Volutone amps & guitars

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 30 Nov 2006 7:09 am

I'm researching an article about Volutone's amps & guitars. I know Jerry Byrd played thriough a Volutone amp. Is it in the Country Music HOF? Does anyone have info about Volutone? Thanks!

c c johnson · Post by **c c johnson** » 30 Nov 2006 8:07 am

Andy I have a letter from Jerry and he said the amp and the orig Rick he played were in the country music HOF. A friend of mine visited the HOF about a yr ago and it was not on display. The "curator" said that he thought he remembered it and that the displays were rotated so the items were probably in storage. My friend even offered a bribe if the guy would bring them put of the back room so my friend could take a pic but to no avail. CC

Tighe Falato · Post by **Tighe Falato** » 30 Nov 2006 8:40 am

Andy,
Volutone steels & amps were sold by Oahu and can be found in their 1939 catalog. I happen to have the set in my collection. They also made a pickup for the spanish guitar as well. Very unusual as the amp needs to be "energized" before use and the cord from the steel is a strange 4-prong deal. I have never even plugged mine in as the amp's energizer process is suspicious and recall reading something about the potential for an electric shock

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 30 Nov 2006 9:11 am

Yes, there is definitely a potential for harm. Be careful. http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum11/HTML/003138.html

Bob Dunn had to run a magnet over the strings to use the early pickup.

Gary Schireson provided some good photos of the amps and guitars that i wasn't able to include in my book. I hope they'll eventually make the article.

I'd love to see a photo of your amp.

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 30 Nov 2006 9:59 am

Andy, as you've most likely already found out, there is pitiful info on VoluTone amps.

Jerry's B6 and VT amp used to be on display next to Lefty Frizzel's stuff. But the HoF has been completely redone and unfortunately lot's of things went to storage.

The speaker grill on these earlier versions has a wooden VoluTone scripted guard over a delicate cloth cover, and on Jerry's personal amp, he/his Dad removed it and customized a new one to read 'JB'.
So it's easily recognizable, and unique.

The latter versions has a metal guard, as the wood ones no doubt broke easily.

I have an early one in incredibly nice cosmetic condition, but totally fried internally.

I doubt these amps had any overiding reason for Jerry's fine sound, as asked in another VT thread. Probably just another top quality amp of the day, thus leaving it up to the player to have a good sound, or not.
But I too was curious about them, and someday hope to have mine running and find out.[This message was edited by Ron Whitfield on 30 November 2006 at 10:06 AM.]

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 30 Nov 2006 3:32 pm

If I remember correctly, Al Stotler told me in 2003 that Jerry gave him the amp early on, and somehow he sent it to the HOF museum.
Al was Jerry's childhood friend I was told.

Gary Lynch · Post by **Gary Lynch** » 30 Nov 2006 3:48 pm

I just found this ad if you are interested.

1930's Volutone Lap Steel and matching amp - $600

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply to: sale-224329994@craigslist.org
Date: 2006-10-22, 10:07PM EDT

This is a real blast from the past!!!! A Volutone lap steel guitar with MOTS finish and a Volutone amp that came with the guitar. I do not want to split these apart as they are joined at the hip. I will sell separately for 400 each.
The amp works great. The guitar has a unique pickup which must be charged up via external voltage. This was from the amp but I had to disconnect it as it was an electrocution hazard. I'd recommend changing the pickup to a humbucker single coil and it will sound great. If you want, you can connect the 300 volt output and use the original pickup. The amp records great with a mike and has an original sound to it. Call Ed 860-966-1547 [This message was edited by Gary Lynch on 30 November 2006 at 05:38 PM.]

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 30 Nov 2006 5:55 pm

Thanks, Gary, but I'm really looking for photos or catalog scans as well as any history on the company and their original product designers.

Tighe Falato · Post by **Tighe Falato** » 1 Dec 2006 5:50 am

Andy,
Send me an email address as I've taken a few pics of my set. Mine is not the MOT covered version in the earlier post but the first run natural woodbody with the wood logo grille on the amp. I can also scan in (or fax) the 1939 Oahu catalog page for the set and the other Volutone products which should give you some good info for your article.

