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ArchTops
AG - 000193 1922 Gibson
Style 0 Guitar EXC - Gibson's flagship archtop
right up until this year when under the auspices of Lloyd Loar, the L-
5 was introduced. This Loar period example was among the early
recipients of the truss rod whose cover resides just below the lovely
abalone fleur de lys on the
headstock. Also it is rare to find a completely original 'un-messed
with" Style 0 of any vintage that is crack free on the top and back and sides. Every one of
these I've run across has a heel crack but this one has the most
inconsequential hairline one I've seen. Original engraved tuning pegs, tailpiece,
and adjustable bridge and label on which unfortunately
the serial number has faded to oblivion. But there is a FON # 11638 on the end
block and thanks to Joe Spann's new book "Guide to Gibson" we can now
identify this as a 1922. (I've had it for over a dozen years and always thought
it was a 1923). Pickguard is long gone but the original hard shell case is pretty dang nice and has had the ribbon
hinges expertly restored so the lid stands proud. Complete your Loar
period collection with this nice old specimen.
Price: $8400.00
ON HOLD
AG - 80192 1924 Gibson L-5
signed by Lloyd Loar EXC Restored Good deep
sounding example that has been re-necked using the original headstock overlay. It has also
been completely refinished (except for the peghead) and re-bound with 5
play binding. All highly professional work, perhaps by Gibson.
Beautiful sunburst spruce top
is crack free save for what looks like a hairline finish crack on the treble side
of the fingerboard. The maple back and sides
also appear crack free. The tuning pegs,
tailpiece and pickguard also appear to be original but the attachment
tang of the pickguard bracket
looks to be a replacement. It has a Master Model Label with Serial # 80192 and
a Signature Label signed by Lloyd
Loar March 1, 1924. The case could
well be original and sports some old decals and stenciling.
Price - Consigned at: $24,500.00
AG - 00103 1940 Gibson ES-300 N
EXC This is a historically important guitar, the first version
of the ES-300 and the first electric to feature a single coil pickup the 6 1/2" long ancestor to the P-90. It was in
production for less than a year with only about 60 being made before the switch to
the shorter pickup in 1941. This one is unusual with its single blade instead of
separate poles. The interior shows no sign that it was ever fitted with anything other
than this Charlie Christian style blade setup. The electronics are all in perfect working
order with the pickup having been rewound by Lindy Fralin. Pots are replaced and the
originals are in the case pocket. Straight neck, good frets, and it plays perfectly with
no buzzing or intonation issues. Solid spruce
top has two well executed diamond
grafts just below the bridge and another on the side bout at the
input jack. Aside from this, the
top, flame maple back, and sides are crack free.
Original tuning pegs, tailpiece, knobs,
bridge, pickguard, etc. Gibson script and Crown inlay adorn the
headstock. The original
hard shell case is the classic
"red line" model in fine shape.
This guitar plays great with a big fat warm jazzy tone.
Price: $7500.00
For the Gibson collector: This guitar makes a fine
pair with it's 'sister' guitar
the 1941 Gibson ES-300. See pictures of the pair in
the Museum. Buy the pair for only $11,500.00
AG - 00102 1941 Gibson ES-
300 N EXC This gorgeous blonde is Gibsons 2nd
version of the ES-300. Gibson records show that this one #97316 was shipped
on December 15, 1941 just one week after the attack on Pearl Harbor so it was
one of the very last electrics shipped before they had to shut down guitar
manufacturing for the war. There were about 135 of this top of the line electric
model made with the tortoise bound pre P-90 alnico small slanted
pickup. This guitar is one of the
earliest models and possibly prototypical to have the laminated spruce top so common in post war electrics.
Most pre war electrics have solid tops. The
back is flame maple as are
the sides. The bound fingerboard sports the double
block inlays and the iconic "Crown"
peghead motiff. Original
tailpiece, bridge, pickguard,
knobs, etc. Two of the six original open back Klusen tuning pegs are early pre war replacements.
Original pickup was rewound to factory specs (ie., 10,000 windings; 1.8 ohms)
by Lindy Fralin. Excellent recent fret job. Pots have been replaced and
the originals are in the case pocket. Straight solid three ply maple
neck. Original finish with no overspray or touch up. Some wear but a
beautiful patina all around. Professional setup with action at 3/32" at
the 14th fret and plenty of room on the bridge for adjustment. Nut with
= 1 11/16". Scale length measures 25 5/8". Lower bout =
17". Label is in fine
shape. And it comes in its original hard shell case, with black alligator covering,
solid brass hasps and latches, and lovely deep red interior.
Like the guitar the case is in excellent condition. This guitar plays
easily with wonderful vintage tone and is also a fine collectors piece.
Price: $6500.00
For the Gibson collector: This guitar makes a fine
pair with it's 'sister' guitar
the 1940 Gibson ES-300. See pictures of the pair in
the Museum. Buy the pair for only $11,500.00
AG - 00075 1930 Gibson L-
12 VG ++ Here's another wonderful Gibson
anomaly. Common knowledge is that the L-12 was introduced in 1932 with
Gold Hardware and fancy inlay. Here is a very early 1930 labeled L-12 with a 16" body,
small f-holes, dot inlay and nickel hardware. Very much like a 20's L-5
and yes, it sounds like one too. Simple peghead ornamentation and open
back Grover tuning pegs.
