Click Hereto see electronics work done on this Magnatone.
I have another Steel of this same model and color for sale, but it needs tuning machines and volume and tone pots. See more info about both of either of these Leilani sets at the link provided below.
SERIAL NUMBER: I have not been able to find an index of Magnatone serial numbers for dating a serial number's year of manufacture. However, since the Magnatone Los Angeles 1947 - 1955 serial numbers have a congruency in their number of digits and apparant running number sequence; A person can make a ball-park interpolation of what year-period a serial number originated. In the case of this guitar's serial number 12905, it's quite evident that the guitar was made in 1947, which also corresponds with the Amp's serial number being 1947, for which this Steel is an original Steel / Amp set.
This Steel was my main portable lap Steel from the late 1990's until it's tuner buttons became unuseable a couple years ago at the same time I acquired another one. That other one sits on a stand in my shop ready to play or take to play at any time ....and gets allot of playing. Since being set aside, this Steel has been waiting it's turn in a long line of instruments waiting a priority for my workbench. ( Instruments needing some bench time are a large part of my retirement plan ) ! These MOTS "Maggies" are great lap Steels for any genre of music; They play and sound wonderfully, and are very portable due to their very light weight. They will even fit diagonally into most Traveler's suitcases ..... poo-poo on fourth reich airport security !
The hand rest plate can be easily removed with 4 small wood screws, should a player prefer hand blocking closer to the bridge. I hand block in front of the plate because the fingerpicks have a warmer timbre I prefer in that more-forward position.
Replacement tuning machines must be the slotted shaft type like those shown here, ....because the holes on hole-only tuners will not reach through the thickness of the headstock and grommets. New individual 3+3 slotted tuners are available, but not 3+3 strip tuners as far as I can determine. I buy almost all of my new parts from Allparts. Most common vintage tuners are usually not difficult to find if a person puts the homework and time into finding them ....or commissions a guitar tech to find parts for them (a useful technique I often use myself).
Sorry Nurse Ratched, ....I can't play you a song; The dog ate my tuner buttons; But maybe we could swap gum and fiddle around in the linen closet !
