Products Archive - Vintage American Guitar

Whyte Eagle 5 String Banjo very early production

Rare Alvarez Whyte Eagle 5 string Banjo very early production

Early 1970s, but in remarkably original condition. And this instrument is from the first, early production– so it has the maple 3-ply rim. This should not be compared to later production Whyte Eagles in the 70's – this is a very rare early one with unique features, described below, and great tone.

This banjo design is based on:
• neck/head/inlays: based on the high end Fairbanks Whyte Ladye of the early 20th century– one of the most beautiful designs in banjo history
• the pot assembly is modeled closely on the Gibson TB3, archtop of the 1930's. In fact it's a remarkable recreation of that design (and sound) – a more faithful recreation that many Gibson post-war versions.

Bluegrass banjo players seek out the 70’s Alvarez Whyte Eagles, known for their tone and craftsmanship. It was a pretty short window of only about five years, when these banjos were made with this kind of craftsmanship. They blow away most any banjo made and marketed (from any country) in the 60s, 70s and 80s– and they show no logos on headstock– just beautiful mother of pearl. It’s the model 4310 “Whyte Eagle”. Based on late 1920’s Vega Griffin (Tubaphone #9) style inlays, with engraved, carved heel. Sunburst finish maple banjo, Gibson-style 2 piece flange, full height 20 hole archtop tone ring, dual coordinator rods, flamed maple resonator, maple neck, chrome finish. Neck is butterfly with ebony strip on back of neck, down the center.

It’s extremely rare to find a Whyte Eagle from this very early period (serial number is 1776), when they first came out and the company bent over backwards to produce an instrument with zero compromise, from the inlays to the maple rim. The early features that are not on the later 70's Whyte Eagles, are – in addition to the 3-ply maple rim (not the 10-ply rim of almost all other Whyte Eagles) – the smaller star on the front of headstock (later models had a larger star), no “Alvarez” logo just the eagle inlay, and a darker sunburst on the resonator and also on the back of the neck.

Flamed maple resonator (sunburst back, with some of milkiness to the original finish)

Maple butterfly neck

Hand-carved heel

Mother of pearl inlays

Original tuners

Grover bridge

1 3/16 nut

Scale: 26 ¼ inches

20 hole archtop tone ring

11 inch head

With original hard shell case. Price $1850.

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Wayne Henderson – The American Guitar, and So Much More

This week, to honor the just-announced winners of the 2018 Wayne Henderson Guitar Festival, we call out not an individual guitar, but rather one of the greatest American luthiers working today– and especially that luthier’s (and great player’s) work for youth in his area. We’re speaking of course of Wayne Henderson, and his legendary Festival. Every June Wayne Henderson hosts on of the most culturally important music festivals in the U.S., at the amphitheater in Grayson Highlands State Park near Henderson’s home and shop in Rugby, Virginia. The guitar- and generally music-loving attendees hear great music while supporting scholarships for young musicians in the area. And at the heart of the festival is the guitar competition. Click here to see the just-announced winners. And here’s a look at Fretboard Journal’s visit to the festival– and to Wayne Henderson’s luthier’s shop– a few years back. Click here for the article. .

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Vintage Handel Mandolin Tuners

This is a great original set, of the famed Handel tuners from the early 20th century. Silver wire and pearl inset. In good condition. One button has a slight chip. Good working order. Price: $495.

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Tony Nobles Custom Tele

Another original, new, beautiful Custom Tele from master luthier Tony Nobles, based in Wimberly Texas. (Tony has crafted custom guitars for artists ranging in style from Joe Walsh to Alejandro Escovedo.) This guitar was custom made to our specs. And it’s one of one– the only one made with these features. Body: Figured Walnut top over adler Custom high end Musikraft quilted maple neck Width at the Nut: 1-11/16" Width at the Heel: 2-3/16 (55.56mm) Number of Frets: 21 Fret Type: Medium 6105 Finger Board Radius: 10" Body: natural, nitro lacquer finish Back of neck: natural, no finish Front of headstock: natural, nitro lacquer finish Bridge: Hannes by Schaller Non-Tremolo Bridge, #GTH RU-BLACK RUTHENIUM Tuners: Sperzel Trimlok Locking Guitar Tuners 6-in-line Trim-Lok Black Pickups: Harmonic Design "Vintage Plus" bridge and neck pickups

