STRINGTONE changer on lap steel... ever hear of it?

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 17 Nov 2000 11:15 am

This thread is an offshoot of the "stringbender" thread. Has anyone ever heard of the device mentioned below?

I've got a 1958 Oahu D-6 with a Stringtone changer device mounted on each neck. These devices are on the top of the instrument, just behind the bridges. There is a little lever on each of them and there are 3 settings for each lever. The front neck settings are C7, E7, C6. The rear neck settings are C#, E, A. These ancient changers were made by Rowe Industries in Toledo, Ohio. They are very clean and they work great. Evidently Oahu offered these as an option on certain models. Has anyone else here ever seen these "Stringtone" changer devices on a lap steel?

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www.dougbsteel.com
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Doug Beaumier on 17 November 2000 at 05:41 PM.]</p></FONT>

Dave Zirbel · Post by **Dave Zirbel** » 17 Nov 2000 11:46 am

I've seen the exact same guitar you described at Music Biz in Santa Rosa CA early this year. It may still be there. I probably would have bought it if it were a D-8.

Dave

Fred Layman · Post by **Fred Layman** » 17 Nov 2000 2:10 pm

Doug, I believe the device was invented by Ron Dearth of Lima, Ohio, teacher of Jerry Byrd. Ron had a guitar studio on Kibee Street in Lima and gave lessons on steel and guitar. Ron's niece Kathy Davis inherited the studio after Ron's death and may still have it. The first time I ever saw the device was in that studio. Several years later I wanted to add one to a 6-string National lap steel and contacted Kathy. She told me that Ron had sold the patent to the Hohner music company in Toledo. I contacted them and they responded that the device was no longer in production.

Just as an aside, I bought the National at a hock shop in Wichita in 1960 for $20 (my first steel) and sold it at a charity yard sale fifteen years later for $20. The same guitar is now on EBay and the bid is over $130. Maybe I should have been less charitable

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 17 Nov 2000 5:59 pm

Thank you for the responses. Fred, it seems that the internet is driving up prices for all vingage gear. Nothing is rare anymore and there are dozens (maybe hundreds) of buyers competing to buy each item. It's a seller's market for sure.

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www.dougbsteel.com

Bob Hempker · Post by **Bob Hempker** » 19 Nov 2000 10:50 am

Fred, you are absolutely correct. Ron Dearth taught me when I was a kid. He showed me his original patent papers on the changer. Ron passed away in 1963. My first pedal guitar was a Multi-Kord double 6. I turned the keyhead around on the c6 neck(outside neck), and plugged the hole on the right end where the keys were. I put a stringtone changer on that neck then for the C6,E7,and C7. I had four pedals on the inside(A) tuning neck and the Stringtone Changer on the C6 neck. I had my cake and was eating it, too. Ron was an incredible Hawaiian player, but a great teacher. He was loved dearly by all his students. I still miss him to this day. I not only took lessons from him, but we went fishing together. He was a grown man in his 50's and had never been fishing, so I taught him what little bit I knew about fishing. I owe him so much for the patience he exercised with me. He definately guided me in the proper direction.

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Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 19 Nov 2000 10:19 pm

Doug-
I had one of those Oahu Stringchangers back in the late 30's(not sure of the year) but they worked great.
I sold the guitar and got a National New Yorker. Then I changed tunings by hand before a song that required it.

Then I got a double 8 and had two special tunings that could get just about every chord needed.9ths, Dim.Minors, 7ths,maj6ths,maj7th,min7, min6,.

I listened to Alvino Rey before he had pedals and got the tunings by listening to his, which I copied, naturally......al