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Author
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Topic: Age of Oahus and Kluson tuners?
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Fred Kinbom
Member From: Brighton, UK
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posted 08 June 2006 02:22 AM
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Dear all,Another post from the Oahu cheapo student guitar enthusiast!  I would like to roughly date my two Oahu acoustics. Therefore I wonder, does anyone know when Oahu's cast aluminium bridge for flat top Hawaiian guitars was patented? My oldest Oahu is marked "patent pending" on the cast bridge, whereas the other has a patent number, which unfortunately is impossible to discern. I checked the US Patent Office website, and old patents can only be searched with detailed info, such as the patent number. If anyone has any info on this, it would be much appreciated! My "newer" Oahu has a type of Kluson tuners (for slotted headstock) where the string is cut and inserted into the tuner. Does anyone know when this type of Klusons were manufactured? Please don't lose any sleep over these questions  – I’m just very interested in history and wonder roughly how old my instruments are. Thanks! Fred ------------------
www.frockmusic.com
www.myspace.com/ilikerecords |
John Dahms
Member From: Perkasie, Pennsylvania, USA
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posted 08 June 2006 03:25 AM
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The number cast on the bridge is 97104- 2029135. The last half of it seems like it would be a late 30's pat. #. Good luck. |
Fred Kinbom
Member From: Brighton, UK
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posted 08 June 2006 03:35 AM
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Thanks John!I found this: United States Patent 2,029,135 Issue Date: January 28, 1936 Current U.S. Class: 84/298 ; 84/267; 984/113; 984/DIG.1 So, my older Oahu is pre-1936. Presumably not older than 1930? Unfortunately there is no more info on the US Patent Office website, so I couldn't see when the patent was applied for. ------------------
www.frockmusic.com
www.myspace.com/ilikerecords |
Russ Young
Member From: Seattle, Washington, USA
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posted 08 June 2006 05:11 AM
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Fred:Here's the bridge, as advertised in the 1935 Oahu catalog:  Although it's difficult to tell from the illustrations, the bridge does not appear to be pictured on any of the Oahu guitars featured in the catalog.[This message was edited by Russ Young on 08 June 2006 at 05:38 AM.] |
Fred Kinbom
Member From: Brighton, UK
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posted 08 June 2006 07:51 AM
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Many thanks for posting that Russ! I've sent you an e-mail.Cheers, Fred ------------------
www.frockmusic.com
www.myspace.com/ilikerecords |
AJ Azure
Member From: Massachusetts, USA
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posted 08 June 2006 08:01 AM
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So if the metal bridge was the stuff why did guitar makers go back to wood? |
Michael Lee Allen
Member From: Fresno CA USA
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posted 08 June 2006 01:10 PM
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"SafeTiString" posts and the metal bridge (labeled as for "electric guitars") are shown in the 1939, 1940, and 1941 catalogs. I have seen both on instruments made at least a few years earlier. Keep in mind these catalogs were poorly printed on cheap paper, graphics are unclear, and they do not reproduce well at all. They were not intended to last as reference material to be used fifty plus years later. When the new catalog came out the old was obsolete and almost all went into the garbage. At some point I will get together with a local Forum member who has the equipment and hosting to post a lot of this type material. |
Fred Kinbom
Member From: Brighton, UK
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posted 08 June 2006 02:49 PM
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Thanks for the info! So I guess my squareneck (with bridge patent number and these type of tuners) is from 1939-41, or were this tuners in use later as well?Michael - I look forward to seeing your Oahu catalog material once you've uploaded it like you mentioned - many thanks for that! ------------------
www.frockmusic.com
www.myspace.com/ilikerecords [This message was edited by Fred Kinbom on 08 June 2006 at 02:50 PM.] |
Michael Lee Allen
Member From: Fresno CA USA
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posted 08 June 2006 03:14 PM
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Fred...
Your guitar could be a little earlier and maybe postwar. I actually have the 1941 catalog in front of me as I had to print some stuff out of it to document some Oahu instruments/amps bought by a local guy who got the original paperwork and dated 1941 receipts included. All guitar producton stopped at the end of 1941 due to WWII. This catalog still shows five acoustic steel guitars but they were pretty much obsolete by this point. Postwar guitar production got off to a slow start and demand was more than the supply all the way into 1947. Some Oahu acoustic steels were made and sold postwar but not many. By then the emphasis was on electrics. My 1950's Oahu Iolana doubleneck has gold "SafeTiString" tuners and they were available on many guitars well into the 1950's and also sold by music stores as an aftermarket add-on/replacement.[This message was edited by Michael Lee Allen on 08 June 2006 at 03:15 PM.] |
Fred Kinbom
Member From: Brighton, UK
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posted 08 June 2006 03:30 PM
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Michael,Here are some photos. The headstock of the squareneck (the "funky" case behind it belongs to the older roundneck):
The squareneck and roundneck headstocks, side by side:
And the two guitars in full:
What do you think? The roundneck is for sure from 1930-35 (square headstock and "Pat. Pending" bridge). The squareneck looks much "newer" - I wonder if it is pre- or post-World War II?
