Let's show off some vintage instruments!

[jamespowers]

I decided to dig out a relic from the garage. I have no concrete idea what it is but maybe someone here can tell me. This is, I think, a Hanburt Electric Guitar.

There are a few music sheets in it that make me think it is an Electric Steel guitar. All that Hawaiian Music and this music sheet may make me have cause:

There is also a "Hawaiian Guitar stainless steel bullet end" in the case. I am guessing it is used to play this thing. My grandfather took it as collateral for a loan that someone likely never paid. I can't find a date anywhere but the latest music sheets in it are from 1949 like the previous one pictured. What do you think?

Regards,

J

 

[binkmeisterRick]

What you have there is an old (and cool) lap steel guitar. You lay it across your lap and play it with a slide and finger picks. You can tune it like a guitar if you want, but they're best in various open chord tunings.

 

[jamespowers]

That makes sense. I have tried to find information about the manufacturer but nothing is available. [huh]

Regards,

J

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Now that is pretty cool. Love the shaping of the body. Very deco ...

Excellent.

Sort of tiny sitar-like ... kinda ... maybe? nope.

bk

 

[BellyTank]

...maybe if it was made from gourds and had about a gazillion strings...
close though!

B
T

 

[jamespowers]

Now that is pretty cool. Love the shaping of the body. Very deco ...

Excellent.

Sort of tiny sitar-like ... kinda ... maybe? nope.

bk

Yeah, it sits in its leather case quite well. I have no idea how old it is and the "steel expert" I consulted has no idea about the company that made it or where it is from.

Aloha ,

J

 

[binkmeisterRick]

Hmmm... My research brings up nothing... It was probably made by a better known manufacturer and had a different label put on it to make it cheaper. For example, Gibson actually made some guitar bodies for Kay and Harmony at one point. in the 50s/60s.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Looks to me like the guitar has been broken and repaired at some point - see the close-up. That's quite a scar.

The label appears to postdate the scar. Note how there's no break in the label corresponding to the break in the wood.

Could be the company that fixed the break?

bk

 

[jamespowers]

Looks to me like the guitar has been broken and repaired at some point - see the close-up. That's quite a scar.

The label appears to postdate the scar. Note how there's no break in the label corresponding to the break in the wood.

Could be the company that fixed the break?

bk

Actually that "scar" is the line where it was laminated. That area isn't broken it is a fairly straight line. I imagine after all these years it is less flush than it used to be. That is why the label looks that way.

Regards,

J

 

[jamespowers]

Hmmm... My research brings up nothing... It was probably made by a better known manufacturer and had a different label put on it to make it cheaper. For example, Gibson actually made some guitar bodies for Kay and Harmony at one point. in the 50s/60s.

That was sort of what I was thinking but then that opens a whole new avenue of what ifs. Could be worth a fortune for all I know.

Regards,

J

 

[mysterygal]

James, I have heard of people who are self taught "playing by ear" though if your tone deaf, it won't help much ...I've had this Fender for about 4 yrs now...after reading this thread was real tempted just to try a simple tune of mary had a little lamb...so, even if you don't get around to it, you got me picking this thing back up...sometime I'll post it...it's a real pretty guitar

 

[jamespowers]

James, I have heard of people who are self taught "playing by ear" though if your tone deaf, it won't help much ...I've had this Fender for about 4 yrs now...after reading this thread was real tempted just to try a simple tune of mary had a little lamb...so, even if you don't get around to it, you got me picking this thing back up...sometime I'll post it...it's a real pretty guitar

I am sending Esteban over as I write.
Actually my father was self taught. I suppose I could do it but finding time is another thing. For now it just looks good. :eusa_booh Now I should get a few pictures of the violin too.

Regards to all,

J

P.S. You play. I'll sing---Mary had a little lamb........

 

[Speedster]

I've got a vintage guitar as well:

Oh no, it's not a vintage guitar. It's a Vantage guitar.

Don't know if it is vintage (enough) though. It is from around 1980. Vantage were made in Japan by the same company that made/makes Aria, Electra and a few others that i cannot remember.

Speedster

 

[Pilgrim]

Speedster, that's a Matsumoku-made guitar, and a darn good instrument!

The Gibson company trained the techs in that factory, and they turned out excellent Univox, Lyle, Epiphone, Westone, Aria and other brand guitars for more than a decade. Unfortunately the factory burned down, I think in the late 70's. There are references online if you search. Matsumoku guitars are considered to be very solid and worthwhile instruments, and they are sought after by the small number of musicians who know of their quality.

Your guitar is typical in outline/body shape, attractive combination of woods, and some other visual factors that I can see. It's well worth keeping.

 

[Speedster]

Thanks Pilgrim. I didn't know much about the Vantage until a few days ago when i found a site dedicated to guitars made by Matsumoko http://www.matsumoku.org/guitars.html. Mine is a LS 600 "Witch" with mahogany body with laminated maple center.

I rescued it some years ago from the recycling shed we had where i used to live. One of my neighbours showed me an electric bass that he had found in the shed and told that there was also a guitar there.

Another of my neighbours found an old swedish Hagstr??m guitar that needed a total renovation/restoration. It had been stored in a very humid environment.

Speedster

 

[binkmeisterRick]

Show me that trash bin!!!!lol I picked up an old, discarded 1966 Sunn Solarus 2x12 tube amp from a curb a couple years ago. The wife and I were drivng about when I nearly drove the Jeep off the road after spotting it. I did a quick turn down a side street and drove back round. She about flipped when I yelled "AMP!!!!" and took evasive action. She helped me load it into the back of the Jeep, and after getting it home, I plugged it in and it pretty much worked! It ended up needing a new transformer, but a buddy of mine replaced it for me. It had some original Mullard tubes, to boot!

That amp sounded incredible. It had a big, fat, loud tube tone to it and a reverb as deep as the Grand Canyon. Not bad for a free amp. I ended up trading it in toward a Vox AC-15, but I wouldn't be ashamed to gig with that amp if I still had it.

bink

 

[mysterygal]

P.S. You play. I'll sing---Mary had a little lamb........

lol lol Deal!

 

[Absinthe_1900]

68 Gibson SG Melody Maker I.

I've got a few other vintage items, orig. Vox Pathfinder amp that was bought with the SG, a pre CBS fender Vibroverb amp, 68 "chrome top" Cry Baby wha, and a couple of Univox Uni-Vibes, including one that was once owned by a left handed guitarist from Seattle.

Also a couple of other later guitars, two Strats, (One white, one early SRV model) and a 80's Tokai 52 Tele, and a couple of old tube screamers, etc.

 

[Pilgrim]

This may be overkill, but here's my wall of guitars....

They're not all vintage.

The top row is:
1960'2/early 70's Lyle bass, hollowbody (I'm installing electronics and nut)
1970's Kay KB-2 bass; has a slightly twisted neck I'm trying to straighten
1963 Fender Precision bass
1980's Lotus bass with my own refinish job (7 coats of lacquer), de-fretted, with all-black hardware and black nylon tapewound strings
2000 Fender jazz bass

Bottom row:
1960's/early 70's Lyle six-string hollowbody
1980's Applause (Ovation) acoustic/electric bass
1960's Univox hollowbody bass (absolutely lovely sunburst, light doesn't show it well)
2005 Rogue VB-100 Hofner-style bass

My wife is convinced that having all the hangars on this wall filled is A Good Thing.

 

[binkmeisterRick]

I used to have the same Rouge Hoffner copy! It was a surprisingly fun little bass with a pretty good sound to it. Had to sell it a while back to buy bigger and better things.