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Hats With Musical Instruments

Messages
18,221
My first guitar, a 1920's Slingerland May Bell Parlor (well used when I got it for $8.00), & my Penney Towncraft OR. Still has all the celluloid lacing around the body, a celluloid strap button & bridge posts. I removed 2-3 broken strings & took pressure off the neck by loosening the base strings a few yrs ago. So many cracks & worn out headstock, if I did anything with it, it would be just to make it a wallhanger.

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humanshoes

One Too Many
Messages
1,446
Location
Tennessee
My first guitar, a 1920's Slingerland May Bell Parlor (well used when I got it for $8.00), & my Penney Towncraft OR. Still has all the celluloid lacing around the body, a celluloid strap button & bridge posts. I removed 2-3 broken strings & took pressure off the neck by loosening the base strings a few yrs ago. So many cracks & worn out headstock, if I did anything with it, it would be just to make it a wallhanger.

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Beautiful old guitar (and hat) Jack. It'll make a beautiful "wall hanger" of course, BUT it looks to be in better shape than the no name parlor guitar I just brought back to life and I'll bet you dollars to donuts that your May Bell still has some good music left in her. I always use "Silk and Steel" low tension strings on these old guitars to reduce the stress on their old bones.
 
Messages
18,221
Beautiful old guitar (and hat) Jack. It'll make a beautiful "wall hanger" of course, BUT it looks to be in better shape than the no name parlor guitar I just brought back to life and I'll bet you dollars to donuts that your May Bell still has some good music left in her. I always use "Silk and Steel" low tension strings on these old guitars to reduce the stress on their old bones.
Thanks & I value your opinion Rick. I don't imagine there is too much bracing inside but I haven't looked in a while. Nothing rattles but it might buzz. The back is cracked & separated at the bottom. The old headstock is wallowed out at two tuner posts, & the fret board would need to be leveled up. I'll look it over more & maybe next winter I'll take the project on.
 

humanshoes

One Too Many
Messages
1,446
Location
Tennessee
Thanks & I value your opinion Rick. I don't imagine there is too much bracing inside but I haven't looked in a while. Nothing rattles but it might buzz. The back is cracked & separated at the bottom. The old headstock is wallowed out at two tuner posts, & the fret board would need to be leveled up. I'll look it over more & maybe next winter I'll take the project on.
I'll be interested to see what you decide to do with her Jack. She's a real diamond in the rough. Thanks for the little walk down memory lane.
 
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Messages
18,221
I'll be interested to see what you decide to do with her Jack. She's a real diamond in the rough. Thanks for the little walk down memory lane.
The only way I would know to fix the headstock would be to drill out the wallowed out holes, then fill them with a dowl rod & redrill the hole. Is that how you would do it? I wouldn't want to change out the tuners but the originals don't hold a tune. I have no idea on how to check the neck & level the frets. That's why I always think "wallhanger".
 

humanshoes

One Too Many
Messages
1,446
Location
Tennessee
The only way I would know to fix the headstock would be to drill out the wallowed out holes, then fill them with a dowl rod & redrill the hole. Is that how you would do it? I wouldn't want to change out the tuners but the originals don't hold a tune. I have no idea on how to check the neck & level the frets. That's why I always think "wallhanger".
Check out these round relic nickel conversion bushings and the recommended bit to ream out existing peg holes Jack. If you decide to fix her up this winter feel free to PM me and I'll help you in any way I can.
https://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_an...MI9tWVyrLR4gIVg8JkCh0D4AuUEAQYAyABEgI9vPD_BwE
 

Desert dog

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,291
Location
California
My first guitar, a 1920's Slingerland May Bell Parlor (well used when I got it for $8.00), & my Penney Towncraft OR. Still has all the celluloid lacing around the body, a celluloid strap button & bridge posts. I removed 2-3 broken strings & took pressure off the neck by loosening the base strings a few yrs ago. So many cracks & worn out headstock, if I did anything with it, it would be just to make it a wallhanger.

