Elfolk guitar

Subject: Elfolk guitar
From: GUEST,Anne NZ
Date: 06 Dec 03 - 04:33 AM

Does anyone have any information about an Elfolk brand acoustic guitar which has a built in amp with tremolo and speaker on the front of the body?
Which country were they made in? Probable age?
Any known web sites about them?
Thanks,
Anne

Subject: RE: Elfolk guitar
From: PapaWhiskey
Date: 06 Dec 03 - 08:43 AM

Elfolk (El Folk?) guitars were made by Kay Guitars. Kay's website is kayguitar.com, though there is not a lot of info there.

Subject: RE: Elfolk guitar
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 06 Dec 03 - 03:34 PM

Here is a page with a picture of one of these - sounds an interesting idea, the idea of having to have separate speakers and an amp and all has always felt clumsy. But I have a feeling there must be problems or someone would have done this long ago. Anybody ever tried out one?

Subject: RE: Elfolk guitar
From: PapaWhiskey
Date: 06 Dec 03 - 10:54 PM

I played one a few years ago, but it was in pretty bad shape. The one in the picture might sound better. It was easier to play than the old Kay fat neck electrics.

The problem is the design compromises you need to make to get everything in one package. Play it as an acoustic, and the speaker/ switches/pickup keep the sound board vibrating like is should. Play it as an electric and you're stuck with a tinny little speaker running off a dinky battery amp.

Subject: RE: Elfolk guitar
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 07 Dec 03 - 07:32 AM

That's more or less what I'd have expected. Though I'd think that ingenuity and modern technology might be able to overcome those kind of problems.

For example it'd be possible to have the speaker up the other end of the fretboard.

Subject: RE: Elfolk guitar
From: PapaWhiskey
Date: 07 Dec 03 - 10:52 AM

Another idea is to put the amp and speaker in the case.

Danelectro built amp-in-case solidbody electrics for Sears years ago - a 3 watt tube amp and an eight inch speaker in the case.

Amp-in-Case

Seems like you could build a better solid body or electric/acoustic version today with a less fragile, more powerful solid state amp. The speaker would require some thought. The trick would be to keep the case from vibrating along with the speaker. Otherwise the sound would emphasize the resonate frequency of the case.

Subject: RE: Elfolk guitar
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 07 Dec 03 - 12:12 PM

The case would work well enough - but the idea of an instrument with its amp and speaker built-in would be nore elegant, if it could be achieved satisfactorily.

Subject: RE: Elfolk guitar
From: C-flat
Date: 07 Dec 03 - 01:21 PM

I have seen a solid-bodied all-in-one combination but I can't think of the maker. I did find these travel guitars, which offer a bass version with on board amp.

Subject: RE: Elfolk guitar
From: Mooh
Date: 07 Dec 03 - 03:25 PM

As with many such things, there is an example with comments at www.frets.com. Gotta love that Frank Ford!

The amp in case is a better idea. I'd spring for a good dread case with built in acoustic amp...though I'd not relish hauling it around.

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: Elfolk guitar
From: GUEST,mark
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 05:50 PM

i'm trying to sell one of them .pls do contact me .

my e mails [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Elfolk guitar
From: Grab
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 06:26 PM

As PapaWhiskey says, the problem with this will always be the battery amp. I've not played one of these things, but from the electronics side I can say for sure that the more volume you want, the more power you need. In the absence of an external power supply, you'd need onboard batteries. Lots of them. In fact, for any decent length of playing time at any real volume you'd need an onboard car battery. With that kind of weight in there, you might as well buy a resonator guitar and be done with it.

Of course, it would be possible to have a DC input into this thing and carry around a separate AC-DC converter. Much of the weight of a regular amp is the transformer for the power supply, so you wouldn't want this built into the guitar, but I guess in an external box it'd be OK.

I imagine a big problem though would be feedback. Some of the speaker vibration is bound to find its way back to the pickup, which could get interesting.

I like the idea of the amp-in-case though. The resonant frequency of the case should not be a problem, because the inside of a guitar case is filled with padding so it'll never resonate. (Speaker cabs do use the box design to help with driving the speaker though - when the speaker moves in, the air in the box squishes and helps drive the speaker back out, which improves low-end response if you get your design right. So it'd help to have a *really* good seal round the edges of the case.)

Graham.

Subject: RE: Elfolk guitar
From:
Date: 11 Oct 05 - 05:34 PM

Hello i have on Elfolk gitar same a the pictureC:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Mijn documenten\Mijn afbeeldingen
And i want to sell it.

Subject: RE: Elfolk guitar
From:
Date: 11 Oct 05 - 05:38 PM

Sorry picture didn't work but you can see it at the message from
Mc. Grath of Harlow it's the one with the inbuild box.

Subject: RE: Elfolk guitar
From:
Date: 13 Jun 06 - 07:16 PM

I have an Elfolk Guitar that I'm selling. Amp is working and the guitar is in very good condition.

Subject: RE: Elfolk guitar
From: GUEST,Jason Gouveia - Oakland, CA
Date: 31 Dec 06 - 02:15 PM

Hey all,

My first guitar ever was an Elfolk. My neighbor gave it to me in 1989. I'm now trying to sell mine, as I haven't played it in over three years. That speaker is useful if playing lead in an acoustic setting to give you a volume boost and an unexpected tremolo sound.
   
Jason
[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Elfolk guitar
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Jan 07 - 11:33 AM

saw one like this in Manchester UK Music Store about 12 month ago, had a play sounded absolute rubbish both acoustic and through internal amp - Pignose have tried it with solid travel guitars but they always sound distorted - maybe ok for the thrashers but no use for clean sound.

Subject: RE: Elfolk guitar
From: Jeremiah McCaw
Date: 02 Jan 07 - 01:13 AM

I have a Fernandes Travel Bass - the one Cflat mentioned. I kinda wish I hadn't bought it. I didn't expect too much from such a tiny onboard speaker for a bass, honest I didn't, but this is far too tinny for my taste - I can't stand to play it. Running it through an amp improves things & defeats the purpose), but not by too much (WAY too much EQ needed to get a passable sound). Can't speak for the conventional guitars, but I certainly don't recommend the bass version.

Subject: RE: Elfolk guitar
From: GUEST,jengiscan
Date: 08 Feb 08 - 06:06 AM

[e-mail]
I live in the UK and I have been looking for info on this particular guitar because I just got hold of one from my local council rubbish tip for 50 pence, it still had the batteries in it but the strings were fucked.
I have been playing the guitar for 30 years and k guitars were always the cheapest shit on the market.
However once I had cleaned the bird shit off and put on some new strings, this thing is amazing it rocks out, its great for the blues and I love it.
My Fender F35 acoustic is gathering dust at the moment.
A top tip.....always use the heaviest strings you can and when you get used to them go heavier!
Any guitar you pick up will be easy to play no matter how high the action and that K has got a high action.

Subject: RE: Elfolk guitar
From: GUEST,Ted Hare
Date: 26 Jul 09 - 01:07 PM

Can anyone tell me what they are worth please

Subject: RE: Elfolk guitar
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Sep 20 - 12:15 PM

I used to have an Elfolk. Even though i also own a Lowden, i loved this cheap guitar, had a unique sound, and i spent thousands of hours playing it. Like someone said, great for blues, and i busked with it. Heavy as hell. Would love to own one again, mine , the neck started warping and eventually wanted to put the electronics/speaker in a cheap Cort...but lost everything in a fire...Btw what someone said about battery life: was remarkable, it had two 9v batteries that lasted very long. I would pay 300 euro for a used one in good condition.Which is like double the new price.