM - Sweden
Avalon
AWH - Sweden
Baggett
Bak - Scotland
Barcley - Japan
Barker
BeJay
Ben Jay
Bennett - England
Bethel
Bigsby
Blankenship & Wheeler
Blanton
Blue Star
BMI
Boen
Bojorquez
Bosco
Bossan
Bowman
Bronson
Bruno - Japan
Canopus - Japan
Capri
Carson Wells
Carter
Carvin
Chandler
Chord King - Australia
Clark
CMI
Cole Clark - Australia
Concord - England
Cougar
Crafters
Cromwell
Danelectro
Dekley
Denley - England
Derby
Desert Rose
DeVis
Dickerson
Dobro
Domland
Dunamis
Dwight
Dyson ToneMaster - Australia
Earthwood
Edge
Electric
Electromuse
Electrotone - Canada
EMCI
EMI
Emmons
Endicott
English
Epiphone
Epitome
Ericson
Ernie Ball
Excel - Japan
Fender
Fessenden
Flynn
Foster - Australia
Fouke
Framus - Germany
Franklin
Fulawka - Canada
Fullner
Fuzzy - Japan
Garritt
GES
Georgeboard
GFI
Gibson
Goldtone
Gourlay - Scotland
Granada - Japan
Gretsch
Guild
Guldan
Guyatone - Japan
Hager/House of Hager
Hansen
Harmony
Harmos
Hawthorne
Hofner - Germany
Hofseth - Norway
Holiday
Howard
Hughey
Industrial Aluminum
J & J
Jagard (?)
Jagiella - Germany
Janz - Canada
Janzen - New Zealand
JCH
Jem - Australia
Jennings
K & F
Kalamazoo
Kamico
Kay
Kiesel
Kline
Lamar
Lambert - Ireland
Lapdancer
Lapcaster
Le Garritt
Leilani
Linkon - Canada
Little Buddy
Lollar
Lone Star
Loren
Maestro
Magnatone
Malibu Indian
Marlen
Marlin - Japan
Marrs
Marvel (?)
Mason - Canada
Mastertone
Matses
Maui - Canada (?)
Maxim - Australia
McCurdy
MCI
McKinney
Melobar
Milburn
Miller
Milwaukeean
Mogultone
Mooney
Morden/Gilbert - Canada
Morrell
Moserite
MSA
Mullen
Multi-Kord
Mustard - Scotland
Nashville LTD
National
Neilson
New Yorker
Nichol
Norwood
Noso - Finland
Oahu
OCD
Ooak
Orpheum
Payne
Pedalmaster
Pedasonic/Ped-a-sonic
Pierce
Perina
Premier
Rains
Rayline
Recording King
RedNeck
Regal
Regent - Japan
Remington
Ren-Keizer
Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker
RKR - 24 - England
Robbins
Roberts
Rogers
Rodgers - Canada
Rogers - Germany
Roto Sound - England (?)
Royal Aire
Russler
Sahara
Savana (?) - Japan
Selmer - England
Seymour
SGI
Shawnee
Sherwood
Sho-Bro
Sho-Bud
Sierra
Silvertone
Simmons
Singing Century
Slingerland
Slyde
Smith's
Sonica - China (?)
S.S. Hawaiian
Springfield
Steelrider
Stella
Stringfellow
Styles
Sunshine
Supro
SurfCity
Taylor
Teisco - Japan
Thomas
Thunderlog
Tim Kill - Australia
Trade Wind
Tri-State
Trotmore
Troubadour
True Tone
Twang - Canada (?)
Tyyser - Finland
Ulrich
Vega
Visser
Vogel
Vox Humana - Netherlands
WBS - Germany
We Need the Money
West Coast
Westwind
Wheeler/Wheeler Ped-Al
White
Whitney
Wilcox
Williams
Winsteel - Ireland
Wright C
Yanuziello - Canada
ZB
Zitnik
Zumsteel [This message was edited by Ian McLatchie on 11 July 2004 at 09:46 AM.] [This message was edited by Ian McLatchie on 11 July 2004 at 11:04 AM.] [This message was edited by Ian McLatchie on 11 July 2004 at 11:05 AM.] [This message was edited by Ian McLatchie on 11 July 2004 at 12:31 PM.] [This message was edited by Ian McLatchie on 11 July 2004 at 02:48 PM.] [This message was edited by Ian McLatchie on 11 July 2004 at 07:29 PM.] [This message was edited by Ian McLatchie on 13 July 2004 at 09:50 AM.] [This message was edited by Ian McLatchie on 14 July 2004 at 09:05 AM.] [This message was edited by Ian McLatchie on 16 July 2004 at 01:09 PM.] |
Buck Dilly
Member From: Branchville, NJ, USA
|
posted 11 July 2004 10:14 AM
profile send email edit
Only one left out: OCD |
Ron Bednar
Member From: Rancho Cordova, California, USA
|
posted 11 July 2004 10:34 AM
profile send email edit
Great list...lots of guitars there. Got a couple questions though.
