Gallery

Another all-original pre-war Martin… but you have to go back a few more wars on this one- to just after the Civil War. This guitar even has its original coffin case–necessary in the days when Martin guitars were shipped out by railroad or wagon train. The figured Brazilian rosewood back and sides are unusual– in these decades of the 19th century (and through the middle of the 20th) Martin usually did not use this kind of figured, lovely Brazilian (they preferred the more straight-grained variety). On this guitar, for the sake of originality, we’ve kept its original saddle intact. The original ivory saddle is worn through at the strings, but still functions nicely.

• Fan braced
• Adirondack top
• Ebonized “ice cream cone” style neck
• Solid Brazilian rosewood back and sides
• 100% original finish…. No overspray, touch-up, etc. anywhere…wonderful finish
• Original ebony bridge, and bridge plate
• Two cracks in spruce top; one is bridge to bottom of top; the other is from near bridge to soundhole; first one described is beneath an internal brace; second is 2mm adjacent to a different brace. Neither need attention and are left alone to preserve originality.
• Characteristic, three Martin stamps: “CF Martin & Co, New York” ink stamped on neck block; “CF Martin & Co, New York” ink stamped on center strip inside; and “CF Martin New York”, stamped/pressed into brazilian rosewood back of guitar, up near the heel. (note: this guitar is not signed personally by factory foreman, etc, on underside of top…. This fact, and the other details, points to a circa 1870 date, not 1880s or 90’s).

Label inside original coffin case reads: “L. Grunewalds… Piano, Organ, and Music House, New Orleans, La.” Louis Grunewald (1827-1915), of German birth, immigrated to New Orleans in 1852, performing as an organist in several Catholic churches in that city (Abel 2000, 268; derived from Boudreaux 1977, 72). In 1856 he opened his New Orleans music publishing business on Magazine Street.

Vustom made Lester Devoe Flamenco Negra, a one-of-a-kind, Brazilian Rosewood guitar, from one of the world’s top luthiers. Lester Devoe needs no introduction to the world’s great Flamenco players. The late, legendary Sabicas played a Devoe– and converted some of the great Flamenco players in Spain to the fold. Paco De Lucia, and Vicente Amigo, among others, play Devoe Flamenco guitars. (I personally delivered a Devoe Flamenco Blanca guitar to Paco De Lucia in Spain in late 2010– Paco likes his Devoe’s hand-delivered. Paco De Lucia began playing a Devoe Negra guitar years ago– and there are many Paco De Lucia recordings and feature films where Paco plays a Devoe Flamenco guitar.) And it’s rare that Lester makes a Negra with Brazilian rosewood of this age and quality.

• 650mm scale length
• Nut: 52mm
• Neck width at nut: 52mm
• String Spacing at nut: 44mm
• 80 year old Brazilian Rosewood (pre-CITES) back and sides (Quartersawn).
• European spruce top, with some beautiful and understated “"hazelfichte" (what Americans call bear claw).
• Custom, flamed Spanish Cedar neck
• Brazilian Rosewood headstock overlay, and bridge
• Brazilian Rosewood body binding, top and back
• Ebony fingerboard
• Sloane tuners
• Austere yet elegant Santos style black and white rosette, that Devoe uses only rarely, on top custom models
• Nitrocellulose lacquer finish

There was only one of these guitars made, with this combination of wood. It’s a rare custom instrument from this maker, and the tone is glorious– with the trebles only old Brazilian Rosewood delivers. But this is a Flamenco guitar– made by one of the best– so there is not too much “sustain”– that would disqualify it from being a great Flamenco, where a fast “decay” of the trebles emphasizes the percussive quality of the guitar. Only a master luthier can make a Negra that captures the best qualities of Brazilian, making those bass notes both crisp and growly, while assuring that the trebles ring with Brazilian bell-like clarity.

