Hawaiian guitars

Ian McLatchie · From: Sechelt, British Columbia

Playing an instrument which the majority of the general population imagines is some sort of mutant banjo or mandolin, it's easy to forget how immensely popular lap guitar once was. Of the millions who took up lap-style playing between the 1910's and 1940's, most learned on regular acoustics with an extension nut, but there were, of course, many other acoustic instruments designed exclusively for Hawaiian playing, guitars with a permanent raised nut, wide fretboard, square or thick round neck, and often a straight saddle. These days, Hawaiian style Martins and Gibsons still turn up, as do student-grade Oahus, but other brands are much harder to find. I have a 1930's (?)
Hager Artist, a big-ass jumbo square neck,
probably made by Kay, all maple with beautifully cheesy painted-on wood grain. It's not a high-end instrument (screw-on bridge, straight bracing), but sounds great, with a cutting mid-range and pretty fair volume. I'm curious: what other Hawaiian guitars are out there, and what use do people make of them? I'm especially interested to know if anyone else has or has seen another Hawaiian from the House of Hager.

[This message was edited by Ian McLatchie on 04 October 2000 at 03:35 AM.]

sliding bill · From: UK

Does anyone currently make "Hawaiian" guitars ?

Am I just thinking of Weissonborn types or ?

I was thinking of a new acoustic lap guitar in this vein.

Bill

Ian McLatchie · From: Sechelt, British Columbia

Bill: I certainly am not aware of any solid-neck Hawaiian guitars being built these days. In fact, these are really almost the forgotten members of the lap guitar family. Many of the old Gibsons and Martins have been converted for Spanish-style playing, and with the notable exception of Kelly Joe Phelps and his Gibson Folk Jumbo, I don't know of anyone who records or performs extensively on a solid-neck instrument. Too bad, because as Phelps' playing (or Roy Smeck's, or Jimmie Tarlton's) shows, these instruments have their own sound, and can be every bit as appealing as a resophonic or a hollow-neck.

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

I don't know of anybody making a squareneck guitar that isn't either a Weissenborn style or a Dobro®-type resonator guitar.
Check my web site for a list of acoustic builders - there are quite a few out there.

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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

Eric Stumpf · From: Newbury, NH 03255

Here's my vote for a GREAT acoustic Hawaiian style guitar. Buy one of those bland-looking new Martin D-15 mahogany flattops, install a bone nut and straight bridge saddle into it and STAND BACK !!! The tone of the thing will make your heart stop and at about $500 you'll have a very unique and amazingly rich and full sounding Hawaiian hot rod.

Ian McLatchie · From: Sechelt, British Columbia

Eric: A very credible suggestion, coming from someone who studied with the great Mr. Smeck, and (if I remember correctly) owns an original Martin Hawaiian! I've had great results converting a number of standard acoustics, including a Guild dreadnought and my sister's 1960's Yamaha FG-180. Just about any half decent acoustic will sound markedly better as a Hawaiian conversion. What's more, many guitars which just don't cut it as Spanish instruments sound spectacular as Hawaiians. Thanks for the suggestion, Eric. I'll take a conversion nut to the nearest Martin dealer and check it out.

Mike D · From: Phx, Az

I'll take a conversion nut to the nearest Martin dealer and check it out.
Won't they just go nuts!!

Ted Smith · Posted 10 Oct 2000 7:04 am

Dad experimented with this some and the huge weakness is the top, I've put some together called the Strummr with a thing called the Bridge Doctor.

The Bridge Dr. works like a truss rod from the tail block to the bridge plate. It was originally designed for Martins with belly bow, which is what you're going to get if you raise the action to a playable level. You can order them through Stew/Mac for about $20 if my memory serves me right.

The other problem is volume, we use a brass saddle cap and a Phenolic nut so you have the same volume with the bar on the strings as off.

Twist the neck truss rod to full back bow and put a re-enforcement on the heel block.

Good luck with it.

Ted

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

Actually, I was in Gryphon Stringed Instruments in Palo Alto this morning looking for a replacement case for a Gibson lap steel. They suggested a Baby Taylor gig bag, which was almost a perfect fit. This made me think of this discussion.
Wouldn't a Baby Taylor guitar make a nice little acoustic lap steel? I wonder if Taylor Guitars has ever thought of making a squareneck guitar.

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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

Tommy Mark · From: Port Perry Ont, Can.

Ian; I have an old Artist resonater guitar that I picked up at a yard sale.It has a biscuit bridge with no tone ring inside. I also have a Artist Hentzal(sp)acoustic that I acquired along the way.This guitar is unique with its hand carved engraving of the name in the headstock and beatiful bindings around the body. I think the Artist guitars were made up here in Canada but don`t know for sure. Maybe some one could shed some light on this.All the best. Tom

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Ian McLatchie · From: Sechelt, British Columbia

Tom: I've seen a few Artist guitars too - very interesting instruments, which I have heard were made in Ontario. John at Erie Music in Simcoe might know. No relation to my Hager Artist, for sure (Hager, like Magnatone and Silvertone, was a department store brand).
Brad: I agree. I think the Baby Taylor would make a great Hawaiian guitar. Unfortunately, last time I checked, I didn't have the money to test out the theory!

John Kavanagh · From: Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada * R.I.P.

I recently posted about turning an old dreadnought with a warped neck into an 8-string acoustic: www.b0b.com/forum/Forum2/HTML/001642.html This turned something that hung on the wall and got bottlenecked about four times a year into a delightful instrument
that I can't keep my hands off. Most of us probably have owned an acoustic at one time or another that sounded good but had a warp or some problem in the neck that made it unplayable. Converting to Hawaiian style has always been a good way to salvage those instruments. Why didn't I think of it years ago?

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D-8, acoustic 8

Lefty · From: Grayson, Ga.

This relates to the subject matter, and excuse me if I tend to ramble, but I must preface my question with a story. I found this guitar in a pawn shop window (the old line, but true) one day at lunch. I could see it was a sunburst Martin, and I thought a newer model 0018. I went in and looked at it, a lady was minding the store, as the owner was on a cruise. I noticed that the guitar had frets, but even to the plane of the fretboard. I commented that someone had planed them down, and it would have to be refretted.
To make a long story short, I bought the guitar, and a EV PL-90 microphone for $110.00. The Guitar turned out to be a 1941 0018-H-S. The face looks like a new guitar, with a couple of small scratches on the back side. It has a spruce top, and mahogony back, sides, and neck (unlike the KOA models that are beutiful also). I have had it for about 10 years. The bridge is loose on one side and it needs to be taken off and reglued. The bridge piece is straight, but I will have to have a new left-handed nut made .
I want to have it fixed, and tune it to a slack key Hawaiian tuning, and need recomendations from people experienced with these.
Thanks,
Lefty

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