| Author |
Topic: OAHU Diana Deluxe 1940's ~ VG Cond SOLD !! FF COMING |
Mark Santi
From:
Florida, USA
|
Posted 14 Aug 2017 3:08 am |
|
Oahu Diana Deluxe Model Lap Steel Electric Guitar, c. 1940, made in Chicago, sunburst lacquer with stenciling finish, laminated mahogany body and neck, original brown chipboard case.
Oahu's fanciest wood-body steel guitar in 1940, the Diana Deluxe was a direct descendant of the company's first electric guitar, originally introduced in 1938. This Kay-made steel retailed at $60.00 in 1940- in the same price range as Gibson and Rickenbacker instruments. The top is shaded mahogany with gold leaf stenciling, bound in tortoise celluloid. The headstock is the fancy peaked design used on Oahu's deluxe Kay-made jumbo guitars. The pickup has a wooden handrest and tone and volume controls mounted on either side with the ultra-cool radio dials. A nice looking and very well-made prewar steel.
Overall length is 35 in. (88.9 cm.), 10 in. (25.4 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 3/4 in. (654 mm.). Width of nut is 2 in. (51 mm.). Replaced tuner buttons, otherwise original. Very minor wear overall. Excellent Condition. but you may notice some 'spots' on the back.
Here's one I'm going to regret selling, and you don't see these too often.
Ships in original case, handle & latches intact, with vintage bar, picks.
Asking $1250
Last edited by Mark Santi on 19 Aug 2017 3:04 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
|
|
Chris Walke
From:
St Charles, IL
|
Posted 14 Aug 2017 5:23 am
|
|
| What's the switch on the back? I've never seen that before. |
|
|
|
Mark Santi
From:
Florida, USA
|
Posted 14 Aug 2017 5:34 am
|
|
| many of the Oahus have them, I believe it's a loudness switch, settings for personal or public playing |
|
|
|
Noah Miller
From:
Rocky Hill, CT
|
Posted 14 Aug 2017 5:35 am
|
|
| Chris Walke wrote: |
| What's the switch on the back? I've never seen that before. |
It cuts the volume, along with some of the treble. The 1941 Oahu catalog called it a "touch control", saying it "gives the player with a soft touch an added range of volume with which to work and a great amount of sustained tone. It compensates for the loss of volume encountered when a foot pedal is used and steps up the volume for satisfactory operation on a battery amplifier."
Of course, this is a nonsense marketing gimmick - you can't boost the volume without some sort of active circuitry. In reality, the louder setting was about average for a pre-war instrument's output. |
|
|
|
Mark Santi
From:
Florida, USA
|
Posted 14 Aug 2017 7:03 am
|
|
| I knew someone would have a better answer than mine, thanks Noah |
|
|
|
Hugh Roche
From:
Florida, USA
|
Posted 14 Aug 2017 11:44 am
|
|
| These are wonderful guitars, an excellent example. These were a neck through mahogany body with book matched mahogany wings. Someone will get a fine sounding long scale guitar. |
|
|
|
Chris Walke
From:
St Charles, IL
|
Posted 16 Aug 2017 6:25 am
|
|
| Noah Miller wrote: |
| Chris Walke wrote: |
| What's the switch on the back? I've never seen that before. |
It cuts the volume, along with some of the treble. The 1941 Oahu catalog called it a "touch control", saying it "gives the player with a soft touch an added range of volume with which to work and a great amount of sustained tone. It compensates for the loss of volume encountered when a foot pedal is used and steps up the volume for satisfactory operation on a battery amplifier."
Of course, this is a nonsense marketing gimmick - you can't boost the volume without some sort of active circuitry. In reality, the louder setting was about average for a pre-war instrument's output. |
Thanks for the info. What a beautiful guitar. |
|
|
|
