moses - Posted - 01/24/2012:  16:03:58

Doug,

I think Myron just needs a little encouragement. I talked with him today. He has some interesting things to contribute.

DHutchens - Posted - 01/24/2012:  16:09:45

Yep, Myron and I go back to the 60's and he's been talking about that basement.....I think its time for an archeological dig.......

Do I need to give your address Myron and tell everyone to bring  picks, shovels, sheet music and snacks?

YOU really need to come with Sparks to Banjothon next year...he will bring my banjo back to me and we can meet the first time.....

:)

moses - Posted - 01/24/2012:  16:12:19

Myron threatened to post some new pictures next time he's on here. I'm not sure what he has but I'm sure they will be great!

BrittDLD1 - Posted - 01/24/2012:  17:04:58

Hi Folks --
I subscribed to this topic, and saw the recent 'activity' in my email.

I'm having some computer problems at the moment -- and haven't been on the BHO much.
(Or the Yahoo ODE group either, because I can't remember my password! It's enshrined
in one of my 'dead' computers -- and I can't get to it.)

You can read more about the apparent 'Plague of the Black Death' hitting my computers,
in the blog on my BHO home page.

Happy New Year to all--
Glad to see there's still interest in the ODEs and Baldwins

Best-
Ed Britt


PS. I finally met Bill MacDonald (the second-half of "Stew-Mac") at the Coellctors Gathering,
in Nov. A pleasant and very knowledgeable guy. He enjoyed seeing some of the old ODEs
that I brought.

moses - Posted - 01/24/2012:  17:19:10

Happy New Year Ed.

DHutchens - Posted - 01/24/2012:  17:43:59

Ed

We've got to put together an ODE weekend in 12 somewhere....

I can't help you with the pass word but just request a new subscription and I"ll ok it right away.  Gotta keep the man who is the knowledgebase of the Ode Yahoo group online.

Doug

TLG - Posted - 01/25/2012:  06:18:07

Glad to see some new interest here & I subscribe to this topic too.
Doug, I would like to see an ODE weekend too & will try to attend. It would be great to see ya'll.
I haven't been invited to the Banjothon, I understand it's invitation only, I just live at the other end of the state & have relatives & friends in Maryville.

Tommy

moses - Posted - 02/03/2012:  05:46:26

I talked with Myron last week. He is still threatening to post some pictures from "the basement." Maybe he will do that real soon! He thinks it won't be of much interest. What do you guys think?

TLG - Posted - 02/03/2012:  06:15:47

YES, more photos please.

Tommy

BrittDLD1 - Posted - 02/03/2012:  16:21:05

Hi --

I spoke with Myron today. He's hoping to get some photos
taken within the next few days.

BUT... he's going to be doing some traveling soon. And if he
doesn't get them taken before he leaves, it may be a few
weeks...


Best-
Ed Britt

Edited by - BrittDLD1 on 02/03/2012 16:24:57

moses - Posted - 02/03/2012:  18:50:24

I'm looking forward to it, Ed. If possible, I may try to take a few pics myself one of these days.

DHutchens - Posted - 02/04/2012:  16:49:16

""Britt said"""""""spoke with Myron today. He's hoping to get some photos taken within the next few days. BUT... he's """"""""""going to be doing some traveling soon. And if he doesn't get them taken before he leaves, it may be a few """""""""weeks...  

The witness protection program does try to take care of its participants........Hope he gets away then does a post from an un-disclosed  location....

:) doug

stanger - Posted - 02/05/2012:  23:36:31

quote:

---

Originally posted by DHutchens

Ed

We've got to put together an ODE weekend in 12 somewhere....

I can't help you with the pass word but just request a new subscription and I"ll ok it right away.  Gotta keep the man who is the knowledgebase of the Ode Yahoo group online.

Doug

---

If you can get it together, I'm in! 

