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Delores
Aloha
USA
1 Posts |
 Posted - 07/21/2002 : 10:41:05 AM
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Hello everyone! I have my grandfather's guitar and I wanted to see if anyone here knew anything about antique instruments or where I can get more information them. From what I can tell grandpa's guitar is hawiian and was laid across the person's lap to play. There is a cache of sheet music and some magazines called "The Guitarist". Everything looks like it dates back to 1935. Some of the sheet music might be older. There is a stamp on the guitar that says Oahu Publishing Company and all the music and the magazines say the same thing. This company was located in Cleveland, Ohio, but I couldn't find it on the internet when I tried. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Dee
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Pauline Leland
`Olu`olu
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 07/21/2002 : 11:51:28 AM
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Dee,
That's cool. Did you ever hear your grandfather play? Maybe not. It appears he also stopped playing not long after 1935.
Have you tried playing the guitar? I like the sound of lap steel.
If you can't find an answer here, try asking on Acoustic Guitar magazine's forum, the Gear section. A few walking encyclopedias post there.
Good luck.
Pauline |
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Gary A
Lokahi
USA
169 Posts |
Posted - 07/21/2002 : 5:59:16 PM
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Old Oahu guitars are pretty common. It may be hard to believe, but Hawaiian guitar (acoustic guitars played lap-style with a steel slide) was popular in the 30's and 40's. There were a number of Hawaiian guitar schools at the time. Oahu Publishing was one of the largest. They published sheet music and sold guitars in addition to giving lessons. At it's peak it had over 1200 schools. They finally went out of business in 1985. It's estimated that they had 200,000 students over the years.
Often people would sign up for lessons in which a guitar was supplied. At the end of the series of lessons they would get to keep the guitar. Many guitars were inexpensively constructed with laminated woods and simulated wood grain finishes, although yours might be made from solid wood.
The guitars aren't especially valuable. Oahu guitars or other similar brands show up on eBay all the time and sell for $50 to $100 depending on the condition.
The book The Hawaiian Steel Guitar and its Great Hawaiian Musicians by Lorene Ruymar has some good information on the history of Oahu Publishing.
If you're interested in old Hawaiian guitar method books (I find it interesting), I have a web site with some examples:
http://www.rahul.net/gaa/HawGuit
Edited by - Gary A on 07/21/2002 21:45:08 |
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jcfergus
Aloha
USA
30 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2002 : 4:53:31 PM
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Be careful to dimiss all Oahu guitars as having little value. A good friend has an Oahu from that timeframe that is a truly outstanding instrument. They did make a few good ones. The characteristics on this particular instrument that set it apart visually, is a vine motif inlaid in the fretboard, solid maple (I think) back and sides and solid spruce top, and Mother of Pearl binding and rosette. It sounds better than most Weissenborns and has been recorded on several commercial albums. The recording engineers are always amazed at the sound.
Unfortunately, most are not of this caliber. Be sure to have a reputable guitar shop or luthier inspect your instrument before parting with it for little money. Or better yet, learn to play it. That is how I started - with a handed down Dobro.
Jim
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