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Tony Nobles Coney Island Custom Tele
Tony Nobles "Coney Island Custom" Tele Guitar Master luthier Tony Nobles, based in Wimberly, Texas, needs little introduction. He’s been crafting custom guitars for years, quietly, without much hype, for artists ranging in style from Joe Walsh to Alejandro Escovedo. This guitar is fun, unique (it’s one of one), and draws on the DNA of some interesting sources. Starting with: the fretboard is made from rosewood salvaged from the actual Coney Island Boardwalk when they rebuilt it a few years ago. So it's a piece of history. Cut to chase on this unique guitar:
- Top: bookmatched Maple; Natural Maple top binding
- Nitrocelulose lacquer finish
- Musikraft neck, maple, with rosewood fretboard made from salvaged wood from the actual Coney Island Boardwalk (when they tore down the old boardwalk for reconstruction, and the wood was preserved by architects/preservationists)
- 25.5" Scale
- Width at the Nut: 1-11/16"
- Width at the Heel: 2-3/16 (55.56mm)
- Number of Frets: 21
- Fret Type: Medium 6105
- Finger Board Radius: 10"
- Back of neck: natural, no finish
- Front of headstock, blue to match body
- Bridge: Schaller, imported from Germany, chrome
- Tuners: Sperzel Trimlok Locking Guitar Tuners 6-in-line Trim-Lok SATIN CHROME
- Volume and tone knobs: brushed satin chrome
- Pickups: Harmonic Design "54 special" for the bridge pickup; and Harmonic Design "MiniStrat" for the neck pickup
... no longer available ...
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Thomas Blackshear Classical Guitar, 1943 Hauser model Brazilian Rosewood
Tom Blackshear is a living legend in the classical and flamenco guitar worlds. He’s been building from his shop in Texas for decades, with an international client base and international prestige, and his older guitars especially are hard to find and in great demand (and rarely come to market. (There is currently one at Dream Guitars. This guitar was built in 1987, and was based on Jeffrey Elliott’s “1943 Hauser” plan. The tone is robust, and clear, with bright brazilian trebles, and the kind of nice string separation and clarity that an old German spruce top gives. The instrument:
- Tom Blackshear classical guitar, serial # 184, built in 1987; signed on label by the builder; also signed in pencil, on underside of top
- model: based on Jeffrey Elliott’s “1943 Hauser” plan
- Brazilian Rosewood back and sides
- German spruce top
- Brazilian Rosewood bridge
- Ebony fretboard
- Scale length: 660
In spring 2015, in consultation with Tom Blackshear who inspected the instrument in person at his shop and advised on details, the guitar was sent to New York-based master luthier David LaPlante, one of the top finish experts in the country. LaPlante did a French polish refresh on the top, back and sides. There had been a flamenco style clear tap plate installed by a previous owner, and that tap plate was removed, then LaPlante did the French polish refresh and the some addressing of minor tap-plate edge-shadows and various nicks. (note, neck, headstock were not touched and retain their original French polish). The result is a beautiful, thin, French polish that shows off the German spruce top and the Brazilian back and sides. Amazingly, this guitar is paired with its original sound hole cut-out from the builder from 1987! What a nice touch. See the attached photo showing the original cutout, with Blackshear’s original handwritten notes from the 1987 build right on the wood. Price: $4950. In a hard shell case.
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Rockbridge Custom Slope Shoulder Gibson J-35 Style

Another masterpiece from Charlottesville, Virginia-based Rockbridge Guitars. The slope shouldered dreadnought is faithful to the great Gibson J-35 of the late 1930’s, plus more: old-growth Brazilian Rosewood, with remarkable landscaping. Big big tone, volume, projection. Great sustain, ringing trebles, and yes most importantly string separation. Ebony fretboard. In a custom Cedar Creek case. Read the full description below. If you're interested in this guitar, please call 512.922.8596 or contact us here. ... no longer available ...

