Description
A total "barn find" guitar that's an excellent candidate for restoration. We recently acquired this rare relic & haven't done a single thing to it. We figured the next owner of this lovely piece would be very particular about the restoration procedure, so we've left it alone. It hasnt' even been cleaned! All we did was photograph it & placed it back in its case.
Cosmetic Condition: A bit rough - various nicks, chips, dents & dings; surface scratches, weather checking, finish & play wear. There are four cracks in the top, along with one in the back & another in the bass-side waist. They're not too severe & should be fairly easy repairs. There are no issues internally - the braces & bridge plate are original; they are all in good condition with no cracks or breaks. The bridge was poorly reglued at some point & will certainly require another re-glue. The original bridge pins are included with the guitar, but are fragiel & may not be useable. The main issue is really the neck, which was poorly reset at some point. It currently has a bolt through the heel that comes out of the neck block inside. Again, this is something that can, and should, be properly repaired & restored. Overall the guitar has a great vintage vibe to it with that well-played look. The finish appears to be original; the patina is gorgeous & once the time has been invested in restoring it, the guitar is sure to be an amazing player & a real gem in someone's collection!
Neck: Very comfortable, V-shaped mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard & pearloid dot inlays. There is some light pitting in the fingerboard, but no cracks. The original frets show some light play wear & have plenty of life in them. Original Kluson Deluxe tuners are in good working condition. The nut appears to be original with a width of 1 11/16"; 25" scale length.
Body: OOO size with solid spruce top & 6-ply binding. Ebony bridge with what appears to be the original saddle. Again the original cream colored bridge pins are also included. Original tortoise-style pickguard with inlaid, multi-ring rosette. The most stunning feature of the guitar is quite obviously the solid Brazilian rosewood back & sides. The back, with 3-ply binding, is absolutely superb in its grain pattern & variegation - a melange of chocolate & orange swirled together in a medley that will make any Martin aficionado green with envy. Many Brazilian backs from this period are rather plain looking with straight grain patterns, but this one is truly unique & spectacular!
Case: Included with the guitar is a vintage Geib hardshell case with brown tolex & original leather handle. The plush, blue velvet interior is free of any odors & all the latches are in good working condition. Inside the case compartment we found various vintage strings by Black Diamond, Lebotone & Gibson which we are including with the guitar. The strings are all too old to be used, but they add to the charm of the "barn find."