1. Is the list for electric guitars only or do acoustic steels count too? If so, you missed a bunch of makes.
2. I see you have Lone Star on the list, is that the same Lone Star that is in business now? If so, I was unaware that they produced a steel style guitar. |
Ian McLatchie
Member From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
|
posted 11 July 2004 11:03 AM
profile send email edit
Buck: Thanks, I've added OCD to the list.Ron: Lone Star was a name which someone else submitted, but I think it refers to an earlier manufacturer. No, the list doesn't include acoustic instruments. Compiling a list of acoustic steel brands would be a very daunting task. In the 1920s, '30s and '40s, virtually every guitar maker advertised Hawaiian models, but in many cases these were only Spanish instruments with a nut extension or raised nut. Even defining what, for the purposes of such a list, qualifies as a "Hawaiian" guitar is not easy (nut extension? fixed, raised nut? straight saddle? square neck? a combination of features?). Putting together a list of resophonic or hollow-neck Hawaiian makers would be much easier, but I'll leave that to someone else. |
Loni Specter
Member From: West Hills, CA, USA
|
posted 11 July 2004 11:03 AM
profile send email edit
Hi Ian,
Wow, what a big list!
BTW. Lapdancer and RedNeck are ONE WORD.Thanks, Loni WWW.LAPDANCERGUITARS>COM |
Loni Specter
Member From: West Hills, CA, USA
|
posted 11 July 2004 11:06 AM
profile send email edit
ooops. that's www.lapdancerguitars.com |
George Keoki Lake
Member From: Edmonton, AB., Canada
|
posted 11 July 2004 11:48 AM
profile edit
Fantastic Ian ! There was a (lap) guitar produced in Winnipeg back in the forties and fifties. I still come across them as many were produced during that era. I'm referring to the JANZ guitars which were made by (the late) Bill Janz. Perhaps insignificant, however I did see an inquirie about a Janz guitar from someone in the US not too long ago on the Forum ... so I presume a few have found their way south of the 49th. They were a well made guitar and had a great sound. Canadian jazz steel guitarist, (the late) Jack Mooney owned probably the very first double-neck Janz produced back in 1945  |
Ian McLatchie
Member From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
|
posted 11 July 2004 12:30 PM
profile send email edit
Oh yeah, thanks for the tip, Keoki. I remember seeing Janz instruments way back when I lived in Alberta, but I haven't heard the name in a long time. Added to the list. |
Roger Shackelton
Member From: Everett, Wa.
|
posted 11 July 2004 12:34 PM
profile send email edit
I think there was a Rogers PSG made in the U.S. in the 1960s. |
William Peters
Member From: Effort, Pennsylvania, USA
|
posted 11 July 2004 01:30 PM
profile send email edit
I think you missed Wilcox.------------------
Bill http://www.wgpeters.com
Cougar SD-10, PV-260, Tubefex, PV TNT-115, Gibson SG, Squier P-Bass, Berhinger V-amp Pro
|
George Rout
Member From: St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
|
posted 11 July 2004 01:50 PM
profile send email edit
Just slightly off the subject of guitar brand names but Keoki mentioned Janz from Winnipeg. I have 6 or 7 LP's by the Janzen Musical Strings, recorded in Winnipeg on the REC label (address shows the old postal code). Just wondering if anybody can shed any light on them, there are no names mentioned on the records. See the group picture at:
http://ca.f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/.../m y_photos You can tell the date by the hair styles!!!
Geo [This message was edited by b0b on 12 July 2004 at 03:47 PM.]