Putting the word out on the Ode group here would help, too...

regards,

stanger

backwardroll - Posted - 02/09/2012:  13:39:24

I'm a bit embarrassed to be getting back so late and I'm not sure that what I have is really that interesting but here goes!!!  Doug, I did need picks and shovels to get to some of my stuff in the basement. The bad news is that there isn't that much "gold" there but I've photographed a few things  that, hopefully will be worth reading. While this "thread" is really about the first Style "C", I think most of the Baldwin/Ode folks are interested in "stuff" that was going on back then. As previously mentioned, I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time to work with the Baldwin/Ode banjo line. The banjo was my hobby and I was like a kid in a candy store! I'll begin with what caused my insistence in changing the "B". From the very beginning, I was unhappy with the "dots" in the  neck. The basic product line had been decided before I started working with the "MID". (Musical Instrument Division). I had wandered into the office of Russell Kurth who had run the Lyon and Heally (sp) stores in Chicago for years. He had been hired by the Baldwin Brass to create an entire line of  non keyboard instruments and make Baldwin a "complete music company". There was an Ode brochure on his desk and I asked about it. To my delight, he told me of the  recent purchase of Chuck's company. I had actually visited Boulder before and was very familiar with Ode. It wasn't long before I talked my way into working for Russ. The first photos that will be posted will be of a letter that I received from Chuck Ogsbury obviously shows my concern about the "B". The letter was written June 3, 1966, immediately after I transferred from the advertising department at Baldwin to my "dream job". There are references to the peg head shape, case suppliers, part sales, etc. Here's hoping that they are interesting and everything "attaches".

Myron

PS I'll try another later  

moses - Posted - 02/09/2012:  14:00:28

Myron,

This old "gold" is just what we are looking for. Glad you dug it up. This goes right along with the topic - changing the B to a C. I knew you had a lot to do with it and I and my dad believed that his banjo might have been a "guinea" pig. Anyway, looking forward to a trip north soon!

Steve Bruce

backwardroll - Posted - 02/09/2012:  14:16:05

Well it seemed to work. Now for some non "C" stuff. There has been a lot of discussion about Larry McNeely's "arch top banjo. I have posted before of how I met Larry and it was a "no brainer" to have him as a Baldwin

Artist. He loved the banjo, but made it clear that he would prefer an arch top. I had been planning to have an interchangeable arch top rim manufactured and available as an accesssory. Larry's preference put that project on the "front burner'. I really can't remember how many were actually produced but I have the engineering drawings and I believe that there were four made. When Baldwin "consolidated" with Gretsch, I sent one to Fred Gretsch, Jr. One went on Larry's banjo and the other two wound up in my basement!!!  Will wonders never cease? Larry loved the banjo but gave it up in a divorce at a much later date. (He had a deal with Deering at the time and wasn't playing it in public anyway). I'll post pictures of the rim, a thank you letter from Larry, and my letter to Gretsch. Incidentally, when I say Fred Gretsch, Jr., the Jr. might imply a young person. I'm not sure how many of you knew Fred, Jr. but he was not young at the time. He kind of reminded me of Ari Onassis. He had the same regal appearence of a man of means or perhaps a  mafia "Don". He was an imposing sort of fellow.

Here's hoping the photos come through.

Myron

Now I'm having trouble with the attachments. Perhaps there is a time limit as to how many pictures can be posted. With everone's permission, I''ll send this text anfd the three photos later.

tlong - Posted - 02/09/2012:  15:25:53

This is incredable information. Thanks Myron, please keep it coming

Ted

backwardroll - Posted - 02/09/2012:  17:07:52

Well, I've just completed a good dinner and I'll see if I can attach the three photos that I'd hoped to do the last post.

One of Four

Letter to Fred, Jr.

Larry's thank You

backwardroll - Posted - 02/09/2012:  17:39:17

Super, It seems to have worked!! I've got a few exrtra posts to do. Until then, I'd look forward to an ODE/Baldwin weekend sometime in the future. It's a good idea Doug or Ed.(I'm not sure who came up with the idea but it would be great). 

