Hitler's connection with the Dobro

Howard Parker · Post by **Howard Parker** » 1 Apr 2013 6:42 am

==>Anyone have one of these? provide a s/n??

"Regarding the "Worco" resonator guitar mentioned in "Ask Frets (Feb 89), I'd like to shed a little light on it's history.Adolph Hitler's love for the Dobro became an obsession with him, and in 1937 he proclaimed that every German family would have a resonator instrument in their home. In 1937 he commissioned Italian luthier, Vito Worconni, to design a low budget resonator guitar to be called the "Blitzenplecker". The guitar had a coverplate screwed to the two-ply body, without a cone or resonator. The sound was so inferior that the project was abandoned. In 1939 Worconni fled to the
United States and settled in Chicago.

In 1947 Kay of Chicago built bodies for Worconni"s student guitars. These instruments were sold at J.J. Newberry and W.T. Grant stores for $6.95 retail. Today, the "Worco" guitar is worth its original value, about $6.95.

There is an interesting historical footnote to the story. When Worconni fled Germany he left behind 1,000 coverplates at the Blitzenplecker plant on the Oder River in Frankfurt. Because of a steel shortage in 1939 these coverplates were used as hubcaps on the early Volkswagen. The holes in the coverplates caused the hubcap to whistle when the auto reached the speed of 32 mph and the German people loved it. Unfortunately, this was Worconni's only sucess in the field of sound.

From 1958-79 Worconni was curator at the Dog Collar Museum in Whipsburg, Pennsylvania. Two Worco guitars are still on display at the museum, and one has been made into a floor lamp. Vito Worconni died of gunshot wounds in Richmand, Virginia, Oct. 14, 1981."

Michael Lee Allen · Post by **Michael Lee Allen** » 1 Apr 2013 6:59 am

Anybody recognize TOTAL and complete BS here?

Joe Snow · Post by **Joe Snow** » 1 Apr 2013 7:05 am

it's a great story for April 1st!

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 1 Apr 2013 7:05 am

It is April Fool's day....

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 1 Apr 2013 7:10 am

Ah! April Fool's!

Jack Aldrich · Post by **Jack Aldrich** » 1 Apr 2013 7:52 am

I LOVE it!!!! Great story for today. - Jack

Terry VunCannon · Post by **Terry VunCannon** » 1 Apr 2013 8:08 am

It may be an April Fools joke....BUT, I now have a new fave word...Blitzenplecker.

Bob Knetzger · Post by **Bob Knetzger** » 1 Apr 2013 8:17 am

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 1 Apr 2013 8:20 am

Howard Parker · Post by **Howard Parker** » 1 Apr 2013 8:31 am

You beat me to it Mike

Maybe That's the reso equivalent of the Me 262. The war ended before they could manufacture mass quantities.

It might have shortened the war by hours.

h

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 1 Apr 2013 8:44 am

Yes, he was clearly a fan of acoustic music ---> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=914LO8sBP2w

Howard Parker · Post by **Howard Parker** » 1 Apr 2013 8:49 am

He's no Earl Scruggs.

Edwin Allen · Post by **Edwin Allen** » 1 Apr 2013 8:59 am

This is begging for photo evidence of a reso with VW coverplate!

Edwin Allen · Post by **Edwin Allen** » 1 Apr 2013 9:00 am

This is begging for photo evidence of a reso with VW coverplate!

Howard Parker · Post by **Howard Parker** » 1 Apr 2013 9:02 am

I have no funds to do research. Maybe we could launch a Kickstarter project?

h

Mike D · Post by **Mike D** » 1 Apr 2013 10:15 am

Thank God he didn't get them, with the power of the resophonic guitar there would have been no stopping him and we'd all be jamming on Ride of the valkyries!

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 1 Apr 2013 11:34 am

this makes me wonder why i've never seen a car with dobro coverplate hubcaps. it seems like a natural...

Mike D · Post by **Mike D** » 1 Apr 2013 12:08 pm

Wouldn't be that hard to drill/punch some Moon caps....

http://www.mooneyesusa.com/shop/product ... b6tavhqhf3

Stephen Abruzzo · Post by **Stephen Abruzzo** » 1 Apr 2013 12:54 pm

Howard Parker wrote:==>There is an interesting historical footnote to the story. When Worconni fled Germany he left behind 1,000 coverplates at the Blitzenplecker plant on the Oder River in Frankfurt. Because of a steel shortage in 1939 these coverplates were used as hubcaps on the early Volkswagen. The holes in the coverplates caused the hubcap to whistle when the auto reached the speed of 32 mph and the German people loved it. Unfortunately, this was Worconni's only sucess in the field of sound.

Obviously, Larry Pogreba liked the hubcap idea as he used 4 different hubcaps in making his resos.

http://larrypogreba.com/guitars

Tom Wolverton · Post by **Tom Wolverton** » 1 Apr 2013 4:06 pm

Ha! "Blizenpecker" Does Santa know about that? : )

Jeff Au Hoy · Post by **Jeff Au Hoy** » 1 Apr 2013 4:32 pm

I'll keep my Bratpfanne.

David Matzenik · Post by **David Matzenik** » 1 Apr 2013 9:11 pm

Oh sure, I remember the Worconi Blitzenplecker, but it was spelled Blitzenplecher on the early models. It was what created the signiture sound for Red Knuckles and the Trailblazers. I think Waldo Otto was their steel man. I used to catch them on the Praire Home Companion, way back when God was a boy.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 1 Apr 2013 9:32 pm

Ah yes, Waldo Otto of Red Knuckles and the Trailblazers! What a picker, what a good ol' boy!

Bill Hampton · Post by **Bill Hampton** » 2 Apr 2013 6:25 am

I met Waldo Otto's evil twin Dr Banjo -- nice guy except for the banjo affliction.

Post by **Joey Ace** » 2 Apr 2013 6:39 am

Ever hear of Godwin's Law ?

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Hitler's connection with the Dobro

Hitler's connection with the Dobro

vw coverplate

vw coverplate

Re: Hitler's connection with the Dobro