Oahu

Jim Landers · From: Spokane, Wash.

How many of you guys are familiar with Oahu lap steels?
I recently picked up a Oahu Diana on E-Bay and was I ever surprised. That is one really great lap steel. It sounds teriffic and sustains forever.
I've had a couple of the low end Oahus before, and they were not very good guitars, but the Diana is one of the top of the line and it is a fine instument. There is nothing cheap about it except the price.
They are not bringing anywhere near the price the Fenders and Ricks and Gibsons are bringing, but from what I see with this one they should be. They are defineately in the same catagory as far as workmanship and sound. At least this one is.
Any of you guys have any expierience with these or other "overlooked" steels? Also, do any of you know who made these guitars? The body looks real Gibsonish, but the pick-up looks to me like National. Any coments?

Jim

c c johnson · From: killeen,tx usa * R.I.P.

the Diana and the great oahu tonemaster were made by Kay mostly.

Andy Alford · Posted 22 Feb 2000 4:16 am

Many had a National pickup on them .

Gerald Ross · From: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

Jim,
Did you get that Diana that was in mint condition? All the chrome shiny and new?

P.S.
Yes I agree on your opinions regarding the Oahu's. I have a figure 8 shaped Oahu. Great sound but the string spacing is a bit tight IMHO.

Jim Landers · From: Spokane, Wash.

Gerald, I picked up my first one a couple of months ago. It is a real nice one too. I liked it so well that when I seen that near mint one a week or so ago I went after it and got it too.

I have a Stringmaster that I am used to playing, so the string spacing on the Oahu does'nt really bather me. I have'nt measured it, but I think the Oahu has a little wider spacing. The slants seem easier to do on the Oahu and I like the sound just as well if not better than the Stringmaster.

I just thought I would post this, because some of the guys that are looking for a good lap steel, and can't afford the Fenders and Ricks should definitely give the Oahu some consideration. I know they sure surprised me.

Jim

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

Many of the Oahu lap steels were built by Valco, who also built the Supro and National lap steels. These can be very good sounding steel guitars; the biggest problem is usually deteriorated plastic tuner buttons.

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Brad's Page of Steel:
www.well.com/~wellvis/steel.html
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

c c johnson · From: killeen,tx usa * R.I.P.

Brad, I believe everything is meshing here. In 1948 or 49,I was considering opening a music store and using Oahu teaching materials and selling there guitars,etc: Either Harry Stanley, owner/founder, or Betty White, the great right hand of the organization,told me that there guitars were made by Gibson,National,and mostly Kay,operating under Valco,and subcontracting underChicago Musical Inst CMI. At least this is correct by my memory. That was a long time ago,Brad, so please forgive any memory faults. Keep your thumb pick hot!

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John Borchard · From: Athens, OH 45701

Jim, I'm a huge fan of Oahu/Supro/National (Valco) steels, particlualy the ones with the string-through pickups. I have several of these, my favorite being a 1950 double-six Oahu "Iolana" or "Jolana" (it's written in script so I'm not sure if it's a J or an I). I have been looking for an 8-string with the string-through pickup for about a year and a half with no luck. If you see one (and don't want it yourself) let me know. Ry Cooder uses one of the string-through pickups on one of his guitars. Have fun with Diana!

John Borchard

Jim Landers · From: Spokane, Wash.

John, it is Iolana. I have seen a couple of them for sale this past year. One of them was on E-Bay and if I remember right it went for less than $500. Seems like the final bid was around $480. Now I wish I had bid on it.
I agree with you on the 8 strings. That's the only thing I can find that I don't like about the Diana, but you can still make a heck of a lot of music with only 6 strings. That's all they had for a long time on the early ones.
Thanks to the rest of you guys for your info on this too. There is'nt a lot of material available to trace some of these older guitars, we just have to depend on each others memory and personal knowledge and it's great that this forum lets us do that.

Jim

David Stehman · From: Port Orchard, WA, USA

Thanks for the info on Oahu Diana's. i got one a couple months ago without knowing much about what it was. It plays great. I put a description on the Iolana thread asking for info anybody might have. This has a transparent acrylic-like overlay over the black fingerboard with gold painted frets. Has the string throug a chorme bridge plate screwed to the body. Brad, are the plastic tuner knobs availible? These are identical to Kluson's but with not name. Are there double 6's or 8's in the Oahu. pretty neat! Thanks guys.
Dave Stehman

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

The tuner buttons are available through Stewart-MacDonald.
Frank Ford has an article on how to replace them on his web site.

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Brad's Page of Steel:
www.well.com/~wellvis/steel.html
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

[This message was edited by Brad Bechtel on 23 July 2000 at 03:46 PM.]

David Stehman · From: Port Orchard, WA, USA

Brad
Thanks a lot for the infor on buttons. Good article, and I sent for the Stweart catalog.
That'll spruce it up. Other than a few edge chips off the varnish it's in great shape. I've been told not to patch the varnish as it destroys the collector value of the piece, but I just like playing it., Any thots on such a touch up?
Dave Stehman

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