That Was The Year... 1932
D’angelico, Deco And Depression
GIBSON LAUNCHES THE L-50
– an early dreadnought-shaped arched spruce top with a bound body and maple back and sides. It’s manufactured with a regular soundhole and pearl dot inlays in the ebony fingerboard but soon the body evolves into a regular dreadnought shape with f-holes and trapezoid shaped inlays. All are finished in dark mahogany sunburst with the scratchplate glued to the arched surface.
THE RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL
(in all its Art Deco glory) is opened in New York allowing the public to see high-quality entertainment in beautiful surroundings. Best-selling records include All Of Me by Louis Armstrong and (appropriate for the time) Brother Can You Spare A Dime by Bing Crosby. Buck Rogers of the 25th Century makes its debut on US Radio and in the UK the BBC begins a regular television service using the John Logie Baird system.
THE GREAT DEPRESSION IS AT ITS HEIGHT
and affecting the whole world. In the UK unemployment reaches nearly three million and a series of National Hunger Marches take place. The largest is intercepted by a 70,000 strong Police presence to disperse the demonstrators. Soup kitchens become a way of life and 200,000 unemployed men are sent to work camps. In the USA 13 million are unemployed and shanty towns (termed Hoovervilles in disrespect to President Herbert Hoover) appear around the country. American loans to Germany to help rebuild their economy are terminated.
NEWLY BORNS INCLUDE LITTLE RICHARD,
Petula Clark, Johnny Cash, Debbie Reynolds, Charlie Rich, Patsy Cline, Tiny Tim, Miriam Makeba, Loretta Lynn, Keely Smith, composer John Williams and Star Trek’s Lt Uhura, Nichelle Nichols.
SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE
opens in Australia; Amelia Earhart becomes the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean; Al Capone is convicted for Tax Evasion; and Mahatma Gandhi is arrested and interned. Months later he goes on hunger strike in protest against Britain’s new Caste Separation Laws.
MARTIN INTRODUCES THE TOP OF THE
range C-3 acoustic with a carved spruce top, two-stripe bound body and rosette plus rosewood back and sides, in a lacquered finish. It has a bound headstock and neck with an ebony fingerboard featuring pearl snowflake inlay. The bridge is also ebony and the tailpiece and individual tuners are gold plated.
LUTHIER JOHN D’ANGELICO BEGINS
making and selling classy looking (and sounding) archtop guitars with a very high quality of manufacture. Designed in the image of Gibson’s L-5 model, D’Angelico uses a uniquely shaped scratchplate, fine curving at the body end of the fingerboard, mother-of-pearl block inlays and a more substantial trapeze tailpiece. All metalwork is gold plated and the guitar is fully bound with the exception of the two f-holes. It’s a real eye-catcher.