Object Details
- Dobro
- Description
This resonator guitar was made by Dobro in Los Angeles, California around 1933-1937. The name originated in 1928 when the Dopyera brothers formed the Dobro Manufacturing Company. "Dobro" is both a contraction of "Dopyera brothers" and a word meaning "goodness" in their native Slovak. This six course (6x1) guitar has a squared-off neck with raised strings for Hawaiian-style playing.
This guitar features U. S. Patent #1,896,484 dated February 7, 1933 by John Dopyera for a musical instrument with a conical metal resonator.
Frederick John Wright (1926-1985) was a classic amateur country music performer. He was born in Detroit, Michigan and a year later, his family moved to Toronto, Canada. In 1938, a door to door salesman offered a Dobro guitar with lessons for $5.00 per week, for thirteen weeks. Fred played this guitar and with his father entertained veterans in hospitals in the Toronto area. In 1947, Fred returned to the United States with his treasured guitar.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Credit Line
- Gift of Betty R. Wright in memory of Frederick John Wright
- 1933-1937
- ID Number
- 1989.0660.01
- catalog number
- 1989.0660.01
- accession number
- 1989.0660
- Object Name
- guitar
- Physical Description
- wood (overall material)
- metal (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 39 in x 14 1/2 in x 5 in; 99.06 cm x 36.83 cm x 12.7 cm
- place made
- United States: California, Los Angeles
- See more items in
- Culture and the Arts: Musical Instruments
- Music & Musical Instruments
- Guitars
- National Museum of American History
- Record ID
- nmah_1067396
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a9-1734-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