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 1 Dec 2006 7:10 am

Thanks. Email sent. I've been looking over some of the photos I have I'd forgotten about. One of the early Volu-tone pickups looks like a flat, credit-card shape that you would somehow attach top the top of a guitar.

JERRY THURMOND · Post by **JERRY THURMOND** » 1 Dec 2006 4:24 pm

Andy I sold a Volutone guitar about two years ago to the son of the man that made them, I think his dad had a place in San Diego, 'Schireson Bro' His son name is Clifford Schireson I think he lives in New York, but I do have an address if you want it e-mail me an I will send it to you. Jerry

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 5 Jul 2007 10:29 am

JERRY BYRD's guitar and Volu-Tone amp.......on display next to Left Frizzel's guitar at one time, was taken from the display case at one time and give hard use by a HOF staffer. By the time it was discovered, it had been used hard and had to be refurbished. CAN YOU BELIEVE?

Anyone have a decent pix of that olden display?

I know I"ve seen one but can't lay my hands on it now that I want to see it.

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 5 Jul 2007 12:35 pm

Couldn't find a picture of the amp, but here's a Volutone microphone:

And here's an article originally in Vintage Guitar magazine that includes mention of Volu-tone amps.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 5 Jul 2007 1:49 pm

Last month I posted a topic about an oddball Volu-tone lap steel, and there was some discussion about the company. Click

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 6 Jul 2007 9:38 am

Thanks to each and everyone of you for sharing your insight into this 'important' topic. The history of the Volu-Tone and Rickenbacher Bakelites is so RICH in history and yet so elusive to find.

THANKS fella's!
Muchly appreciated.

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 6 Jul 2007 9:21 pm

I like the part about "charging" the pickup (?) with 300 volts

Maybe the pickup had an electro magnet instead of a permanant magnet, and needed to be powered to work.

Keith Cordell · Post by **Keith Cordell** » 7 Jul 2007 4:57 am

So does that make it the first EMG type pickup? Inquiring minds want to know...

J D Sauser · Post by **J D Sauser** » 7 Jul 2007 1:49 pm

Here's a picture of the amp and guitar shown at the CM HOF yeas back:

And here, a picture of a similar amp with the original grill:

Some of the older players have told me that to their recolection JB had his best tone back then using the VoluTone amp. I can't tell, I wasn't even born back then.

... J-D,

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 7 Jul 2007 1:57 pm

Thanx for posting the cool pic, JD, now I don't have to look for mine.

The grill re-working was done by Jerry's Dad.
If my VT wasn't in near perfect cosmetic cond. I'd do something similar.

I'm wondering when JB retired the VT and went on to ?

Too bad the HoF has put these items in storage now instead of letting patrons still get their dose of Byrd.

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 7 Jul 2007 2:25 pm

An interesting story; true, as I understand it.

SOMEONE (and I can't remember WHO) one day noticed an old VoluTone amp under Jerry's front porch. When asked what it was doing there, Jerry said "It quit!" So he tossed it there, out of sight, out of mind.

I can't remember where it went after that...........

Just prior to his passing, JERRY mentioned to me that he sure wished he could have been reunited with that old amp and Bakelite guitar as they'd come along way together. He admitted, without compromise, that together, they had the best tone of any combination he'd played thereafter.

J D Sauser · Post by **J D Sauser** » 8 Jul 2007 5:14 am

Ray Montee wrote:... He [Jerry Byrd] admitted, without compromise, that together, they had the best tone of any combination he'd played thereafter.

I have toyed with the idea more than once, to write to the HOF and ask if they could have an amp guy look at it to draw up a schematic for a clone. Never did, because after I got me a different VT which didn't work, my amp guy could not figure out how it ever could have worked... a very different amp, as of today's standards, possibly.

... J-D.

J D Sauser · Post by **J D Sauser** » 8 Jul 2007 5:22 am

Here some interesting reading for those who have one (read before flipping the switch or have your mother in law try it!

