Coolest tone bar bar ever made

[Mike Neer]

Back in 2012, I received a package in the mail from an old friend, Ken Parker, the groundbreaking luthier and designer of the Parker Fly and the many exquisite archtops and other instruments. I could go on all day about his work, which includes L Shankar’s doubleneck electric violin. Ken passed away in October.

He said this was one of about three tone bars he made (one for himself, one for Paul Beard, and this one which he sent to Cindy Cashdollar and she sent back to him (my good fortune!). He always told me to keep it under wraps, but I marveled at this thing every time it caught my eye. He are a few pics. To show it in the hand completely obscures the view of it, and it fits my hand perfectly. In the last pic, you can see his signature and date etched into it faintly.

[Michael Kiese]

Pretty cool, Mike! Is it made out of brass? It appears to be.

[Rick Aiello]

A flattie with wings

[HowardR]

A flattie with wings

[Mike Neer]

A flattie with wings

Rick/Howard: What do you think the metal on top is? I’m pretty sure it’s not brass. I remember Ken telling me that the materials were very expensive and in order for him to sell these he’d have to charge $300-400. I never did ask the composition.

[Erv Niehaus]

Gold?

[Mike Neer]

I am convinced it is electrum, which is an alloy of both silver and gold.
That would also explain the extremely high cost, which is currently $650-700/oz.
I imagine Ken pounded the nuggets of electrum into their final shapes with a small hammer or mallet. As I said earlier, he only made about three of them.

[Andy Volk]

Certainly beautiful - an Art Nouveau bar. Do the wings obscure your view of the fretboard?

[Michael Kiese]

I am convinced it is electrum, which is an alloy of both silver and gold.
That would also explain the extremely high cost, which is currently $650-700/oz.
I imagine Ken pounded the nuggets of electrum into their final shapes with a small hammer or mallet. As I said earlier, he only made about three of them.

Aloha Mike,

Did some quick research.

Please be kind enough to allow me to push back a bit. If it were electrum, it'd be really soft and malleable. It's about the same hardness as 24K gold, so probably not ideal material for a Steel-like bar.

How hard is it? If you can scratch the surface with your fingernail or a copper coin, then it's likely electrum.

[Mike Neer]

Maybe one of these days I’ll let an expert look at it. I’d really like to know what it is. It’s definitely malleable, as Ken bent and tapped it into shape with a small jeweler’s hammer or something.

It just looks so much like these ancient coins.

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