Oh, NO! 'Fang's got ANOTHER axe query....

[whitefang]

I don't know how many, or if ANY of you others in this forum watch TCM( Turner Classic Movies channel), but last night, they played the old film of a television broadcast that Walt Disney made as a promotion for the new THEME PARK that was, at the time of filming, still under construction in Anahiem California.

 

In the television presentation, there was shown some footage of the old "Davey Crockett" TV show, starring Fess Parker. In it, Fess was seen sitting on what could be considered the "front porch" of a movie set designed to look like an old frontier homestead. Him and about two or three other fellows were sitting around and singing a song.

 

Both Parker and another guy were playing guitars. The one played by the other guy just looked like a run of the mill dreadnought, possibly a Martin.

 

It was FESS PARKER'S guitar that looked odd....

 

It's body was huge, and BELL SHAPED----looked pretty much like the guitar I've seen being held in old photos of poet Carl Sandburg( I'm suspecting SOME of you might have seen the photos I'm referring).

 

And I started wondering...just who MADE these guitars? Again, not too long or clear of a shot of the headstock to notice the name of a MAKER. Incidentally, this film was dated 1954, if THAT helps any.....

Whitefang

[Winston Psmith]

Whitefang, any chance you know of a YouTube link?

[Winston Psmith]

Alright, I found a video. No idea what that thing is?

 

[video:youtube]

[whitefang]

Thanks Winston! Yeah, that be the axe!

 

NO idea of it's maker or anything else about it except I think it looks kinda cool....and possibly fun to play---

 

Certainly, you can't buy a run-of-the-mill CASE for it!

Whitefang

[SEHpicker]

Lyon & Healy Bell-Shaped Guitar 1920s, Spruce top with gold-leaf decoration, mahogany back & sides

 

Found this on a Davey Crockett fan club blog after a bit o' cyber surfin.

[Fred_C]

Nice work SEH!!

 

Excellent research!

 

I had put a phone call in to the "National Guitar Museum" in Jacksonville, FL and was going to email them the video to see if they could help us identify the instrument. Not necessary now.

 

In addition I recall reading an article in some guitar magazine regarding a high end acoustic, comparable to a Martin or Gibson that was popular with "singing cowboys" back then. I have sent them an email requesting information if available.

[Dannyalcatraz]

Lyon & Healy's former subsidiary, Washburn, probably built the guitar in question:

 

http://www.lutherie.net/washburn.bell.guitar.jpg

 

http://uniqueguitar.blogspot.com/2010/01/here-is-little-known-fact-martin-is.html

 

The Lyon & Healy bells were apparently a bit more ornate.

[SEHpicker]

Interesting threads Danny. The little cross or diamond shape on the headstock is apparently a Washburn logo that appears on certain guitars they made including the bell shaped one Fess Parker was playing in that video. The second of Danny's links confirms that Carl Sandberg also owned one as suggested by the Fang. Lyon and Healy also made banjos, mandolins, pianos, harps, brass wind instruments, violins and even drums. Most seem to be of good quality. There are some old L&H harps going for 15 - 20 grand on ebay.

 

[Caevan O'Shite]

Yhup, 1920's Lyon & Healy, also known as Washburn.

 

Disney merchandising also marketed a toy version- I have no idea who made 'em, but I bet they kilt 'em a barre (chord) right outta the box (dig the bell-shaped pick, attached by a string so young frontiersman wouldn't lose 'em too easily):

 

_______________ http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/fuzztone65/Ukulele/Davy%20Crockett/003_big.jpg

 

_ http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/fuzztone65/Ukulele/Davy%20Crockett/001_big.jpg

 

_ http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/fuzztone65/Ukulele/Davy%20Crockett/002_big.jpg

[Larryz]

Cool research...love the Kid's model made for Disney! Davy is still the King of the wild frontier!

[harvey]

This is great...I love the 'name that guitar' threads. Keep them coming...

[whitefang]

You guys are great!

 

Now I'm wondering if and how many of them are available. Gonna have to hit eBay and find out!

 

Oh, and yeah, in the pictures of Carl Sandburg I've seen of him holding his "bell" guitar, it IS more ornate than the one Fess( what a name! wonder if it's SHORT for anything?)Parker is "playing".

 

And I'm willing to bet that the TOY version, IF also found in the original BOX, would fetch more dollars in the market than the ACTUAL GUITAR! UNLESS it was the guitar Parker was holding in the film, and you could PROVE it!

Whitefang

[whitefang]

In doing a bit of "look up" about Lyon and Healy, I discovered that WASHBURN was George Lyon's middle name.

 

AND that their guitars were manufactured in Chicago, which is probably how Carl Sandburg wound up owning one, maybe?

 

That they made a variety of odd looking instruments----guitars with TWO necks, but a common headstock! Don't know much about the function of that instrument, as both necks seemed, at least in how it looked in the PHOTOS I saw of them, to have six strings.

 

And, besides otherwise pedestrian and ordinary(and unremarkable)looking guitars, along with the BELL guitar that started all this, the also made a PEAR shaped guitar.

 

Interesting company....

Whitefang