| Author |
Message |
Sven (Sven)
| | Posted on Sunday, June 01, 2003 - 1:05 pm: | |
I have an Elger 6 string accoustic No. 335. I would like to get some info on it. |
Johns (Johns)
| | Posted on Sunday, June 01, 2003 - 3:32 pm: | |
Sven:
Michael Wright's Guitar Stories, Vol. 1 is the only source of information that I have on the Elger guitars. There's no mention of a model 335 anywhere. Most of the model numbers are 7000 series.
It would be nice to see pictures of it and maybe you could give us a more detailed description of it's feature. |
Sven (Sven)
| | Posted on Monday, June 02, 2003 - 5:25 pm: | |
John, I don't have a way to send a picture. The label that is visable through the sound hole reads:
Elger
Model no. F335 Japan
It is a drednaught as far as size goes, 21 fret mahogany neck and body. The top is blonde (spruce?). tuning pegs and knobs are chrome.Sven |
Williamwilson (Williamwilson)
| | Posted on Monday, June 02, 2003 - 11:37 pm: | |
Only a fool would claim to be an expert on unusual instruments like these, but I'll happily share what little I've learned. This account is incomplete and I'm not completely sure of the accuracy of all the details, so please don't take it as gospel.
There was a gentleman named Harry Rosenbloom who opened a music store called "Medley Music" near Philadelphia in the early 1950's, at the peak of the post-war music boom. In the mid-to-late fifties, there was a 3 1/2 year waiting list for new Martin guitars and it was impossible for a music store to make money without product. Harry, a man of some considerable talent, decided to start a manufacturing business. His goal was to not just equal Martin's quality (located only 71 miles from his store), but exceed them! He formed a new company called Elger Guitars, named for his children, Ellen and Gerson. He made the first few instruments himself in 1959, but quickly realized the impossibility of the task and brought in a German master violin maker named Karl Muller. Karl and his brother, Georg, led a small team of craftsman who designed and built the Martin-beating Elger guitars in a workshop in Ardmore, PA. They continued to hand-build exceptional quality instruments, using only the finest woods and techniques, until about 1964 or so. I have a 1962 Elger dreadnought with solid Brazilian Rosewood back and sides and a German Engelmann Spruce top that rivals the best Martins of the day and is my favorite guitar.
In '64 or '65, something changed. I'm not sure why, but Mr. Rosenbloom decided to cease production of the hand-made instruments and begin importing them instead. In a stroke of remarkable insight, Elger Guitars chose to become the exclusive North American distributors for the Hoshino Gakki Gen company. Hoshino had just bought a small Spanish guitar company named "Ibanez" and would use this as their product name, first in North America and then worldwide. In 1971, Hoshino bought Elger Guitars (and regained the North American distribution rights) and changed the name to "Ibanez USA". Pretty cool, huh?
The later Elgers (1965 to about 1970) are all Japanese-made (and indicate that on their labels) and are actually quite close in design to what was to become the Ibanez line of the 1970's. If you have a look at one of the Ibanez Vintage sites, you may be able to identify yours from the pictures there. And value? Well, lets just say that you're better off keeping your guitar - there are too few of the Elgers sold to estimate a reasonable value. I've seen them sell from a low of $83 up to $250 for an early (US-made) model, but I think that they're worth far more than that.
Will |
Williamwilson (Williamwilson)
| | Posted on Monday, June 02, 2003 - 11:53 pm: | |
Uhh, I just read what I wrote above and the first line makes no sense at all. This story was from an email that I sent to a guy who had accused me of being an expert on Elger guitars and I replied that " only a fool would claim to be an expert on unusual instruments like these " as a reply.
Sorry for sounding like I was tooting my own horn!
Will |
Munch (Munch)
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 03, 2003 - 7:26 am: | |
Will,
That's a really interesting story. A 3 1/2 year wait on Martins??? I thought only Bob Benedetto could claim such popularity!!!!
Does anyone know if Harry Rosenbloom is still with us?? If so, it would be very cool to involve him on this site!
Cheers,
Mark |
Williamwilson (Williamwilson)
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 03, 2003 - 12:07 pm: | |
Mark,
I've actually communicated via email with Harry and Gerson. They're great people, but I'm not so sure that they'd be too keen on sharing all their secrets...
Medley Music still have a website and thats how I found Gerson.
Will |
Sven (Sven)
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 03, 2003 - 6:33 pm: | |
Will, thanks for the info. I've had this guitar for about twenty-one years and it was used when my mother bought it for me. It sat for most of those twenty-one years, but last year I got the itch to start playin it. I had to refasten the bridge because it started to lift and I put a set of Martin ultra light strings on it. It has a nice sound to it. had never heard of Elger before so I thought I'd find out about them. So far it's been interesting.
Sven |
Sven (Sven)
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 03, 2003 - 6:35 pm: | |
Will, thanks for the info. I've had this guitar for about twenty-one years and it was used when my mother bought it for me. It sat for most of those twenty-one years, but last year I got the itch to start playin it. I had to refasten the bridge because it started to lift and I put a set of Martin ultra light strings on it. It has a nice sound to it. I had never heard of Elger before so I thought I'd find out about them. So far it's been interesting.
Sven |
Sven (Sven)
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 03, 2003 - 6:40 pm: | |
Sorry for the double posting. I was previewing the message and didn't realize it posted.
Sven |
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