The Larson Brothers need little introduction to the world’s top players and collectors, and they are very different instruments from the Martin and Gibson instruments that dominated the 1920’s and 30’s by their shear numbers. Larson instruments are rising in value rapidly, as they never produced the kind of volume that Martin much less Gibson produced in those decades, and they are now recognized for their magnificent workmanship and tone. The now legendary Chicago-based Larson brothers, August and Carl, did not make instruments with a “Larson” label. All of their instruments were branded and marketed for Stahl, Maurer, Prairie State, Euphonon, Dyer, Bruno, and a few more. Yet every one of their instruments has their unmistakable trademarks. And their unmistakable tone. This exquisitely beautiful, 100% original Larson Mandolin was made at the very height of the Larson legacy– when they were making their finest instruments. It has all of the Larson trademarks that set apart the best Larsons, including “built under tension” design, and Larson’s classic “ebony under the binding” on the neck. Every part of this instrument is 100% original. And its crack-free– save for two tiny dryness finish cracks near center of back, of about two inches each.

• 100% original finish, everywhere
• Scale length: 13 inches
• Nut width: 1 1/8 inches
• Serial number: 38764

This particular model, is one of the high end Larson models, a presentation grade instrument, with its Abalone trim, elaborate inlays on headstock, and fretboard, and exquisite Brazilian rosewood. Tone: think of the best Brazilian rosewood instruments, but add more sustain. It vibrates in your hands, and the tone, because of Larson’s patented “built under tension” design, is thought of by players and collectors as being both unique and delivering probably the most sustain you’ll get from any instrument. If you’ve never played a Larson brothers mandolin or guitar, be prepared to be shocked by the brilliant, shimmering tone, the sustain that goes on and on, and the harmonic overtones– that nothing but a Larson achieves. This Larson-built mandolin is identical to the one in the famous Hank Risan collection, the Museum of the Musical Instrument (www.themomi.org). The MOMI houses one of the best collections of twentieth century American instruments– and their collection of Larson brothers instruments is the best collection in the world, choosing only the best examples. The Larson/Stahl mandolin in that collection, identical to this one save a slightly different bridge, can be seen at: http://www.themomi.org/museum/roaring20s/c.1930_Stahl_Mandolin.html

Brand new, Lester Devoe Flamenco Blanca, custom made (details on request). Lester Devoe needs no introduction to the world’s top flamenco players. His reputation was established decades ago (and his new models are the best ever made, and in huge demand worldwide). His guitars are played by the world’s top performing and recording flamenco artists. This instrument, custom made with a unique Spanish Cypress to add a more robust treble response to the legendary deep, throaty, percussive bass response of the Devoe Blanca, will amaze.

• Flamenco Blanca
• 650mm scale length
• Spanish cypress back and sides (custom, details on request)
• European spruce top
• Ebony fingerboard
• Sloane tuners
• Rosewood headstock veneer
• Cedar neck
• Nitrocellulose lacquer finish

This is the only one of these custom Devoe Blanca’s (4 made) with this particular combination of wood and tonal specs, available in the U.S.

100% crack-free, structurally perfect, this 00-28 is gold standard for 12 fret, pre-war Martin Brazilian Rosewood tone. Refinished to exquisite standards some 40 years ago, this 00-28 has some of the most stunning Brazilian rosewood ever used by Martin. This is the most beautiful, best sounding "Herringbone" prewar 00-28 we've seen. And with mileage on the finish, at the Arlington Guitar Show last fall, several top vintage guitar dealers were not sure if this wasn't the original finish on the guitar­, it's that good. It is braced for steel strings. It has held steel strings for years, and not only are there no cracks or stress issues, there is no bellying behind the bridge. And if that’s not enough, there is a letter from Mike Longworth, signed by Longworth and dated 1984, documenting the guitar, and suggesting the use of steel strings on it. Condition:

• No cracks anywhere.... Not a hint of a crack
• original bridge plate, in great condition
• original tuners
• original ivory bridge pins (the replacement bridge was made to accommodate these great original ivory bridge pins)
• Bridge is a perfect Brazilian Rosewood replacement, done by us, with old growth Brazilian.
• Saddle, and nut, carved from ivory (sourced by us, pre-CITES)
• Three very tiny screw holes above endpin from a previous tailpiece added and removed decades ago, were expertly filled by Tony Nobles–difficult to see more than a few inches away
• All the bar frets replaced by us (with Bar fret material from TJ Thomson), so it plays like a dream, with that full, cascading Brazilian tone that you'll only get from a fine 00-28

Pick this guitar up, and you won’t put it down for hours.

Signed by Martin factory foreman, underside of top: “Dec. 8, 1893”, this 0-28 is in wonderful original condition.