Thanks again for your help! Fred ------------------
www.frockmusic.com
www.myspace.com/ilikerecords [This message was edited by Fred Kinbom on 08 June 2006 at 03:32 PM.] [This message was edited by Fred Kinbom on 08 June 2006 at 03:41 PM.] |
Michael Lee Allen
Member From: Fresno CA USA
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posted 08 June 2006 03:53 PM
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Fred...
Nothing unique about the squareneck. Even if it was postwar it would have been made with the prewar forms and maybe even old-stock wood. Most of this stuff was made by Regal and when Regal was absorbed by Kay (sometime around 1950-52 but I can't remember)more Kay stuff started showing up in the Oahu catalogs. Oahu printed music and actually made some of their own parts and accessories but most items were made for them by somebody else and renamed by Oahu. Most of their instruments and amps were Regal, Harmony, Kay, or National products. |
Alan Hamley
Member From: Queensland, Australia
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posted 08 June 2006 07:28 PM
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Hi Fred,My Oahu has the same patient number as your square neck stamped on the bridge. It also has on the back inside, a stamp in red "made in the usa". Also on the middle, top brace just inside the soundhole is the number "1119" stamped in red. Mine also dose not have the white hand painted binding on the top. Only white painted around the soundhole. I surpose there where a few different finishes. So I guess mine is probably dated around 1940s. Hope this info helps. Cheers Alan |
Mark Eaton
Member From: Windsor, Sonoma County, CA
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posted 08 June 2006 10:14 PM
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The "newer" one brings back memories. It reminds me of an Oahu I played as a 10 year old kid when I started lap steel lessons back in 1964. I can hear it in my head how sweet it sounded.I would think right off, post-war, but then again they could have used the same or similar finish scheme for many years. At any rate, thanks for the photos-it was a cool little trip down memory lane for me. ------------------
Mark
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Michael Lee Allen
Member From: Fresno CA USA
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posted 11 June 2006 04:05 PM
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Fred...
Post a mailing address. I will have some things to send you sometime in mid-July. Do not email me as almost all foreign email is blocked and I am about to change my ISP anyway.
MLA |
Fred Kinbom
Member From: Brighton, UK
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posted 13 June 2006 02:41 AM
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Michael,Many thanks for that! Best regards, Fred. ------------------
www.frockmusic.com
www.myspace.com/ilikerecords [This message was edited by Fred Kinbom on 14 June 2006 at 10:25 AM.] |
Michael Lee Allen
Member From: Fresno CA USA
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posted 14 June 2006 09:20 AM
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Fred...
I have your address copied so you can edit it out if you'd like. I will be away from home almost all the time through July 11th. Sometime after that I will get a package out to you. When I am home it is no problem as I have a print shop and post office less than a city block away. |
Fred Kinbom
Member From: Brighton, UK
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posted 14 June 2006 10:27 AM
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Thanks very much Michael! I look forward to it. I really like these old guitars!All the best, Fred. ------------------
www.frockmusic.com
www.myspace.com/ilikerecords |
Don Kona Woods
Member From: Vancouver, Washington, USA
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posted 14 June 2006 11:29 AM
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When I 13 yrs old in 1949, my father enrolled me in the Oahu Conservatory steel guitar course taught by a pure Hawaiian man in Sacramento, California. I took lessons for a few months using the old Oahu acoustic guitar. I do not know now if it was a rounded neck or square neck that I used as a student.About 10 years ago because of the memories attached to these guitars, I purchased a round neck Oahu acoustic guitar at a steel guitar convention for $65 advertised for $95. It has such a very mellow tone. The guitar has no bowing and is perfectly straight from bridge to nut. What are these guitars selling for now? Would there be a difference in price for the square neck and round neck? or would they be the same? I am not asking this to sell my guitar because I am keeping it for its sentimental value. Aloha,
Don
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Fred Kinbom
Member From: Brighton, UK
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posted 15 June 2006 11:15 AM
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Don,Thanks for sharing that story. I bought my Oahus for $81 and $104 respectively. Great value for money! Fred. ------------------
www.frockmusic.com
www.myspace.com/ilikerecords |
Fred Kinbom
Member From: Brighton, UK
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posted 26 July 2006 01:56 AM
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Michael,Thanks so much for the copies of the old catalogs! From the first glance through them I identified my squareneck in the 1941 catalog (called "The King"). This is a great example of the generous and friendly spririt of this forum - receiving these catalogs in the mail! Thanks very much Michael! Can I e-mail you or is your e-mail address still unreliable? Best regards, Fred. ------------------
www.myspace.com/fredkinbom www.frockmusic.com
www.myspace.com/ilikerecords [This message was edited by Fred Kinbom on 26 July 2006 at 01:57 AM.] [This message was edited by Fred Kinbom on 26 July 2006 at 02:06 AM.]
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Michael Lee Allen
Member From: Fresno CA USA
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posted 26 July 2006 08:09 AM
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Fred...your email address in your Forum profile is now unblocked. My email is not unreliable. I simply have ALL email from the UK/Great Britian or whatever they want to call it and Ireland sent directly to trash and then instantly deleted. |
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