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c. 1937 Oahu 66K
Cleveland’s Oahu Publishing company was the largest print music distributor in its day, and specialized in Hawaiian steel music and the instruments to play that style of music on. The guitars were built in Chicago by Kay, most often, and most were built with square necks for lap-style playing. Here’s an all-mahogany 66K; a 15-1/4” wide small jumbo (really more like an OM in size), with square neck, Hawaiian set up and some great looks. Sunburst finish on all sides, checkerboard binding, Oahu decal logo,Safe-ti-String tuners. Completely original, including the coolest set of two-tone celluloid bridge pins we’ve ever seen! One minor top crack repaired in our shop, along with a bridge reglue, and patched bridge plate. It’s a mellow slide, but quite a richly toned instrument, and quite beguiling as a result.
With original hard chipboard case.
SOLD
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2004 Joshia DeJonge 00-Cutaway
Serial # 36. Joshia DeJonge is among the most gifted younger Luthiers in the field today. As the daughter of Sergei DeJonge she’s certainly been fortunate to learn from one of the legends of the Canadian guitar-builder monarchy; but her instruments show an evolution and departure from her father’s style. The Maple and Tamarack 00-size cutaway is a perfect example of her creativeness, attention to all detail, and esthetic sensibilities. There is not an element of this guitar that’s anything but perfect – from the mirror finish French polish finish to the way the light reflects off of the petals in the fingerboard inlay, nothing was missed. The miter-joints in the purflings are inhumanly perfect, the flush-heel cut-away meets the neck seamlessly, the ever-so-slight bevel to the top of the headstock catches the light just so. This is a beautiful creation.
Highly figured maple back and sides, tightly grained and perfectly quartered Tamarack top, snakewood bindings, mitered purflings to the top, back, and sides. Bound ebony fingerboard with pearl lotus inlay, figured maple front and rear headstock veneers, spalted maple rosette, and gold handmade Alessi tuning machines with snakewood buttons. 00 sized body with 14.25” width, 25.4” scale, 1-3/4” nut.
With hardshell case
SOLD
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2004 Collings D2H BbA
Serial # 9876. Venerable D2H but with richly hued Brazilian rosewood back and sides and one of the highest quality Adirondack spruce tops we've seen on a guitar of any vintage. A stunning guitar. It's a big and full bodied instrument and should appeal to any flatpicker; the bass is bold and well defined, the trebles fat but snappy. This is a fabulous lead guitar, with the volume and cut to power through a dense jam. It's in excellent condition with no cracks or repairs. There is some wear on the frets, and a few light dings on the top, but the finish is perfect and the action and set up are spot-on. Waverly tuners, bone nut and saddle, vintage style unslotted bridge pins. 1-11/16" nut, soft V neck profile.
With original hardshell case
SOLD
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2004 Jeff Traugott R
Serial # R 000-125-034. If a guitar were nothing more than a sum of its parts, this Traugott R model would stand its own ground based on the quality of the Brazilian Rosewood, alone. Wood simply doesn’t grow any more beautifully than this. Thankfully, though, a guitar is a lot more than the sum of its parts, and Jeff Traugott’s experience and intuitions are much of the reason this guitar is as lovely as it is. A fairly simply appointed guitar, the instrument’s tonewoods are all the flash one really needs. The dark bindings and subtle purfling strips, matching rosette, and plain fingerboard all accentuate the beauty the woods. The guitar’s construction is of the highest craftsmanship, and mostly traditional in design. Apart from a floating brace along the centerline of the back, the bracing layout is loosely Martin inspired. A fingersytle guitar of the highest order, the instrument’s neck has a low and wide feel with a 1-7/8” nutwidth, 25.4” scale, and 2-3/8” spread at the bridge. The guitar is flawless, and in nearly new condition.
With Calton case
On Consignment
SOLD
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2009 Linda Manzer Extreme Wedge
Linda Manzer developed her Wedge design nearly 30 years ago while building the now-famous Pikasso guitar for Pat Metheny. It has since become a trademark design element of hers, and does really make for a much more comfortable playing experience.
The Parlor Extreme Wedge offered here is a one of a kind creation, built of old growth figured Brazilian Rosewood and German Spruce. The small instrument has a body width of 14-3/4” and a wedge taper from 2-1/4” on the treble to 3-1/2” on the bass of the lower bout. Venetian cut-away, pearl and wood rosette, and ebony bindings. 25.6” scale ebony fingerboard, 43mm wide nut, round neck carve. Gotoh 510 tuners, Fishman pickup.
The guitar offers a surprising volume and warmth considering its diminutive size. It is responsive, open, and warm, and a particularly enjoyable instrument to play. The neck and body are incredibly comfortable to hold, adding to the playing experience. It’s a finely crafted Manzer, showing the best this legendary builder has to offer.
With custom Calton hardshell case
SOLD
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1930 Epiphone #4
Serial # 407. Not much is known about the Epiphone #4 and other numbered-models built in the very early 1930’s. We suspect the number series replaced the Recording models (A through E) that were built in the late 1920’s, but preceded the Masterbuilt models introduced shortly thereafter. There aren’t many of these instruments documented, and comparable guitars are hard to find, but through the study of this particular example its becomes evident that Epiphone was working on modernizing the steel string guitar, and this instrument represents a step in the process.
The instrument features a pressed spruce top with flat-top style X bracing, pin bridge and bridgeplate, pressed maple back and sides, and a 25.4” scale modern neck with a 1-11/16” nutwidth. With equal parts flattop and archtop, the guitar has a sound unlike anything else we’ve played. It’s dark and resonant, like a lightly built flat-top, but has the quicker attack and roundness of notes more often associated with archtop guitars. The bass strings shudder nicely under a heavy attack, with a lively back that sounds best when kept away from your belly – like most lightly built carved instruments. Treble notes ring full and thick and are remarkably balanced. The decay is more archtop than flat-top, which predisposes the guitar to syncopated rhythms and melody.
Completely refinished, a few repaired top cracks, plugged hole in bass-side waist, tuners replaced a few times, replaced nut, saddle, frets, and bridge-pins. Ebony fingerboard with slotted diamond inlays, three-piece maple neck with incredibly comfortable rounded V carve, engraved headstock overlay. Rosewood bridge is likely a replacement but might be original, original spruce bridge plate. No side or back cracks, excellent neck angle, perfect in-shop setup and action, strung with nickel-wound 12’s. Maple bridge plate patch, bone saddle, and Stewart-Macdonald Golden Age tuners installed in our shop. A rare and interesting piece, with excellent playability and very fine tone.
With hardshell case
SOLD
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2008 Sheldon Schwartz Pinnacle
Serial # 141. Easily the most meticulous Luthier we have ever encountered, Sheldon Schwartz raises the bar even higher with this guitar. The devil is in the details, they say, and there must be a room full of Lucifer over at Schwartz’ Lorretto, Ontario shop.
Examine:
The back’s center-graft is actually inlaid into the inside of the back.
The frets are each cut, sized, and finished before installing them in the fingerboard. The ends of each fret are meticulously shaped into perfect roundness and finish a millimeter in from the edge of the fingerboard… you will never feel the fret ends.
The top, back, and side braces are reinforced with carbon fiber. But only 12 Grams of it is used in the entire instrument!
Lattice-style top bracing and pinless bridge, X-braced back, and Double-wall rosewood sides propel the sound out of the guitar.
The “Arm rest” is formed by actually bending the spruce top, oblique to the grain orientation!
There are so many more ingenuities present in the design of this instrument, but what is more impressive is the masterful execution of these. Sheldon has elevated guitar construction to its theoretical human limit. Period.
And it works, I’m pleased to report. The Pinnacle might be the consummate fingersytle guitar – responsive regardless of the strength of one’s attack; balanced perfectly, and offering enough headroom for the most aggressive styles.
Indian rosewood back and sides, Sitka spruce top, ebony fingerboard. Figured walnut bindings, mitered purflings, double concentric ring rosette. 1-13/16” nut, 26” long scale. Satin-finished neck, headstock overlays to the front and rear, Gotoh 510 tuning machines.
With Hiscox hardshell case
SOLD
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2007 Collings D1AV Varnish
Serial # 14176. Among the best sounding mahogany Dreadnoughts to have ever passed through the store, we present this Varnish D1AV. With a master-grade Adirondack spruce top, scalloped forward-shifted braces, even-grained Mahognay back and sides, ‘Vintage Now’ neck, and – of course – a varnish-finished top, the guitar is truly a force to be reckoned with. It has power, depth, resonance and sparkle, all in perfect balance; a mature instrument with ample headroom and boom, this D1AV Varnish is a phenomenal picker. With the exception of a few minor dings on the top’s lower bass bout the guitar is in excellent and unworn condition. Perfectly set-up in our shop, it’s a mahogany dreadnaught that you’ll want to play for hours at a time. The ‘Vintage Now’ neck is exceptionally comfortable, featuring a chunky round carve, 1-3/4” nut width and a string spacing of 2-1/4” at the bridge.
With original hardshell case.
SOLD
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1983 David Wren Dreadnought
Serial # 8311133 A Jean Larrivee apprentice in the mid 1970’s, David Wren set out on his own in 1977, building meticulously crafted acoustics in limited numbers until partnering up with Grant McNeil of Toronto’s The Twelfth Fret in 1990. Dave is building once again after retiring from music store ownership last year, and we think the world is a better place for it! He is one of the finest guitar builders Canada has ever produced, and his instruments are functional works of art of the highest level.
This 1988 Dreadnought features rosewood back and sides and Sitka top, bound in maple, and featuring style 45 mosaic backstrip and soundhole ring. Scalloped top braces, long 25.6” scale length, 1-3/4” nut. Beautifully hand cut pearl, abalone, and metal inlays on the headstock and 5th fret, Schaller tuners, bone nut and saddle. The label reads “Prototype,” and a conversation with Dave confirmed that this was his first dreadnought with Martin-inspired scalloped bracing and asymmetric tone-bards. A big herringbone dreadnought voice, with bass a’plenty and volume to 11. It’s a strong flatpicker, but an equally capable fingersytle guitar, or all around workhorse.
Current set up is comfortably low with very little neck relief. Action of 5 to 6 64ths, plenty of saddle for future adjustments. A wonderful guitar, and a rare opportunity to own an older Wren instrument.
