A Steel At Any Price

April 10, 2024 • Addison Ching • Festivals and Conventions

A 6-string guitar converted to become an acoustic Steel Guitar similar to one that Joseph Kekuku used was offered at a silent auction at the 2024 Kona Steel Guitar Festival.

Daniel Tremblay has developed a procedure that transforms standard guitars into acoustic steel guitars. Dan demonstrates these transformed guitars at many festivals and described his process in a workshop at the 2023 Kona Steel Guitar Festival. He also provided information about transforming the guitar in his Steel Trappings column.

One of the transformed guitars was offered at auction at the 2024 Kona Steel Guitar Festival, with proceeds going to HIMELE, the festival's producer.

At the 2023 Kona Steel Guitar Festival, featured steel guitarist Kapono Lopes used one of Dan's transformed guitars for his main performance, and that guitar was also offered at auction. The winner of that auction was Jake Fernandez, emcee for the 2024 festival concert.

This year featured steel guitarist Greg Sardinha liked the guitar so much he chose to play his entire set using the transformed guitar that was up for auction.

The guitar was also autographed by every featured player and musician performing in the festival's main ho‘olaule‘a concert.

In addition to being an acoustic steel guitar that can be played in the manner of Joseph Kekuku, the guitar also makes a great conversation piece and memento of the Kona Steel Guitar Festival.

According to Dan, this particular model is the best sounding and playing guitar among the dozens of guitars he has transformed thus far.

The auction opened at Friday's Open Stage and ending at the conclusion of Saturday's main concert program. The starting bid was $150, and bids were accepted at the festival store. The audience was kept apprised of the auction's progress throughout the program, and bidders were allowed to increase their bid if they chose to do so.

The winning bid was submitted by Rhonda Murotake.