The Steel Guitar Forum

Ron Whitfield wrote:Those Pua pans are alive and well, one getting fine Waikiki action still today. Sure wish the man himself was able to be playing them.

I know who has one of them but not the other. Is the other with a player? You can always PM or email me if this is private...

They've belonged to Bobby/Ralph Ingano for years, and Jeff Au Hoy maintains one for his primary use.

Geezus Michael. You better send me an email about those pictures!!!

I heard that the one that JB borrowed for that one tune in his album, is still in Pua's family.

Bill Creller wrote:I heard that the one that JB borrowed for that one tune in his album, is still in Pua's family.

I think it was Pua's National tricone he used.

"Steel Guitar Hawaiian Style" pictures both borrowed National TriCone and Rickenbacker A-22 from Pua Almeida.

Wow! Thanks for posting the catolog pictures Michael. I've owned an A-22 since the 60's that is very similar to the bottom picture you posted 1/4/12. I've never even seen another picture of one like this and have even had folks tell me they doubted it to be a rickenbacher even tho it has the decal on the headstock (solid) which has the old spelling. Mine appears to be from the 50's and I cannot located a serial number on it anywhere.
PS: It would appear that you've got great taste in pedal steels too!
Thanks again!!!

Please note: If anyone has an old knob like the bottom picture of the A-22 I'd sure like to buy one.
When I bought my guitar it was missing the tone knob.
Didn't mean to hijack the thread here, please excuse me.

Thanks for the info gents - I only knew about the Jeff A.H. one, with Pua's Dymo label still on it.

I wonder if that guitar's label can be seen on the LP?
They were about to be taken off in my presence one day and only remain as Pua put them due to my freakout.

thats interesting that Rick literature called this the Pancake model, yet it became know as the Frypan.

enjoying this thread - Michael - what was the org cost of a frypan in the early 30's?

Jerome Hawkes wrote:Rick literature called this the Pancake model, yet it became know as the Frypan.

It was all I'd heard it called, 'the pancake' until the late '70s when frypan slowly overtook the prior nickname. Now you never hear pancake, and I don't even eat them any more.

Ron Whitfield wrote:I wonder if that guitar's label can be seen on the LP?
They were about to be taken off in my presence one day and only remain as Pua put them due to my freakout.

Which LP dude, "My Son Pua"? You have that one on its way, right? Here's one of Jeff with the label clearly visible:



So you're the Dymo rescuer eh?

Jeff has the oddest technique going, if it isn't the flying pinky, he's playing on ear.

No, Mike, I mean the JB LP mentioned above.

Yeah, altho shocked, I wasn't surprised to see that label being messed with. Glad I was there!

The Byrd LP is "Steel Guitar Hawaiian Style" on the Lehua label.
The first "frypan" catalog is 1947, price with case was $100. This was a three page supplement added to the Targ & Dinner wholesale catalog of 1947-1948. Postwar production was underway again and this is probably one of the first pieces of Rickenbacker literature sent out after the war.
Second catalog excerpt is from 1955-1956. I do not have the price lists in the PC, no flat-bed scanner and they do not photograph well. If needed for articles or whatever I simply use xerox copies.
For the 1930's stuff refer to "The Japanese Rickenbacker Book" if you have it, or Richard Smith's book. easy to get and still in print, so I never bothered to load up any of that stuff in my PC.
MLA