Sunday, September 14, 2008

1935 Melody King Guitar

I have a 1935 Melody King Guitar and I would like to know more about it, including history and value. This is a beautiful guitar and in excellent condition. I like guitars a lot even though I don't play them, mostly I like the way they look.

It seems from what I have read across the internet no one has seen a Melody King Guitar, but people have seen the Melody King Banjos. Any information you may have .

Thanks,
Deborah












18 comments:

Unknown said...

Hey Deborah,

I have the same Melody King guitar which I just recently purchased from a friend, looks just like the one in your photos and even has the exact same strap, weird huh, how do you know the year of your guitar I am wondering? Anyways, I don't really know much about it myself but mine plays like a dream, arched top with a flat back by the way and appears to be all solid woods, birch maybe?

Anonymous said...

I have just recieved one.It is the same as the one in the pic.
It was my uncles whom passed away some years ago

Pachenko said...

I Have one too, I had bought it off of my grandpa, it is the same as well, a little more worn, may I ask where you've found yours from?

Pachenko said...

also if you'd like I've got a Guitar appraisal guy's email, if you'd like to find out its value, (I'm from Canada)the guitar is made of birch, I cannot identify the type of wood of the fretboard, anyways, here is the appraisal guy's email. info@classicguitars.ca

Anonymous said...

I just purchased mine from a garage sale. It has a worn mark in the front but so far so good. I bought mine for $100, with original rope, case and box of strings.

Cheers!

Anonymous said...

hi Deborah,i have the same guitar i bought it of a guy here in Newfoundland canada its in Bad shape yours looks beautiful,i wish mine looked good has yours and yes it has a great tone paid 50 bucks for it.have no idea who made it or where it came from.Gary

Anonymous said...

also i would like to buy one in good shape i named my recording studio after this Guitar. Melody king studio.so for a fair price and one in good shape willing to buy.thanks Gary.

Anonymous said...

I bought one this summer for $80 at a garage sale. It's a bit warn on the frets, but it came with the original rope, and a case, and it sounds great :)

Unknown said...

I have the same guitar and its part of my 13 guitar collection and because these guitars are so playable and are not very available it would take around 3000 for me to take it out of my line up. value for these guitars is what someone will pay and what someone is asking.

Unknown said...

I too have a Melody King guitar, know absolutely nothing about it other than it's different than yours and the previous owner didn't keep it the best. It's a bit beat up and I had to do minor repairs, but for $20, you can't go wrong. Also I heard that at one point B.B. King played Melody King (I heard it so I'm not entirely sure). Mine has mother-of-pearl dots in the fret board, not the little cross thingy, and a classical style head. As soon as I have more info on it I will post it.

Bill said...

Hey Deborah,
My father in law was left a melody king guitar by his friend, not an archtop, but a melody king noentheless. It is a flattop, with a painted rosette, simple trapeze tailpiece, and the slotted headstock is also done in a tropical painted style, with "melody king" and "polk atlanta" on the headstock-anyone has any ideas on the origin, please contact me at Pfeiffew@cox.net. The best I was able to research it to was @ 1931. Yours is in great condition, have fun with it!

Anonymous said...

nice looking guitar

Anonymous said...

If you look at a Harmony guitar, they will look the same in many ways as a Melody King. The date is usually stamped inside the body and you should be able to see it through the f-hole. Harmony used the same stamping mark on there guitars. Ex: a S-37 would be a spring of 1937 run, which is what mine is and a F-37 would mean a fall of 1937 run. I have just bought a S-37 Melody King for $90 and also just bought a Harmony H1215 F-69 for $200 and both are built similar and have the same style of date stamp inside the body. Harmony built guitars from 1890ish to 1975 in America and now are built in China and Korea.

Anonymous said...

I have my dads melody king guitar charleton tn

Don McGregor said...

My Dad bought his Melody King arch top about 1939 for $15. By the time I started learning guitar on it in the 1950's, it had seen better days. The neck was badly warped, and there were three cracks in the back you could see through. Still, I wish I had it for sentimental reasons.
When my Dad bought me a Hagstrom electric, he had me give the Melody King to a cousin. I never saw it again.

Unknown said...

I've just been given a damaged Melody King made by Harmony in 1936 (S-36). Melody King was the name used by Bronson Music, Detroit regardless of the maker. Their top line electric Hawaiian guitars were made by Rickenbacker.
Fred Isenor

Unknown said...

I have a melody king as well

Unknown said...

Hi.. I have a melody king, arch top similar, however yours has a fancier fretboard than mine.