Brand: Oahu
Instrument Categories: Acoustic Steel String, Guitars, SOLD, Steel
Built during the mid 1930s, the Oahu Style 71K Hawaiian square neck guitar expressed the popularity of Hawaiian music and steel guitar. Oahu was perfectly placed as they were also a major music publisher. Oahu, based in Cleveland Ohio had these acoustic instruments built for them by companies like Harmony, Kay, Regal and Oscar Schmidt, many of which were based in the Chicago area. Oahu’s electric models were often built for them by Valco, a successor to National and Dobro, and sometimes by Rickenbacher (as it was spelled at the time).
This Oahu Style 71K Hawaiian square neck was likely built by Kay around 1935, and features a solid Spruce top, X-braced, with laminate Maple for the sides and back. The neck is Mahogany, with Rosewood used for the bridge and the bound fingerboard. The finish is Sunburst, executed in nitrocellulose lacquer, and sports an elaborate gold-coloured, stencil design on the top. This type of decoration was quite popular in this era, as it was an inexpensive way to add flash to a production line item. The tuning machines are a standard strip set, and may be replacements. The bridge has been removed and reglued, and a set of brass bridge pins installed – the originals are in the case.
The Oahu Style 71K Hawaiian model measures 14.5 inches across at the lower bout, and the sides are fairly deep 4.75 inches. These dimensions are very similar to the Nick Lucas models built by Gibson, and are intended to provide more volume but with a warm, sweet tone.
Action and intonation are never major concerns on Hawaiian or Steel guitars – unless the action is too low. The frets are really for visual reference. You want height to allow enough pressure on the bar for a clean, solid tone.
This Oahu Style 71K Hawaiian is sold with a newer flat-top, dreadnought size hard shell case.
- Model: Style 71K Hawaiian
- Year: 1935 | Approximate year
- Finish Sunburst with Gold Stencil
- Class: Vintage
- Serial Number: N/A
- Country of Origin: USA
- Condition: Good
- Date Posted: 06/04/2020
- This instrument has been sold
- Consignment Item
- Including Hard case
- Instrument Weight: 4.3lbs 1.96kg
- Scale Length: 25.7in 654mm
- Nut Width: 1.71in 43.44mm
