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Author
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Topic: Silvatone??? on eBay
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John Billings
Member From: Northfield Center, Ohio, USA
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posted 01 September 2003 11:04 AM
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Strange, Interesting guitar on eBay. Anybody know anything about Silvatones? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2554355936&category=2385
John Billings |
George Keoki Lake
Member From: Edmonton, AB., Canada
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posted 01 September 2003 11:50 AM
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The woman (wahine) "pointing to the sea" is actually going through a normal Hula motion, but man, she is ugly...just look at THAT pointed chin! 
Seems to be a nice guitar though. |
Jeff Au Hoy
Member From: Honolulu, Hawai'i
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posted 01 September 2003 02:51 PM
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Ask anyone from Hawai'i and they'll tell you that the Silvatone is obviously a Portagee (er..."Portuguese") guitar, just like the Souza-master and the Pacheco-lite. |
Mike D
Member From: Phx, Az
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posted 01 September 2003 07:12 PM
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Interesting. I sure doubt that it's anything made by National though. Nothing about it looks quite right, from the neck's heel to the headstock, to the non-arched back. The cover and handguard aren't right either and I've never seens 'string tree' in front of the tailpiece like that on anything National made.
Most 'off-brand' Nationals sold under other names all used the same basic parts, usually just with different patterns cut in the different 'f' holes etc. The wood body guitars tended to have slightly different shaped headstocks etc since they weren't made at National's factory like the necks for the metal bodied guitars were.
Then again, who knows. I'll send a link to Colin McCubbin, he's a National collector and expert. |
John Billings
Member From: Northfield Center, Ohio, USA
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posted 02 September 2003 09:13 AM
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Whatever it is, the price is now up to $1,225! |
Bryan Bradfield
Member From: Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.
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posted 11 September 2003 08:05 AM
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This instrument was made in Canada in the 1930's. I withheld my response until it was safely back home. The instrument's history, based on the recollections of some of the original participants, was initially outlined in the August 1983 issue of Canadian Musician magazine. Subsequent research, based on observations of actual instruments, has unearthed more information. Wood bodied versions were sold around Canada under a variety of brand names for about $29.00. The metal bodied versions were hand-crafted by the "inventor" in very limited quantities for his use, and the use of his band-mates, during a performing career of approximately 20 years. The resonator combines the features of the Dobro and National cones. It is shaped like a Dobro cone, but has a biscuit bridge. The "inventor" was a machinist. His dies for the cover plate and the resonator were destroyed in 1974 after his death.Bryan Bradfield http://www.members.shaw.ca/DirtyHatBand/ |
Russ Young
Member From: Seattle, Washington, USA
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posted 11 September 2003 10:54 AM
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Bryan -- I assume from your note that you are the new owner; if so, I'm glad the guitar has made it "back home safely."I'm curious if the resonator is similar to what the Schireson Brothers used in the 1930s -- a biscuit bridge with a forward-facing (Dobro-type) cone. The Schiresons managed to attract the attention of the Dopyeras, who sued them for patent infringement and drove them out of business. I've got a Kay-bodied (?) wooden roundneck with a Schireson resonator and lightning-bolt f-holes -- I believe it was sold as a Maxwell. Great fun to play in Open E with a bottleneck ... |
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