Pre Owned Clinesmith 7-string Frypan Steel Guitar With Gig Bag

 

Since 2001, Clinesmith Instruments has been hand-crafting some of the most interesting instruments out there.  A one-man show, Todd Clinesmith is the owner, operator and builder.  In 2006, he purchased the remaining stock of parts and aluminum casting patterns of Paul A. Bigsby. These same patterns made some of the steel guitars built for the finest steel players of the 40's, 50's, and 60's.  Since then, Clinesmith has been proud to offer these instruments built with excellent attention to detail, and with the sound and look just like the originals.

 One of the more rare instruments from Clinesmith is the 7-string Frypan (long scale).  After over a year in development, the 6 and 8 string Fypan's debuted in 2019 to much fanfare from the steel guitar community.  Everyone was familiar with Clinesmith's work, but this was an exciting moment.  Many asked for a 7 string version, which came soon thereafter.

 

It's made from Cast Aluminum (as opposed to machined billet Aluminum), which tonally is far superior. It has a grain and structure that is unique to itself such as wood has.  He kept the design and construction of these as traditional as possible although these do have a solid neck which does increase sustain, and solidifies the tone. He tried keeping the top and back as light as possible to capture the beautiful aluminum tonal response.  The pickup contains real horseshoe magnets which are stronger than the vintage units.  Clinesmith winds the pickups with the old style gauge wire.  This produces a rounder and fatter tone than modern wound pickups.  The string spacing is similar to that of a Stringmaster:  3/8" at the bridge and 5/16" at the nut. Totaling 2.25" bridge, 1.875" nut. 

 

We've never had one of these in here, and we're pretty excited to have this one!  The build quality is amazing, and of course it sounds unreal.  For anyone looking for a Frypan steel guitar, it would be hard to beat this one!