Restoration Advice Sought, Springfield Lazydeck Pro Deluxe 2

[RMcKerron]

Hi all!

I've rather fortuitously been given a lap steel guitar, which I *think* is in excellent condition, but I'm falling at the first few hurdles! My friend (NJD on here) recommended I jump on here with a post detailing what I have, where I think I'm at and hopefully receive some further direction!

So, firstly it is a 10-string single deck 'Springfield Guitar Company' '"Lazydeck" Pro Deluxe 2'. I can't find anything online about this company, or the model, so any leads on that front are welcome! I'm led to believe every state in the USA has a 'Springfield'!

Second, it really does seem in pretty good nick. Had one owner, who didn't take to it, was a gift from their husband and I've no idea when it was purchased, but I assume 'a long time ago' which in my head is anything before 1990. This is based on nothing in particular, just guessing.

It's got a bit of dirt and grease build up in places which I gather is for a lot of it essential for smooth operation.

The pedals all appear to work as they should theoretically. Tensions need sorting, needs new strings and a polish, etc.

The bellcrank system *seems* to be correct for the most part. I found a manual of the bar system for another model and this matched up with the layout in that. I found it interesting that not all strings are affected and some go up as well as down (I'm learning, this probably is all basic stuff).

It does, however, appear to be missing the following: One bellcrank, belonging to the right knee when you move left (is that RKL?) and it is also missing the two bars that go from RKL to the pitch bend system itself.

So, where do I go from here? I'd like to take the time to restore it properly, so the original parts would be ace. If that's not possible, who does one go to to get a part custom made identical to the rest? Is the company real, or is it a ghost name for a well-kept kit build?

It came in a substantially heavy travel case, too, which I assume was bought with the unit.

Any and all advise amply welcomed! I'm based in Derby, UK.

Cheers! Richard

[JohnDavisStringsHere]

Hi Richard, welcome to our forum, I think the bloke you need is in Leicester Dave Seddon not too far away from you..... I might be able to russle up a bell crank or two.

[Tony Russell Davis]

Hi Richard. Here's some more information about your guitar (and, with apologies, some correction to terminology - but which will get you further as you'll ask the right questions. What you have is a pedal steel guitar (not lap) and it has "3 + 4" (pedals/knee levers). The bars that go to the "changer" are "pull-rods" and you are correct with the "bell-cranks" on the "cross-rods". It was made by James Kerr of Livingstone (Edinburgh) probably around 1980+.
Jim is still around and *posts on YouTube with a "lap steel guitar". Here's a thread on his company https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=1113061.
Read it through and you'll notice many names that also appear on this forum. I too remember the Wembley gig and also played that Springfield guitar on his stand.
* I've tried finding Jim's YouTube posts but they seem to be private now.
Best of luck, the guys on here will have you up and running

[RMcKerron]

Hi Richard, welcome to our forum, I think the bloke you need is in Leicester Dave Seddon not too far away from you..... I might be able to russle up a bell crank or two.

Hi John!

Ah, that'd be grand. Ideally I'd like it to match the originals, is that generally a thing, or would that involve getting things custom cut (not averse to that for consistency). What information would you need from me to provide one - do I need to partially deconstruct it and pull one of the bell cranks off for a clearer photo/measurements or is there a consistency across instruments?

Many Thanks!

Rich

[RMcKerron]

Hi Richard. Here's some more information about your guitar (and, with apologies, some correction to terminology - but which will get you further as you'll ask the right questions. What you have is a pedal steel guitar (not lap) and it has "3 + 4" (pedals/knee levers). The bars that go to the "changer" are "pull-rods" and you are correct with the "bell-cranks" on the "cross-rods". It was made by James Kerr of Livingstone (Edinburgh) probably around 1980+.
Jim is still around and *posts on YouTube with a "lap steel guitar". Here's a thread on his company https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=1113061.
Read it through and you'll notice many names that also appear on this forum. I too remember the Wembley gig and also played that Springfield guitar on his stand.
* I've tried finding Jim's YouTube posts but they seem to be private now.
Best of luck, the guys on here will have you up and running

Hi Tony,

Ah, that's a lovely thread! I wonder how many instruments Jim produced and whether anyone has created an archival list of the ones he put out? Given his memory of the other one there, I wonder if the lineage of this one is known beyond the people I got it from?

[RMcKerron]

And thank you for the terminology! 'lap' was a late-night mis-type, but the rest is complete beginnerisms! I do djembe workshops and the amount of time they're called bongos, aiaiai.

