The Steel Guitar Forum

Can anyone tell me who were some of the first generation Weisenborn recording artists? Are there any known examples of artist recordings dating back to the 1920s/30s or 40s?

Only sort-of related, but gets into the really early days, and you have likely already gone here, but:

http://theunofficialmartinguitarforum.y ... orn?page=1

You have really turned me on to the Weissenborn...I have one being built as I type. Many thanks...well, my wife is a tad less thankful, hahaha.

Rick, thanks for the link. It'll take me awhile to read through everything but there's some great information there for sure. That's so cool that you are having a Weissenborn built! Please be sure to post some photos and sound clips when you get the guitar!

TTT

Names of early players? Available tracks? I know we're going back as early as 1914(?)

Knutsen related stuff also good.

There was a previous discussion here, with a link to the Knutsen archives. The DeLano Hawaiian Steel Guitar and Ukulele Sextette of Los Angeles is pictured on that site.

I don't know of any other "famous" early Weissenborn players offhand.

Thanks Brad,

I just find it curious that with the popularity of the instrument no one can cite an earlier player.

Makes one wonder how the guitars became discovered in the "modern era".

I'm not a Weissie guy myself.

cheers

h

In the booklet which accompanies "Sol Hoopii In Hollywood, Early Recordings 1925" (Grass Skirt) there is a small picture showing his trio on a movie set, and Sol is playing what looks like a Weissenborn. Hard to make out, but the guitar has a Hawaiian shaped body and I think I can make out the "snake head" headstock shape.

It would almost stand to reason that Sol being a Hawaiian guitar star in LA, at the time and place Weissenborns were being made, that he would have played one at some point.

hi! supposedly Charlie Wilson played one here
http://www.amazon.com/Vintage-Hawaiian- ... B0000002RA
and yes Sol is playing a Weissenborn on the cover of the Hollywood CD, and then again on page 6 and 12 of the booklet. The photo of him on the set of The Jazz Bride film looks like he's playing a normal acoustic set up for steel playing. By 1926 /27 I think he's moved to his National?
Very few pictures of 'famous' people playing them. One of the few existing photographs of a musician endorsing Weissenborns is Bessie Keaunui in the 1925/26 Henry Stadlmair catalogue.

Thanks for the feedback and the links. You would think there would be numerous examples of recording artists playing original Weissenborn guitars but that doesn't seem to be the case. Perhaps there is a parallel between vintage Weissenborn and Dobro's in this regard. I recently interviewed Steve Toth - author of Dobro Roots - A Photo Tour of Prewar Wood Body Dobro. At one point in our conversation he indicated that many of the vintage guitars that he has collected over the years show little or no playing wear. Apparently a lot of folks bought Dobro's and Weissenborn guitars with the intention of learning to play them but never got around to it.

Perhaps I haven't played the right ones, but I have found Weissenborn style guitars to be rather lacking in Volume. I'm not sure when amplification of acoustic instruments became available, but I wonder if the lack of volume might have been an issue in the early days.

Weissenborns eat Dobros for lunch

- David Lindley

Chase, it's true that Weissenborn are fairly quiet instruments; not especially loud compared to other acoustic stringed instruments. But I think that'd be more of an issue for live performances than recording.

It's difficult or impossible to know who played what instrument on early recordings. I suspect that Weissenborn was a small, local California builder without a huge distribution network or much access to professional players. Martin had been in business for years by the advent of recording and were well known for their quality. There may well be a number of recordings featuring Weissenborns but it's hard to know for sure.

In my opinion, these were somewhat "novelty" instruments - transitional to the electric guitar - until they were rediscovered. The real magic in Weissenborn guitars happens with modern recording and pickup technology. This is where their scary dynamic range and broad harmonic spectrum can come into play. Resonator instruments, while louder, have a less broad spectrum and more of a compressed sound. An amplified Weissenborn can sing or roar like few other instruments. I love both Weissenborns and Dobros for what each can offer.