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Topic: Round-neck "Spanish" Bakelite on eBay |
RB Jones
From:
Burlingame, California, USA
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Posted 24 Apr 2003 12:04 pm |
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If you haven't seen it, you should look at this rare Bakelite on eBay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2525213512&category=41439
This must have been one of the first electric guitars. I believe there was a discussion about this same model on this forum a few weeks ago.
It would be impractical to use it as a standard guitar, it seems to me, because the molded bakelite frets would wear away in no time. As it's set up with the raised nut wouldn't this make one killer of an electric Dobro or slide guitar?
I'm salivating, but the price of this one is going to go through the roof before it's over. I just hope somebody puts it in a museum and doesn't lock it up in a closet somewhere.
RB |
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J D Sauser
From:
Wellington, Florida
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Posted 25 Apr 2003 7:24 am
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I've had several B-spanish in my hands and to my surprise none showed any (!) fret wear. I don't know if they all didn't get played at all or if the playing style back then was just different (chords, no bends).
They are very heavy to wear on a strap and the plug was placed like on early B-steels, facing the player, which in the spanish case was not so cool. It would seem they soon landed into closets as more practical guitars came to flood the market.
If you ever feared you could break your B-steel's neck... guess the sweating you may have with this thing long neck 
But I believe that in a decade or so these guitars may fetch prices that will leave us all dizzy.
There is a little history lesson that many collectors have not yet found out about... just wait 'till they do.
... J-D. |
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Cartwright Thompson
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Posted 26 Apr 2003 2:40 am
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| I owned one of these once. It was an ergonomic nightmare but the tone it produced was incredible. I've heard people say that certain guitars had "almost too much sustain", and never believed it. Well, the model B really did have "almost too much sustain". It was weird, if you weren't careful, you'd find that notes that shouldn't still be ringing, were. I've always wanted to find one with a broken neck so I could have a repro neck made out of maple and ebony. I think that might just produce the ultimate solid body tone. The horseshoe pu would always be a pain though... |
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Russ Young
From:
Seattle, Washington, USA
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Posted 26 Apr 2003 7:20 am
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I've seen references to stands that allowed the guitarist to play a Bakelite Electro Spanish while standing up -- without having to bear the weight.
True? Does anyone have a picture? |
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J D Sauser
From:
Wellington, Florida
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Posted 26 Apr 2003 8:09 am
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I think I've seen pictures of that stand...
... J-D. |
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