SOLD
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2005 Santa Cruz OOM
Serial # 199. A beautifully built slothead 12 fret mahogany 00. Sitka top, scalloped braces, ebony pyramid bridge and fretboard; tortoise celluloid bindings and pickguard. Featherweight at less than 3.5 lbs, the guitar vibrates on every surface. Tremendous bass and warmth, and quite responsive to a light touch. 24.9” scale, rounded neck carve with a hint of V, 1-3/4” nut. In excellent condition with no playwear, meticulously set up in our shop.
With original hardshell case.
SOLD
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1925 Washburn 5803
Serial # 1749. One of the classiest vintage guitars you’re likely to encounter. From the pearl button hand engraved Waverly tuners, to the delicate top decals, this Lyon & Healy built Washburn is elegant through and through. It is also among the finest sounding Washburn instruments we’ve yet come across (and there have been many), and is in stunningly excellent condition. And it plays perfectly. A wonderful guitar in every way. X-braced red spruce top with very even fine grain, quartersawn Indian rosewood back and sides, ebony fingerboard and bridge. Delicately bound with ivoroid on the body, fingerboard, and soundhole, pearl inlays, ivororid bridge pins and end pin, bone nut and saddle. The guitar has been professionally neck setted and plays perfectly with thanks. No cracks, issues, or repairs; it’s a near-perfect specimen. Round neck with 1-13/16” nut width is large but not huge, scale length is just about 24”, string spacing at the bridge is close to 2-3/8”. The short scale, small concert sized body (roughly the dimensions of a Martin 0-28), light build and rosewood back and sides results in a guitar with warmth and power. There is a surprising bass response coupled with bold trebles. A super fingerstyle instrument.
With original hardshell case.
SOLD
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2008 Collings D2HBaaaA
Serial # 13516. With AAA-grade Brazilian rosewood back and sides, an absolutely perfect Adirondack spruce top, scalloped forward-shifted bracing, and Collings’ commitment to vintage tone, looks, and feel, this D2H is one top-tier guitar. Grab a heavy flat pick, a fresh set of medium gauge strings, and run (don’t walk) to the nearest Bluegrass jam and blow everyone in the room away! This is a big, strong Dreadnought, with headroom a’plenty and definition in the bass. Modified V neck with a nutwidth of 1-23/32 and bridge pin spacing of 2-3/16”. Apart from a very nicely repaired 4” back crack the guitar is in gorgeous condition. No playwear, dings, dents, or scratches; excellent playability thanks to our in-shop set up. A phenomenal guitar.
With original hardshell case
SOLD
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1993 Sobell Style 1
Serial # 0193. For many years the go-to guitar of fingersytle great Martin Simpson, the Sobell Style 1 is a benchmark of acoustic guitar greatness for musicians the world over. Stefan Sobell essentially rewrote the book on the modern fingersytle guitar with his original Style 1 design, and inspired many builders to experiment with radical instrument design. Tame by today’s standards, the Style 1 features highly radiuses back and sides, a non-traditionally X braced top, unique neck joint, and long scale length. The sonic results are huge – and Sobell guitars are bold, strong, and balanced.
At nearly 20 years old, the instrument has opened up exceptionally well; and the mid-range presence found in most good 000-sized guitars can be heard right across the strings and up the neck. It’s a lively guitar, but not shimmery; and a dark guitar but anything but dull.
A master-grade instrument deserves master-grade woods, and the materials used in this guitar’s construction are second to none. The back and sides are richly hued quartered Indian rosewood, the top is perfectly quartered and evenly grained German spruce. Single piece mahogany neck, ebony fingerboard and bridge; herringbone purflings and rosette, rosewood bindings and mitered purflings. The neck is fingersytle friendly, with a 1-3/4” nut, wide flat D carve, long 25.6” scale length, and wide 2.25” bridge string spacing. It’s in excellent condition and nicely set up. The frets show even light wear, and the action measures 5 to 6 64ths at the 12th fret. The finish is also in excellent shape, but there are a few very minor dings in the top and a light pick scratch below the sound hole. A dreamy fingersytle instrument with so much to offer.
With hardshell case
SOLD
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1964 Harmony H-165
A vintage guitar for the masses! An all-solid mahogany 000-sized ladder-braced flat-top, gloss finished, with excellent playability and tone. It’s in gorgeous condition, with only a small 2” side crack as a strike against it. The bridge is a Brazilian rosewood replacement made in our shop that looks convincing. Action and set up are perfect, neck and frets are in good shape. C-shaped neck with 1-3/4” nut isn’t too bulky. Strap button/neck bolt added in the heel by us as well. It’s a warm guitar, louder than you’d expect, and a heck of a good deal.
With chipboard case
SOLD
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1932 Kay Kraft Style B
Stromberg-Voisenet (Kay) introduced their Venetian body shape in the late 1920's, and offered the fancy archtop Kay Kraft versions between circa 1932 and 1937. With its curvy asymmetrical body, pearloid headstock, fancy gold decals and Cremona sunburst finish, the Kay Kraft looks like a million bucks - which was the magic ingredient to surviving the Great Depression; something that Kay did quite well. These guitars have a plunky lo-fi sweetness that lends itself well to old-time blues and figerpicked rags. Apart from the period-correct vintage replacement tuners this guitar is 100% original in excellent condition. Like every one of these we've ever seen, the ebonized maple fingerboard is cracked in a few places and the fretwork is not fabulous; but the guitar plays well after having been set up in our shop. Have a peek at the very cool original Bakelite bridge - it's got a compensated top on one side for Spanish style playing, and a straight top on the underside for lap-style!
With original case, strap.
SOLD
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1930's Hensel Artist
Far and away the best kept secret in vintage guitars are the instruments built for Toronto-based R.S. Williams & Co. by the enigmatic Canadian builder Arthur Hensel during the 1920's though 1940's. We really know very little about Hensel, but come across his instruments semi-regularly around here. As a Canadian builder, Hensel's guitars have really not garnered much attention in the vintage guitar world; but that's a good thing in our books - and Hensel branded instruments continue to fall on the affordable side of the price spectrum. This one, like most Hensels, is an X-braced 12 fretter, built of solid Canadian Spruce and Maple. It has a big mahogany neck, Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and bridge, bound body and neck, screwed-on pickguard, cool sunburst finish, and Hensel's idiosyncratic bas-relief carved headstock face. A good sounding guitar thanks to it's X bracing, the tone of this guitar is warm, rich, and unrefined. Something of cross between a harmony and Gibson L-00. It plays well with average action, but will get a bit buzzy up past the 10th fret. About the size and shape of an L-00, but with a bigger neck (1-27/32" at the nut) this is a great ragtime and country blues picker with a nice mid range, punchy fat trebles, and not so much bass response.. Its uppermost back brace is missing, but it doesn't seem to matter. New bone saddle, and set up in our shop.
SOLD
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1929 Washburn 5238
Serial # 14497. The best sounding guitar you’ll actually be able to afford. The secret is starting to get out about these magical X-braced depression-era Washburns; but these guitars are still relatively unknown – which helps keep the demand and, therefore, prices on the lowish side. A guitar doesn’t have to say Gibson or Martin on the headstock to sound great, and the Tonk-distributed Washburns (and their Regal, and Orpheum brethren) are consistently among the most popular instruments in the shop when we have them to offer. This 5238 is an O-sized (13.5” wide) short-scale 12-fretter, with a comfortable C-shaped modern feeling neck. With a nut width just shy of 1-3/4” and excellent action and set-up, the guitar doesn’t have a chunky vintage feel – but that 10th fret position marker is a dead give away that it’s an old guitar, in case you’d not have noticed. Solid rosewood back and sides, spruce top, white bindings and multi-layered purflings; ebony fingerboard with pale pink shell dot markers, slotted headstock with a Washburn logo inlaid in pearl, and brass Lyon & Healy emblem on the obverse. Original frets and nut, original bridge pins. The inside of the soundhole would have had a ring of ivoroid originally, but these typically rattled off in short time. Tuners are a set of 1930’s Waverlys, but are not original equipment. Expertly replaced bridge plate and repro bridge by our shop. Original finish throughout, one pair of minor side cracks on the lower bass bout, no top or back cracks. And then there is the tone. It’s not a Martin, and it’s not a Gibson – but it has a voice that marries some of the best qualities of both. Woodiness and character, but still articulate. A quick attack, but not harsh. Mellow, even trebles but the bass notes aren’t flabby. The guitar has just the right amount of definition, mixed with just the right amount of openness. It just sounds great, you’ll have to take our word for it.
With period chipboard case
SOLD
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1997 Grit Laskin Classical
The attention to detail evident in the build of this guitar is inspiring. Grit Laskin's reputation as one of the most meticulous craftsmen in the field of luthiery is well deserved, and one look at this beautiful guitar would convince even the most skeptical. This is a stunning instrument in every way, with a wonderful voice, and well designed ergonomic touches. Master-grade Indian Rosewood and Sitka Spruce tonewoods with ebony bindings that blend seamlessly into the guitar's ebony arm and ribrests. Mosaic rosette, Sloan tuners, bone nut (53mm) and saddle. The guitar is in perfect condition with no scratches or dents, and no cracks or repairs. Very fine tone, quite expressive and alive. A wonderful classical guitar.
With Calton Hardshell case
SOLD
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1930's Regal Diamond Head
If the warm breezes and endless sunsets of Honolulu are not in the cards for this winter, perhaps we can offer this guitar as an able substitute. Likely built by Regal during the mid 1930's, this instrument's top features a stenciled and hand-painted scene labeled "Diamond Head Honolulu". The paint job is eerily reminiscent of the famous Kel Kroyden Volcanos (which we've encountered on other Regal branded guitars) and might be the work of the same artist or shop. Ladder-braced, this guitar is roughly 00 sized, and is made from solid mahogany and spruce. The bridge is a semi-professional replacement, and the neck has been semi-professionally reset. The guitar plays OK with semi-high and semi-useable action. Big V neck, 1-13/16" bone nut. It's a good sounding guitar, in a ladder-braced kind of way, which will appeal to the country-blues players in our audience and that sparkly celluloid fingerboard should appeal to those of you who dig these cool-as-heck-but-quite-rustic vintage beasts.
