And what is this...instrument?

[Daniel Meyer]

So...is this something straight out of the 60's/70's or what?

Found in the upper floor of our commercial historic commercial building...among the remains of a late 60's early 70's cheap pool table, coffee table, end tables, and overhead light fixtures...all naugahyde upholstered (With studs!)

So...now I'm picturing some den of iniquity....or a Star Trek episode...strumming wierd instruments...cheap furniture, roiling, pungent smoke, red lighting, and bean bag chairs with various partially clad bodies lounging about...

:shock:

[fudgie]

Ive seen one somewhere before. Maybe strider knows. Think its from africa or somewhere abouts.

[highcountry]

Kinda looks Asian to me, but what do I know.

[Skinhead]

What ever it is the neck is bent...

[Valkpilot]

It looks like a balalaika, except for the bent neck.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balalaika

[GreenLantern57]

I think Spock played one that looked like that in the original series. He was playing and Ohura started singing or humming.  I think it has pegs that keep the strings over the frets.

[GreenLantern57]

WAIT, looked up the Vulcan lyre, doesn't look like that. But I swear I have seen that shape before. Maybe some old movie about Gypsies.

[sheets]

Sitar?

[sheets]

Dulcimer?

[JDW365]

It looks like one of those thingamagigs ??? , to help with the doodad  on the watchmacallit  !  I'm a thinkin. JDW 

[Serk]

From the 60's or 70's you say?

Hmmm... My guess?

It's a bong, disguised to look like some sorta odd weird musical instrument!

[OverdueBill]

Bong? Don't bogart the number, man.  Uh, not that I know anything about that and all.  I did have grandparents in McKinney, TX.  Don't think I saw that at any parties.

[Jabba]

You're a writer Daniel... make up some story about it and sell it on e-bay for a fortune.

Of course... I'll take 10% as the idea man.



Jabba

[Big IV]

not nearly enough strings for a sitar. I've never seen a beginner with less strings. Looks more like a Saz than a Balalaika.
http://www.yourworldinstruments.com/Saz-s/117.htm

[Bob E.]

It looks like some kid's middle school wood shop project to me.   

[..]

There's got to be a serial number or something on it. Have you looked inside with a flashlight?

[Daniel Meyer]

There's got to be a serial number or something on it. Have you looked inside with a flashlight?

Yeah, it has some markings...I'll take better pictures this weekend. I forgot last weekend to take close-ups and that pic is just a crop/blowup of a "general mess" picture.

[Big IV]

I'm not sure it will have very distinct serial number plates because it doesn't appear to have the clean lines of mass produced what not. It looks like it is a kit built or hand built something. Might be middle school wood shop, or it could be something made on a farm somewhere else in the world.

Curious and curiouser.

[Daniel Meyer]

Well, apparently it's a Treholipee...a Singing Treholipee in fact...which is I surmise a kind of ukelele.

It's a late 60's beach culture relic. How it ended up in Clarksville, Texas should be an interesting story...

Some info:
http://www.frets.com/fretspages/Museum/Ukulele/Treholipee/treholipee.html

More pics of the one we found:














It's actually in good condition...just needs cleaning and strings.

[..]

Thanks.

[sheets]

the cartoon character looks like a what used to be known as "Murphy" back in the day.
Does is say San Clemente?  sheets (late 60s CA beach culture...).