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Crack-free, and 100% original, down to the bridge pins, and the original Geib case. Just getting a neck set to make it play perfectly. -
6:1 ratio pre war Grovers, mid-1930's. As used on Martin pre-war dreadoaught guitars. Oval buttons, bevelled edges on the baseplate. Just one button has some missing chrome on one side (see photos). With bushings, and mounting screws. No bent shafts. Good working condition. Price: $795. -
This Banjo has a unique tone, that only comes from a Gretsch Die-cast metal shell/flange construction, prewar banjo. But it’s rare to see these banjos in anything other than tenor. This one is a rare, original 5 string configuration, and has a nice “Gretsch growl” (a term that some drummers use to describe Gretsch drums). Wonderful, dark tone, with bell-like high notes. And with a bit of sustain that is reminiscent of a prewar Dobro guitar. Growl, plus sustain, and ringing highs – only from a Gretsch prewar banjo. Pearloid heastock overlay. 11 inch head. 26 inch scale length. 22-fret Brazilian rosewood fingerboard, with dot markers. Walnut neck, and resonator. Top tension head adjustment with 20 lugs. Original calf skin head. Price: $750. -
An all-original Martin from the finest era in the company’s history, this 0-18 is unsurpassed for Martin 12-fret Adirondack spruce over Mahogany tone. What can you add about a 1930 Martin, that is 100% original, down to the original bridge pins, and original ivory saddle This example is from the time when Martin had just started using belly bridges, and the ebony belly bridge on this guitar still has its original ivory saddle. And this guitar is 100% crack-free. Period. The instrument features the original bridge (full height), original tuners, original ivory saddle, original nut, and original maple bridge plate (the bridge plate shows almost no wear from ball ends–almost unheard of in a prewar Martin). All original finish– everywhere. Some honest playwear and various minor nicks and dings give the wonderfully aged and naturally honey-hued Adirondack top character. The top shows perfect form, with no bellying behind the bridge, etc. One of the things that makes Martin’s from these year so great-sounding: Martin was still using a thin ebony rod inside the neck, not a metal bar. So the instrument is more free to resonate, from tuners, right down to the bridge. And resonate this one does, with a strong bass especially that puts many many large size guitars to shame. 1-7/8 inch nut. The neck has just been set, by us, retaining the original Bar frets -
A great sounding 00-18, from the era when 18’s were light as a feather and have the resonance that result in singular tone– and this one from the time when Martin had just moved away from the pyramid bridge and to the belly bridge.- Original finish (with a bit of overspray, only on the area below the soundhole (typical light overspray where there was pick wear)
- Has just had neck set, here, perfect job
- Has just been refret, with period correct Bar frets obtained from TJ Thompson
- New, exact duplicate bridge made (it had its original belly bridge, but it had a crack and we preferred to replace the bridge with a perfect reproduction ebony belly bridge. New bridge, is on exact, correct footprint of original bridge
- the top of the guitar is crack-free
- the back of the guitar is crack-free
- Repaired side cracks, on both treble and bass sides
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The instrument features the original ebony bridge (full height), original tuners, original ivory saddle and nut, original maple bridge plate. Ebony fretboard. Bar frets. Thin, Soft-V neck. Finish is original. There is some overspray on the top, which is confined mainly to below the soundhole (over about the same size area, as what a pickguard would cover–but it never had a pickguard), and a bit below the bridge, and very very light on other areas of the top. Apparently a previous owner wanted to address the pick/finger wear and a repaired crack below the bridge. It's generally unobtrusive, no effect on the color of the top, and not noticeable from a few feet. Also, some light overspray on back and sides. As overspray goes, it has minimal effect on the appearance. Neck, and head have no overspray at all. There is one crack on the instrument from the bridge to the bottom of the guitar, but it's well repaired (it's about a half-inch from the center seam, below the bridge). Also about a 2 1/2 inch shallow crack/finish crack near where the fretboard meets the top (about 1/8 inch from the fretboard), on low-E side (does not go through–It is not visible on underside of top). There is a small indentation on the side rosewood (about one inch in area, on the side/lower, stable.) 1-7/8 inch nut. Action is 3/32 inch high E string/12th fret. 4/32 low E string… just right to get that full, cascading Brazilian tone from this fine 0-21. -