As mentioned before, I was a twenty nine year old kid that landed in a job that fed my passion for bluegrass music, banjos, and my idol star performers. It was a wonderful period of my life and I consider myself very lucky to have been there at that time. "Banjomania" was not as concentrated then as it is now.  It's gratifying to know that there is sincere interest in the "goings on" of the period. There has been much misinformation printed about what happened back then and If I can add anything in the future that would shed light on what really happened, it would  be rewarding to me.

I'm leaving for ten days starting Saturday, but I'll have my  wife's new IPad2 with us .If I can figure it out, I'll still be able to communicate. I'll try and post tomorrow on some interesting engraving stuff.

Once again, I'm sorry for such a delay.

Myron

moses - Posted - 02/10/2012:  04:30:33

Myron,

That is great stuff. The letter from Larry McNeeley especially. You know, he lived here in my home town during the 60's and worked in a pawn shop while he played in the group Pinacle Mt. Boys. He also played with the house band on the local radio station (WLAF) here. I'm sure those were "Pre-D Model Baldwin" days for Larry. He was (still is) an incredible player on almost any instrument. Looking forward to more posts from you, Myron.

Steve Bruce

DHutchens - Posted - 02/10/2012:  04:42:03

Myron

The "Gold" is in your words.

I know how hard it is sometimes to find the time to commit the thoughts to a screen or on paper, I for one really appreciate you doing so.

It is ironic that just over 20 years after you were so nice to me when I first contacted you at Baldwin I began a similar job with Gibson and I have no doubt that the way you treated me helped shape my philosophy of working with people. 

Have a great journey, be safe and I will look forward to your next post.

Doug

Edited by - DHutchens on 02/10/2012 04:45:55

backwardroll - Posted - 02/10/2012:  17:59:12

Thanks Steve, Doug, and all for the kind comments. I appreciate them. I'm never sure what is interesting and what is not.  Believe it or not, I'm nearly packed and I don't leave until about 3:30 PM tomorrow afternoon. I'll give three more photos a try. The first is of the "prototype" neck that I inlaid in my shop and sent to Arkansas as a quide line for nthe 1968 NAMM show.. I mentioned in an earlier post that because the pearl had not arrived from Germany in time, the factory decided to "dig out" the pearl from my guideline neck. I was sick when they sent it back to me. I told them that I would have cut the pearl myself for the display model if they had only informed me. Oh well, the neck will eventually be reworked and I'm glad that I got it back. The second photo is of a flange, arm rest, tension hoop, Ode tail piece, and a tenor Kirschner tail piece that was engraved for me by Al Gabriella. Al was a saddle engraver that Chuck knew who had done the incredible work on the Ode "F" models. I don't have to tell this group how good he was. When compared to the so called engraving on competitive banjos, Al's work soared above all. When I visited him in his shop I was amazed. He would put an arm rest or what ever in a vise and with no pattern at all, he would take a graver and with incredible speed, turn out beautiful art. He looked as if he were "chopping rock". It was unbelievable. We duscussed his pricing and I asked him if he would engrave a few pieces for me. He agreed. The photo barely shows how beautiful the work is. Some day, I hope to build the "ultimate banjo" using these pieces. Perhaps I should begin soon. The next photo is of a letter that I received from him and my answer. It's hard to believe that the work was so reasonable. I paid $17.00 for his artistry. What a deal! !! But then, I remember how much I was making a year and what the cost of living was and it's a bit easier to understand. I only wish that I had had him do more.

I'll give the photos a try. If they don't come through, they will eventually. (I have an ace in the hole)n (Steve has been helping this computer illiterate) Thanks again for your patience.

Myron       (Hey it looks as if it worked.)

Mutilated first "C" neck

Al's engraving

Gabriella letters