The Steel Guitar Forum

This is a still of Felix Mendelsshon from a British Pathe' soundie from the 1930s. Anybody have a clue as to what the heck his guitar might be? Looks like it could be an amplified resophonic - perhaps an early Del Vecchio?

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ooh do you have the video link?

Here's an old EP-cover with the same guitar. The player is Kealoha Life.

D'oh, of course! Kealoha Life (Alfred Hollis Randell) was the steel star with Felix M. .... I had a brain cramp. I had thought those inlays were screen ports but clearly, it's an unusual - possibly unique - amplified round hole guitar and not a resophonic. I'd bet John Marsden, in England, knows the maker.

AJ, here's the link to the Hawaiian clips - also check out Roland Peachy:

http://www.britishpathe.com/product_dis ... eel+guitar

This is Alfred “Kealoha” Life with his new Electric Hawaiian Guitar made by Emile Grimshaw and son at Mill Hill and incorporates several new features.
For example, the tuning machines are fitted on the guitar so that the buttons are at the front of the instrument instead at the back or side of the head as usually placed. When the instrument is held in the correct playing position it is easier to make tuning adjustments because the buttons are more accessible.

The front of the guitar is African Obecie White-wood with dark coloured back and sides; the sound-hole has a surround of ten circular pieces of pearl hand engraved; the body edge has a surround of pearl-inlaid gold-fish; the tail-piece and tuning-machines are gold plated; the entire finger-board is pearl inlaid and has thirty-two frets. The head of the instrument is inlaid with the National Hawaiian Escutcheon also with the name of the owner Alfred Kealoha Life and the initials of the makers Emile Grimshaw and son.
[Pickings magazine No. 43 January-February 1942]