The Steel Guitar Forum

I'd like help identifying the pictured guitar which have a different dated photo of me playing in 1951, age ten. Can't remember the maker.





Thanks for any help

Thanks to those who have looked at the post on the 8 string c1950. The angle of the image makes identification difficult.

Yesterday I separately emailed that great resource, Michael Lee Allen, to make sure he knew of my post. He kindly replied that the guitar might be a Magnatone. But he doesn't have pictures of Mags from that period.

My teacher was definitely providing large numbers of Mags to her students. I have 8x10s from the early 1950s that prove it. The lucite fretboard and the pickup cover sure looks to me like Magnatone. I know I'm woefully uninformed about the many forms of steel guitars. But I'm also a retired reference librarian, and I have ancestors from Missouri, so I want to see the documents. Laughing at myself!

thanks to the forum and viewers and Michael Lee Allen.

Richard

It's a hard question to answer based on that photo, but it looks to me to be similar to this six string Aloha lap steel. I have no information on Aloha steels, but that's what it looks like to me.

Thanks Brad. Your lead to Aloha resulted in me finding a website on those instruments that includes a reference to a "name" Aloha reportedly built by Magnatone in the 1950s. They have some great pictures of the steels that look very much like the one I played and one of them, a six string, looks very much like another one played by a fellow sitting next to me in the original 8x10 photo I cropped him out of to get my posted image. I'll post that image later. The pictures for an Aloha guitar that sold on eBay with Magnatone amp includes a certificate of the sale by the Aloha Conservatory of Music, Fresno, CA. The sale was in 1950. I was a student of Ethel Starr, Starr Studios, Fresno.

Here is the url for the website: www.jedistar.com/aloha.htm

Page down to get to the 50s Alohas. I am sure they were 6 string variants of the 8 string I played. The description on eBay also noted the blue fake fur lining of the Aloha's guitar case I and I have a memory of having had such a lined case. But of course I can't swear what guitar it was for.

Thanks Brad

Richard

REMOVED

Wow, you guys are great. Between you I've gotten all kinds of great information. Having been a reference librarian in the California State Library' s California history section, I'm fascinated by the flow of these connections and how difficult it is to get information on the past.

Brad, your post was exceedingly helpful to me because I was able to see images of the likely guitars taken from above and of course I saw that eight string that way for probably two or three years. The 50s "Aloha" looks right, the heft of the neck and its shape, etc. The dates fit the photographic evidence I have including a photographer dated 1951 image, West Coast Student Guitar Competitions, Burbank, where I am playing the single neck 8.

The web page I provided a link to was the result of a google search for Aloha guitars.

Michael, the knowledge you have of the background of this is a treasure for me. And I think the guitar must have been, as your evidence directs, a Magnatone/ Magna Electronics product. It is amazing to me that I didn't take more interest in who made these guitars and so on. It was like the instruments were provided and the makers automatic. We were kids and our parents and Mrs. Starr took care of the next guitar. It is a revelation to me, the use of decals and rebranding. All a part of the business. I think you're right that the 8 string versions must have been rare.

In the picture, I'm left, Eddie Barber right playing a six string version. Note the different shape of the pickup cover on Eddie's guitar. It matches one of the "Aloha" images. Also, for me, I think the difference in the thickness of the two guitars is quite striking. They really beefed up that 8 string.



Thank you both.

This fuller pic shows Eddie with an aluminum bodied Aloha and Richard with an ever rarer wood bodied 8 str. version.

Cool picture, and it'd be great to see an original uncropped copy.

Hi Ron

The photo was an 8x10 and is a posed Starr Studio set up of just Eddie and myself. I don't remember the circumstances. But Mrs. Starr was always bringing in a photographer for various events and I have these images because my Mother bought them and kept them. I only recently realized what they were.

I'm sure you're right about Eddie's guitar being an aluminum version. That certainly explains the great difference in the thicknesses of the bodies and necks. The wooden six strings are in closer proportion.




My lovely wife tells me I must have been very happy student as I always have a smile on in the photos.

Thanks for your comments

Richard

Thanx for accomodating my request, Richard. I knew the full shot would be even better.

You guy's must have enjoyed your lessons indeed. Those kind of smiles can't be faked. I know I didn't feel like that at my accordion lessons...