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Author
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Topic: Oahu Student Prince square neck
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Fred Kinbom
Member From: Brighton, UK
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posted 05 April 2006 11:09 AM
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Hello all you Oahu experts out there!Is the "Student Prince" model as good as the "normal" Oahu acoustics of the 30s and 40s? Any advice would be much appreciated! Cheers, Fred |
Brad Bechtel
Moderator From: San Francisco, CA
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posted 05 April 2006 02:09 PM
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I doubt you'll find many Oahu experts anywhere. From what I've seen of the Student Prince models, they are just that - student models, in no way comparable to the higher end Oahu acoustic guitars.
The Oahu Publishing Company had guitars made for it by Kay, Harmony, and Valco between 1926 and 1970. There's no way you could compare any two models unless you have them side by side.------------------
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Loni Specter
Member From: West Hills, CA, USA
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posted 05 April 2006 08:27 PM
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I heard that no matter what you try to play on the Student Prince model, it always comes out sounding like "Purple Rain".  |
Doug Beaumier
Member From: Northampton, MA
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posted 06 April 2006 12:01 AM
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I don't know what a Student Prince model is, but I had a small 1930s Oahu squareneck acoustic guitar a while back, and it was a piece of junk. Very poorly made, thin top, small inadequate braces inside, which caused the thin wood top to bow up behind the bridge. It was one of the flimsiest guitars I've ever seen. I don't know how Oahu expected students to learn on those things. They make nice wall-hangers, but I wouldn't pay over $25 for one. I ended up throwing mine in the dumpster. I couldn't in good conscience sell it to anyone. Now let me tell you how I really feel....  [This message was edited by Doug Beaumier on 06 April 2006 at 12:40 AM.] |
Erv Niehaus
Member From: Litchfield, MN, USA
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posted 06 April 2006 08:07 AM
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The only Oahu guitar that I have been impressed with were their instructors models. Some of these were beautiful instruments. There was a guitar vendor a while ago that had one for sale and I think he had a price of a few thousand $$$$'s on it (and it sold)!
Erv[This message was edited by Erv Niehaus on 06 April 2006 at 08:08 AM.] |
Doug Beaumier
Member From: Northampton, MA
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posted 06 April 2006 09:07 AM
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Yes, the Oahu Style 68K DeLuxe Jumbo is the high-end model. Spuce top, fancy pearl vine inlay, abalone trim, ladder-braced, a beautiful guitar. These were made for Oahu by Kay and they are valued at over $4000 now. Comparing these to a standard Oahu student guitar is like comparing a Sierra to an Artisan! I wonder how many of these were made?  |
Michael Lee Allen
Member From: Fresno CA USA
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posted 06 April 2006 12:19 PM
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The Oahu that Doug posted in standard or square neck is really the only high-end high-dollar Oahu acoustic. The Student Prince is a typical small cheaply made beginner guitar like most of the Oahu stuff. I have it in an Oahu catalog and there is nothing unusual or special about it. As long as the neck or bridge haven't pulled off they can be an interesting and different sound if you are tired of jumbo bodies or resonators. Living in a place like England and paying shipping and import costs on something like this? That's more than these guitars sell for. [This message was edited by Michael Lee Allen on 06 April 2006 at 12:25 PM.] |
Michael Lee Allen
Member From: Fresno CA USA
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posted 06 April 2006 12:33 PM
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Oops...forgot to add...I got a matched pair of Spanish & Hawaiian "Artist" models from a retired Oahu studio operator. Back in the mid-1970's when there was little interest in the Hawaiian or slide guitar style outside of blues players, no eBay, and no vintage guitar books or magazines I still got $2000 for the pair. Been at this for forty years and I have seen less than a dozen of this model. Most Oahu instructors or studio operators wouldn't have spent the money on them in those days. They ARE Kay products so they don't sound all that great but they sure do look good. |
Erv Niehaus
Member From: Litchfield, MN, USA
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posted 06 April 2006 01:14 PM
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Doug,
Yes, that's the one I was referring to. Sure is purdy!  |
Pete Grant
Member From: Auburn, CA, USA
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posted 07 April 2006 12:38 PM
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My Oahu Artist kicks ass. It's a truly great guitar. There's one recording session I did where I actually lost count at how many times the engineer said "Wow, that's a GREAT guitar!" |
Fred Kinbom
Member From: Brighton, UK
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posted 08 April 2006 12:55 PM
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Pete, what Oahu have you got?I really like my roundneck. It's cheaply made in the 1930s out of what seems like birch, it cost $81 and it sounds great! |
Pete Grant
Member From: Auburn, CA, USA
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posted 08 April 2006 03:03 PM
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Mine is the "Teachers' Model" as it's been described elsewhere. It's similar to the rosewood guitar above but is just a little smaller and has maple back and sides. It has all the abalone and mother-of-pearl like the rosewood one. |
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