SOLD
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1977 Larrivée Classical
Serial #310012. Larrivée moved family and company to Victoria, B.C., from Toronto in 1977. This instrument in one of the first to be completed in the new shop, and has a label dated 1977. The guitar is exquisitely constructed and lacquer-finished, as is very much on par with Larrivée’s best Toronto-built instruments. Indian rosewood and Sitka spruce, with one-piece mahogany neck and ebony fingerboard. Hand engraved tuning machines, bone nut and saddle, 52mm nut, 650mm scale. In near-perfect condition, with no cracks, repairs, or playwear.
With original hardshell case
SOLD
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1956 National 1150
Serial # L6265. Proving, again, that some of the coolest vintage acoustics still are moderately priced is this stylish mid 50’s National 1150. This one is a small ladder-braced jumbo flat-top measuring 15.5” at the lower bout, and has that lo-fi meaty midrange that bigger ladder-braced guitars often develop. Kay-built body with solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides. bolt-on mahogany neck with 24.5” scale Brazilian rosewood fretboard; matching bridge. Frets and finish are excellent, as is the overall condition. We’ve reglued the guitar’s top center-seam and patched the spruce bridgeplate with a thin maple veneer; it’s been set up and plays very nicely. The original Kluson tuners work well, too. Narrow and round neck feels great – kind of like a 50’s Gibson neck but with a 1-9/16” nut width. Original but for new bridge-pins, and crack-free.
SOLD
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1932 Washburn 5200
Serial # 970. The 5200 "Inspiration" model (as it is named in the 1932 Tonk catalog) is a simply appointed 0 size 12 fretter. This model was designed to offer quality tone on a budget, much like the L-0 Gibsons of the day. Like the fancier Regal-made Washburns the guitar is X braced and built from solid tonewoods. Unbound mahogany back and sides, spruce top with 3 ply top binding, matching rosette, and a bound soundhole. The original ebony bridge features decorative but functional original bolts through the wings, and simple white pins. The neck has a full round carve with a nut width of 1-7/8"; the ebonized fingerboard has a slight radius, bar frets, and simple makers. Scale length of 24-1/4", slotted headstock, Waverly tuners. Original full height bridge, pins, endpin, nut, tuners. The saddle and tuner buttons are new. Somewhat recent professional neck reset, center-seam repair and bridge plate patch. Saddle repositioned in our shop for proper intonation. New bone saddle and set up care of Folkway as well. We were informed by the guitar's previous owner that the back had been removed in order to reglue all the back braces - we would not otherwise have noticed; the work is exceptionally tidy. Apart from a couple of short hairline crackles at the waist of the top and back the instrument is crack-free. Original finish throughout; moderate scratches, no excessive wear. Action set at 5-7 64ths at the 12th fret with light strings, the guitar plays buzz-free and comfortably even with 80 year old frets.
With non-original chipboard case
SOLD
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1910's Bruno Style E
This beautiful instrument is among the classiest and most tasteful parlor guitars we've ever seen. Roughly the dimensions of a Martin size 1, This Bruno features gorgeous Brazilian rosewood back and sides and an Adirondack top. The body, fingerboard and headstock are bound with real ivory, the rosette is hand inlaid mother-of-pearl in a beautiful Celtic-chain pattern, the German-silver engraved tuning machines with ivoroid buttons are in perfect working order, the ebony pyramid bridge is full height and meticulously carved, and the shellac finish has crazed magnificently all over the instrument.
It is original down to the endpin, except for a 1" section binding that has been replaced near the neck. Set up with extra-light steel strings or silk and steels this guitar has a voice much deeper and warmer that you'd expect from a ladder-braced top. Playability, frets, action, and set up are all perfect. A few tight back cracks have been expertly repaired, as well as a small section of back binding at the lower treble bout. The instrument's neck is a comfortable V profile, with a scale length of 25" and has an ivory nut that measures 1-7/8".
With recent hard shell case.
On Consignment
SOLD
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1899 Larson "Regal" Style 6
Serial # 3491. The Regal trademark was coined in the 1880's by Indianapolis businessman Emil Wulschner who applied the brand to instruments distributed and/or by his company. Wulschner died in 1900, and his son sold the company, brands, and assets to Lyon & Healy of Chicago in 1904. Wulschner & Son appear to have been a full line distributor, and commissioned manufacturers to build instruments of all kinds under their branding. The Larson Brothers were among those who supplied Wulschner, and although such instruments are uncommonly rare, a small handful are known to exist. We have labeled the instrument pictured here a Style 6, which is the closest Stahl equivalent we could suggest.
Built prior to April 1900, the Regal is fitted with a wooden heat-stamped label that reads "Regal, Trademark; Wulschner & Son, Indianapolis, Ind.", and a paper guarantee label signed by Emil (See page 95 of the 2007 edition of Hartman's The Larson Creations). It is a 14" wide Grand Concert sized instrument, roughly the size of a Martin 00-28, but with significantly deeper sides (4-1/4" deep at the waist). Built of Brazilian Rosewood and tight-grained Red Spruce, this regal is a fairly ornate guitar. The guitar's top is bordered with multicolored wooden purflings and has a matching rosette; pearl inlay grace the fingerboard, headstock, and bridge; the back's center-strip is of the same purfling stock that decorates the top, and the entire instrument is bound in white celluloid. The guitar's neck is carved into a satisfyingly big but-not-too-big C shape; it has a fingerboard radius of about 10" (similar to a Gibson), a scale length of 25", and a nut width of 1-3/4. For a turn of the century instrument, this guitar has a quite modern feel. The frets are original, and although quite small, the guitar is well set up and plays very nicely with low action. The combination of a deep body and transverse bracing make for an instrument with a throaty bark and distinct trebles, and the Larson radiused top adds power and headroom. Yes, it's a fine sounding guitar. Most century old guitars have seen some amount of repairwork, and this Larson has had its share. Most importantly, its top is in excellent shape, the finish is original, and the neck angle is good. The back has two long spliced cracks down the center, and the sides show repaired hairline cracks on either side of the endpin. The top has a well repaired crack about 3" long from the bottom towards the bridge, another similar and barely visible crack is located 1.5" away from the treble side of the fingerboard extension; and a third crack is ½" off the bass side of the fingerboard. The top's bracing, bridge, and plate are all intact and in fine shape, and extra support has been added under the fingerboard to create extra stability to that area. Two back braces have been reglued, the neck was at some point reset, and - most recently (by Folkway) - the saddle slot was repositioned for correct intonation, new bone saddle and bridge pins were installed, the frets were dressed, and the original nut was adjusted. The guitar is once again happy and healthy, and is quite well suited for stringing with standard light-gauge steel strings.
If you've managed to wade through all these words about this guitar, we offer you our thanks. It's a great instrument, there's just a bit of a story behind it...
With 1930's chipboard case
SOLD
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1932 Orpheum No. 3
No Serial #. Built by Regal during the Tonk Distributorship era, this Orpheum No. 3 combines the best of archtops and flattops for a tone unlike much else you’ve heard. Similar in design to a Martin roundhole C-1 but much smaller; the guitar is built with a carved X-braced top and a flat braced mahogany back. The result is a punchy guitar with a strong attack, that is slightly more open and warm than a carved-back archtop, but not as woody as a flat top. Perfectly suited for lead accompaniment (think David Rawlings), this guitar will appeal to those of you who want an acoustic lead guitar with a sweet set of mids, good articulation, and fat single notes. About the dimensions of a Gibson L-00, the guitar is not large – but does feel substantial thanks to a fairly deep body and its big, chunky V shaped 14 fret neck. The guitar is 100% original save for the tailpiece screws, it’s stunningly beautiful and perfectly set up. Original bar frets are tall and have been dressed in our shop. No cracks or repairs, original tuners work well, and the original bridge had been expertly fitted to the guitar’s top. The nut width on this guitar is hair shy of 1-7/8”, so the small-handed need not apply! It’s a looker, and a distinctive sounding guitar, and we think it’s pretty darn cool.
No case
SOLD
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1987 Ralph Bown OM-42 Dlx
Ralph Bown is a highly regarded British luthier whose beautifully crafted
guitars are played by such high profile musicians as John Renbourn, Martin
Simpson and Clive Carroll. A few moments with this guitar and you will
understand why Bown's guitars attract premier fingerstylists. With punchy
mids and sparkling trebles, it is easy to get lost in the articulate tone of
this OM style guitar. The sonic character works in confluence with the
ornate Style 42 glimmer of pearl, and OM Deluxe pearl inlaid pickguard.
With an even grained spruce top, maple binding, beautiful Ziracote back and
sides, and Gotoh 510 tuning machines, this guitar is visually complex to say
the least. The virtually flat fingerboard and wide nutwidth (1-7/8") will
appeal to the classically trained fingerstylist; the tone will appeal to
anyone who appreciates fine tone.
With Calton hard shell case
On Consignment
SOLD
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c. 1850 Alfred Binyon
We admit that – from time to time – a guitar stumps us. This year, it is this 19th century Alfred Binyon branded instrument. With definite design similarities to instruments by Louis Panormo, this London-built instrument features the crescent headstock typical of Panormo and his contemporaries. Apart from what you can see in the provided photos, the guitar is built with transverse top bracing, two-ply spruce/rosewood back, single ply rosewood sides, and a scalloped fingerboard on a mahogany neck. The instrument measures 11.5” across its lower bout, and has a 25.4” scale. Please email us if you can help fill in the blanks.
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1932c. Kay Kraft Model B
Stromberg-Voisenet (Kay) introduced their Venetian body shape in the late 1920's, and offered the fancy archtop Kay Kraft versions between circa 1932 and 1937. With its curvy asymmetrical body, pearloid headstock, fancy gold decals and Cremona sunburst finish, the Kay Kraft looks like a million bucks - which was the magic ingredient to surviving the Great Depression; something that Kay did quite well. These guitars have a plunky lo-fi sweetness that lends itself well to old-time blues and figerpicked rags. Apart from the period-correct vintage replacement tuners this guitar is 100% original in excellent condition. Like every one of these we've ever seen, the ebonized maple fingerboard is cracked in a few places and the fretwork is not fabulous; but the guitar plays well after having been set up in our shop. Have a peek at the very cool original Bakelite bridge - it's got a compensated top on one side for Spanish style playing, and a straight top on the underside for lap-style!
