This Weymann c.1916 flattop acoustic could well be Americas first production ‘f’ hole guitar. If anyone knows differently I would sure like to know.
This guitar also appears in my post: https://www.leavingthisworld.com/weymann-f-hole-guitars-styles-30-648-748-and-848/ but I felt it deserved it’s own posting.
Formerly owned by Bill Yates, due to his immense generosity, this is now in my possession. Bill did an amazing job in restoring it (the ‘f’ holes themselves were quite damaged, but otherwise it was in pretty good condition for a 100+ year old instrument.
The history of the ‘f’ hole in musical instruments goes back over 300 years, but it is only recently, in 2015, that the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers discovered that the acoustic ‘f’ hole design served as the perfect means of delivering the most powerful acoustic sound.
MIT noticed that the “f-hole” design had “twice the sonic power,” of circular holes when it came to delivering sound from a hollow wooden RESONANCE chamber. And, it was able to produce double the acoustics at amplifying the sound of instrument strings strung across the acoustic sound-board.*
*http://creativeguitarstudio.blogspot.com/2018/05/why-acoustic-f-hole-guitar-design.html
So some photos of this guitar:
SOME FEATURES:
Original tuners and the Weymann distinctive ‘W’ shaped metal tailpiece (the design of which changed slightly over the years). Gentle ‘V’ mahogany neck with ebony fretboard and Brazilian rosewood veneer on the front of the headstock. Mother of Pearl fret markers. Ebony floating bridge which originally had drilled holes for the strings (so they threaded through the bridge). That particular gold decal was used from about 1913 to 1918.
(The kangaroo visits us in our backyard and has a deformed right paw from playing a lot of instruments.! He’s well over 6 feet tall.)
MEASUREMENTS:
Total Length: 37 3/4″ (960mm)
Body Length: 18 3/8″ (470mm)
Top Bout: 9 1/8″ (230mm)
Lower Bout: 12 3/4″ (325mm)
Scale: 25 1/2″
Thickness at end: 3 7/8″
YOUTUBE VIDEO:
Thanks to my grandson for playing in this video and to my daughter for recording it 🙂
I love this guitar!
Many thanks
Charles
Wonderful guitar & very interesting information. And every family is most fortunate to have at least one musician, vocalist & love for guitars. Love the video❣️
Thanks for sharing!
Beautiful Guitar and sound.
Love the chilled out ‘roo posing in the shade
He’s a regular visitor to our place Sharon. Best not to get too close though, they have been known to ‘maul’ people who surprise them. But he seems friendly enough.