Gallery

This historically significant Gibson L-1, 12-fret flat top guitar, is the earliest true Gibson flat top guitar on the market today.  As well as the one in the best, original condition. And it is a rare example, exhibiting transitional features that place it just barely after the 1926 introduction– yet still a 1926 model (Factory order number: 8406)– but leaning toward a few subsequent, very early changes that would establish Gibson on the flat top scene that Martin had carved out so well. Introduced in '26 (there was already a L-1 archtop), the original Gibson L-1 flat top had a 13-1/2" body, wide V-neck, and H-bracing. The L-1 later achieved fame due to its association with the legendary bluesman Robert Johnson. Its rounded lower bout, combined with narrow waist, is distinctive. And its thin braces, thin finish, and thin woods give it a wonderful woody yet loud, cutting, bluesy tone that no 1930’s– much less more modern– Gibson or Martin could achieve. It is the transitional nature of this particular guitar, that is intriguing. The very first L-1 flat top, had an arched back (birch, or maple), and a pretty fat V-shaped neck. Other traits of the very first L-1 flat top: single bound top; maple back and sides; no truss rod; unbound ebony fingerboard; H pattern top bracing; “The Gibson” paint logo straight across peghead; light amber top finish; Sheraton brown finish on back and sides; single bound back. But this L-1, though very early, does not have arched back, but rather a true flat top-style back. And its neck is a great-playing C shape, not overly fat, and not a V shape. Furthermore, it has “A” bracing, not the standard H bracing. Finally, this guitar has a (original) ebony fretboard with virtually no radius. It’s a true “transition” example. It is notably not a hybrid put together from old L-1 archtop parts– as were the very first L-1 “flat tops” out of the gate in 1926. These are the traits of this early Gibson L-1 flat top:

• Single bound, red spruce top, with amber stain
• Original ebony bridge; original cellulose bridge pins (unslotted)
• Maple back and sides (back is not arched), with Sheraton brown finish
• Mahogany neck, C-shaped
• Original, very thin maple bridge plate, tucked under braces, and extending all the way to the kerfing at the sides of the top, and tucked under the Kerfing
• No truss rod
• Unbound ebony fingerboard (not “ebonized”, but solid ebony)
• “The Gibson” paint logo straight across peghead
• Single bound (ivoroid) top
• Single bound (ivoroid) back
• H bracing (a slight variation of  “A” bracing; with the apex at either side of the neck block– and the braces actually tuck beneath the neck block)
• Pearl dots on 5,7, and 9 frets
• Original three-on-a-plate tuners, with plastic tuner buttons
• Original frets
• Original ebony nut
• 13 5/8 inch, lower bout
• 24 1/2 inch scale (not the 25 inch scale that was soon settled on by Gibson for the L-1, soon after the introduction)
• Nut width: just shy of 1 7/8 inch
• Width of fretboard at 12th fret: 2 ¼ inch
• String spacing at nut: a hair over 1 ½ inch
• String spacing at bridge: 2 3/8 inch
• Three well-repaired top cracks  (all, with the grain; and the amber finish on top is very forgiving, in terms of appearance, so cracks are hardly visible)
• One replaced tuner post

Every part of this guitar is original, except a new saddle, and the one replaced tuner post. Even the bridge pins are original. The neck was just set by us, perfectly. Intonation is perfect, all the way up to the high frets. Action: 3/32 over 4/32 inch (high E; low E, at 12 fret). This guitar is a rare example of the first true Gibson flat top, and is the earliest made on the market that is indeed a true Gibson flat top– not a hybrid Gibson archtop/flat top. If you acquire this guitar, you’ll have boasting rights to the first Gibson flat top still in existence. But that’s all for show. More than anything, this guitar plays beautifully. It’s hard to put down. Its tone is wonderful. It has clear, glassy trebles that only the combination of maple back and sides with the very thin build, can deliver. This is a guitar whose trebles and mids you will not find on any other instrument. It is a combination of that uncompromised, pure woody tone from the great 20’s flat tops, but with the clear, louder trebles and mids that are haunting, and fill the room, even with the lightest touch.