With original case, strap.
SOLD
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2001 Sobell Model 0
Our latest left-handed Stefan Sobell guitar is a Model O completed in 2001. We thought we'd seen it all when the Sobell Parlor showed up here a little while back, but I guess we were wrong! With gleeful excitement I restrung this guitar with my favorite strings and then proceeded to spend the next three hours just listening to every note. An amazing guitar, the Model O is a slightly smaller version of Sobell's signature Model 1. The roughly OM sized guitar is as big and loud as you'd expect a Sobell to be, with unimaginable headroom for aggressive fingerstyle or flatpicking. Open tunings, big droning bass notes, melodies on the high strings, or plain old G chords - this Model O does amazing things with any of it. Gorgeous, richly-hued chocolately Brazilian Rosewood back and sides mated with an absolutely top notch Master Grade Adirondack spruce top. To be honest, I don't think I've ever seen a Red spruce top as perfect as this one on any guitar; new or vintage - perfectly quartered, even and tightly grained, and zero runout. Herringbone top purflings and matching rosette; ebony bridge and fingerboard, bone nut and saddle. Gold Gotoh tuners with ebony buttons and a Luthier-installed highlander pickup. 1-3/4" nut width and 25.4" scale length. The instrument is in exceptional condition; near-mint but for a few very small dings on the top and some minor wear under the E and B strings to the first few frets. Perfectly set up. Someone please quickly buy this guitar so I don't have to sell my first born to keep it for myself!
With Calton case
On Consignment
SOLD
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NEW Merrill Koa 00
Our long awaited Merrill Koa 00 has finally arrived, and we couldn't be happier. Chuck Merrill proves, again, that a guitar doesn't have to be vintage to sound that way; and he does it with such style, too! Attractive Koa back and sides, Sitka top, ebony board and bridge. Maple body bindings with multi-ply wooden purflings; tastefully simple modified style 18 rosette with abalone center, hand-made beveled-edge tortoise-celluloid pickguard. Bone nut and compensated saddle, ebony bridge pins, and nickel Waverly tuning machines. Nitrocellulose lacquer body finish, with a hand-rubbed oil finish to the neck and headstock. Forward positioned X-bracing, with finely tapered 1930's sized braces and maple bridgeplate combine with the guitar's light weight to create an incredibly open and dynamic instrument. Think 1940's 00-18 meets 1930's L-00 and you'll get an idea of what this guitar is all about. Two-piece mahogany V-shaped neck is quite reminiscent of Gibson's famous 1930's necks, and quite unlike the feel of most modern guitars. 1-3/4" nutwidth, tapered headstock and un-adorned rosewood head veneer. All in all, this Merrill is beautifully and tastefully built, and most importantly, sounds superb. Flatpickers and fingerstylists alike will revel in this guitar's warmth, richness, and resonance.
With deluxe TKL hard shell case
SOLD
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1995 Merrill OM Rosewood
Those of you who have followed our website over the years will have noticed the instruments we offer from time to time by Charles Merrill. We're always very excited to get our hands on the latest creation from this very talented Ontario luthier, and its very seldom that a pre-owned Merrill shows up. This particular instrument is dated May 1995, and was Merrill's personal instrument until we sold it some six years ago. I remember thinking very highly of the guitar back in 2001, and I guess my ear (or this guitar) hasn't much changed since! It's a rosewood and Sitka OM model, with vintage styling and appointments, and a warm, open, and punchy voice. Tasteful in its simplicity, the guitar features a pink abalone rosette and matching headstock logo and position markers. It is bound in maple, and purfled in multiple layers of ebony and maple veneer. Nickel Waverly tuners with gold bushings (one of Merrill's signature design elements) adorn the headstock, while a hand-cut bevel edge celluloid pickguard accents the top. Ebony fingerboard and bridge, Maccasar ebony headstock overlay, bone nut and saddle, gloss nitrocellulose lacquer finish with vintage-toned top. The guitar's one-piece neck has a rounded-V profile, with a pronounced center line. 1-11/16" nut, 25.4" scale length.
With original hard shell case
On Consignment
SOLD
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NEW Charles Merrill 00-Mahogany
Our latest acquisition from Luthier Charles Merrill's shop is this tastefully simple and sonically complex Mahogany 00. Like all of Merrill's instruments this guitar's inspiration is clearly vintage Martin, and the luthier has done an excellent job of capturing the essence of his inspiration and building it into this 00. It has a well developed voice, with big and round trebles, punchy mids, and compact - but well balanced - basses. Tonally akin to a good early 1950's 00-18. Its neck carve is a sharp V with a nut width of 1-11/16ths, and an oil-finish to feel just right. It has back and sides of Mahogany and a finely braced Sitka top with a small maple bridgeplate. The body is bound in rosewood and purfled with five very fine layers of alternating light and dark wood. Merrill's signature soundhole rosette is a modification of Martin's Style 18, with a 1-7-1 ring arrangement and a centermost ring of genuine abalone. One piece mahogany 24.9" scale neck, with ebony fingerboard and simple pearl position markers; rosewood headstock overlay and Gotoh open-geared tuning machines. Ebony bridge and pins, bone nut and compensated saddle, and a tortoise-shell celluloid bevel-edge pickguard. This instrument is a classy take on a classic model, and a beautifully constructed guitar.
With deluxe hard-shell case and lifetime warranty
SOLD
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New Charles Merrill OM
Charles Merrill is one of those "hidden gem" kind of luthiers. His guitars, made one at a time, are consistently among the best sounding acoustics available - at any price. He has extensively studied many great vintage Martin 000's and 00's and quite definitely has figured out what makes them sound the way they do. This rosewood OM is no exception. It is loud, full, even, and articulate - in every position along the neck, and oozes with warm and woody overtones. Merrill's neck design is a vintage inspired mild "V" shape with a definite center line; it is comfortable in the hand, and neither too large or small. The body is constructed of Indian rosewood and Sitka spruce, and accentuated with black cherry binding, and a tasteful abalone soundhole rosette (in a 1-7-1 style 18 arrangement). Ebony fingerboard, bridge, and bridge pins; Paua fingerboard dot inlays, bone nut and fully compensated saddle. Tortoise-shell celluloid bevel-edged and polished pickguard, and Gotoh open geared tuning machines. 1 11/16 inch nut width. Infinitely responsive, this guitar is a fingerstylist's dream.
With deluxe hard shell case
SOLD
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1932 Washburn 5200
Serial # 1038. The Tonk distributed 5200 model Washburn was the company's base model back in the early 1930's. It featured sides and back of solid mahogany, a red spruce top, ebony bridge and ebonized maple fingerboard. Roughly the size and shape of an 0 sized Martin, the guitar is X-braced as well, and sounds very good. Tonk-Washburns remain the sleepers of the vintage acoustic market, offering some of the best vintage tone available, but at prices much lower than similarly appointed Martins and Gibsons. This particular guitar is very punchy, with a volume that belies its small size. It has a mahogany snap and brightness, and an incredibly open voice and resonance. The guitar is ridiculously lightweight, weighing in at a mere 2.75 pounds, but that doesn't mean you have to be gentle on it. There's enough headroom on this one to flatpick to your heart's content! In our shop the instrument received a neck reset, a leveling of its bar frets, and set up. We filled and re-routed the original saddle-slot for proper intonation, and installed a replacement bone saddle. The guitar now plays perfectly, with fingerstyle action and standard light-gauge strings. Its nut is 1-7/8" wide and the large C-shaped neck has a short 24.25" scale. No cracks or repairs, and completely original. The finish is in good shape, too, but with two small areas on the back and another on the lower treble side where the stain appears not to have taken properly. We suspect this dates back to the manufacture of the guitar, as the finish is uniform throughout; but we'll never know for sure! We'll continue to source out these fine Washbuns as long as we can, but we suspect their affordability won't last forever.
With original chipboard case
SOLD
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1974 Larrivee Steel String
No serial #. Jean Larrivee's guitar building career began in 1967 with a year and a half apprenticeship with respected classical builder Edgar Monch. It wasn't until 1972 that Jean experimented with steel string guitars; and a short time thereafter his now-famous L-body came to be. Larrivee's Toronto-built instruments (those built before his family's move to Victoria, B.C. in '77) are spectacular sounding guitars, and highly regarded by musicians and collectors here in Canada and the world over. It was during this period that many of this country's most renowned guitar builders were learning their trade under Jean's watchful eye: Grit Laskin, Linda Manzer, Serge DeJonge and others were employed by Larrivee in those early years.
This L body steel string is a fairly early example of what has become the hallmark of Canadian guitar building. It features back and sides of Indian rosewood, Sitka top, ebony fingerboard, and the mosaic rosette typical of early Larrivee guitars. The body is fairly uniform in depth, tapering from 4-1/4" at the tail to a deep 4" at the neck heel; the extra air volume imparting an enhanced bass and overall warmth. The guitar is in fine condition overall, and is well set up. The top's center-seam was reglued sometime in the guitar's past, and there is a small crack about 1/2" below the treble side of the fingerboard extension. The original Grover tuners accompany this guitar; there are newer Grover tuners currently installed. 1-3/4" wide bone nut, long 25.6" scale, slightly radiused fingerboard. A lovely guitar in every way, and a collectable vintage piece as well.
With original hard shell case
SOLD
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1850's Size 2-1/2 Parlor
The evolution of X-bracing in guitar construction is difficult to trace. Largely attributed to C.F. Martin Sr., whose instruments employed X-bracing by 1850, there is some speculation as to whether Martin, himself, designed the pattern or was in communication with other builders of the time, sharing ideas and developments. By 1850 Martin's name was already synonymous with quality, and his instruments were certainly examined by other builders and distributors. X-braced guitars by Schmidt & Maul, Schatz, and Bruno are known from this era, and there are X-braced instruments that were built in Germany by builders who never encountered any of C.F. Sr.'s guitars - suggesting a convergent evolution towards the X-brace. The instrument pictured here is among these very first X-braced guitars, and although it shares a list of design similarities with C.F. Martin's instruments it was not built in Nazareth - but either by a German migrant to the northeast US or in the Neukirchen region of Germany.
