The Smith Family Melobar Guitar - the real story of Melobar from Ted Smith - melobarted@gmail.com

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Melobar Guitars

Patented angled up neck to play steel standing up
See Melobar in Action CLICK HERE and HERE Black V on the Left
 
 
 
Melobar is the registered trade mark of the Smith Family who manufactured the instruments for over 50 years. The patented design that started the company was a 45 degree tilt neck to play steel type guitar mounted on a standard guitar body.

This blog is dedicated information and facts about Melobar from Ted Smith, the last Melobar builder and son of Walt Smith the originator.

See the pages on the right for models, history and fun Melobar facts (hard to see in grey).
Melobar on National Television CLICK HERE
Listen to a Melobar Rattler CLICK TO HEAR

50 Years of Melobar Models

1964 first promotional brochure

50 Years of Melobar Models
More detailed descriptions, years in production and number of units in the identify models page on the right hand side of this blog (hard to see in grey).
Listed are production models - one offs, proto-types, customs and experimentals are not included.

1964 Mosrite Series


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1970 Rosac Series 
                                                
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Metal Acoustic (dobro era)
                                           

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Early Student  (Purple People Eater and dumpster models)
 
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Student Acoustic (Payette Shop)
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Powerslide X-10 (1980's Lindley era)

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Jerrett Series


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Powerslide 88 Proform model (1988)
Video of one...

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Skreemr (6-string models of the 90's)
Melobar sound on Good Run of Bad Luck ACM Awards TV
How the Skreemr model got it's name
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LS series (first lap steels)
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Strummr (6-string acoustic)
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SLS and S-Head Lap Steels
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The Rattler Lap Steel (largest production model)

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The Tomohawk (8-string)
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Built Two MINI Teleratts  

Video on Youtube of the Mini Teleratt
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Supersteels (modular console)
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SXL (long scale lap steel)
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Teleratt (Tele components)

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CC-8






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Melobro series (fiberglass dobro style)

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Steelgitr (custom built double neck)

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Strat-O-bar (Strat laminated to Melobar)
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Tel-O-bar (Fender Telecaster and Melobar Skreemr)


Only Tele-Melobar Skreemr built, just did it this year for myself  and love it.