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Rockbridge Custom Roy Smeck Model

This guitar is a masterfully crafted interpretation of the fabled Roy Smeck, a slope-shouldered Gibson acoustic from the 1930s, which pairs a 12-fret neck with a standard, slope shouldered body, in Brazilian rosewood. From Charlottesville, Virginia-based Rockbridge -- one of the country’s most intriguing and masterful boutique luthiers. In a custom Cedar Creek case. Read the full description below. If you're interested in this guitar, please call 512.922.8596 or contact us here.

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Rare Whyte Eagle 5 string Banjo very early production

Early 1970s, but in remarkably original condition. And this instrument is from the first, early production– so it has the maple 3-ply rim. This should not be compared to later production Whyte Eagles– this is a very rare early one with unique features, and great tone. This banjo design is based on: • neck/head/inlays: based on the high end Fairbanks Whyte Ladye of the early 20th century– one of the most beautiful designs in banjo history • the pot assembly is modeled closely on the Gibson TB3, archtop of the 1930's. In fact it's a remarkable recreation of that design (and sound) – a more faithful recreation that many Gibson post-war versions. Bluegrass banjo players seek out the 70’s Alvarez Whyte Eagles, known for their tone and craftsmanship. It was a pretty short window of only about five years, when these banjos were made with this kind of craftsmanship. They blow away most any banjo made and marketed (from any country) in the 60s, 70s and 80s– and they show no logos on headstock– just beautiful mother of pearl. It’s the No. 4310 “Whyte Eagle”. Based on late 1920’s Vega Griffin (Tubaphone #9) style inlays, with engraved, carved heel. Sunburst finish maple banjo, Gibson-style 2 piece flange, full height 20 hole archtop tone ring, dual coordinator rods, flamed maple resonator, maple neck, chrome finish. Neck is butterfly with ebony strip on back of neck, down the center. It’s extremely rare to find a Whyte Eagle from this very early period (serial number 1672), when they first came out and the company bent over backwards to produce an instrument with zero compromise, from the inlays to the maple rim. The early features that are not on the later 70's Whyte Eagles, are– in addition to the 3-ply maple rim (not the 10-ply rim of almost all other Whyte Eagles)– the smaller star on the front of headstock (later models had a larger star), no “Alvarez” logo just the eagle inlay, and a darker sunburst on the resonator and also on the back of the neck. Flamed maple resonator (sunburst back, with a touch of milkiness to the original finish) Maple butterfly neck Hand-carved heel Mother of pearl inlays Original tuners Grover bridge 1 3/16 nut Scale: 26 ¼ inches 20 hole archtop tone ring 11 inch head ... no longer available ...

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Rare Jerome tuners for Martin 19th century guitar 1840’s 1850’s

Even more rare, early Jerome’s, made in France. Circa 1840 -1850. Unusual design. Missing one post/worm gear. Damage to one worm gear bracket. Price: $795.