A well ornamented instrument, the guitar's measurements are akin to a size 2-1/2 Martin, with a body width of 11-5/8" at the lower bout, a length of 17-7/8" and depth of about 3-3/4" at the endpin. Its back and sides are Brazilian Rosewood with an interior spruce lamination as was common in higher-end guitars of the day (a sidenote: many classical builders still spruce-line the insides of their guitars - and particularly the sides - for strength). Spruce top with rosewood-bound soundhole and quite fancy pearl rosette (another sidenote: If you have Gruhn & Carter's Acoustic Guitars and Other Fretted Instruments - A Photographic History have a peek at page 9; you'll see a nearly identical rosette). The top's purfling is the same material as was used for the backstrips on later style 42 and 45 Martins, and perhaps more interestingly, the backstrip of this guitar is identical to those of Martins from the same period. The instrument's mahogany neck features the typical headstock joint of the mid 1800's but without the volute that Martin made forever famous. Its German silver tuning machines are inlaid flush with the headstock sides and feature bone buttons and hand engravings. The guitar's ebony fingerboard, T-frets, and bone nut are original; the bridge is most likely a replacement, although the bone and abalone pins are surely original. Internally, there have been no modifications or repairs made to this guitar; all braces are intact and the bridgeplate is in fine condition. The top is almost without cracks, except for a small split about 1/4" away from the treble side of the fingerboard. Its back would be without cracks had the spruce lining not shrunk and pulled the rosewood with it, and the sides are crack free. Overall, the instrument is in remarkably well preserved condition, and is eminently playable. The fretwork is old and not perfect, but plays moderately buzz free. Some fret ends could use to be glued and a minor fret dress wouldn't hurt. Action is set at 7-64ths with silk and steel strings. We've had this guitar strung with both silk and steels and classical strings, and either work well and sound good. 1-13/16" wide nut, contemporary-feeling C-shaped neck, and 24.75" scale length. Accompanied by its relined original coffin case this instrument offers a rare glimpse into the acoustic guitar of the mid nineteenth century.
On consignment
SOLD
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1954 Kay K-22 Artist
The K-22 Artist was offered between 1947 and 1956, and unfortunately most of the examples we find haven't survived the years very well. Happily for all of us this one has, though, and it sounds great! With its combination of massive 17" wide jumbo body and ladder-style bracing the voice of this guitar is big, brash, bassy, and bold. The typical unrefined ladder-braced tone is offset - or complimented - by the jumbo body and the result is tonal heaven! There's enough bass response to keep you happy, while the trebles and upper mids have almost resonator-guitar-like fullness and nasality... it's pretty cool, really. The guitar's extra long 25.9" scale length turbo-charges the top, and makes the attack almost as quick as an archtop's, while doing its bit to add power and volume to the equation. The neck is very much like one from a banner-era Gibson, with a substantial C profile and a 1-3/4" nut; very fitting for a guitar of this stature. Mahogany and spruce body with no cracks, rosewood fingerboard with Southern-Jumbo like pearloid inlays and double-layer binding. New bone nut and saddle, compliments of us, and new pickguard and pearl-logo compliments of the last guy. The action is set at 5 to 7 64ths and can be lowered further; however, the not-perfect original frets would need to be dressed or replaced if you wanted lower action than that. As it sits the guitar can get buzzy under a heavy picking hand. Original gold Kluson single line tuners work great and look cool, and pinless Brazilian rosewood bridge adds a bit of class.
Without case
SOLD
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1940's Regal
A beautiful pre-war Regal parlor guitar, in excellent cosmetic condition and equipped with a perfect set of amber-button Kluson tuners. The guitar is playable, but with high action; and we're assuming that whoever buys this guitar plans of decorating with it more than using it. It's in unused condition, and is without cracks, scratches or wear. Long ago, someone glued some sections of the top/side margin where the top had come loose - it's tough to notice though, and hardly detracts from the guitar's beauty. Ladder-braced, birch body, painted top binding and soundhole edge. Silkscreened rosette, sunburst top, and regal headstock decal.
On Consignment
SOLD
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2005 Sobell Parlor Lefty!
There are more than a few things uncommon about this guitar. First off, it's a Sobell. The very respected northern English luthier has been building instruments one at a time for more than 30 years; his instruments are rare (particularly so here in North America), and among the most
desirable fingerstyle guitars on earth. Second, it's a Left-handed Sobell - so multiply that rarity by a hundred or more. And third, it's a Brazilian rosewood and European spruce Parlor model - a proportionally scaled-down
Model 1 in size and design, but with a full-length scale. The instrument was custom ordered with exquisite old-world Brazilian rosewood, a European Spruce top Stefan Sobell had been saving since the early 1970's for the
right instrument, and a Cuban Mahogany neck. Typical of the Model 1 theinstrument features multicolored purflings and stylized herringbone marquetry, all of which are perfectly mitered and inlaid. Like all Sobell "Flat-tops" the top and back have pronounced arches, a design which helps
achieve the trademark powerful and rich tone of Sobell's instruments. The instrument has clear and distinct basses and mids robust trebles, and a full voice at any volume. A light touch can coax plenty of subtly out of the
small instrument, but dig in hard, and you'll be rewarded with a powerful and strong sound; there is an amazing amount of headroom in this design. This instrument is in showroom new condition. It shows no playwear or
markings of any kind. It is fitted with a Highlander pickup, gold Gotoh tuning machines, bone nut and split saddle, ebony bridgepins, and gold strap-button. About the size of a Martin 14 fret 00-28, the guitar's body
measures 14 1/4" wide at the lower bout. 25.6" scale length, 1-25/32" nut width, and wide bridge string spacing of 2-1/4".
With custom fitted Calton case
On Consignment
SOLD
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1960's Harmony Stella
In the years I've been at it I've seen countless Harmony / Stella H929's and have never - ever - found one that was in useable shape. Many have turned up in mint condition, but still would have needed a neck reset and usually some fretwork to be playable. So when we were brought this particular guitar we were quite beside ourselves to discover that it actually works! Not only does it have a good neck angle and normal action, it has good fretwork, and no loose parts! We've set it up, oiled the tuners, cleaned the finish, and Presto! - a cool sounding Stella that you can play like any other guitar!
With original chipboard case
SOLD
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1969 Guild M-20 LEFTY
Serial # AH-2529. Guild's M-20 model was the all-mahogany version of their top-selling F-20, available during the Folk Boom of the 1960's. Basically comparable to a Martin 0-17 in design, feel, and tone, the M-20's body is unadorned and has a very simple rosette. Solid mahogany back and sides, Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and bridge, and deep red gloss lacquer finish. This rare lefty version is in excellent condition. It has no cracks and shows only modest finish wear. The plastic head veneer is listing a little bit between the nut and truss-rod cavity, but it's not unsightly and is the only flaw we can find. Completely original except for a replacement bone saddle, this guitar looks and feels just right; and it's nice to be able to offer an affordable vintage lefty flattop for a change! Original frets are in good shape, and the instrument is set up nicely with action of 6 to 7 64ths. Without modifying the bridge lower action is not possible though, so "fingerstyle action" is not what you're getting with this guitar. Nice small-body tone, quite similar to an 0-15 from this period. Comfortable c-shaped neck with a 1-5/8" nut width and 24.7" scale length.
With newer hard shell case
SOLD
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1939 Harmony Gene Autry Round-Up, Exc
In 1939, no entertainer in the world was more popular than Gene Autry. Movie star, radio star, recording star, Academy Award-nominated song writer, he set attendance records at rodeos and other personal appearances in four countries. Gene always preferred his sponsor's product, Wrigley's Doublemint Gum, to smoking. Autry made 635 recordings, including more than 300 songs written or co-written by him. His records sold more than 100 million copies and he has more than a dozen gold and platinum records, including the first record ever certified gold. Known as 'America's Favorite Singing Cowboy', he is the only entertainer to have five stars on Hollywood's Walk of Fame, one each for radio, records, film, television and live theatrical performance (including rodeo).
This guitar was every boy's dream (and more than a few girls', too we suspect!) Made by Harmony in the Fall of '39, this guitar features a small Jumbo-style body of Adirondack spruce and maple with a firestripe pickguard and a 14 fret neck with "Gene Autry" and a lariat stenciled up the fingerboard. Too cool. It has had the neck professionally reset and a new rosewood bridge made. The action is a little high up the neck but it still pumps out those cowboy chords just fine! This is a ladder-braced guitar, with a fine tone, and that flame is painted on the back and sides. It is in exceptional collecting condition. 2007 will be the centennial of Mr Autry's birth; beat the rush and buy it now, before it's too late at any price!
On consignment, no case.
SOLD
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Gene Autry's Cowboy Code
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1932 Washburn Tonk 5235
Serial # 1349. The Tonk Bros. distributed Washburns are - amazingly - still sleepers on the vintage guitar market. Those of us who spend our days surrounded by vintage instruments know all about these fine guitars, but as relatively few of them exist (compared to Martins and Gibsons) they have not garnered their due reputation amongst the general public. Easily comparable to a late 1920's Martin 00-18 or Early 1930's Gibson L-0 or L-1, this Tonk Washburn features a 14-1/4" wide Mahogany body with an X-braced Red Spruce top, scalloped bracing and small maple bridge plate. It is a lightweight and very cleanly built guitar, with a thin finish and classy accents. It is in remarkably fine well-preserved condition, with no cracks or issues other than some minor pickwear below the soundhole. We have replaced the bridge with an exact-footprint replica that is properly slotted for correct intonation, and slightly thinner than the very-tall original to allow for a comfortable action. The original bridge (as pictured) can be re-installed at any point without any evidence of its removal, should you desire. With the combination of its original tall bar frets, easy action (4 to 7 64ths) and wide nut and bridge pin spacing (1-7/8" nut, 2-3/8" bridge pin), this guitar is perfectly suited for a fingerstylist who likes a lot of room to move. The neck profile is pretty beefy, too; so you've got to like a big neck if you're going to take this one home. It's one of the best sounding guitars we've all played in some time, too - it has lots of punchiness and headroom which allows melody lines on the treble strings to shine in the foreground of whatever you're playing, and enough warmth and woodiness to keep you well satiated. 24.75" scale length.
