SERENADE 8 STRING PEDAL STEEL GUITAR

[Graeme Jaye]

eBay #110595244167

A friend of mine is interested in this instrument and asked for my advice. Since I know little myself and it would be a case of the blind leading the blind, I thought I'd ask here.

My own view is it's cheap enough for a punt, but it's not even a manufacturer I have heard of or can find any reference to.

Can anyone give him some clues?

[Basil Henriques]

Not a commercial manufacturer, I would consider it "Home Constructed" and of no use for country a la E9th, and as there aren't any knee levers it's use would be primarily as a "Chord Changer" guitar. The mechanism looks to be 'Probably' only raise, or at the best "Pull Release" and only on SOME strings judging by the bridge/changer axle..

IMHO not even a beginners instrument in this day and age. MAYBE in the late 50's it would have been the norm but if its date is the seventies, it was an out of date design by then.. Bargepoles (not Touching with) and chocolate teapots (as useful as) come to mind.
Sorry to be the harbinger of bad news, but consider it good, in the sense of guidance.

[Graeme Jaye]

Thanks Basil.

I had come to pretty much the same conclusion, but needed confirmation from someone who knows a lot more about these things than I do. The one point where I think I have to disagree with you is that it is hardly 'home built', as the photograph clearly shows a box, instruction book, etc. and I don't think something built in a garage as a one-off would have such things.

My friend has decided to pass on this instrument and I have a Carter Starter, which I think would be of far more use to him.

[STEDDIE EDDIE]

i think the Carter starter is an excellent begginers choice, built to a price, but well made, 3 x 4, it amazes me that some guys would spend more on a dodgy old sho bud maverick 3 x 1 than they would on a Carter starter,

[Basil Henriques]

Further research has revealed that the Serenade guitar was a project by Pete Wilshire, that at the most resulted in half a dozen being constructed. It never really got off the ground, and was basically a "Home Constructed" instrument. The balance of the parts that were left over, when the project ceased, were offered to Ron Bennett.
I believe the pickups were by Jeff Pockock.
Intended to be an entry level instrument it would have been superseded and overtaken by Ormston, Denley and other re-badged Nigel Dennis/Gordon Huntley designs.

[Graeme Jaye]

Further research .....

Good grief! Where did you find this stuff? I spent an age hunting around and could find nothing at all.

I would happily sell him my Carter Starter, but I fear he hasn't got the dosh I would want for it.

[Basil Henriques]

Well Graeme,
No1. I've been involved in Hawaiian Music and Steel guitars for 55 years, most of my closest friends are either musicologists, record collectors or aficionados in the steel guitar world. If betwixt all of us we can't find out something, then it probably isn't significant.
No2. As Secretary and Chairman of the European Steel Guitar Hall of Fame Selection Committee I'm privy to a LOT of "inside information" that otherwise would be consigned to the dark and deepest vaults.

From the ESGHoF website.
My friends would include (but not exclusively)

John Marsden (GB): Chairman Emeritus of the Selection Committee. Has the Jerry Byrd Lifetime achievement award in the US Steel Guitar Hall of Fame. He is a recognised chronologist and historian in all matters Hawaiian/Steel guitar

Ken Byng (GB): is an established authority on the pedal steel guitarists in the UK (and elsewhere) and was Sarah Jory’s tutor.

Kari Laine (FI): is an accomplished historian. musicologist and expert on steel guitars and guitarists worldwide.

Walter Stettner (AT): with his famous tribute site to Lloyd Green and also the “Who is on Record” articles chronicling players contributions. An excellent steel guitarist himself and has an extensive knowledge of pedal steel guitar recordings and players.

Gerrit Venema (NL): is undoubtedly one of the world's top experts on Hawaiian music and its players. having one of the largest record and publication collections in this genre.


Cyril LeFebvre (FR): is an extraordinary French slide guitarist and ukulele player. a renowned expert on acoustic steel players and founder of the Uptown Hawaiians along with Mike Cooper

Mike Cooper (IT): has great knowledge of all things Polynesian as well as slide/steel guitar. Very knowledgeable about European players past and present.

Ken Ufton (CA): now residing in Canada. was a leading player in the UK
before he emigrated. his knowledge crosses the lap/pedal steel divide. He was one of the first pedal players in the UK to build his own PSG in the late 50's. He has great knowledge of steel guitar music and musicians in general.


Egil Skjelnes (NO): probably has one of the largest steel guitar record collections in the world. Egil worked together with Joe Goldmark putting together "The International Steel Guitar Discography".



Wolfgang Bednarz (DE): is probably the youngest steel guitar builder in the world. He has been building his highly rated steel guitars for the last eleven years and has personal acquaintance with many European professional and amateur players.



Les Cook (GB): founder of Grass Skirt Records and responsible for the resurrection of past masters’ recordings of classic acoustic performances. Along with other renowned experts continues the legacy of the acoustic steel guitar and its seminal players.



Rene Ranti (NL): along with his wife Nora. is the founder and driving force behind the Pacifica Touch Foundation which aims to promote Hawaiian and Polynesian music in The Netherlands and Europe by financially supporting Hawaiian players who want to visit and play here. Together they have also run the Lei Of Emeralds Hawaiian Shows 3 times already within 8 months and a Lei of Emeralds Luau party last June.



Digby Hardy (GB): Non voting member of the Selection Committee. Acting Chairman of Executive committee. Plays lap steel guitar. mainly Hawaiian. Organiser of the annual Chanos International Steel Guitar Festival in Chanos Curson. France. Together with Basil Henriques started the European Steel Guitar Forum in 2009.



Basil Henriques (GB): Non voting. Acting Secretary and Chairman of the Selection Committee.
One of the very few Hawaiian Guitarists contracted to a Major record label, with sales worldwide in excess of 3 million units. Responsible for promoting steel guitar within the showband industry in Ireland and establishing it as an integral part of the music scene.

Also Professor Anthony Lis (Specialising in the History of Country Music), of the Univesity of South Dakota is a close compatriot.

But mostly I get my info because I'm a "Back Room Boy" with a mind like a sponge..

Not forgetting the ego a large as the Empire State Building and the fact that I've lips like Angelina Jolie (From blowing my own trumpet so hard)
It goes with the job of being in the public's eye and hopefully commercial.
What was it "Brendan Behan" said, There is no such thing as bad publicity except your own obituary. ..., well I've slightly modified that dictat :- "There's no such thing as bad publicity, EXCEPT NO publicity.."

[Graeme Jaye]

Next time something unusual appears, I shall start with you and save myself a lot of useless effort .

Many thanks.

[Ken Byng]

I remember the Serenade guitar. More than a little Heath Robinson, but at that time there was only the plan that came out in Practical Wireless of how to build a pedal steel. For those who wanted to buy a pedal steel, the choice was limited to the Fender 40/800 & 1000/2000 models that were sort of available through retailers over here. I suspect that the Serenade owed more than a tip of the hat to that PW articile.

Later, Pete Willsher got involved with Gerry Evenden's Driftwood guitar, which was a far more professional and playable instrument.

[Basil Henriques]

Thanks for that Ken, I thought I may have got Pete's name spelled incorrectly, and I did.!!
For posterity's sake.. Pete Willsher. Real Name: Peter Martin Willsher. Profile: Guitarist born in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, UK on the 11th June 1943. played with amongst others, Houston Wells And The Marksmen.(He formed that band)
More about Pete Here..