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Melotone

Posted: 21 Sep 2010 7:26 am
by Paul Alcantara
Is anyone familiar with the Melotone brand name? I have a Melotone lap steel that looks very much like a Rickenbacker model B but with a crinkle painted wooden body, plexiglas fingerboard and horseshoe pickup. It has a luggage linen case that looks identical to cases I have seen with 1930s model Bs.

Posted: 21 Sep 2010 9:37 am
by Ron Whitfield
Can you post pix, Paul? It sounds like an interesting steel, and nothing comes up on a quick search.

Posted: 23 Sep 2010 3:17 pm
by Ben Elder
There were some Rickenbacker-made steels that were assembled from USA parts in the UK and carried non-Rickenbacker brand names. There was a thread about this somewhere in the last month or so.

(I've found an early (1923 or earlier) Weissenborn-made acoustic steel "Mello-Tone" with another person's name and address on the label, but I doubt there's a connection.)

Melotone lap steel for sale on EBay

Posted: 14 Jan 2011 9:43 am
by Steven Zillmer
FYI I've got a Melotone lap steel for sale on EBay.
A handful of pictures included.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 500wt_1064

Just received an informative email about the Melotone from Jonathan King at Guitar Vintners. I'll add info to the EBay listing after I research his questions about pickup width, etc.

Oops.

Posted: 14 Jan 2011 9:47 am
by Steven Zillmer
Note to self: review the Forum Rules and Policies before posting.

Apologies for the EBay link in a discussion forum, although the link was intended as much for informative purposes (photos of the Melotone) as for generating buyer interest.

Posted: 14 Jan 2011 11:12 am
by Ron Whitfield
Steven, regardless, it's an item most of us would have missed otherwise so let 'em bring it up at the Pearly Gates.

What is the body & neck made of, and can you post some sound?

Posted: 14 Jan 2011 12:00 pm
by Jon King
Steven, Glad to see you found your way to the SGF. I look forward to learning more about your Melotone. It's an interesting guitar. Very cool.
I asked for comments in another post. I'll try to see that comments are cross referenced or you can check on the other topic at: http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... 19#1729119
"Ricky connection with Melotone"

Posted: 31 Jul 2015 5:37 am
by Jeff Carn
I have a Melotone Troubadour 8 string, walnut & maple body. I was looking for info on it myself. Had it for years, never used it. Since listening to Santo & Johnny Sleep Walk & particularly Tear Drop, I have a strong interest in learning, if I could figure out how to get that haunting sound. Playing Emmons Legrand for 30 years. I think I'm hooked on lap steel now. Any info would be appreciated.Thanks