2016 Exhibit

Here's the label information from the exhibit:

"The Electric Guitar – Wichita’s Instrument!"

A special exhibit of the Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum with Guest Curator, Lynn Wheelwright, January 30 – June 5, 2016

The 20th century brought a technological revolution through electric power. By the 1920s the emerging electrical power grid expanded service, inspiring the development of many new applications. These included labor saving household appliances, medical equipment and communications devices including radio, sound films, public address systems and electrically recorded music and sound amplification systems. Attempts to amplify musical instruments electrically also began at this time. Success in this area eventually propelled instruments of acoustically low volume – like the guitar – to the forefront.

Wichita holds the distinction of being the first to bring the electric guitar to the world’s stage in October of 1932 thanks to the initiative of local guitarist Gage Brewer. His relationship with the electric guitar’s inventors in Los Angeles afforded him the opportunity to bring the first examples to Wichita, a place where his popularity was great enough to cause a sensation. The enthusiasm generated for the new instrument locally led to a proliferation of its use, ultimately generating the earliest studios and guitar stores anywhere. This exhibit celebrates our supporting role in what has become the world’s most popular instrument.
Quest for Volume

The acoustic guitar is an exceptionally expressive and relatively quiet instrument, functioning well in solo performance and best heard in more intimate settings. However, the quest for volume is inherent in the creation of musical instruments and has been a factor in guitar design throughout time. Experimentation with materials and construction led to initial advances as more resonant woods and sophisticated bracing increased the volume of the guitar’s wooden top (sound board). Enlarging the size of the guitar’s body also increased volume and arched tops and other designs taken from violin construction improved projection. In the 1920s, spun-aluminum resonators in metal bodies increased volume further. With the development of electrical amplification, the race was on to apply it to the guitar. Experiments began with microphones. New devises designed to register the vibration of sound boards electrically were a logical step but pursued unsuccessfully by at least two companies. Success was ultimately attained in 1932 by the RO-PAT-IN (possibly a shortened name for: Rickenbacker-Original-Patented-Instruments) Corporation’s introduction of its “Electro” guitars which used electro-magnetic pick-ups directly registering the vibration of steel strings. It was these, both an electric Hawaiian and Spanish guitar that Gage Brewer brought to Wichita for a public debut that year.

Featured Guitars
C. F. Martin, circa 1870
Collection of Lynn Wheelwright

Larson Brothers, Prairie State, 1938
Collection of Lynn Wheelwright

Gibson L-5, 1934
Anonymous lender

National Tricone, 1930
Anonymous lender

Stromberg-Voisinet Electro, circa 1930
Collection of Lynn Wheelwright

Vivi-Tone Spanish (electric) guitar, 1932, originally owned by Alvino Rey
Collection of Lynn Wheelwright

Ro-Pat-In Electric Spanish guitar and amplifier, 1932, originally owned by Gage Brewer
Anonymous Lender

A Better Electric
The RO-PAT-IN Corporation of Los Angeles introduced their “Electro” guitars in 1932, setting the course for the future of the electric guitar. This pioneering company, set on the total abandonment of acoustic qualities in favor of electrical amplification, adopted machine age designs and materials for mass production. The technology introduced through their guitars gave rise to competition within a year. The Dobro and National companies, also of Los Angeles, were the first to enter the market with a similar electro-magnetic pickup. Soon, several other companies were into production and by 1935 most established musical instrument manufacturers were developing electric guitars using Rickenbacker’s technology. The most progressive designers focused on the elimination of unnecessary acoustic style bodies in favor of simpler, solid bodies. Development and production of electric guitars virtually stopped from 1941 to 1946 because World War II. In 1950, the Fender Electric Musical Instrument Company, also of Los Angeles, took the manufacturing concept of Rickenbacker’s “Model B” (1935) and combined it with the refinements developed by neighboring guitar maker Paul Bigsby in 1948, creating the “Esquire” solid body electric guitar. Fender’s product prompted all companies to essentially redesign their instruments to compete, creating electric guitars so appealing that many are still in production today.

Ro-Pat-In "Electro" Spanish guitar, 1932,

Collection of the Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum

Rickenbacker Electro Amplifier, circa 1934,

Collection of Lynn Wheelwright

National Electric Spanish guitar, 1935,

Collection of Lynn Wheelwright

Regal Electric Spanish guitar, 1935,

Collection of Lynn Wheelwright

Rickenbacker Model B Spanish Guitar and amplifier, 1935,

Collection of Lynn Wheelwright

Fender “Esquire” electric Spanish guitar and “Pro” amplifier, circa 1950,

Anonymous Lender

The Hawaiian Guitar
Hawaiians adapted the traditional Spanish guitar, placing it on the lap facing up and using a small bar to slide along its strings to change pitch, thus creating a virtually new instrument. By the 1920s this approach to playing far surpassed the popularity of traditional methods. As the electric guitar was developed, the Hawaiian guitar (also known as the steel guitar) lent itself well to manufacturing processes of the machine age. For these reasons the first electric proto-type, developed by the Ro-Pat-In Corporation of Los Angeles, was a Hawaiian guitar bearing no resemblance to a traditional guitar. The electric Hawaiian guitar outsold traditional Spanish models four to one during its first year of production in 1932.

Electric Hawaiian Guitar
Ro-Pat-In "Elektro", 1932
Collection of Lynn Wheelwright

Electric Hawaiian Guitar, AudioVox, 1935
Anonymous Lender

Electric Hawaiian Guitar, Volu-Tone, 1934
Anonymous Lender

Electric Hawaiian Guitar, Dobro, 1935
Collection of Lynn Wheelwright

Electric Hawaiian Guitar, Epiphone prototype, 1935
Collection of Lynn Wheelwright

Electric Hawaiian Guitar, Gibson Prototype, 1935
Collection of Lynn Wheelwright

WICHITA COLLECTS
Enthusiasm for collecting musical instruments spans centuries, but the market for vintage electric guitars did not fully emerge until the 1980s. The themes which shape collections are as diverse as the collectors themselves. Collectors here range from guitarists who regularly use the instruments in their collections to scholars and connoisseurs. Exhibited here are vignettes representing several local collections. Themes guiding these collectors include: guitars made in Kansas, guitars long owned since youth, guitars made for left-handed players, guitar bargains found locally, guitars of the “Surf Guitar” era, and guitars related to the Beatles.

Collection Emphasis: Guitars made in Kansas
Holman Longhorn, c. 1966, Kustom c. 1967, Wurlitzer Gemini c. 1965

Collection Emphasis: Guitars long owned since youth
Gibson SG junior c. 1965, Gibson Bass Guitar, c. 1965, Fender Telecaster c. 1955

Collection Emphasis: Left handed Guitars
Fender Stratocaster c. 1990, Gibson Les Paul c. 1990, Rickenbacker 360-12 c. 2000

Collection Emphasis: Guitar bargains found locally
Vega c. 1950, Hallmark Sweptwing c. 1966, Fender Telecaster c. 1965

Collection Emphasis: Guitars of the “Surf Guitar” era
Fender Jaguar c. 1962, Fender Jaguar c. 1964, Fender Jazzmaster c. 1964

Collection Emphasis: Guitars related to the Beatles
Gretsch 6118 c. 2010, Gretsch 6120 c. 2010, Rickenbacker 360-12 c. 2010

This special exhibit would not have been possible without the generous support of many including donors, lenders, and volunteers.