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Topic: Interesting Electar |
Adam Nero
From:
Wisconsin
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Posted 9 Oct 2015 3:55 pm |
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I met this very interesting guitar today. I suspect it's sort of rare but don't know for sure. Any thoughts on that, or its value? I've always thought Electar made neat instruments.
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2 cheap dobros, several weird old lap steels, and one lifelong ticket to ride on the pedal steel struggle bus. |
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Noah Miller
From:
Rocky Hill, CT
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Posted 9 Oct 2015 4:35 pm
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That's the first electric model that Epiphone ever made. The first ones said "Electrophone" on the headstock before they switched to the Electar logo plate. They came out in November of 1935 and were supplanted sometime the next year by the Model M. This version is often called the Electric Hawaiian, but I'm not sure if that's an official name or just a logical description.
I used to have what was probably a prototype of this model; that pickup was hot and the steel had a lot of cutting power for a short 22" scale. |
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Adam Nero
From:
Wisconsin
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Posted 9 Oct 2015 6:00 pm
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I thought you might weigh in on this one, Noah! (Still really loving that v.4 century I bought from you, by the way!) Thanks for the info. Could you even hazard a guess on its value?
_________________
2 cheap dobros, several weird old lap steels, and one lifelong ticket to ride on the pedal steel struggle bus. |
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Noah Miller
From:
Rocky Hill, CT
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Posted 10 Oct 2015 4:04 am
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| I've seen asking prices all over the place, anywhere from $600 to $2000 for a full set with the matching amp. I think I sold mine for around $650, but yours is a lot cleaner. I think it's mainly a question of finding a buyer who knows what it is. |
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Adam Nero
From:
Wisconsin
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Posted 10 Oct 2015 4:17 am
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| Noah Miller wrote: |
| I've seen asking prices all over the place, anywhere from $600 to $2000 for a full set with the matching amp. I think I sold mine for around $650, but yours is a lot cleaner. I think it's mainly a question of finding a buyer who knows what it is. |
Gotcha. It's not mine yet, or even necessarily for sale, but I'm working on it haha.
_________________
2 cheap dobros, several weird old lap steels, and one lifelong ticket to ride on the pedal steel struggle bus. |
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chris ivey
From:
california (deceased)
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Posted 10 Oct 2015 1:57 pm
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you'll be lucky to sell it for anymore than $3-400
if that's why you're buying it. |
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Adam Nero
From:
Wisconsin
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Posted 10 Oct 2015 6:51 pm
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| chris ivey wrote: |
you'll be lucky to sell it for anymore than $3-400
if that's why you're buying it. |
 Nope, trying to acquire the thing.
_________________
2 cheap dobros, several weird old lap steels, and one lifelong ticket to ride on the pedal steel struggle bus. |
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 12 Oct 2015 5:16 pm
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I've seen only one other of those with the horseshoe magnets. It belonged to David Keli'i (sp)& had his name inside..
Maybe they used that pickup before Rickenbacher got their patent (??) |
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Ralph Czitrom
From:
Ringwood, New Jersey
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Posted 13 Oct 2015 5:28 am
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Bill - I have a 1935 Electar which has both a real horseshoe pickup and a tone control. I've read in a few places that Rickenbacher was able to prevent Epiphone from using the horseshoe design around 1936-37. Nice guitar.
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Noah Miller
From:
Rocky Hill, CT
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Posted 13 Oct 2015 5:55 am
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| Epiphone stopped using their horseshoe pickup in 1937, but my understanding is that it had nothing to do with Rickenbacker. Epi replaced it with the first pickup with adjustable poles, which was a major selling point. The cheaper pickups on the Model C were largely built with the same parts, so there was no need for the old-style magnets anymore. |
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 13 Oct 2015 3:08 pm
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Interesting.....and that's a beautiful guitar Ralph !!  |
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 13 Oct 2015 3:54 pm
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Just to add to the discussion...
The Epiphone horseshoe magnets themselves ... Were much higher quality "magnet steel" than any Rickenbacher ( pre or post war ) ...
The issue was the coil ... The Epi's used a "split blade" with thinner magnet wire than used by Rickenbacker ...
Better hardened steel magnets (by far) ... But inferior coil/conduit system ...
In the immortal words of Joe Friday:
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| Just the facts Ma'me, just the facts |
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Adam Nero
From:
Wisconsin
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Posted 15 Oct 2015 5:52 am
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well this thread got pretty neat. thanks for all the great trivia, guys.
_________________
2 cheap dobros, several weird old lap steels, and one lifelong ticket to ride on the pedal steel struggle bus. |
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Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 15 Oct 2015 8:42 am
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The bobbin mounts on the Epi are these tiny screws that go into the tapped split blades ... Holds everything to the mounting plate ... Not an ideal system 
That cobalt steel is tough stuff ... So getting a Ricky bobbin in there by drilling and tapping wouldn't be very easy ....
I did-up one for Jeff AH's Epi ... Fabricated a bobbin and wound it with 38 AWG ... Just had to be a bit creative with the install ... |
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