• Instrument is 100% original: finish, bridge, ivory nut, ivory saddle, ivory bridge pins, bar frets
• Brazilian Rosewood Back and Sides
• Adirondack Spruce top
• Shows very little wear
• Scalloped braces (X-braced)
• Original maple bridge plate in perfect condition
• Original French-polish shellac finish throughout
• 13.5" wide at lower bout, and 4.25" deep at the endpin
• 24.9" scale length
• 1-7/8" wide nut
• Soft-V neck profile
• A couple small top cracks, professionally repaired and not an issue. Two finish checks/cracks, that due not go through wood, on back

Plays beautifully, with either silk and steel strings, or the stings I prefer on an instrument like this– Savarez Alliance Composite strings.

In the 1920’s and early 30's, the Hawaiian craze was in full bloom, and ukulele production was crucial to Martin’s success in this period. This is a wonderful, extremely well-preserved example of one of the most ornate of the Martin ukuleles, still in its original Geib case. Although Martin ukes built after 1916 carried no serial number, it’s possible to generally date them by stylistic elements. This Martin Style 3 is from the best era, the golden era, from about 1925 to 1930. Martin style 3 was first made in 1918. Martin Style 3, soprano (standard) specs:

• Mahogany body
• 7 layer top binding
• 3 layer back binding
• Ebony fretboard
• 5 layer soundhole ring
• Celluloid ornament on top, behind bridge (known as the "parend", or “shield”)
• Bar frets
• Small pearl paired-diamond inlays at fret 5, 7, and 9
• Three lines inlaid down center of fingerboard
• Nickel plated pegs (introduced in 1923)
• CF Martin & Co, stamped on back of peghead, and inside-back (Martin logo was not put on front of peghead until 1932)

This Martin Style 3 ukulele is in unbelievable original condition. It is 100% original. Aside from one naturally occurring dryness crack on the back (repaired), and some very light pick marks by the sound hole that you can only see in the right angle of light, this ukulele shows almost no signs of use. It even has its original ivory saddle, at full height like it left the factory. The tone is all that you would expect from one of the best, high-end Martin instruments of the golden era.

A steel-string braced 00-18, with finely scalloped braces, and light as a feather. No wonder the tone is exquisite. This 12-fret gem, from the best era for Martin12-frets, resonates in your hands (say what you want about the 30’s, but the more lightly-built Martins of the 20’s become an extension of your body). The set up is low (4 to 5 64ths), so it plays like a dream. Original finish throughout. Mahogany back and sides. Adirondack spruce top. Ebony fingerboard. Original tuners/gear wheel below worm gear, ivoroid buttons. The instrument was acquired from one of North America’s top Martin restoration shops, Folkway Music, who reported: “This 00-18 went back to Martin in the late 80's for a neck reset, refret, re-bridge, and a new bridge plate. The back has one repaired crack, and there are two well repaired side cracks. Martin's repairs are well done, the new bar frets are nice and tall, and the bridge plate (maple) is only slightly oversized. The somewhat oversized pyramid bridge didn't look great when the guitar came in, so we re-profiled it here in shop and fitted a new bone saddle and vintage-correct bridge-pins.” This instrument will not disappoint. It has been correctly and meticulously restored by Martin, and by one of the world’s top Martin experts. It’s ready for decades of enjoyment.

Very few modern luthiers have captured that Larson Brothers sustain and what I call “shimmer” with a new build. This guitar, built by the master luthier Hans Brentrup in late 2009, has it in spades. We’ve never played anything but a 30’s Larson Bros’ that has the sustain this guitar has. Hans’ unique tone bars do what only the Larson tone bar system did– get the body of the guitar to sustain and impart that wonderful shimmer to the trebles especially.

• Brazilian Rosewood back and sides
• Engelmann spruce top
• 000 size
• 25.34 scale length
• Easily accommodates Medium or Heavy strings
• Hybrid ladder laminated bracing with Carbon fiber “Tone tubes”
• Mahogany neck
• Slotted headstock
• Golden Age tuners
• Ebony fingerboard with MOP dots
• Pyramid bridge
• Tortoise body binding
• Lacquer finish

With the top grade Brazilian upcharge, this is a $8K guitar, from the maker. This instrument is in almost mint condition. No dings, no cracks or hint of cracks– just the very slightest signs of use (what you might find in a brand new guitar that’s been in a showroom a few weeks).