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Post by Michael Messer on Mar 22, 2019 18:09:09 GMT
Here is an interesting discovery. In the late 1950s, Ed and Rudy began Dobro production again for the first time since the war. The first instruments were known as 'DB Originals'. (See PalmTreesSenoritasAndRocketShips page 242). They were built in small numbers in El Monte in California. By 1961, they had started a bigger operation in Gardena, California (using the DB logo) (see PTSARS page 243) - SO! - this instrument seems to be a cross-over instrument between the two somewhere in 1960 maybe? It features the transverse dot markers of the early DBs BUT it has the white spot adjuster cover on the body top used in the later Gardena instruments. It also has a different version of the standard DB logo that does not seem to have been seen before!  Shine On Michael |
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Post by Michael Messer on Mar 22, 2019 18:09:53 GMT
This El Trovador Tenor seems to have been living in Southern Italy. So far the only one anyone knows about. It may be a prototype instrument - it certainly doesn't exist in any catalogues. There are similarities to the Rosita tenor which does exist in moderate numbers. There are some interesting issues here. Firstly, it is built using a neck with assymetrical headstock (exactly like a Kaykraft neck). As the El Trovadors were Kay instruments, that seems logical - however, the body is NOT an El Trovador but close to an Estralita (which is Harmony made). Obviously the El Trovador body would have been too narrow at the top to accommodate the resonator being moved further up the body to fit the short scale of the tenor guitar. Perhaps National came to an arrangement with both Kay and Harmony about this one?? Incidentally, could the tailpiece have been any longer!   Shine On Michael |
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Post by Michael Messer on Mar 22, 2019 18:10:34 GMT
Every so often, an engraved National turns up with a unique pattern and different style of engraving. A single item like this poses problems - Was it engraved by an enthusiastic amateur after it was bought or is it an example of a 'new' engraver being tried out by the National company. The more instruments appear in this particular new 'hand' then probably the more confident we can be of a more long standing relationship directly with the National Company. One such example has turned up this week. We have known of only two examples of this particular 'custom' version of a Style 2. It is obviously by a different engraver to the normal Style 2s but as the first one (2074) is a 1930 instrument and the last one (3479) is 1934 - we can at least assume he had a connection to National of around 4 years. The latest one to turn up (2142) seems to be (rather satisfyingly!) a combination of the other two. It is a welcome arrival as it connects this engraver to a greater number of Nationals and makes him obviously a more important figure.  Shine On Michael |
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Post by Michael Messer on Mar 25, 2019 20:40:11 GMT
This version of the Dobro Cast Lap Steel has been for sale on a German guitar shop site for quite a few months. It has the Chicago serial number A102 which places it in 1936/7. It has a colourless, almost polished surface and also features the later extended fingerboard but only has one knob at the bottom. It is interesting for its engraving which is not a common feature at all on these instruments. It does seem to feature 'National style' elements - geometric patterns and wiggle patterns. I suspect it was probably a custom request.  Shine On Michael |
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Post by Michael Messer on Mar 27, 2019 16:37:42 GMT
With this instrument, we actually have the sales invoice. It was sold on March 5th, 1970 and details the sale of a "Special metal guitar" with "special engraving". It sold for a total of $433.65. This instrument is typical of a "Dopera Original" of the late 1960s and has the typical swirl patterns on the top, back and coverplate. If it wasn't for the "Natural" headstock banner, it would probably be issued as a Dopera Original. The neck is high quality walnut and has checkerboard binding along the edges (not visible here). The name 'Natural' may be a reference to Robert Crumb's 'Mr Natural' as there is distinct hippy imagery with the inclusion of the Zig Zag cigarette paper logo featuring a French Zouave's head smoking a cigarette. This image appeared all over the Graphic design of the late 1960s on areas such as Fillmore posters by Kelley/Mouse. All in all, this is a nice example of the sort of custom instruments the Dopyeras were asked to do.  Shine On Michael |
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Post by Michael Messer on Mar 29, 2019 21:16:02 GMT
It seems normal these days to have an 'Eric Clapton' strat or a 'Steve Stills' Martin but back in 1932, Dobro only managed to create one instrument that was endorsed and branded by a personality of the day - the "Cliff Edwards TENORTROPE". Known as Ukulele Ike, he was famous for the Disney song "When you wish upon a star". He is said to have designed this instrument, although he was never really seen with one and probably only suggested to the Dopyeras that it should be circular and left the rest to them! They were issued in 1929 as a basic Model 45, a Model 60 "French scroll" (this one) and a Model 75 with gold plated hardware. By 1932 they had changed these names to Model 50, 75 and 100 respectively. They were all finally discontinued in 1934. This instrument seems to have a smaller mandolin cone and coverplate. They all usually have both a Dobro logo and a Cliff Edwards logo. On this one, it is missing probably because of the sandblasted pattern on the headstock  Shine On Michael |
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Post by Michael Messer on Apr 1, 2019 21:23:48 GMT
This odd item dates to around 1962, when the Dopyera brothers were not able to call their instruments 'Dobros' because the name was still owned by their brother Louis' Valco company. Ed Dopyera and his son, Emil, had, in 1958 produced the "Zorko" stand-up bass in a thermoplastic material and sold the idea to Ampeg. The money they received would fund a number of experiments in guitar building as well as the run of new resonator instruments that would ultimately see the formation of the OMI company about 5 years later. This instrument is a short scale (25") bass made in one-piece in fibreglass matting. It has a maple neck with rosewood fingerboard and a brass, screw-on nut reminiscent of some Danelectros. The style has some distinct details of Rudy Dopyera so we can probably lay this one at his door. It is interesting that also in this year, 1700 miles away in Chicago, Valco was also producing fibreglass (resoGlas) short scale basses for Supro (Pocket bass), Airline and National (the Val Pro 85). I wonder who had the idea first?  Shine On Michael |
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