The Steel Guitar Forum Store 

Post new topic A Nick Manoloff Tone Bar
Reply to topic
Author Topic:  A Nick Manoloff Tone Bar
Larry Carlson


From:
My Computer
Post  Posted 5 Jan 2017 1:56 pm    
Reply with quote

Hello,

I wasn't sure where to post this so I stuck it in here.

Last year I bought a 1939 Rickenbacher Silver Hawaiian.
I love this guitar by the way. Just an amazing little instrument.
The story I got from the owner was it was purchased new, played
for about 7 years and then stored away and never played again.
Included in the case was a Nick Manoloff tone bar.

Out of curiosity I am trying to find out how old this little tone bar is.
It has a patina that is almost olive drab.
It is magnetic.
It is 5/8ths in diameter and 2 7/8ths in length.

I am just curious if this little tone bar is really that old.
It is too small for my hands and I have never used a bullet bar.

Any info would be appreciated.
Everyone have a good day.







_________________
I have stuff.
I try to make music with it.
Sometimes it works.
Sometimes it doesn't.
But I keep on trying.
View user's profile Send private message

Erv Niehaus


From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
Post  Posted 5 Jan 2017 2:05 pm    
Reply with quote

It could be the same age as the Rick. Very Happy
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Michael Lee Allen

 

From:
Portage Park / Irving Park, Chicago, Illinois
Post  Posted 5 Jan 2017 2:19 pm    
Reply with quote

deleted

Last edited by Michael Lee Allen on 21 May 2018 11:29 am; edited 1 time in total
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Michael Lee Allen

 

From:
Portage Park / Irving Park, Chicago, Illinois
Post  Posted 5 Jan 2017 2:21 pm    
Reply with quote

deleted

Last edited by Michael Lee Allen on 21 May 2018 11:29 am; edited 1 time in total
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Larry Carlson


From:
My Computer
Post  Posted 5 Jan 2017 3:04 pm    
Reply with quote

Thanks for the responses.
The catalogue pics are fascinating.

To the best of my knowledge Monoloff was granted a patent in 1937 for a tone bar that was made from Bakelite.
This one obviously is steel.
It is fascinating to me because it is so small.
The bakelite bars were the same length but were 7/8ths in diameter.
This one is only 5/8ths. It gets lost in my hand.
I stumbled across it again a few days ago in the case for the Rick and my curiosity got the best of me.
I know it isn't valuable but it is kind of nice owning a little bit of history.

Everyone have a good day.
_________________
I have stuff.
I try to make music with it.
Sometimes it works.
Sometimes it doesn't.
But I keep on trying.
View user's profile Send private message

Matt Fisher

 

From:
Indiana, USA
Post  Posted 5 Jan 2017 3:26 pm    
Reply with quote

Larry Carlson wrote:

I know it isn't valuable but it is kind of nice owning a little bit of history.


Well maybe not now, but then, holy cow! A $12 bar from that catalog would be about $130 in today's dollars!
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Michael Lee Allen

 

From:
Portage Park / Irving Park, Chicago, Illinois
Post  Posted 5 Jan 2017 3:39 pm    
Reply with quote

deleted

Last edited by Michael Lee Allen on 21 May 2018 11:29 am; edited 1 time in total
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Nathan Laudenbach

 

From:
Montana
Post  Posted 5 Jan 2017 5:40 pm    
Reply with quote

Michael Lee Allen wrote:
Those aren't twelve dollar bars. They are a dollar apiece. Twelve dollars per dozen! And the smaller size bars were aimed at the student market and small children. Manoloff was basically a music publisher, he put out method books and sheet music and the accessories came later on. I remember his storefront was still there in the late 1960's and early 1970's. On South Ashland Avenue near West 79th Street the area had turned mostly black but still middle class in those days. Now it's a lot worse, being just south of Englewood, Chicago's "murder capitol". There was mention of Manoloff in the old Forum many years ago, that he had died but a son had been located, no real follow-up on that. Pretty sure the storefront had become a warehouse and storage site by the time I saw it, not open to the public anymore. It was gone not long after that.
MLA


Turned mostly black? How awful that must have been for all the white people...
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Roy McKinney

 

From:
Ontario, OR
Post  Posted 5 Jan 2017 6:21 pm    
Reply with quote

I have one here that is 2 3/4" long, +/_ 5/8" diameter, "Nick Manoloff" on the base and has a 3/16" diameter hole in the base that is 5/8" deep.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Matt Fisher

 

From:
Indiana, USA
Post  Posted 6 Jan 2017 6:26 am    
Reply with quote

Michael Lee Allen wrote:
Those aren't twelve dollar bars. They are a dollar apiece. Twelve dollars per dozen!


Ok, that seems a little more reasonable... That's what I get for not reading more closely.

I have one of the bullet bars that has a swirly pink bakelite shell and I really like it. Too short for my console, but great for lap steel.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

David M Brown


From:
California, USA
Post  Posted 6 Jan 2017 6:51 am    
Reply with quote

Larry Carlson wrote:
Thanks for the responses.
The catalogue pics are fascinating.

To the best of my knowledge Monoloff was granted a patent in 1937 for a tone bar that was made from Bakelite.
.


Matt Fisher wrote:


I have one of the bullet bars that has a swirly pink bakelite shell and I really like it. Too short for my console, but great for lap steel.


I really like the Bakelite ones - I have a couple and love them on 6 string lap steels!
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website


All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Jump to:  

Our Online Catalog
Strings, CDs, instruction,
steel guitars & accessories

www.SteelGuitarShopper.com

Please review our Forum Rules and Policies

Steel Guitar Forum LLC
PO Box 237
Mount Horeb, WI 53572 USA


Click Here to Send a Donation

Email admin@steelguitarforum.com for technical support.


BIAB Styles
Ray Price Shuffles for
Band-in-a-Box

by Jim Baron
HTTP