This is a superb sounding 5 string banjo. Quoting George Gruhn in “The Vintage Catalogue”– “During the banjo boom of the 1920s, many musicians considered Bacon & Day to be the finest banjo maker of the time. Their instruments were prized for their exceptional volume and cutting power, as well as for their beautiful craftsmanship… we can only speculate what might have happened if Earl Scruggs, Don Reno, or some other well-known bluegrass player had used a Bacon & Day model.” • Bacon & Day Super, 5-string Banjo (Style A) Serial number: 25892 (early 1928) • Resonator, stamped on inside (in nickel-laminated maple): Bacon Banjo Co., Inc. Groton, CT. U.S.A. Dec. 20th, 1927 • Conversion, 5 string neck (original neck was probably a tenor or plectrum); Presumably, this neck is newer than the banjo– yet the advanced MOP fret markers are as found on the earliest versions of B&D Super banjos. We assume this neck was built by one of the very best U.S. “conversion” builders – with a re-use of the original MOP inlay at the peghead plus the dowel stick. Maple neck, with steel reinforcing rod. Fretboard is beautiful jet-black ebony; multi-layer neck bindings. • 22 frets • Scale length: 27 inches • Extended Maple resonator– nickel laminated on inside • Original flat Tulip-hole flange (not the “add-on” round-hole resonator of earlier years). • Original, top of the line Type III Silver Bell tone ring (No Hole tone ring) original to the instrument (this is the most sought-after, advanced tone ring, introduced early 1927). • Original 2 band Grover geared tuning pegs • Fults tailpiece, and included a variety of Fults tone pins. Bob Fults made the best tailpieces available. And his tone pins let you tweak the tone of your banjo. There are several interchangeable Fults pins included here– ivory, ebony, lead, sterling silver, brass, and copper. Plus a "tone lock". (Bob Fults recently retired, and these highly sought after Fults tailpieces and pins are no longer available.) In its original hard shell case. Price: $3950. -
The 5-21 Martins, with their Brazilian Rosewood back and sides and Adirondack spruce tops, are known for putting out an astounding amount of sound. This tenor guitar, style 5-21T, does that in spades. Measuring 11-3/8" across, with its X braced top and light build, the instrument has an amazing amount of tone. Though Martin offered size 5 models ranging from style 15 through the elaborately ornamented style 45, the only ones made in any significant quantity prior to World War II were the style 17, 18, and 21 in six-string guitars and styles 17, 18, and 21 tenors, as well as some style 15 post-war size 5 tenors. Features of this instrument:- Recent neck set, and leveling of original bar frets, action is very good
- Original Grover tuning machines, working well
- Nut width of 1 1/4"
- Scale length: 22.5"
- 1 3/8" string spacing at the saddle
- Had an added tailpiece at once point (3 tiny screw holes near end pin
- No top cracks
- One repaired 11" crack on the bottom lower bout side
- One 6" repaired crack on the upper bout back under the herring bone center inlay,
- One 4” repaired crack on the lower bout back towards the bottom
- A small hole at the center of the rear headstock– probably at some point for a nail to hang the instrument on a wall
- Neck has a comfortable V shape, leaning toward a U profile
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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 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.
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Take Martin’s best era for 12-fret guitars, add more scale length, and you get the best of both worlds–that’s what players say about the 000 sized 12-frets, if they can find one, from the mid to late 20’s. 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 a highly sought-after prewar Martin. This crack-free 000-18 has great provenance: acquired from and set up by one of the world’s top Martin experts (in Tuebingen, Germany). 1 7/8” nut. Mahogany back and sides. Adirondack spruce top. Ebony fingerboard. It has original tuners (gear wheel below worm gear, ivoroid buttons), parts, and all original finish. Restoration by TJ Thompson and Dana Bourgeois: correct replacement bridge (ebony pyramid) and bridge plate (maple), and frets replaced (bar frets). Center seam repaired and cleated and touched up (shellack). Neck has been reset. Neck is dead straight, bridge saddle is medium height (allows set up for both higher and lower action if needed in future). Low action, and set up for light or medium gauge strings. The tone could not be better: all the clear separation of the mids that is the hallmark of the 20’s style 18 twelve-fret, but with fuller, louder, rounder bass. One of the most sought-after Martin 12-frets, original finish, crack-free. Restored correctly, cared for, and set up by the world’s best luthiers and vintage Martin experts, and ready to enjoy. -
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