More vintage steel pics

Lap steels, resonators, multi-neck consoles and acoustic steel guitars

Moderator: Brad Bechtel

User avatar
Doug Beaumier
Posts: 16058
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Northampton, MA

Post by Doug Beaumier »

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image
User avatar
Andy Volk
Posts: 10511
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Boston, MA

Post by Andy Volk »

Those are some great photos, Mitch. Thank for sharing!
Steel Guitar Books! Website: www.volkmediabooks.com
User avatar
Andy Volk
Posts: 10511
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Boston, MA

Post by Andy Volk »

Andy Sannella and his cat, 1931

Image

Image

Image

Image
Steel Guitar Books! Website: www.volkmediabooks.com
Mitch Drumm
Posts: 2663
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Frostbite Falls, hard by Veronica Lake

Post by Mitch Drumm »

Don't know how I left this one out.

This is the Tiny Stokes band with long-time and well-remembered forum member Billy Tonnesen (deceased 2014) on steel. I think Billy was born in 1929 and he said on this forum that he worked for Stokes in 1944 or 1945....so he's no more than 16 here, before he ever recorded and before he worked for Ole Rasmussen.

Go to Youtube and listen to Tiny take a tour of every beer joint in Montana on "Blackfoot Boogie". If only I could go downtown and hear something like that.

The address shown is found in Bell Gardens and I think Billy lived in that LA suburb at one time.

Regarding the second pic: not a band pic, but I assume everyone can ID at least 2 people in it?



Image



Image
User avatar
Mark Kocon
Posts: 25
Joined: 17 Jun 2015 6:14 am
Location: New Jersey, USA

Post by Mark Kocon »

The two pictures of the kids with all the steels reminded me of the band i was in grammar school in the ‘50s. It a Polish Parochial school. 54 accordions and I played guitar with 2 other guys.
User avatar
Jack Hanson
Posts: 5528
Joined: 19 Jun 2012 3:42 pm
Location: San Luis Valley, USA

Post by Jack Hanson »

Gotta love those home-made steel guitar stands. The one underneath the Console Grande looks like it would support a Hammond, while the one holding the BR-9 looks as rickety as a house of cards.

Great old pix, guys; fascinating!
User avatar
David Ball
Posts: 1318
Joined: 18 Feb 2010 1:37 pm
Location: North Carolina High Country

Post by David Ball »

Looks like the guy in the bottom picture of Andy's post is playing one of those Martin-made Paramount guitars. You don't see them very often...



DaveImage
User avatar
Andy Volk
Posts: 10511
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Boston, MA

Post by Andy Volk »

Cool. Never noticed that, Dave. Found some info on that model here: http://vintagemartin.com/Martin30_Paramount_L.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwfPMhc92_0
Steel Guitar Books! Website: www.volkmediabooks.com
User avatar
Andy Volk
Posts: 10511
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Boston, MA

Post by Andy Volk »

And this one courtesy of David Matzenik ... movie still with George Pils, Sol Ho'opi'i Danny Kuaana and several other "usual suspects."

Image
Steel Guitar Books! Website: www.volkmediabooks.com
User avatar
David Ball
Posts: 1318
Joined: 18 Feb 2010 1:37 pm
Location: North Carolina High Country

Post by David Ball »

Andy Volk wrote:Cool. Never noticed that, Dave. Found some info on that model here: http://vintagemartin.com/Martin30_Paramount_L.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwfPMhc92_0
And of course, the Paramounts were famous for their "Piano Volume and Harp Quality Tone." And Harry Reser played them. How could you go wrong?

Dave
User avatar
Cody Farwell
Posts: 122
Joined: 12 Nov 2018 3:01 pm
Location: Sunland, CA

Post by Cody Farwell »

Doug Beaumier wrote:
Image
Anyone know who this group is?
User avatar
Jack Hanson
Posts: 5528
Joined: 19 Jun 2012 3:42 pm
Location: San Luis Valley, USA

Post by Jack Hanson »

Image
Bill Pester plays his Weissenborn in front of his hut in Palm Springs, CA circa 1917. Pester was the inspiration for the Nat King Cole hit Nature Boy in 1948.
Chris Clem
Posts: 190
Joined: 4 May 2016 12:53 pm
Location: California, USA

Post by Chris Clem »

1947 Dick McIntire water float parade at Newport Beach Ca.Note he is playing a Frying Pan.

Image
User avatar
Michael B Scott
Posts: 17
Joined: 11 Dec 2013 8:34 am
Location: Orlando Florida, USA

Post by Michael B Scott »

Image

Gary Cooper and his tricone
User avatar
Michael B Scott
Posts: 17
Joined: 11 Dec 2013 8:34 am
Location: Orlando Florida, USA

Post by Michael B Scott »

Image
Gabby and “da boyz”
User avatar
Michael B Scott
Posts: 17
Joined: 11 Dec 2013 8:34 am
Location: Orlando Florida, USA

Post by Michael B Scott »

Image

Gary Cooper and his tricone
User avatar
Andy Volk
Posts: 10511
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Boston, MA

Post by Andy Volk »

Image

Image

Image
Steel Guitar Books! Website: www.volkmediabooks.com
User avatar
Andrea Tazzini
Posts: 184
Joined: 13 Dec 2006 1:01 am
Location: Massa, Italy

Post by Andrea Tazzini »

Doug Beaumier wrote:Wow, that's a heck of a picture, Andy. I'm gonna steal that one from you and post it on my Instagram page. :)
I too!!😄
User avatar
Bryan Bradfield
Posts: 729
Joined: 29 Apr 2003 12:01 am
Location: Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.

Post by Bryan Bradfield »

Mitch Drumm - In your 2nd picture, re-copied here, I see little Jimmie Dickens second from left, and Jack Ruby on the far right.Image [/img]
User avatar
Doug Beaumier
Posts: 16058
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Northampton, MA

Post by Doug Beaumier »

Cody Farwell wrote:
Doug Beaumier wrote:
Image
Anyone know who this group is?
The steel player is Joe Westray from Pittsburgh PA. More info here: viewtopic.php?p=2956235
User avatar
Doug Beaumier
Posts: 16058
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Northampton, MA

Post by Doug Beaumier »

Image
Anthony Lis
Posts: 102
Joined: 29 Jan 2013 5:50 pm
Location: South Dakota, USA

Post by Anthony Lis »

Doug,

Do you happen to know who the steel guitarist is posed with a Harlin Brothers Multi-Kord?
User avatar
Doug Beaumier
Posts: 16058
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Northampton, MA

Post by Doug Beaumier »

Not sure, but the photo is signed "Bump". There was a Bump Potter (or Porter) who played steel guitar back in the 1960s.
User avatar
Doug Beaumier
Posts: 16058
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Northampton, MA

Post by Doug Beaumier »

Student, 1940s

Image
User avatar
Andy Volk
Posts: 10511
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Boston, MA

Post by Andy Volk »

"Black Ace" relaxing at home

Image

Looen Bowling Hawaiian Trio Rhumba Casino in Chicago Circa 1944.

Image

Unknown trio

Image
Steel Guitar Books! Website: www.volkmediabooks.com