Show us your Marlen steel

[Ricky Davis]

Wow Steven; thanks for sharing that memory. I'm sorry to say I never got to meet your Dad Marvin, but I did of course get to talk to Leonard many times here and there and everytime we talked about Marvin; his face always just lit up. I believe your Dad is the one that made that all-pull changer that they eventually got a Patent on?? That would explain you seeing it in 1978 just before they started building all Marlen's with it. Every time me and Leonard talked about that Changer; he always said "We" as he and Marvin never separated progressions....it was always "Marlen" is the Custom Pedal Steel guitar WE love to Build".
Ricky

[Freddy Rakes]

Thanks Steve for sharing with the forum those words. Over the years I've had the privilege to share the stage with some of those players that worked with your Dad. Most recently,Tim Stegall who was the tele player during some of those years they played the VFW. The first time I set in with Tim at a gig he told me I reminded him of Marvin Hudson. That nearly knocked me off my steel seat. He had no idea I knew who Marvin was. He and I had a large time at that show. Sometimes it's such a small world!
Nice to meet you on the forum.
Freddy

[Ned McIntosh]

I was the Australian purchaser of the Marlen D10 Gary Sill referred to several posts ago. It had been offered for sale via the forum for some time, and eventually, since I had owned a custom-built Marlen back in 1976, I bought it.

Gary did a superb restoration on the cabinet, and Jim Flynn (I think) refurbished the undercarriage. I ended up re-building the undercarriage, partially to reduce the weight somewhat (those old D10s were built!) and partly to rationalise some of the pulls with dead-straight rods to reduce any potential for friction or binding which might de-stabilise the tuning.

About a year ago I needed to reduce the number of steel-guitars I had so (reluctantly) I sold the Marlen to a fellow -player who was interested in learning the instrument. He had been somewhat shocked at the prices being asked for steels, especially new ones, here in Australia, so we negotiated a fair price and he took possession of it. The new owner is off to a good start as he has a beautiful instrument which plays nicely and holds its tuning as well as any pull-release.

Over the years I've posted many pictures of the undercarriage to help others working on the old Marlens, so I'll refrain from doing so here. Suffice it to say Len Stadler and Marvin Hudson but high-quality steels for very reasonable prices, and those who own and play them have a unique piece of steel-guitar history in their possession. Look after them!

[Jim Pitman]

I friend of mine and fellow Vermonter and forum member Brett Lanier owns a pull release Marlin. Sounds great.
The string spacing is much wider than modern day PSGs.
Is this only true of the pull release Marlin"s?

[Clyde Mattocks]

I believe the early pull/release Marlens were 3/8" string spacing.

[richard burton]

My 1966 Marlen is 11/32" spacing at the changer, no different than modern steels.

[James Crisp]

[Mike Ritchie]

My 1970 Model 210, may be looking to sell or trade. It's a lot of guitar to be learning on.

[Johnie King]

[Jay Carroll]

I am the current owner of the keyless Marlin.

[Kelly Hagerman]

I recently became the owner of a Non Pedal Marlen that was left in a TN barn for the last 50 years or so. WIth a lot of love and finish restorer, it's back up and playing! Someone left a perfectly working steel in a barn, some people you just can't figure out. Here's some before and afters.



It's got zero mechanisms or changers, an 8 string non-pedal. Very light! The Jerry Byrd/Kayton Roberts fan in me is very pumped. Has anyone seen a nonpedal Marlen besides this one?

And since the prior owner in the Cold War era ran off with the legs and the case, what kind of legs do you guys use? Does anyone know if Marlens use a particular thread pitch or size for the leg threads?

[HowardR]

Marlen S8/4

marlen 8-4 1 (2).jpg

marlen 8-4 2 (2).jpg