We converted this Golden Era 12-fret Koa Martin from the original Hawaiian setup ourselves, so it's perfect. The instrument does not have a crack anywhere. All original finish. Original Ebony bridge, converted from the tall Hawaiian set-up to a normal 30's set-up. Same with the ebony nut. All new, period-perfect Bar Frets. We radiused the ebony fretboard to 30's Martin specs. Neck was set and action is perfect. 1-7/8 inch nut width. Original tuners. Original bridge plate. Minor nicks and dings on top and back, but with the all original finish and crack-free, it's a rare specimen. Nothing compares in tone to an all-Koa Golden Age Martin. Koa blends the midrange of mahogany with the top end of maple-or, in the case of a fine 30's Koa Martin- hints of Brazilian rosewood. This fine 0-18K has all you would want from a Koa Martin, with the clearest, bell-like treble string tone imaginable.

The Larson Brothers of Chicago never marketed any guitar, throughout their long career, that was marked “Larson”. Their designs were branded by Maurer, Stahl, Prarie State, Stetson, and a few other guitar makers– but never “Larson”. They were also known for making many “off-catalog” guitars, i.e. guitars with combinations of features that varied from the Maurer, Stahl, etc, catalogs, and guitars that were not marked at all with a brand. This guitar is a Larson Bros creation that is not marked at all. It is a custom made instrument–but it has all the typical Larson hallmarks. The tone of this Larson is every bit as wonderful as the Maurer/Larson listed above, indeed it is quite similar, due to the same patented “built under tension” design, and X-bracing. This Larson does not have laminated braces (it’s well documented that laminated braces were only used on certain models–and their use was not related to level or price.) Every part of this guitar is original, including original finish. There are two repaired cracks on the back, and three small, repaired cracks on top.

• Lower bout width: 12 5/8 inches
• Brazilian rosewood back and sides
• Ivory celluloid Bound fretboard
• Ivory celluloid Bound headstock
• Spruce top
• X braced
• Larson’s patented “built under tension” design
• Rosette: Abalone pearl and wood inlay bordering the sound hole
• Radiused ebony fingerboard, and Classic Larson Brothers’ “ebony below the binding”
• Engraved inlays on fretboard
• Original tuners
• Original ebony bridge
• Original bridge pins
• 1-7/8" wide nut
• 2 1/4" bridge string spacing
• 24.3" scale length
• One-piece mahogany neck, round C shaped neck profile.

When this concert guitar was made in 1976, it was the top model offered by the master luthier Masaru Kohno– when he was at the very height of his career. There is some confusion out there as to which Kohno was the “top” concert model at any given date in height of Masaru Kohno’s career– from the early 70’s to the late-80s’. No confusion here– as there is correspondence (from August 2011) directly from Masaki Sakurai to us, regarding this guitar. Masaki Sakurai (nephew of Masaru Kohno, who in fact worked along side Masaru Kohno when this instrument was made in 1976, and now of course runs the “Sakurai/Kohno” shop, since the death of Masaru Kohno in 1998) confirms that this guitar was the top model available from Kohno in mid-1976. (Don’t be confused– a later, for example 1980 No. 30 Kohno is not a top Kohno model from that year. By 1980, the top model was a No. 50.) The confusion arises because Kohno had, in the early 70s until the late 80’s the custom of making his model numbers correspond to the guitars’ price in Japanese Yen. Hence, this guitar, a “No. 30”, in mid-1976, was priced at 300,000 Japanese Yen, and was the top model (a very expensive guitar in 1976). The confusion arises because as the inflation-prone 70’s continued, everyone adjusted prices upward. When inflation kept advancing, Kohno model numbers were something of a moving target, and the “top model” number changed upwards over time. Over time the top model moved up to No. 30 (this guitar), and then later No. 50 (starting in 1977). Kohno finally stopped using numbers in the 80’s and then called the top model the “Professional J”, and on, with more variations of “Professional”.) In any case this guitar, was the top model made, when it came from the Kohno shop (correspondence from Masaki Sakurai confirming this, will be supplied). But the real proof is in the playing. This instrument stands along with the best brazilian rosewood/spruce concert guitars from any maker, anywhere, any period. Crystal clear brazilian trebles. Wonderful resonance, combined with superior string separation.