[JohnDavisStringsHere]

PM sent.......

[Mcneilwaeasteel]

Hi Richard
Regards the Springfield model that you have acquired you already have all the guitar background information posted on here, from the photos above I think this guitar is set up with the Jimmy Day copendant and the only thing I can see missing is the pull rod for the F# lower to F on the first string. The pull rod needing replaced is just 1/8” ( 0.125” ) gas welding rod heated and given a sharp 90 bend then cut short to fit the changer finger. The other end of the rod is just a right angle bent at the correct rod length.
Regards cleaning the changer mechanism try using Jiffie’s nappy and naphtha method as described on page 3 of his Uni to Ext E9th conversion post below somewhere.
You have to remember that this guitar was probably built in the late 70’s and was more or less a prototype build with limited funds and not the same research and development that big American guitar companies have put into building pedal steels before and since
then.
It looks in good condition and I would recommend that you just clean it up, replace the rod and fit new strings ( courtesy of J Davis esquire ) make sure the nut rollers are free to turn and then learn to play it!
If you go down the road of a “proper restoration “ you will end up rebuilding all the undercarriage to bring it up to modern standards, it should play well enough to give you a good starter guitar and although not a Rolls Royce model you will get a good sound from it, I had one made for me in the late 70’s as my first pedal steel and was pleased with it.
I had lately been in the process of reconstructing a single neck Springfield of about the same age, to my own specifications butt it has proved to be a long job and so very time consuming, now it’s on the round tuit list as I’ve recently acquired a Mullen guitar instead and prefer learning to play pedal steel than spend time making bits to build one!
Regards the case that came with it, that’s a wardrobe in disguise and you can replace it with a Keyboard bag putting a small Wooden cradle inside it. I’ll post or send you pictures later as I’m a bit indisposed at present and will be out of action for the rest of this week.
If you require any further information I’ll do my best to help you with your repairs, as will other more knowledgeable people on this site, good luck on your journey into pedal steel, it’s a long and winding road your about to travel!
Robert

[Mcneilwaeasteel]

Hi Richard
Regards the Springfield model that you have acquired you already have all the guitar background information posted on here, from the photos above I think this guitar is set up with the Jimmy Day copendant and the only thing I can see missing is the pull rod for the F# lower to F on the first string. The pull rod needing replaced is just 1/8” ( 0.125” ) gas welding rod heated and given a sharp 90 bend then cut short to fit the changer finger. The other end of the rod is just a right angle bent at the correct rod length.
Regards cleaning the changer mechanism try using Jiffie’s nappy and naphtha method as described on page 3 of his Uni to Ext E9th conversion post below somewhere.
You have to remember that this guitar was probably built in the late 70’s and was more or less a prototype build with limited funds and not the same research and development that big American guitar companies have put into building pedal steels before and since
then.
It looks in good condition and I would recommend that you just clean it up, replace the rod and fit new strings ( courtesy of J Davis esquire ) make sure the nut rollers are free to turn and then learn to play it!
If you go down the road of a “proper restoration “ you will end up rebuilding all the undercarriage to bring it up to modern standards, it should play well enough to give you a good starter guitar and although not a Rolls Royce model you will get a good sound from it, I had one made for me in the late 70’s as my first pedal steel and was pleased with it.
I had lately been in the process of reconstructing a single neck Springfield of about the same age, to my own specifications butt it has proved to be a long job and so very time consuming, now it’s on the round tuit list as I’ve recently acquired a Mullen guitar instead and prefer learning to play pedal steel than spend time making bits to build one!
Regards the case that came with it, that’s a wardrobe in disguise and you can replace it with a Keyboard bag putting a small Wooden cradle inside it. I’ll post or send you pictures later as I’m a bit indisposed at present and will be out of action for the rest of this week.
If you require any further information I’ll do my best to help you with your repairs, as will other more knowledgeable people on this site, good luck on your journey into pedal steel, it’s a long and winding road your about to travel!
Robert

[JayVeeGee]

Note to Richard and Robert:

Robert ~ apologies if this sounds like a contradiction, but on looking at Richards photos, it looks like an Emmons set-up. The 'far west' pedal [pedal A] appears to be pulling the 10th and 5th strings and the 'far east' pedal [pedal C] pulling 4th and 5th strings.
Richard, the Emmons set-up is also referred to as A B C pedals while the (JImmy) Day set-up has these pedals reversed and is commonly referred to as C B A.