|
George Rout
Member From: St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
|
posted 11 July 2004 01:52 PM
profile send email edit
Sorry, I'll have to "share publically" my picture and post it again....Geo |
George Rout
Member From: St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
|
posted 11 July 2004 01:56 PM
profile send email edit
Okay, it looks like it's available to one and all. Geo |
George Keoki Lake
Member From: Edmonton, AB., Canada
|
posted 11 July 2004 02:45 PM
profile edit
If you are including pedal guitars, Hank Rodgers in Vancouver built many pedal guitars under the "RODGERS" name...(note the "D" in his name) I noticed a used one in a local music store only last week. |
Jon Light
Member From: Brooklyn, NY
|
posted 11 July 2004 02:50 PM
profile send email edit
You will need to add these two newish PSGs that are getting some forum airplay--Rains
and
Desert Rose. Looks like you will have to cancel your vacation. Sorry. |
Ian McLatchie
Member From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
|
posted 11 July 2004 02:50 PM
profile send email edit
I've added Wilcox and Rogers, and changed the spelling of the Canadian brand from "Rogers" to "Rodgers." Thanks, all. |
Ed Naylor
Member From: portsmouth.ohio usa
|
posted 12 July 2004 10:52 AM
profile send email edit
Ian- a couple corrections. PEDESONIC--- NASHVILLE should be NASHVILLE LTD, and also I build the SHAWNEE. ED Naylor Steel Guitar Works. |
Paul Arntson
Member From: Bothell ,WA (just outside Seattle)
|
posted 12 July 2004 11:17 AM
profile send email edit
I believe Janzen was a New Zealand brand. I looked at a stringmaster single 8 on ebay that was a NZ Janzen about a year ago. They still have a web presence, but they retail instead of manufacture. |
George Keoki Lake
Member From: Edmonton, AB., Canada
|
posted 12 July 2004 02:43 PM
profile edit
Paul...perhaps so, but not to be confused with Janz out of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. |
Ricky Davis
Moderator From: Austin, Texas
|
posted 12 July 2004 02:53 PM
profile send email edit
Ok now from "Best to Worst"?? Start with the Georgeboard and just go on down from there and doesn't really matter what's second to a bazzillion; as long as you start with Georgeboard..ha. 
Ricky |
Bill Leff
Member From: Santa Cruz, CA, USA
|
posted 12 July 2004 03:26 PM
profile send email edit
I like "We Need The Money".Boy, is he in the WRONG business |
Tom Olson
Member From: Spokane, WA
|
posted 12 July 2004 08:20 PM
profile send email edit
RE: Lone Star -- this steel is currently built by Jim Flynn in Texas. If you go to the links section of the forum and look under "Manufacturers" you will find a link to the Lone Star website. |
Tom Olson
Member From: Spokane, WA
|
posted 12 July 2004 08:26 PM
profile send email edit
I'm probably wrong here, but didn't the Dopyera's build their resonator guitars under the "OMI" brand and/or the "Houndog" brand for a few years during a legal battle over the "Dobro" name? Maybe I'm getting mixed up about something else. --EDIT-- OOPs, I see now that the list does NOT include acoustics. [This message was edited by Tom Olson on 12 July 2004 at 08:27 PM.] |
basilh
Member From: United Kingdom
|
posted 13 July 2004 05:35 PM
profile send email edit
UK steel manufacturer "Concord", single and twin 6's and 8's.
John Marsden and myself are compiling a history of UK steels, and the Concord is the one that's MOST elusive regarding pictures..SO... if anyone has pics.. please get in touch with me...
Baz.
In a couple of days, I'll post some of the pics we already have. ------------------
quote:
Steel players do it without fretting
http://www.waikiki-islanders.com [This message was edited by basilh on 13 July 2004 at 05:36 PM.]
|
Chris Langman
Member From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
|
posted 15 July 2004 02:18 AM
profile send email edit
A friend of mine has a double neck 8 string Maton, made in Australia |
Dave Boothroyd
Member From: The Malvern Hills
|
posted 15 July 2004 04:57 AM
profile send email edit
In every music shop round here there are some new six string lap steels going under the name of "Jagard".
You cannot throw a brick on Ebay without hitting a Jagard steel for sale- usually for more than the music shops sell for!------------------
Cheers!
Dave
|
John Bechtel
Member From: Nashville, Tennessee,U.S.A.
|
posted 15 July 2004 11:26 PM
profile send email edit
Hasn't anyone seen Bobby Bowman’s new product? ‘American Steel’
[O********O]
Keyless, Raises on one end, and Lowers on the other. New Company. ------------------
“Big John” Bechtel
Franklin PSG D–10 (9 & 8)
Fender ’49–’50 T–8 Custom
Fender ’65 Reissue Twin-Reverb Custom™ 15”
click here
click here |
Ed Naylor
Member From: portsmouth.ohio usa
|
posted 16 July 2004 05:53 AM
profile send email edit
There was a NORWOOD guitar built at one time. ED |
Chris Brooks
Member From: Providence, Rhode Island
|
posted 16 July 2004 01:44 PM
profile send email edit
Jan Visser's steel, I believe, is called the DeVis. It's built in Netherlands. Am I right, Rob, Marco, or Johan?Chris |
Hans Holzherr
Member From: Ostermundigen, Switzerland
|
posted 10 August 2004 06:14 AM
profile send email edit
Please add:
Schild - Switzerland
Wiesner - SwitzerlandAlso, see http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum5/HTML/004662.html Hans |
Benjamin Franz
Member From: Hazelmere, Western Australia, Australia
|
posted 10 August 2004 09:14 AM
profile send email edit
also Maton in Australia made them in the early 60's |
The Steel Guitar Forum