• Hand-signed on label by Masaru Kohno, and dated 1976
• Solid European spruce top
• Solid Brazilian rosewood back and sides
• 660mm scale length
• Nut: 52mm
• Mahogany neck with 2 ebony supporting strips
• Ebony fretboard
• Gold engraved Gotoh tuners
• One repaired crack on back of guitar
• Crack-free top and sides. There are various nicks, dings, and scratches.
• Finish is naturally worn off, through playing, on the center section of the back of the neck– giving it a very fast feel in the left hand.

Note on Kohno playability: While short scale lengths are in vogue today, many “vintage” guitars from the great makers (Ramirez for instance with their typical 665mm or even longer scale length guitars in this era) especially from the late 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s, are longer scale. This guitar is a comfortable scale at 660mm, and it’s important to note: the original Kohno design, that is continued even in today's models, was intentionally different from the high-end Spanish concert guitars of the day which had high action and beefy necks. From the Kohno factory the action was set low on guitars. The necks were moderately thin in profile and shaped for very fluid playability. So at 660mm scale length, with its slim profile neck, this is an easy-playing Kohno.

Long-scale, 000 sized 12-fret Martins from the late 20’s are among the most sought-after prewar instruments. This was the biggest, loudest Martin made for steel strings in this era, with a 25.4 inch scale length, the same scale length as a 30’s D-45. (The 14-fret 000’s of the 30s and later have a shorter, 24.5 inch scale). In no other instrument will you get the resonance (from thin tops and back), combined with the long scale length. It’s a big pre-war Martin 12-fret. That’s why this instrument is one of the most highly sought-after prewar Martins– and increasingly very difficult to find. But it’s all about one thing: the tone, emanating from a large-bodied 12-fret that plays wonderfully, and loud, even with the most delicate fingerpicking. The bass response here is the best you will ever find in any prewar Martin 12-fret guitar. This wonderful 000-18 was set up restored and set up by none other than Gruhn Guitars in Nashville– to impeccable standards. Gruhn refinished the top, back and sides. Neck, fretboard, headstock, are all original finish. Gruhn also replaced the bridge with a perfectly correct ebony bridge. The guitar has its original bridgeplate. New, period-correct Bar frets were installed by Gruhn. 1 7/8” nut. Mahogany back and sides. Adirondack spruce top. Ebony fingerboard. It has original tuners (gear wheel below worm gear, ivoroid buttons). The top and back of the guitar are completely crack-free and perfect– with full thickness the same as the day they left the factory. And the totally crack-free top shows absolutely perfect form and shape, with no undue bellying behind the bridge. There are a couple of almost imperceptible side cracks that were addressed by Gruhn, almost impossible to see from the outside. One of the most sought-after prewar Martin 12-frets, restored correctly, and set up, by the world’s best. (Included: a signed, in-hand Appraisal of the guitar– by George Gruhn)

The last of the Mohicans, made within a few months before Martin stopped using Brazilian Rosewood on its instruments. Some guitars feel dead right the minute you pick them up. This is on of those. First and foremost, the tone of this instrument is unsurpassed for the bell-like trebles that only come from Brazilian Rosewood. The tone of this guitar, I would hold up to most mid-40’s D-28’s I’ve played. Playability, and set-up: it could not be better, and it’s got that 60’s combination of low action, great tuning speed and accuracy from the Grovers, and superb intonation all the way to the wee frets. More than anything, this guitar stands out for its low action combined with robust tone. Amazingly, the string height at the 12th fret: Just a hair over 2/32” at the high E; and 3/32 at the low E. It plays in our left hand like a dream, fast and fluid… yet the tone is full with no buzzing anywhere. I personally have never played a Martin dreadnought from any period that is so effortless to play, so easy on the left hand and so fast and yet so full of Brazilian tone. BTW, light gauge strings only? No way… I’ve got it strung with medium gauge, and it plays like butter in your left hand. Condition:

• all original: finish; frets bridge, bridge plate, saddle. (Bridge pins could be replacements, hard to tell, but they are right.)
• The bridge looks like it has never been off
• Neck has never been set
• There is minor pickwear, with some moderate wear around the soundhole.
• No cracks on top; two, almost indiscernible cracks on back, that have been addressed–glued (no cleats). You have to look very hard to see these two back cracks, they are hairline cracks, each about 6 inches long.. but they are not visible from more than a few inches away, and impossible to photograph.
• Minor nicks and dings, most are visible in photos
• No strap lugs ever added
• Original end pin
• Throw away the book on this one… This is one of the best Brazilian rosewood Dreadnought Martins you’ll play, period, in fine original condition.

The Larson Brothers of Chicago began making steel string guitars earlier than did Martin, with their own ideas not tied to the past, and their designs are now considered by both players and collectors to be uniquely beautiful, wonderful for tone, and highly desirable. And they are much more rare guitars than Martin or Gibson– and more ornate than either Gibson or the always conservative Martin. Tone: think of a Martin Brazilian Rosewood 0-sized 12 fret from the 20’s, but add much more sustain. It vibrates in your hands, and because of Larson’s patented “built under tension” design, is thought of by players and collectors as being both unique and generating more sustain than you’ll get from any other guitar ever made. But the tone of Larsons (even the larger bodied-ones) is more treble-weighted than a Martin from the same era, so that this extra sustain does not result in a muddled sound– more like a magical shimmer and sustain that really brings out the mid- and treble-side Brazilian tone. Every part of this guitar is original. Guitar is crack-free. The bridge, never having been off the guitar, was at some point decades ago shaved slightly on top to lower the action. We have decided to keep this original bridge in place and not install a repro bridge–action is good, and the neck is straight. This particular model, is one of the very high end Larson models, with its Abalone trim, elaborate inlays on headstock and fretboard, and exquisite book-matched Brazilian rosewood back.

• Year: 1926
• Model: 562
• Serial number: 31778
• This is the Maurer Larson Brothers “Standard size”: lower bout width: 12 3/4 inches
• Brazilian rosewood back and sides
• Spruce top
• Larson's “laminated” X braces. This is the patented Larson Brothers’ bracing, with each brace being Spruce/Rosewood/Spruce
• Larson’s patented “built under tension” design
• Trim: Abalone pearl and herringbone bordering the top and sound hole
• Torch-style pearl headstock inlay
• Radiused ebony fingerboard, and Classic Larson Brothers’ “ebony below the binding”
• Engraved inlays on fretboard
• Original Engraved Waverly tuners
• Original Ivory bridge pins
• 1-7/8" wide nut
• 2-5/16" bridge string spacing
• 24.5" scale length
• One-piece mahogany neck, round C shaped neck profile.

This is a wonderful, original from the factory "Lefty", a 1975 D-35L. Lefty's from this period are rare. Before the era of computerized factories, and the intro of the CNC machines at Martin, a high-end Lefty like this one was essentially a custom-made guitar. The bracing in this guitar was custom designed and built at the Martin factory for a true lefty top– this is not a regular D-35 with just different saddle and pickguard. It's built as a left-handed guitar, down to every brace. This guitar is in about as close to mint condition as you can get. The original black pickguard was lifting a bit (not from wear, there wasn't any– but just because Martin used some odd pickguard material in those years), so we just thought it would be cool to replace it with a vintage 30s style tortoise guard. I had John Allison cut a new guard, using period correct (1930's that is) nitrocellulose material. It looks great. (and BTW it's on the exact footprint of the original guard– they nudged them up a bit closer to the bridge on lefty's). This guitar sounds great. Fine, ringing trebles. Beautiful mids. It's one of the best D-35's we've played, from any period. And again, the condition is just almost mint. No cracks. No checking of finish. Everything except the pickguard is 100% original. It comes in its original hard shell Martin case, and original Martin literature from the Factory. The neck is straight, and action is perfect.

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