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Author
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Topic: Stroh: The Earliest Resos?
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Bob Stone
Member From: Gainesville, FL, USA
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posted 29 March 2005 02:03 PM
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I haven't done anything like exhaustive research (quite the contrary), but it looks like Stroh violins (or Stroh viols) were introduced more than two decads before Nationals and Dobros.Here is a nifty reproduction Elderly is selling: http://www.elderly.com/new_instruments/items/STROHV27.htm Does anyone know just how the Stroh resonator design compares to that of a National or Dobro? I played an original Stroh back in the 1980s at Jay Ungar's Ashokan music camp, but don't remember much of the details of the instrument's construction. Also, didn't Weissenborn make a similar resonator violin? Inquiring minds want to know. More info: Here are some pics of the original design and some text from the 1899 patent application: http://historywired.si.edu/detail.cfm?ID=46 [This message was edited by Bob Stone on 29 March 2005 at 02:11 PM.] [This message was edited by Bob Stone on 29 March 2005 at 02:15 PM.] |
John Bushouse
Member From:
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posted 29 March 2005 02:59 PM
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I've done a ton of research on the Stroh instruments. Or at least I've uncovered quite a lot of existing research. The Journal of Experimental Musical Instruments had four articles on Stroh instruments written by Cary Clements (now at Bourgeois Guitars) - I have the reprints. Here's a thread on another forum I started:
http://www.guitarseminars.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/002682.html You'll see a picture of one of the two remaining guitars (known to exist), as well as some comments by Orville Johnson, who played the music clip for the Experience Music Project. Orville described it as a "strange sounding beast." I've played one of the original one-string violins and the only known ukulele. The one-string violin had an acceptable sound (sounded just fine to me), but the ukulele was built for steel strings, and had very old strings on it, and not a very good setup. And, without a monitor cone, I couldn't hear myself play. I would like to find a luthier/machinist to build one of these for me. I may have one who would do it, but it would be a longshot.[This message was edited by John Bushouse on 29 March 2005 at 03:02 PM.] |
Mike Neer
Member From: NJ
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posted 29 March 2005 03:33 PM
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Here's a description of Stroh violins from Paul Whiteman:The string section used "Stroh" violins, which strange-looking affairs totally unlike the string instruments you know. The Strohs were little more than fingering boards, with a horn and tone box attached to the metal bridge. These instruments made raspy noises, like the sounds you used to get from one of the old-time phonographs with the "ear-trumpet" amplifiers, but they were more effective than ordinary violins in vibrating the stylus. |
HowardR
Member From: N.Y.C.,N.Y.
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posted 29 March 2005 07:59 PM
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I have one of those in my collection
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Russ Young
Member From: Seattle, Washington, USA
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posted 29 March 2005 08:28 PM
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I recently came across these photos of a Stroh bass:   |
Mike D
Member From: Phx, Az
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posted 29 March 2005 10:08 PM
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I hope you've been laying off the asparagus Howard (or at least don't play the Weissonator afterward!)The Stroh design was well known to the Dopyeras who played off the idea (and that of the phonograph) when coming up with the resonator concept. ------------------
Half-assed bottleneck and lap slide player. Full-assed Builder of resonator instruments.
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Bob Stone
Member From: Gainesville, FL, USA
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posted 30 March 2005 07:01 AM
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John,Thanks for the link. I didn't know Stroh made any guitars. Interesting photos! Back to the Weissenborn question. Did they make any Stroh-type instruments or am I off base on that? I could swear I remember hearing that they made reso violins. [This message was edited by Bob Stone on 30 March 2005 at 07:02 AM.] |
Rick Aiello
Member From: Berryville, VA USA
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posted 30 March 2005 07:35 AM
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Howard ... Bakelites get me excited too ...  I betccha the Mohel had a rough time with that rascal ... ------------------
Aiello's House of Gauss
My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield
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Mike D
Member From: Phx, Az
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posted 30 March 2005 01:47 PM
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Bob, John D. made one aluminum bodied reso violin, they had drawings of a harp too, but I don't think that was ever made.
The first instrument made for Beauchamp was an acoustic lap style guitar with a 'horn cabinet' it sat on, the idea of course to gain volume. Apparantly it wasn't such a big sucess.------------------
Half-assed bottleneck and lap slide player. Full-assed Builder of resonator instruments.
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