Dalanta Fauxbro

[Deleted]

While searching google I was fortunate to find this wonderful forum, and saw a thread about early photos of reso's.

About a year ago I searched high and low to determine the origins of a fauxbro I've owned for nearly 40 years, a "Dalanta". A bluegrass player was kind enough to send me a scan of this Polk Music catalogue:


This is the Dalanta I have:

And, yes, the pickup was added decades ago. It's an old D'Armond about which I know nothing (and would appreciate anyone's help).

I have no way of knowing for sure, but I think Muddy is playing a Dalanta in a pic I saw here posted earlier.

The shape and "binding" on the body seem similar to me. Of course, I know next to nothing about vintage guitars, so here I am.

Can anyone help and offer information about Dalanta guitars?

Thank you,
Doc

[Deleted]

Trying to repost the Muddy pic:



The shape of the headstock, the binding, the white, "plastic" keys, the fretboard markers, and the reso cover (although a Dalanta is a fauxbro) lead me to believe Muddy's playing some model of a Dalanta.

Also, the proximity of Atlanta and low price might factor in.

I'd sure appreciate anyone's discussion about this.

[robn]

Hi Doc,

I don't have any info on the guitar I'm affraid but what a great photo of Muddy. Do yo know who the fiddle player is and when/where the shot was taken. I think that I might use it as my wallpaper on my PC.

Robn

[Mark Makin]

Hello Doc
I can see your thinking about the similarities to the guitar Muddy is playing - however if you look at the fret markers you will see that Muddys shows dot markers on the 5th, 7th, 9th and 12th fret. One of the key design features of the Dalantas seem to be markers on the 10th and none on the 12th. Whilst guitar styles varied widely in one manufacturers range - invariably they never deviated from their approach to fret markers (Stella, for example, always marked the 10th fret, not the 9th). I would suspect therefore that, although similar, Muddys is another brand cheap Dobro type

[Michael Messer]

Hello Doc & Robn,

Doc, I am sure this discussion has appeared on our forum before, but I can't seem to find it. I agree with Mark Makin that Muddy is playing a different brand of cheap Dobro copy guitar. Thank you for starting this thread - any discussion about Muddy Waters, his guitars and his music, is okay by me! Keep in touch Doc & thank you for the kind words about our forum.

Robn, the fiddle player in the photo with Muddy is Henry 'Son' Simms and can be heard on Muddy's first recording session 'The Stovall's Plantation Sessions', which keeps re-appearing with different titles.

Shine On,
Michael.

[robn]

Thanks Michael,

I'll certainly search that one out. My kids have just emailed me an Amazon token for my birthday; perhaps I'll be able to put it to good use!

Robn

[Deleted]

Thank you so much for your replies!

Being new here I wasn't sure how this would go, and I couldn't be more pleased that SOMEONE knows something about the Dalanta. Thanks for your warm welcome.

re: fret markers
Some enterprising player painted the white dots with red nail polish. One can only imagine what and who else was painted with that little red bottle.

Another characteristic of my Dalanta is the paint wear right below the nut. It appears someone tied a thin piece of rope under the strings to fashion a makeshift strap. Of course, that doesn't have anything to do with the guitar in Muddy's pic since his strap is wrapped under the strings on the headstock, but I like to imagine a Delta troubadour playing a juke joint with mine on a rope strap.

Until someone's able to confirm it, I'm gonna stick with Muddy playing a Dalanta, and even imagine mine was in his hands somewhere along Highway 61. I'm sure you understand how much fun that thought can be inspite of all facts and reason.

Here are a couple more pics:




And does anyone know a source for info about the D'Armond pickup?

Thanks again. GREAT site and forum here.

[colinbrooks]

I thought Muddy's guitar had been nailed as a Regal built fauxbro. They cropped up under various names including including Antoria in the UK. The proportions, markers etc correspond well with the Lomax photo. The clincher for me is the reflection on the edge of the 'cover plate' which to me indicates a raised rim as found on the Regal. I have one of these guitars but lack a digital camera to show it to you. I'll post a picyure when I can.

Colin

[Michael Messer]

Hi colin,

Thanks for the post about Muddy's guitar. We had this discussion a while ago, but I couldn't find the thread.

Shine On,
Michael.