Early British Electrics

[dusty fretz]

Will, your comments make me feel even more ancient, as I remember playing these instruments when they were new! Fenton-Weill did indeed enjoy healthy export sales, even in America. Sweden proved to be a particularly good market and over there some models were sold under different names, such as Zam-Master and Tux-Master, while the Twin-Master was nothing like the UK equivalent.

Talking of titles, I'm not familiar with the Duotone, or the similar sounding Dualtone, as these don't appear in any UK ads of the time or my company literature. Fenton-Weill initially favoured 'master' model names and the 'tone' types (e.g. Twistratone, Spectratone) didn't appear until around 1963, so presumably this means there must be paperwork out there I've yet to see. Such new additions to my archive would be more than welcome, as I'm well aware that although many of the pieces of the Fenton-Weill puzzle are now in place, tantalising gaps still remain, because Henry's handiwork was certainly pretty varied and equally widespread. In contrast, it's not too surprising that Dualmasters are comparatively common in the UK, as they were also sold here via mail order and accordingly became the final Fenton-Weills to remain in production, before Henry switched all his attention to the growing disco business.

[mgeek]

Aah, well this is the model I've seen referred to as Dualtone

https://reverb.com/item/447687-fenton-w ... -and-black

Though I've never seen an actual catalogue image outside of the swedish one...seen it branded as 'dallas tuxedo '61', but there are plenty of fenton weill badged versions out there, that must have had a name too. Perhaps You've seen a UK advert? It's certainly one of the F/W's I've seen a lot of... There are loads from the full range catalogue I've never seen outside of the cat image!

I didn't know aout the mail order thing- thats very interesting! Were they sold as kits?

[dusty fretz]

Hi Will,
I note two or three US sources advertising this model as the Dualtone, while one more-accurately calls it the Tux-Master. Unless corroborative evidence comes to light, I can only conclude the Dualtone designation was either one officially used for US export examples of this Fenton-Weill, or else it's an internet-origin title, not for the first time conveniently concocted because nobody could be bothered to discover the correct name. You say you've seen it branded as a Dallas Tuxedo 61, but where and how? I must admit, I too thought it might be this model, as it ties in with the Swedish catalogue Tux-Master in terms of re-titling logic. Also, there are adverts for the Tuxedo 61 in relevant Melody Maker back issues, showing it as selling new for around £35. Dallas literature from that time is thin on the ground, and although I have a flier promoting the FW-made Solid Six and Tuxedo Six, there's frustratingly nothing on the 61, so I'm unable to confirm visual ID, but perhaps you can? As I mentioned previously, the Fenton-Weill badged version is not in any of the company's catalogues, although I agree it seems a comparatively common lower-cost model. That said, I think most of those I've seen on the internet have been located outside the UK, so maybe they're all export market Tux-Masters? You actually mentioned the name Duotone, so what exactly was this one?

When you say a full-range FW catalogue - do you mean the 1962 edition with the blue cover? If so, there were actually two versions, varying by just one guitar, i.e. the unusual semi-acoustic six-string, which is pictured in very different guises.

Being suitably low-budget electrics, the Dualmasters were sold as complete instruments, not kits, via mail-order firms of the day, such as Trafford and similar goods-for-all-the-family catalogues.

By the way, I'm beginning to worry we've bored Burns fans long enough with all this talk about a rival brand!

[burnsbonkers]

Please don't stop!. I'm sitting back enjoying all of this Fenton Weill chat!.
I've been pretty much obsessed with this mysterious brand for a good few years now, Will and I have both been scouring the net, sharing pics and are always finding oddities. I think that's what's so exiting, you never know what's around the corner.
I'll try and upload pics of the unusual model I found on the Israeli sales site.

[mgeek]

Hi Paul,

Yeah, the tuxedo '61... I've seen photographs of two of these, and they have a 'tuxedo '61' logo screen printed onto the secondary scratchplate! On one of these, it's nearly rubbed off.

I think they must have been also sold as a Fenton Weill guitar within the UK though. I've seen plenty with the little metal logo. Incidentally there are two very distinct scratchplate shapes that I've seen of this guitar, and whilst most are quite 'sucked sweet' looking, with the horns smoothed off, the variants appear to be a slab!

Happy to share a few photos, maybe we should take it to email if the purity of the Burns forum is becoming compromised

[dusty fretz]

Hi Will,
Thanks for confirming the presence of an appropriate Tuxedo '61 legend on this six-string and I assume there's also a Dallas logo on the headstock? The identity of the equivalent Fenton-Weill remains a mystery and obviously it wouldn't be known by the same model name, as this was Dallas property. That said, there's no reason why Henry didn't sell some Tux-Masters here, rather than send them all to Sweden, as this title didn't appear on the actual instrument and it's far enough removed from the original full designation. Also, who's to say a few Zam-Masters didn't enjoyed the same UK status - why let Hohner have all the fun!

I must admit it used to puzzle me as to why Henry made similar guitars for the competition, because these obviously affected sales of his own equivalents. But his widow Betty told me the UK scene wasn't like today's cut-throat market, as back then the various companies actually co-operated and instead helped each out.

You mention 'two distinct scratchplate shapes': one sucked sweet looking with smoothed-off horns, the other slab like. I'm a bit puzzled by these descriptions, as they seem more applicable to body styling than pieces of plastic.

I feel your suggestion of switching to email might be beneficial, as we've already rabbitted on long enough about all things FW, while drifting too far off topic for most people's tastes! Therefore please send me a PM with your email address and I'll accordingly be in touch direct.