With original soft case, and case candy (as pictured)
SOLD
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1942 Harmony Wizard
Were not sure if the brand "Wizard" refers to the farmer tilling his land in the left foreground, or what kind of looks like the yellow (or orange) brick road to OZ. I guess it doesn't really matter all that much. What does matter is that this super-cool Wartime Harmony plays easily, looks awesome, and sounds great - in that ladder-braced-birch-body harmony kind of way. Someone down the road spent the time to reset the neck on this guitar, and then we spent a bit more time setting it up and cleaning off the dust. It buzzes out up past the 9th fret, but you were never meant to play so high up the neck on these guitars anyway! If you're into the blues, you'll love this guitar. 24" scale, 1-3/4" nut, chunky V-shaped neck with a flat fingerboard. Bone nut and saddle. No case.
SOLD
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1932 (circa) Regal
No serial number. Among the coolest depression-era Chicago flat-tops we've ever offered, this unknown Regal (similar, but much more ornate than a Model 10) is the pinnacle of "Vintage-Chic". From its inlaid gray/green pearloid pickguard and matching headstock to its floral motif top decals, this one has it all. Check out the expertly applied faux-rosewood grained finish. Have a look at the bound white pearloid fingerboard with position dots that match the pickguard and headstock. Heck, even the tailpiece is classy! The icing on the cake is the original "Kant-Krack" hard shell case and case-candy that goes with the guitar - someone loved this guitar, and spent as much on the case as they likely did for the instrument back when it was new. In '32 the case sold for $19.50, whereas a slightly less fancy Regal Model 10 guitar was priced at $10!! Aside from the obvious, the guitar features a solid spruce ladder-braced top, and solid birch sides and back. The action is high at 8/64ths, but still quite useable in the lower positions, however the frets up past the body joint are quite uneven and buzz out at the 12th and 13th frets. With a slide, the guitar plays great and sounds delightfully good; it is rich and open with a warm harmonic resonance and surprising volume. Comfortable V-shaped neck with a definite L-00 feel, 1-3/4 nut, 24" scale length. About the same dimensions as a Size 1 Martin, the Regal is a comfortable couch guitar, too.
With original hard shell case
SOLD
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2003 Froggy Bottom Koa H-12 Deluxe
Serial # H758. Michael Millard's Froggy Bottom Guitars has been at it since 1970, building some of the finest small-production shop guitars in the world, using exquisite tonewoods and trim. They have twice won the Acoustic Guitar Magazine's Gold Award in their category of small-shop builders, and continue to struggle in keeping up with the orders they receive. The H-12 is the small company's most popular model. It is a 15" wide Grand Concert with a 12-fret neck - essentially the dimensions of a 000 12 fret. The Deluxe H-12 pictured here has a body of highly figured Koa, with 8 ply top purflings and rosewood bindings. Expertly mitered 3-ply back and side purflings, and abalone backstrip and rosette. Slotted headstock with bound Koa overlay, Abalone Froggy inlay, and gold Waverly tuning machines. Ebony fingerboard and bridge, with bone nut and saddle, 25" scale and 1-3/4" nut. A visually striking scrimshaw mountain valley scene is engraved on the guitar's Mammoth ivory heel-cap; this is an option on all Froggy Bottom guitars, but a standard feature only on the much more elaborate Limited models. Inside, the guitar shows workmanship of the highest grade, with very finely carved and scalloped braces and an attention to detail not oft encountered. The H-12 is a fingerstyle instrument with a gorgeous esthetic and beguiling voice, its Koa imparting a dry sparkle and snap to its airy 12 fret woodiness.
With ultra-deluxe hard case
SOLD
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1930's B+J Serenader
B+J was a musical instrument distributor based in New York for most of the Twentieth Century. The company had instruments built for them by many of the factories that we've become familiar with, Stromberg-Voisenet (later to become Kay) among these. The Serenader name was used on a wide variety of guitars and equipment from the 1920's right on into the 1960's. The Serenader shown here has the typical Stromberg-Voisenet body, headstock, and bridge. The inlaid purfling down the center of the top is quite unusual, as is the grey/purple pearloid that covers the most of the guitar. Vintage guitars come in all different shapes and sizes, and the depression-era saw the creation of some of the most weird and wonderful instruments; this Serenader among them.
Not for sale, sorry.
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1995 Oskar Graf Koa 7 string
Oskar Graf is known for his flawlessly built, meticulously detailed, and
great sounding guitars. But a 7 sting Koa? Has he outdone himself on this
one! Imagine a hybrid between a grand piano and a fingerstyle guitar and
you'll begin to understand what this instrument is all about. Koa has a
dryness and sparkle that works brilliantly with the low string - there is
definition and clarity to notes as low as A, with little of the rubbery tone
often heard from the low string on a 7. The guitar sustains forever and has
an articulation that would make the most complex piece of music sing with
clarity and musicality. Built with a Western Red Cedar top, ebony bridge and
bound fingerboard, carved bone nut and saddle, hand-turned bridge-pins, and
a super-thin hand-rubbed nitrocellulose lacquer finish. Aside from his
instruments tone, Graf's attention to the small details is what sets him
apart from so many of the other luthiers out there. Take a close look at
this guitar - the rosette, the back center strip, the purflings and the
headstock bindings, and you'll likely agree - this is a fine instrument.
Body width at the lower bout is 16", scale length of 25.6", nut width of
2-1/16", string spacing at the bridge of 2-13/32". It has a repaired 3" long
top crack on the upper bass bout, about an inch from the edge of the
fingerboard. Equipped with a Fishman Matrix pickup, and sold with a deluxe
TKL hard shell case.
SOLD
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1960's Harmony H162 Acoustic
Here it is again folks - the guitar you've all been asking for... We sold this guitar late last year, disappointing so many of you -but it's back. It's a MINT CONDITION Harmony H162 flat-top! That's right... virtually unplayed. Imagine walking into a guitar shop some forty years ago, buying a guitar, and then forgetting that you had it in the back of your closet until 2007. Man! Bet you wish you bought that D-28 instead, huh?! Regardless, it would have still been a forty-two dollars well spent!. The instrument pictured here was likely built in the mid 1960's. It's constructed of solid mahogany and spruce, with Brazilian rosewood bridge and fingerboard. The nut, tuners, pickguard, bridge pins - everything but the bone saddle - are original. Why the bone saddle you ask? Because we gave this guitar a neck reset, that's why! Yes, we can be a bit crazy, but whomever takes this guitar home will certainly appreciate our efforts. The guitar now plays great with comfortable action, we like it best down-tuned to Eb or even D, but you can work those details out on your own!
SOLD
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1896 Howe-Orme
Serial #1935. One of the most exciting historical instruments we've worked on in a long time! This Howe-Orme is a fine ivory-bound, Brazilian rosewood guitar built to the same quality standards as the Martins of its day, but with a couple of radical innovations. Most technically notable is the neck joint. When not strung up, the whole neck is free to come off the body, revealing a simple but extraordinarily effective adjustable attachment. From the body extends one ebony pin about 1/2" long and a fitted L-bracket with one hole in the perpendicular portion. The neck has two adjustable screws and one pin where the heelcap would be, which pops into the L-bracket. This allows full side to side and forward-backward motion, making adjustment easier than any other guitar I've worked on!
The other strange feature of the Howe-Orme is the longitudinally arched top. This is much the same as a Vega cylinder-backed instrument, only here it's the soundboard which has had this form bent into it. Remember, this instrument predates any true arch-top guitar and was built around the time that Orville Gibson was tinkering with patent ideas for the arched mandolin. The Howe-Orme patent on the headstock dates to 13 Feb. '94. The beautiful pyramid bridge has this shape carved into its base. The top is ladder-braced with the arch carved into each brace. The sound is not what you expect from a straight-braced instrument, as the longitudinal strength of top seems to balance it out and give a close approximation of the Martin X-braced sound. It is a sweet and loud guitar.
This guitar is reputed to have walked across America with its barefooted previous owner! Many cracks in the top were repaired at one time in the style of Irving Sloane, and the guitar was here to see those repairs repaired. We have reglued and cleated the cracks, but left the earlier finish touch-ups as they are. Hopefully she is ready for another 111 years of service. If you are inspired to research these guitars further you'll find lots more on the net, including broad hints that these may have been built in Canada despite the Boston label, and that Martin Simpson also feels these are among the best he's ever played...
NOT FOR SALE
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1991 Larrivee LJ-72 Presentation
Serial # 11918. The Presentation LJ-72 is nothing short of exquisite. From
the style 45 abalone purflings on the top, back and sides, engraved pearl
and abalone fingerboard markers, and Jester headstock inlay, to the
master-grade spruce and rosewood used in its production, Jean and Wendy
Larrivee attended to every detail in the construction of this guitar.
Larrivee guitars are famous for the top quality tonewoods they use, so it's
not hard to imagine that the highest end Larrivees would be built with the
highest end materials. But this wood is not believable. I can't remember
the last instrument that came through the store with a top this perfectly
quartersawn and straight-grained. It's uncanny, really. To match, the
Indian rosewood back and sides are reminiscent of the best Brazilian - it is
tightly grained, richly hued, and perfectly quartersawn (and I mean
PERFECTLY - how often do you see rosewood with silking?) Even the mahogany
used for the neck and the ebony fingerboard are perfectly quartered. I
could not begin to imagine what instrument woods of this quality would,
today, cost. So it follows that this LJ is a wonderful sounding instrument.
It couldn't not be! The LJ (Larrivee Jumbo) body has a lot of bass to offer
thanks to its large 16.75" body size - but it's a jumbo that doesn't swallow
itself up, thanks to the trademarked Larrivee bracing. The trebles ring
strong on this one, and the overall sensation is that this is an evenly
voiced, open, and powerful instrument. Fingerstylists and flatpickers alike
will enjoy sitting down with this guitar. It has two repaired top cracks,
but is otherwise in excellent condition and has just been set up in our
shop. 1-3/4" nut width, 25.5" scale.
Hard shell case included
SOLD
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C. 1940 Hensel Artist
Arthur Hensel was Toronto-based small-scale manufacturer of upper-mid grade department store instruments in the 1920's through 1940's. We have encountered a number of his instruments; arch-tops, flat-tops, and resonators, all of which have been particularly finely built and interestingly designed.
