John Dopyera - Later Years

Later Years

In 1932, working together with the guitar player Art Simpson, Dopyera invented a new type of guitar design later recognized to be first ever industrially produced electrified Spanish guitar in the world. Dopyera also invented a string-gripping device on acoustic guitars, the forebear to that on all guitars today. Dopyera's later patents included resophonic additions to nearly every string instrument, continued patents for the designs of banjos and violins, including the unique Dopera Bantar, which was a cross between the 5-string Banjo and 6-string Guitar. The Dopera Bantars, though extremely RARE were used by a few influential artists of the 1960s, including Bob Dylan. As illustrated with the Bantar, John removed the " Y " from the Dopyera name, when labeling his new instruments, as he reasoned that " Dopera " was easier for the public to understand and pronounce. A patent for an electric violin is also noted. The Dopyera brothers later moved to Chicago, where they made millions of dollars with the Valco music company and other business interests. John elected to stay in Los Angeles and continue making instruments. He was never rich, and was famous only among a small circle of people who knew he had invented the resonator/resophonic guitar. He died at the age of 94 in 1988, having registered some 40 patents.