)

From: http://www.vintageguitar.com/brands/details.asp?ID=79

Volu-Tone (1933)
While no one dared offer an electrified or electric guitar without also offering an amp to power it, the Volu-Tone company of Los Angeles, like Vega, manufactured an amplifier and pickup set designed to be used with any existing guitar. The idea was valid, as shown by the later success of the DeArmond pickups; however, Volu-Tone went about picking up the instrument�s vibrations using a unique, not to mention potentially deadly, method. The pickup, which mounted to your favorite steel-stringed instrument, had to be charged up with a short blast of high voltage current provided by a special jack mounted to the amp�s chassis.

On the inside wall of the amp�s cabinet was pasted an instruction sheet reading (text missing from damaged label is in parenthesis) �(plug AC power cable in) to convenient recepticle. (Insert instrument cable) plug into energizing socket at extreme right. (Remove) guitar plug from energizing socket almost immediately. This energizes the strings, without which the Volu-Tone is inoperative. The energizing operation must be repeated every time a string is replaced. DANGER: do not permit the guitar plug to remain inserted in the energizing socket for longer than a second or two or harm to the instrument will result. Insert guitar plug into one of the sockets on the left. IT IS NOW READY FOR USE.�

Considering the amp was not equipped with a fuse and the casing of the plug was metal, it�s hard to imagine that; a) Volu-Tone was allowed to even sell these, and; b) the company stayed in business from the summer of 1933 into at least the late �30s without being shut down due to a wrongful death (or at the very least, a serious personal injury) lawsuit. The cable connecting the pickup to the amp was fitted with four-prong connectors at either end to ensure no other pickup would ever feel the 300-plus volts necessary for operation. Having a male plug at the amplifier-end of the cable protected the user from accidently touching the high voltage prongs in the amp�s energizing socket.

Unfortunately, having a male plug at the pickup-end of the cable meant if you didn�t plug the pickup in first, you had high voltage on the prongs!! If you didn�t follow the directions, and unplugged the cable from the pickup while it was still connected to the energizing socket, zapp!!

The different styles of connectors at each end did insure that no one accidently plugged the high voltage of one Volu-Tone amp into the high voltage or the inputs of another. A small red label above the jack read (in very small letters) �Caution. Do not permit plug to remain inserted in this jack for longer than two seconds.� Hopefully there was a thorough owner�s manual included, warning of the potential hazards to life and limb.

The model tested for this article appears to be from the mid �20s, having one of the new 6L6 power tubes, but the earliest models should be similar. A 6C8 preamp tube and an 80 rectifier complete the tube complement, although an extra tube socket was plugged, suggesting the previous model had a second power tube. The 5" speaker was made by Rola. A volume control was the only feature of what probably was the student model amp (�Why don�t you go play with our Volu-Tone, Junior...�), with no on/off switch, pilot light, or fuse. The cabinet is covered in a spiffy three-tone tweed with a leather handle and a Volu-Tone logo cut from wood as a speaker protector.

... J-D.

Blake Hawkins · Post by **Blake Hawkins** » 8 Jul 2007 11:38 am

JD,
That is an informative article about the Volu-Tone amps. Thanks very much.
However, the author made a mistake in saying that having a 6L6 tube dates it from the mid '20's.
Or maybe it is a typo.

The octal based tubes were introduced in 1935.
The "Beam Power" tubes of which the 6L6 is one, were introduced in 1936.
Both of these were RCA developments.

So if the article read "mid '30's" it would be correct.

Blake

Matt Johnson · Post by **Matt Johnson** » 8 Jul 2007 5:56 pm

Here are a few pictures of a Volutone amp that I have:

The instructions on how to fire it up!:

The "warning"

:

and the tube lineup:

Feeling brave/idiotic....I plugged it in and flipped the switch one day (the newer AC cord looks solid).....it powered up slowly, tubes glowed, and a mild "vintage hum" was produced.....now if I can just get someone to install a regular input jack in place of one of the 4-pronged deals, I could hear how it sounds!

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 8 Jul 2007 6:20 pm

Neat, sweet, petite, thanx for the intimate shots, Matt!

I'll say, post war?

Is the logo metal, or still of wood at that point in time?

Good luck getting her up to speed!

The Steel Guitar Forum

Volutone amps & guitars

Volutone amps & guitars

The Country Music Hall O' Fame

Volu-Tone amps and stuff

Some pictures.

JERRY's amps............

Re: JERRY's amps............

read before flipping the switch