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Topic: Age of Oahus and Kluson tuners? |
Fred Kinbom
From:
Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
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Posted 8 Jun 2006 1:22 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
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www.frockmusic.com
www.myspace.com/ilikerecords |
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John Dahms
From:
Perkasie, Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 8 Jun 2006 2:25 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. |
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Fred Kinbom
From:
Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
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Posted 8 Jun 2006 2:35 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.
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www.frockmusic.com
www.myspace.com/ilikerecords |
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Russ Young
From:
Seattle, Washington, USA
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Posted 8 Jun 2006 4:11 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.] |
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Fred Kinbom
From:
Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
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AJ Azure
From:
Massachusetts, USA * R.I.P.
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Posted 8 Jun 2006 7:01 am
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| So if the metal bridge was the stuff why did guitar makers go back to wood? |
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Michael Lee Allen
From:
Portage Park / Irving Park, Chicago, Illinois
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Posted 8 Jun 2006 12:10 pm
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REMOVED
Last edited by Michael Lee Allen on 28 Feb 2011 1:34 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Fred Kinbom
From:
Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
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Posted 8 Jun 2006 1:49 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!
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www.frockmusic.com
www.myspace.com/ilikerecords [This message was edited by Fred Kinbom on 08 June 2006 at 02:50 PM.] |
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Michael Lee Allen
From:
Portage Park / Irving Park, Chicago, Illinois
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Posted 8 Jun 2006 2:14 pm
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REMOVED
Last edited by Michael Lee Allen on 28 Feb 2011 1:38 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Fred Kinbom
From:
Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
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Michael Lee Allen
From:
Portage Park / Irving Park, Chicago, Illinois
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Posted 8 Jun 2006 2:53 pm
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REMOVED
Last edited by Michael Lee Allen on 28 Feb 2011 1:36 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Alan Hamley
From:
Queensland, Australia
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Posted 8 Jun 2006 6:28 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 |
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Mark Eaton
From:
Sonoma County in The Great State Of Northern California
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Posted 8 Jun 2006 9:14 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.
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Mark
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Michael Lee Allen
From:
Portage Park / Irving Park, Chicago, Illinois
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Posted 11 Jun 2006 3:05 pm
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REMOVED
Last edited by Michael Lee Allen on 28 Feb 2011 1:39 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Fred Kinbom
From:
Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
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Michael Lee Allen
From:
Portage Park / Irving Park, Chicago, Illinois
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Posted 14 Jun 2006 8:20 am
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REMOVED
Last edited by Michael Lee Allen on 28 Feb 2011 1:39 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Fred Kinbom
From:
Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
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Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Posted 14 Jun 2006 10:29 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
From:
Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
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Fred Kinbom
From:
Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
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Posted 26 Jul 2006 12:56 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.
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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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