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That is so cool that you still have it! A gift from family makes it priceless! My first guitar was a gutted solid body electric, with four strings. My dad picked it up from a back room at bar he was servicing. No desire to own my first, but I still have my second guitar, that I got for my 10th birthday.

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Messages
18,221
HJ, you can eyeball the neck using a large framing square or what I use, a 2' stainless ruler. I doubt that guitar has an adjustment rod, or does it? Love seeing these old instruments brought back to life.
No truss rod, it would just have to be reset if it was too bad.
 

Desert dog

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,291
Location
California
The Trimble and Mandolin. This mandolin is a beater! It is a Washburn model 1923-24. I bought it at a garage sale for $5.00, and it was covered with years of dust and grime. I found the bridge inside it, but thought it would be a wall hanger. After some cleaning, repairs, and strings, she sings again! One of the E string tuners is not holding, so I will see if I can fix it, the string is off of that one at the moment.
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Messages
11,381
Location
Alabama
The Trimble and Mandolin. This mandolin is a beater! It is a Washburn model 1923-24. I bought it at a garage sale for $5.00, and it was covered with years of dust and grime. I found the bridge inside it, but thought it would be a wall hanger. After some cleaning, repairs, and strings, she sings again! One of the E string tuners is not holding, so I will see if I can fix it, the string is off of that one at the moment.
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I like them both but I think that mandolin is great. The top shows some honest wear with a great color and the pick guard is beautiful. Looks like she's been played.
 
Messages
18,221
The Trimble and Mandolin. This mandolin is a beater! It is a Washburn model 1923-24. I bought it at a garage sale for $5.00, and it was covered with years of dust and grime. I found the bridge inside it, but thought it would be a wall hanger. After some cleaning, repairs, and strings, she sings again! One of the E string tuners is not holding, so I will see if I can fix it, the string is off of that one at the moment.
3f3a3c243d76ed78043740da4ee206b9.jpg
4fbbdbb192ff13a800e7018d1903409d.jpg
fde365d3096132d1a12e61897ec30ae8.jpg


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Good job in saving it DD. I like that nice well played satin finish, & agree that the pick guard is beautiful! Love that Trimble too.
 
Messages
18,221
Shown with my Stetson Twenty-five OR, when I used to play this Parlor as a slide guitar across my lap I used a couple of old thumb picks which I still have. One is tortoise shell & the other is Buffalo horn. Somewhere I still have the bar I used also, made of Monel Alloy steel.

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Desert dog

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,291
Location
California
Shown with my Stetson Twenty-five OR, when I used to play this Parlor as a slide guitar across my lap I used a couple of old thumb picks which I still have. One is tortoise shell & the other is Buffalo horn. Somewhere I still have the bar I used also, made of Monel Alloy steel.

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That is a nice old guitar and picks! The OR is great too. Did you play it in open G, like a Dobro?

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humanshoes

One Too Many
Messages
1,446
Location
Tennessee
The Trimble and Mandolin. This mandolin is a beater! It is a Washburn model 1923-24. I bought it at a garage sale for $5.00, and it was covered with years of dust and grime. I found the bridge inside it, but thought it would be a wall hanger. After some cleaning, repairs, and strings, she sings again! One of the E string tuners is not holding, so I will see if I can fix it, the string is off of that one at the moment.
3f3a3c243d76ed78043740da4ee206b9.jpg
4fbbdbb192ff13a800e7018d1903409d.jpg
fde365d3096132d1a12e61897ec30ae8.jpg


Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
Excellent hat there DD, but that mando is a little gem. Good on you for bringing it back to life!
 
Messages
18,221
That is a nice old guitar and picks! The OR is great too. Did you play it in open G, like a Dobro?

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Usually did, I think. I'd like to have one of those steel bodied National Dobros from the 1920's. They're bringing good money.

Sometime later I had a double neck Fender 400 Pedal Steel guitar. I have pics but they're 35 mm slides. Maybe I can find them & photograph a couple on a light table.
 

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