Slingerland Guitars

zombywoof · #1 03-03-2012, 02:43 PM

I am just wondering if anybody else out there plays a Slingerland or May Bell (their budget brand offering) archtop or flat top.

I have not played a ton of Slingerlands but the ones I have gotten my hands on have impressed the heck out of me. I gather there is a debate as to who actually made the guitars. Some say they were outsourced with the upper end carved top archtops being made by Gibson and at least the ladder braced instruments being made by Regal and/or Harmony. Others believe that Slingerland purchased all the parts and then assembled them. Still others argue that they were made by Slingerland. Apparently there are photos showing at least bodies being built at the Slingerland factory.

The ones I have gotten hold of were meticuously built. Not even a spot of glue showing. The one I own is a May Bell "Violin Craft" round soundhole concert size archtop. The year 1933 is stamped in the guitar but that is not necessarily the year the guitar was made but that in which the the line was introduced. This one is all mahogany. It has features you would not expect to see on a Depression-era budget guitar - fully bound neck and soundhole, pearloid pickguard, and bone saddle floating bridge. Even the back brace you see showing through the soundhole is lacquered.

Soundwise - the little May Bell is far from the loudest small box I have ever had. But it has a sassy sound to it with some snap and what I would describe as almost a 12 string chime to the upper end when played around the nut. All in all a very different sounding guitar from anything else I have.

gitnoob · #2 03-03-2012, 02:55 PM

I don't have the exact guitar, but I have a similar Harmony-made Bruno Maxitone that I love.

Chiricahua Jack · #3 03-03-2012, 03:21 PM

I have a May Bell that I am trying to restore. It was my dad's from when he was a boy. I have a picture of him with the guitar when he was about 12 yrs old. According to the link below it is about a 1937 or so size 0, style #5, which would be right on as my dad was born in 1925. It needs to be rehydrated and a little glue work done on the back, frets cleaned, etc. Bridge, saddle & nut seem to be good. I don't recall him ever playing it but I'm looking forward to having it around. Picture is before restoration work was started and is shown with a 00 for size comparison.

http://domains.tbc.net/dkolars/sling...m/maybells.htm

PS: Can't figure out how to upload pictures. If anyone would like to see them maybe they can tell me how. They are on my hard drive and not hosted anywhere.

gitnoob · #4 03-03-2012, 03:42 PM

This might help with the pictures:
http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=231871

Kerbie · #5 03-03-2012, 05:01 PM

I still have a wonderful set of Slingerland drums. That's really interesting. I didn't know they made guitars. When were these made?

zombywoof · #6 03-03-2012, 07:31 PM

Slingerland started out selling mail order music lessons which came with imported ukes around the start of WWI. In the early 1920s they began their own line of ukes, banjos, mandolins, and guitars. By the mid-1930s they were even offering solid body lap steel guitars.

They started making drums in the mid-1920s interestingly after Ludwig entered the banjo business. I do not believe Slingerland's stringed instrument line survived WWII although I could be wrong.

vintageparlors · #7 03-03-2012, 08:48 PM

Fine pair a hogs I see up there.

ResoN · #8 03-03-2012, 09:02 PM

Delete Delete. I can't find how to delete this message.

Tony Burns · #9 03-03-2012, 09:20 PM

Slingerland being a big Drum manufacturer , also made allot of banjos , mandolin and banjo ukes . ( Ive got one of the banjo ukes-) Sorry i dont have a picture of it to post -but its a nice instrument !

Kerbie · #10 03-03-2012, 09:46 PM

Thanks, Zomby... Glad to know this.

lossforgain · #11 03-03-2012, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerbie

I still have a wonderful set of Slingerland drums. That's really interesting. I didn't know they made guitars. When were these made?

Me too - actually I have two Slingerlands. Here are mine.

cotten · #12 03-03-2012, 10:40 PM

My guess is that Slingerland guitars would be GREAT for tapping.

cotten

Jeff56 · #13 03-04-2012, 01:30 AM

A friend of mine picked up an old Slingerland flattop a couple of years ago. I've been begging him to sell it to me ever since.

Kerbie · #14 03-04-2012, 06:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cotten

My guess is that Slingerland guitars would be GREAT for tapping.

cotten

Nothing like a percussive guitar!

Great pics. I still have my White Marine Pearl set... sort of the Buddy Rich set.

ResoN · #15 03-04-2012, 08:58 AM

Your Maybell looks great. I really like the mahogany. Here is my Maybell/Slingerland. It's X braced and actually sounds pretty good.