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Rare 1850’s Martin 1-21
1855-1860 Martin “transitional”1-21. A very rare and exquisite large size Martin from the pre-1867 era. “Large size” Martin from the 1850’s, because the Size 1, and 0, were the only “large” size Martins in those years. And there is currently not a single other size 1 or 0 size pre-1867 Martin guitar on the market. This is considered by the top U.S. experts who vetted this instrument as an early, rare "transitional" 1-21, based on the fact that it does not have all the later, standardized, 1860’s and on “21” attributes– specifically, backstrip and endwedge on this instrument are not typical of “price-list” era 21’s (after the publishing of the first Martin price lists, establishing features of the different models, in the 1860’s) This 1-21 has:
- Diamond marquetry backstrip (not found on later, 1860’s 1-21s)
- Marquetry endwedge (not found on later, 1860’s 1-21s) (Wood end wedge and herringbone backstrip were the standard features of the 1860’s and after 1-21’s)
- X-braced. All braces are 100% original. No internal repairs to braces.
- Slot head
- Ebonized neck (maple neck, ebonized, i.e. painted black). This is another transitional feature: black neck was replaced by cedar on Style 21 by the time the Martin price list was first printed.
- Single "tone bar" brace behind the bridge plate
- Ice cream cone-shaped heel (1860’s 1-21’s had cedar neck, with Spanish style heel not ice cream cone heel)
- Three "CF Martin New-York" stamps: one inside center strip; the second on neck block (this stamp is upside down, as it should be); the third on back of guitar (near heel), the third stamp transversing the backstrip on the back of the guitar near the heel.
- Solid Brazilian Rosewood back and sides
- All original finish, everywhere; no touch-ups, overspray, etc, of any kind ever done
- Brazilian rosewood back shows beautiful sawmarks
- Bridge, more than a century old, is probably a replacement bridge… but on the original bridge footprint
- Original ivory nut
- Original bridge plate (mahogany)
- No back cracks, or side cracks; one top crack, repaired
- Tuners are modern replacements, vintage style, in original slot holes
- Original frets
This instrument plays beautifully, with a richness of bass especially that is remarkable for a 19th century Martin. Action is perfect. Ready to play and enjoy, as one of the few examples of a large pre-1867 Martin– and with rare features that make it highly collectible.
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Rare 1840’s Guiot Guitar, Panormo

More rare than a Panormo guitar, this original, wonderfully preserved and sonorous guitar is from the London-based J. Guiot, circa 1846– and it’s a cousin if not a sibling of a Panormo, in style, appointments, and provenance. The headstock and neck volute of this instrument, as well as the bridge, exactly match that of two known Guiot guitars of the period (see links below). It’s possible that this guitar was made in the workshop of Panormo by Guiot while he worked there, and it is in fact Panormo in style, exactly– but likely it’s one of the very rare-on-the-market Guiot guitars made after Guiot established an independent workshop in the 1840’s. Either way, we guarantee it as a Guiot, and the value of Guiots– being very rare– are in line with Panormos. This guitar is in remarkable original condition, with none of the kinds of damage, major repairs, or structural issues found on nearly all surviving instruments of the period. And even more importantly, it plays wonderfully as well. We simply adjusted the nut a bit, and leveled the original frets, and it plays like it was recently made– but with a sound that only an 1840’s, London-made Spanish style guitar can produce. The intonation is great. Action is fine– not too high. Listen to the sound/video clip of this guitar being played, by clicking here. (Note: the video is labeled “Panormo” because the instrument was thought to be a Panormo when the recording was made. The guitar being played on the video is indeed this instrument). The guitar has a couple of repaired back cracks, and one well repaired top crack– amazingly little for a guitar this age. The features of this instrument: All original finish Spruce top Brazilian Rosewood back and sides Original Baker Tuners Original pin bridge, that has never been off the guitar Original frets Fan braced, 5 fan braces Scale length: 25 inches (63.5 cm) Lower bout: 11 3/8 inch (29.3 cm) Upper bout: 8 ¾ inches String spacing at bridge: 2 ½ inches Nut: 47 cm String spacing at nut: 1 ¾ inches Depth of sides (bottom): 4 inches (10cm) Depth of sides (top): 3 ½ Body length: 17 ¾ J. Guiot and A. Guiot were some of the luthiers who left France between 1830 and 1850, to work in London– and like Panormo, the Guiots made guitars in the Spanish style. Panormo had adopted a more Spanish style of guitar building in large part due to the urging of Fernando Sor– and that style that would soon overtake the French style, and eventually dominate in the new world as well (i.e. CF Martin’s adoption of the Spanish style of guitar making circa 1844 onward). The well known American composer and performer Madame Sydney Pratten was an ardent proponent of– and player of– the Guiot guitars in the mid-19th century. Reference: two Guiot instruments with the exact headstock and neck volute, and bridge (and also fret markers on 5, 7, and 9 position on the 1846 instrument): • Terz guitar, made by Guiot, Panormo model, London, made 1846– click here to view • J. Guiot, Panormo school guitar, made 1844 – click here to view. The instrument is in a modern hard shell case. Price: $6950.

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Rare Alvarez Whyte Eagle 5 string Banjo very early production