The Steel Guitar Forum

clearly it is a 6 string lap steel, square neck. No markings.

Looks like an Audiovox to me.

Seconded. One of the earliest electric guitars ever made, although this is a later model, late 30s.

If it isn't, it certainly was designed after one. It doesn't have binding, though, which is a little unusual. There are other things which also might cast some doubt for me, too.

David your profile says you are located in Washington, I think Audiovox steels were made and sold up in that neck of the woods? There was a write up in Vintage Guitar magazine sometime back about it.

How about a 1940's Bud-Electro by Tutmarc's son?

I'm thinking Tutmarc also, but Father or Son, I dunno. The headstocks on most of the Audiovox guitars used 8-string mando-style tuners, although the guitars were 7-string (!) The headstock here seems more elegant. Give Rick at Guitar Maniacs in Tacoma a call, he might know something.

Looks more like the work of Paul Tutmarc to me, though I make no claims to be an Audiovox expert. Bud usually mounted his pickups on a slant.

Peter Huggins wrote:I'm thinking Tutmarc also, but Father or Son, I dunno. The headstocks on most of the Audiovox guitars used 8-string mando-style tuners, although the guitars were 7-string (!) The headstock here seems more elegant. Give Rick at Guitar Maniacs in Tacoma a call, he might know something.

I was having a conversation with Jason Lollar about a fender amp and he mentioned Rick. I just didn't put 2+2=4! Thanks! BTW, "belly of the beast"

Wow. I really like that body shape. Cool horseshoe pickup - sound OK?

Oh, the great Seattle steel guitar craze! Hanburts were built 2 blocks from where I live. Great article on them a few years back. Note the similar horseshoe magnet pickup on the Hanburt: http://www.vintageguitar.com/3535/hanbu ... c-guitars/

Tom Gray wrote:Looks more like the work of Paul Tutmarc to me, though I make no claims to be an Audiovox expert. Bud usually mounted his pickups on a slant.

Thanks for pointing that out, Tom -- I think it was a point of pride for Bud that he slanted the pickup before others. And I think you're dead on that his father didn't slant. But I'm sure no expert on this either.

Funny, the body shape is almost identical to Buds "Serenader" or Paul's "436a" and the pick guard is shaped like Paul's "436". Horseshoe looks like pictures I've seen of Tutmarc pickups.