Offered here is an Artist model, built in the late 1930's or early 40's for the R.S. Williams & Sons Co. in Toronto. The guitar is an X-braced nearly 000-sized spruce and mahogany 12 fretter, with a 24.75" scale length. Its body and Brazilian rosewood fingerboard are bound in white celluloid, and the matching pickguard is screwed to the top. The original gloss lacquer finish is in fine condition, and the instrument is crack free. We've reset the neck and set up the instrument for standard Spanish-style playing (it was equipped with a riser nut for Hawaiian playing its entire life). The neck is a fairly chunky C shape, not unlike a Tonk Bros. Washburn or 30's Larson, and the flat fingerboard has a nut width of 1-13/16". The frets are unworn, and the instrument plays very nicely in all positions. The best part about this guitar is that it sounds great. It's different than a Martin or Gibson, so its tonality is difficult to describe. The first thing you'll notice is that it has a surprisingly big bass response for a smaller guitar. It's not as refined as a Martin, but not as mid-range heavy and woody as Gibsons tend to be. It is a guitar that will make you want to play Mississippi John Hurt and Elizabeth Cotton tunes, and fingerstyle rags are particularly fun. We all love this guitar around here, and we're pretty sure that you will too. No case included.
SOLD
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c. 1930 Regal 0-18
Among the most underappreciated vintage acoustics out there are the X-braced
instruments built by Regal in the 1920's and 30's. In craftsmanship these
instruments approach that of Martins, and thanks to a well designed brace
layout and X pattern they sound fabulous as well. This model is roughly the
size and shape of a 12 fret Martin 0-18 with similar specifications. The
back and sides are of Honduran Mahogany, and the top is Red Spruce. The
guitar has a short scale length of 24.2" and a wide 1-13/16" nut. The neck
feels quite substantial, but is very comfortable none the less. It is a
fingerpicking dream, and is great for country blues and rags. The guitar
has a repaired side crack (invisible, fixed by us), a new ebony bridge with
a corrected saddle-line, and one very well repaired top crack (again, fixed
here). The setup and action are very comfortable. It comes with its
original canvas case, too.
SOLD
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2003 Oskar Graf Brazilian Cut-Away
For over 30 years German-born Canadian luthier Oskar Graf has been quietly
building some of the finest contemporary steel string guitars available.
Fingerstyle guitarists the world over prize his instruments; and we are very
pleased to have the opportunity to present this guitar to you.
Constructed of richly hued quarter-sawn Brazilian rosewood, and the finest
available European spruce, with in intricately joined flush cut-away, Graf's
attention to every aspect of the guitar's design is clearly evident. The
instrument's purflings are flawlessly mitered and bordered by curly maple
bindings on all edges. The rosette is in the classical style, a hand
constructed mosaic of tiny multicoloured squares, and the backstrip is
multicolored herringbone, mitered perfectly with the edge purflings. The
headstock is veneered on the front and back with Brazilian Rosewood that
matches the sides and back. The guitar is finished off with black Schaller
tuners with ebony buttons, finely carved bone nut and saddle, and
hand-turned ebony bridge-pins with pearl and gold inlays.
At the heart of Graf's steel string guitar is an innovative bracing system
that he developed in the early 80's and refined over many generations of
guitars. It incorporates an additional curved bar intersecting the X-brace
which allowed him to adjust for each different style of guitar. This stiff
and light top gives my guitars their characteristic solid but resonant feel,
excellent sustain and projection. (this excerpt from the luthier's website).
The guitar is loud and resonant, with a harmonic complexity that is found
only in the best guitars. Being the main instrument of one of Canada's
most remarkable fingerstyle guitarists for the last 3 years this instrument
has had the chance to open up well and reach its potential. It is stage
ready with an L.R. Baggs Dual source mic/piezo pickup professionally
installed. The nut width is 1-13/16", and the scale length measures 25.25"
The instrument's overall condition is excellent. The frets show an even
slight wear, the set up is silky smooth, and the finish is in fine shape
with an even amount of light dings and fine scratching. There is one area,
about a nickel in size, of nail-wear adjacent to the bridge.
Sold with its custom Calton heavy-duty case.
SOLD
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1960's Hagstrom H-45
Serial #95584. Most likely from 1966, this Hagstrom H-45 is the Swedish
company's take on the venerable Gibson J-45. Mahogany slope shouldered body
with a spruce top, sunburst top and dark-stained back and sides and white
bindings. Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and bridge, adjustable saddle
reminiscent of a Gibson Dove, and trapeze tailpiece. Bolt-on neck, nickel
hardware, pearloid headstock and fingerboard inlays, and tortoise-shell
plastic pickguard. The guitar is X-braced and features a nut width of
1-3/4" and a scale length of 24.9". It plays well thanks to an in-shop
setup and sounds remarkably good, with lots of volume and a rich and bright
voice. A totally cool guitar with lots of 60's vintage vibe. No case
SOLD
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1930 Vega Tubaphone Guitar-Banjo
Now here's a rare one. It's an original Vega Tubaphone Guitar-Banjo! Built in 1930 (serial # 90274), this instrument was built at the tail-end of the banjo craze; when musicians were re-discovering the guitar. The late 20's and early 30's saw an array of interesting banjo-guitar hybrids with companies such as Vega, Gibson, and even Martin getting into fray. In fact the successful introduction of Martin's OM 14 fret guitars was due, largely, to the wanting of banjo players for guitar with longer necks!
This 6 string Vega banjo features a 30 bracket Tubaphone pot with a 11 13/16" head - the same pot that is considered the holy-grail for Vega fans. The bracket nuts are open-ended, interestingly, and the rim is 1/2" thick. The instrument is completely original, with the exception of one replaced bracket nut, possibly the nut, and probably the frets. The resonator appears to have been professionally modified. The holes, while appearing original, are likely the work of a skilled luthier. The result of this modification is a banjo with the comfort of closed-back instruments, that maintains the tone of an open-back. The nut width is 1 3/4", and the scale length is 25 3/4". Playability is perfect. The original hard shell case is a work of art in of itself, and still has the Vega badge and logo stitched on to the velour inside. Please explore the many photos we've provided of this incredible instrument.
SOLD
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Early 1930's Maurer Model 551
Very few vintage instrument discussions go by these days without the guitars
of the Larson Brothers coming up. The interesting thing is that few people
have ever actually played even one of these legendary creations, and yet
they have upheld a reputation similar to, and more intriguing than '30's
Martin and Gibson guitars. Here's a perfect chance to know firsthand what
all the buzz is about. This guitar is Auditorium size, just a hair smaller
than a Martin 000, but it has a 25 1/2" scale length, like an Orchestra
Model. The nut is 1 7/8" wide, the neck profile is round and comfy, not
huge. The body is 2 7/8" to 3 3/8" deep with moderate arch to both the top
and back. This guitar features the patented Larson laminated X-brace, made
of two layers of Adirondack spruce and an inner layer of Brazilian rosewood.
All the other braces are solid Adirondack, and it has an unusual
"herringbone" layout to the lower face braces. Very cool.
Tonally, the guitar is rich and full, with a colorful period sound that
calls out for the music of its youth. It is extremely articulate and
well-balanced, and will be a recording dream. An older lousy refret has
just been completely redone in our shop, and this guitar is now up to the
standards of the most demanding fingerstyle player. The neck angle and
action are perfect. The guitar has had a replica bridge installed at some
point - nicely done with pearl four-leafed-clovers, just like the original.
The bridge may be slightly oversized, but appears correct. The top has
three short and well-repaired cracks under the player's right elbow, where a
section of the marquetry purfling has been replaced. The binding and finish
are all original, with an invisible touch-up in this area. The sides and
back have several longish repaired cracks with no finish touch-up. It is
our opinion that these are not impact cracks but due to some moisture damage
(beer?) inside the instrument which did not affect the glue or shellac
finish at all.
The Adirondack spruce top is fine grained, the Brazilian rosewood back and
sides are absolutely beautiful. The fret board and bridge are ebony. The
purflings are colored wood with ivoroid bindings around the body,
fingerboard and soundhole. There is no serial number, but it does feature
the July 12, 1904 patent date stamp. This guitar displays the design
features and crafstmanship of the Larson's early Thirties period, and will
delight any vintage guitar enthusiast. It was clearly meant for a serious
guitar player, and deserves to be played. It comes in its original hard
case.
SOLD
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1978 Guild D-55NT
Serial # 209130. Guild's flagship dreadnought throughout the 1970's, the
D-55 featured fancy appointments, solid rosewood back and sides, gold
hardware, and pearl and abalone inlays. Fancier than a D-28, the Guild D-55
was the apple of many a musician's eye and found fame in the hands of John
Renbourn, among others. This example is in excellent condition with no
cracks or scars, and unlike most has fine action. There is some lacquer
crazing on the top, and there are a few small areas where a vinyl strap has
caused minor impressions in the finish. The neck and frets are in great
shape, playability and action are great. This is a fine sounding guitar,
very much akin to a good 70's Martin D-28, with a dry and woody midrange and
good volume. 25.6" scale length, 1-11/16" nut, action of 5 to 7 64ths with
room to lower further.
With hard shell case
SOLD
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1950's Vega Profundo
Serial #9294. Rare and totally cool Vega dreadnought. Solid Mahogany Back
and sides, Solid spruce top, 4-ply top binding, single bound back. Ladder
braced. Repro Kluson Deluxe tuning Machines and shaved bridged with
non-original saddle and nut. Unfortunate broken truss-rod has left the neck
with a bit too much forward bow, but the action is still OK. Ladder braced
guitars are great for blues so we've tuned it to and open D and have been
loving its tone.
with older Guild hard-shell case
SOLD
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1959 Epiphone Texan
Chicago Musical Instrument Co. (CMI), the company that owned Gibson from
1944 to 1969, bought Epiphone in 1957 and shifted production of this
company's instruments to Gibson's Kalamazoo plant. At the 1958 NAMM show
the first new Gibson-built Epiphone instruments were displayed and the first
Epi's hit the stores by 1959; the year that this instrument is labeled
(Serial # A-2732). After the take-over, Gibson used up parts left-over from
the Epiphone factory in the production of their new guitars, and many of
these first Epiphones are very much hybrid instruments with necks, pickups,
and knobs from pre-Gibson Epiphone production. The Texan shown here has an
original Epiphone neck on a Gibson body, with 'single-line' Kluson tuners,
and a long scale length. Interestingly, the FON of the body (Y1632-33)
denotes a 1954 instrument, but the top's interior bracing is much more akin
to a late 50's Gibson J-45. Our best guess is that the body was built in
'54, but shelved due to a top defect, crack, or otherwise. The Texan, with
its long scale, would require a differently braced top, with a bridge-plate
in slightly rearward position. Gibson likely would have used the older
body, once re-topped to the Texan specifications in the construction of
this instrument.
