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Jeff Au Hoy
From:
Honolulu, Hawai'i
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Posted 3 Feb 2003 2:04 am |
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Last edited by Jeff Au Hoy on 16 Jan 2018 3:14 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Gerald Ross
From:
Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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Posted 3 Feb 2003 6:12 am
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I have one of the 1950's Bakelite Rickenbackers with the peghead cover. Personally I think it looks pretty cool. I also once owned a 1950's era Gibson coral and white Ultratone with the coral/pink peghead cover, also a very cool design (hard to play though due to the too big bridge cover).
The designs of these guitars were influenced by the era. Look at 1950's appliances (refrigerators, stoves) the look was very space age with big rounded plump edges, also look at 1950's Eames era furniture (i.e., kidney shaped coffee tables). Perhaps this "fat" design was a result of the United States emerging from the both the Great Depression of the 1930's and WWII. It was a time for the USA to relax and enjoy life. Hence the proliferation of the suburbs, backyard barbeques and more leisure time (can I get you drink?).
Nothing exists in a vacuum.
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Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'
Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website
[This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 03 February 2003 at 06:28 AM.] |
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 3 Feb 2003 6:22 am
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I have a Magnetone D8 Lyric that has wooden covers ... with these little clear plexiglass "wing-nuts" that match the clear cylindrical vol/tone knobs ...
Pretty 
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My Steel Shoes Site
[This message was edited by Rick Aiello on 03 February 2003 at 06:23 AM.] |
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Russ Young
From:
Seattle, Washington, USA
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Posted 3 Feb 2003 6:28 am
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I think you hit it right on the head, Gerald.
Years before "The Graduate" made the word "plastic" a punchline, it represented an exciting future. There is (used to be?) a large sign outside Leominster, MA that says it is "The Plastic City" -- which was probably quite a compliment in the 1950s.
And I agree with you about the Rickenbacker peghead covers, which I believe are metal -- they are a distinctive feature on the BD-6 "Deluxe" guitars. |
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Jeff Au Hoy
From:
Honolulu, Hawai'i
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Posted 3 Feb 2003 11:02 am
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Last edited by Jeff Au Hoy on 16 Jan 2018 3:14 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Bob Stone
From:
Gainesville, FL, USA
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Posted 3 Feb 2003 1:31 pm
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Jeff,
I agree with Gerald Ross about these items being a manifestation of post WWII design trends. Not only did none of these items serve any real function, in my opinion many of them actually interfered with functionality. That probably explains why many of these doodads were lost. Players removed them to make life easier, then misplaced them. Note the missing plastic tuner covers on the National Grand Console posted elsewhere on No Peddlers. I used to own one of these babies and it had all the plastic parts, so this one looks naked to me.
All that said, I think this stuff is really cool. Maybe it's because I was born in '44 and wax nostalgic, but I'm drawn to 1940s styles in general.
I trust Andy Volk is going to include some of these streamlined steels in his book. |
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RB Jones
From:
Burlingame, California, USA
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Posted 3 Feb 2003 1:35 pm
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I agree that these various covers seemed to be an attempt at asthetics rather than playability. The 50s were swoopy times, influenced heavily by the new jet aircraft. "Streamlined" was the operative word and some of the stuff was classic (57' Chevy BelAire).
It didn't always work with other things. Look at the Fender Telecaster. They used to come with a chrome cover for the bridge, but everybody took these "ashtrays" off because they got in the way of playing, even though the bridges were kind of ugly, nut-and-bolt looking things.
I was fortunate enough to hold in my hands once one of the first production Les Paul guitars. When I tried to play it using either a pick or fingers the bridge intruded onto the picking area so much I couldn't play without missing a bunch of notes. It looked good asthetically, but the bridge was too high and didn't allow your hand to rest in a comfortable position. Maybe Les could play it, he could play anything. But it was interesting that Gibson only made a handful with that bridge design before switching to a different and more playable bridge.
RB |
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Jeff Au Hoy
From:
Honolulu, Hawai'i
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Posted 3 Feb 2003 2:55 pm
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Last edited by Jeff Au Hoy on 16 Jan 2018 3:14 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 3 Feb 2003 5:16 pm
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Gee whiz, I hope this doesn't mean I'll have to start putting those dam covers on the guitars I build!!
Bill |
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David Siegler
From:
Mill Valley, CA USA
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Posted 4 Feb 2003 11:39 am
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Check this guitar out. The "flip cover" isn't plastic but I could live with it! Boy could I live with it. I got to see it once in the store before the customer picked it up. An amazing guitar.
At least on my monitor the pictures are a bit washed out and don't convey the full beauty of the guitar but do take a look: http://www.om28.com/es/gallery/stallion.html
While I'm linking you to one of my favorite guitar stores (in Tiburon near San Francisco) you lap player's might be interested in knowing that Eric currently has a Michael Dunn Weissenborn for sale. I have played it and it sounds fantastic. I'm reluctant to mention it because I would hate to see it go but Michael Dunn and Eric are both great guys and this is a great guitar. I don't see any pictures of it but here's the description: http://www.om28.com/es/stock.htm#resonator_instruments |
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