Gibson Electraharp Copedent Questions

Phil Iacone · From: Pennsylvania, USA

I've been listening to Alvino Rey recordings from the 1940s and I'm curious about the general setup of an early Gibson Electraharp.
My best guess is he was generally tuned to a 6th chord arranged 1-3-5-6 and then repeating an octave above. There's a clear pedal change on a 1945 recording of "Stardust" where he plays an Gb6 voiced Gb-Bb-Db-Eb-Gb-Bb-Db-Eb where only the highest Eb raises to an F.
I've seen photos of pre-war Electraharps with five pedals.
Does anybody know how these guitars were generally tuned and which function each pedal performed?
Thanks

Michael Lee Allen · From: Portage Park / Irving Park, Chicago, Illinois

The original version of the Electraharp with the full length wood panels on front and sides was made in a very small quantity. Six pedals and eight strings. From a direct conversation with Gibson's Julius Bellson they were shipped with an E7th tuning unless specified otherwise by the ordering dealer. There were so few made that an "owner's manual" or any other documentation was never produced. Changing the tuning and pedal workings was a pretty simple thing to do.
MLA

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