This Epiphone Texan arrived with a badly separated fingerboard which needed
to be completely removed in order to reglue properly. The repair turned out
beautifully, and required no finish touch up, but did necessitate a refret.
The bridge is a replacement we built as well. The original was cracked
through the pin holes and had shifted forward, chipping the finish in front
of it on its way. The new bridge is an exact replica, complete with the
original saddle and bridge pins. Unfortunately, this instrument is not for
sale, but represents such an interesting point in Gibson and Epiphone's
histories that we wanted to show it to all of you.
SOLD
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1912 Dyer Style 5 Harp Guitar
This rare Larson Brothers instrument came to visit us this past week. It was mostly a show and tell, but we did manage to get our hands on it and shoot some quick photos. Bummer it wasn't a lefty really... that's what I have to say about it.
Not for sale.
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1974 Larrivee dreadnought
To our knowledge, this is the oldest Larrivee dreadnought in existence. Of
the many apprentices of Jean Larrivee who have since become well-know
makers, no-one seems to remember Jean even having a dreadnought mold during
this early period. We offer these pictures of this historically significant
cedar and rosewood guitar simply as a reference.
Not for sale.
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1950's Yamaha Dynamic S-50
We've researched this cool, cool, guitar, and here's what we know: It bears
a patent date from the 18th year of the Showa Dynasty, what we would call
1943! It has a unique bracing pattern with a single longitudinal brace and
several fingers. There is no top deflection at all! I don't think they
ever decided if they were making a classical or a steel string. 1 11/16"
nut, flat fingerboard, classical bridge with saddle in a bizarre v-slot.
Top of three layers of spruce, back, sides, fingerboard and bridge look like
pearwood. Nitrocellulose lacquer finish. In remarkable condition, with a
good sound. We have not been able to date the serial number yet, help us if
you can! #511240
SOLD
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2002 Lowden O-10
This is the original shape and size George Lowden designed some 25 years
ago. It is quite large, but not as large as a Gibson J200 for example. Its
voluptuous curves and deep resonating sounds have made it a firm favorite
over the years. The thing about the O is that it has great volume and power
but is also capable of great subtlety. You can play it quite hard (although
some players find they achieve best results from restraining themselves just
a tad!) and yet you can touch it gently and it still sings. In contrast to
other full size guitars, the tops when played (say up around the 12th to
16th fret areas) are still very rich and full. Pierre Bensusan and Vince
Gill and many others have chosen this shape. The mahogany back and sides
used with a cedar top, produce a sound that is clean but subtle and warm.
Ideal for recording due to pure simplicity of overall tone. Pierre Bensusan'
s O model which Lowden built for him 22 years ago is mahogany and cedar.
The bone nut is 1 3/4" wide, the spacing at the bridge is 2 3/16". The
fingerboard is black ebony and the pinless bridge is Brazilian rosewood.
The guitar is nearly new with only the slightest playwear and comes in the
original hard case which is very clean.
SOLD
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1998 Collings OM-2H Custom
A very attractive guitar, with some nice subtle custom features. All the
craftsmanship, style, and tone Bill Collings is famous for is packed into
this beautiful fingerstyle instrument. The Sitka spruce top and Indian
Rosewood body are of the finest quality. Custom features include a
Brazillian headstock overlay, with ivoroid binding, ivoroid binding on the
ebony fingerboard, and full-size tortoise celluloid pickguard. This guitar
is exactly what a discriminating player expects a fine Orchestra Model to
be. On consignment with the original hard case in excellent condition.
SOLD
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1940's Regal Decor
It's cool. It would look awesome on your wall. Check it out.
SOLD
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1940's S.S. Stewart Flat-Top
Totally cool pre-war S.S. Stewart flat-top. If your into great looking
funky vintage guitars (like we are) you'll likely just love this one! It
has a one-owner vibe to it, with a great looking wear pattern on the top and
back of the neck. Solid spruce and birch with ladder bracing, this
instrument has a cool-but-unsophisticated tone. Playability is great thanks
to a neck reset done by us, and a new bridge and bone saddle (done by us as
well). This guitar was just to fantastic NOT to fix! Its fire-stripe
pickguard, checker binding, sunburst on all sides, and cowboy-on-a-budget
vibe were just to irresistible for us to pass up! Original case and tuners,
too!
SOLD
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1929-30 Tonk Bros. Washburn 5236
Open and loud, lightweight X-braced Washburn. 12-frets to the body, 14"
wide at the lower bout. This Washburn is similar in size and design to a
late 20's Martin 00-18. This guitar was built to sound good - it features
X-bracing, Adirondack spruce top, dark mahogany top. It has an ebony board
and bridge, bar frets, slotted headstock with original engraved tuners and
ivoroid buttons. Ivoroid bound top, back, and soundhole. Thin French
polish finish. The neck is very large in profile - maybe too large for
some, very comfortable for others. These instruments are very rare in
mahogany, and the Brazilian rosewood models approach Martin values. A great
guitar to flatpick or fingerpick on.
New hard-shell case included
SOLD
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1996 Charles Merrill Koa OM
Charles Merrill is one of those "hidden gem" kind of luthiers. His guitars,
made one at a time, are consistently among the best sounding acoustics
available - at any price. He has extensively studied many "Great" vintage
Martin 000's and 00's and quite definitely has figured out what makes them
sound the way they do. This Koa OM is no exception. It is loud, full,
even, and articulate - in every position along the neck, and oozes with warm
and woody overtones. Merrill's neck design is a vintage inspired mild "V"
shape with a definite center line; it is comfortable in the hand, and
neither too large or small. The body is constructed of Koa and Sitka
spruce, and accentuated with Grenadillo rosewood binding, and a tasteful
abalone soundhole rosette (in a 1-7-1 style 18 arrangement). Ebony
fingerboard, bridge, and bridge pins; Paua fingerboard dot inlays, bone nut
and fully compensated saddle. The vintage look is further accentuated by an
OM-shaped tortoise-shell celluloid bevel-edged and polished pickguard, and
Waverly tuning machines. 1 11/16 inch nut width. Lightweight and
infinitely responsive, this guitar is a fingerstylist's dream. It has been
very well cared for by its original owner, and is sold with a deluxe
hard-shell case.
More Photos: Front Detail Back Detail
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Main Photo
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Collings DS2H
Here is a Collings DS2H 12 fret dreadnought for your collection. Collings guitars are
among the best sounding acoustics out there, and this DS2H is no
exception. Incredible volume and balance, greatr sustain,
and a real punch. East Indian rosewood back and sides,
select spruce top, grained ivoroid binding, prewar scalloped
bracing, herringbone border, crosscut grained ivoroid and wood strip
rosette, tortoise style pickguard. Other features include a
gloss-finished mahogany neck (1 13/16" nut width) with ebony
fingerboard and bridge, slotted peghead with rosewood peghead
overlay, mother of pearl Collings logo, traditional diamond and
square fingerboard inlay and nickel Waverly slot-head tuners.
Collings' list price on this model is US$3650 - and this one is
as close to brand new as you can find.
SOLD
More photos: Front detail Back detail
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HENSEL GUITARS
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Main Photo
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Arthur Hensel Mandolin
Our well-educated guess is that this mandolin was built by Toronto builder Arthur Hensel, although there is no label or markings to confirm this. The carve of the neck, finish and stain; binding style, material and size; nut, fingerboard, and frets all point to Hensel as the builder - but this the very first Mandolin we've encountered that would bear his mark. It is unfortunately not playable (the top caved in after the braces separated), so we can't tell you anything about what it sounds like. It's a lovely instrument though, and we'd certainly like to find another just like it!
Not for sale
More photos:
Full Front detail Headstock detail
Full Front detail Tuners detail
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Main Photo
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1930's Hensel Artist
Arthur Hensel was - as far as we can figure - a Toronto-based small-scale
manufacturer of upper-mid grade department store instruments in the 1920's
through 1940's. We have encountered a number of his instruments; arch-tops,
flat-tops, and resonators, all of which have been particularly finely built
and interestingly designed. We are continually intrigued by this builder and
are compiling information about him and his instruments. Please do not
hesitate to contact us if you have an instrument with Arthur Hensel's label
on it.
The instrument pictured here is a larger (nearly 000-size) 12 fret, X-braced
instrument. It features a natural lacquer finish, bound soundhole, and
lacquered bridge; and is built of mahogany and red spruce. It's just come
out of our repair shop where it had it's neck reset. It belongs to a
customer, sorry, so is not for sale.
Not for sale
More photos:
Front detail Back detail Headstock detail
Full Front detail Full Back detail Tuners detail
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Main Photo
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1930's Hensel Reliance
A Hensel Resonator. This one is in our permanent Hensel collection and is
not for sale. It features a stamped brass cone with biscuit-bridge, solid
birch back and sides, laminate birch top, Spanish-style round neck with 12
frets to the body, nickel coverplate and tailpiece, and slotted headstock
with Kluson tuners. The body of this resonator appears to be the same as
that found on Hensel's flat-tops, but with a different top. There is no
soundwell, and the neck is attached to the body with a dovetail joint.
Not for sale.
More photos:
Front Detail Back Detail Headstock Detail
Full Front Detail Full Back Detail Tuners Detail
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|
Main Photo
|
Hensel Artist
Arthur Hensel was - as far as we can figure - a Toronto-based small-scale manufacturer of upper-mid grade department store instruments in the 1920's through 1940's. We have encountered a number of his instruments; arch-tops, flat-tops, and resonators, all of which have been particularly finely built and interestingly designed. We are continually intrigued by this builder and are compiling information about him and his instruments. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have an instrument with Arthur Hensel's label on it.
The instrument pictured here is a small (0-size) 12 fret, X-braced instrument. It features a sunburst lacquer finish, bound soundhole, and lacquered bridge; and is built of bird's eye maple and red spruce.
Not for sale.
More photos:
Front Detail Back Detail Headstock Detail
Full Front Detail Full Back Detail Tuners Detail
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| Old Instruments Gallery Index |
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