Classic early style sunburst
top and dark stained maple
back and sides. Sixties hard shell case.
Price: $4750.00
MC - 00014 1938 Epiphone De
Luxe Mandocello Conversion VG Now here is a
unique piece. A standard 1938 Epiphone De Luxe "Masterbilt" guitar
serial # 12690 that has been converted to a way cool mandocello. Nut
width is 1 1/2 inches and very comfortable. Bridge is adjusted all the
way down but the action is fine and the thing is great fun to play.
Scale length is 25 5/8 inches and it's got the big 17 1/4" lower bout
for the big sound. Solid spruce sunburst top with the classy bound f-
holes and "honest play wear" especially where the pickguard once
resided but no cracks. Looks like it probably had a pickup glued on to
it for awhile below the end of the pearl cloud inlayed
fingerboard. Nice flamey maple sunburst back and five piece laminated
flame maple neck the heel of which has been
painted black after a repair which has left a tell tale line running through the
screw hole left from a previous strap button. And there's the plugged
1/4" jack hole in the usual location on the lower side. Gorgeous inlaid
asymetrical peghead and
new 4 in a line gold tuning
pegs. The conversion retained the original Frequensator tailpiece
and uses ingenious little
holders which make it relatively easy to re-string. And it still resides in its original Lifton (Built like a
Fortress) pink plush lined
hard shell case with the classic embossed "E" on the inner
side of the lid. I suppose it's possible that there might have been a special
order or two in 1938 for Epiphone De Luxe mandocellos but I sure haven't
seen one. So I think this is the only game in town folks.
Price - Consigned at: $3250.00
ON HOLD
AG - 00105 ca. 1939
Vega Electric Archtop EXC- This "Electrovox" is the same model that
guitarist Steve Kimock has had in his guitar arsenal for years and just loves playing.
It has the
honkin' big pickup in the lead position. White plastic radio knobs
with one for Volume and the
other one controlling the "Dual Tone Circuit" with three positions for Bass - Normal and Treble.
Beautiful blonde quilted maple top. The back is also gorgeous quilted maple
and the sides are flame maple with a patch of worn finish at the
bottom .
This guitar was designed to be played electric and the back, sides and soundposts all help to
eleminate dreaded feedback. But amazingly enough it sounds pretty
darned good acoustically as well and it plays like a dream. Original open back tuning pegs. Vega script and
a star inlaid in the
headstock. A couple of capo dings on the back of the C profile
mahogany neck. The label is in nice shape and
the serial number on
the top of the peghead is 56218. Gig Bag.
Price: 1095.00
AG - 00107 ca. 1939 Le Domino "Big
Boy" by Regal VG + This Big Boy has a 15 1/4"
lower bout and a scale length of 25 1/2 " with a nut width of 1 7/8" and
it is a great fingerpicking guitar. Sorta like an archtop, sorta like a flat top. The top appears to be solid spruce
and the back looks like birch.
It is all original from the
tuning pegs to the
tailpiece, bridge and pickguard. The script on the headstock is in
unusually good shape as is the
Regal label. There is a bit of wear to the dominos on the
fingerboard but the
dominoes
just above the tailpiece are in pristine
condition. Fancy soundhole rosette.
It looks like a 2 piece
heel construction or a very perfectly horizontal hairline crack repair.
Hard to tell. It sounds really good and plays nicely with a comfortable action.
Ratty old oversize chipboard case.
Price: $1750.00
AG - 00099 1951
National Model 1140 Archtop Guitar VG ++ Very
attractive archtop in great condition with a good strong sound with
warmth to it. Crack free. Spruce sunburst top and sunburst maple
back with great tiger
stripe maple sides.
Original tailpiece,
adjustable bridge and pickguard. Straight mahogany C profile
neck with good frets
and the patented flat removeable heel makes for easy
neck sets but it is set up great right now. Tuning pegs are good
quality Kluson type and the original National metal plaque graces the headstock. Hard shell
case is in good
shape.
Price: $1140.00
AG - 00085 1941 National New
Yorker Spanish EXC Memphis Minnie fans alert
! This is the same model Memphis Minnie played but in a rare original
blonde finish and it is a beauty and crack free. Triple bound spruce top with no f-holes. Original
honking, humbucking (that's right there is no hum or buzz at all)
6 pole (two rows of three each) pickup sounds fantastic. The
guitar practically plays itself .... like butter, yep. Gorgeous flame
maple single bound back and maple sides.
15 1/2" Lower Bout; 25 1/4" Scale Length; 1 3/4"
Nut Width. All original including adjustable bridge, tailpiece,
laminated pickguard,old style
connector (adapters available at most electronics stores), National Shield on the headstock and the deco 'long
cover' tuning pegs. Alas,
no case.
Price: $2995.00
To contact Players Vintage Instruments, e-mail us at info@vintageinstruments.com
Or telephone: 415-669-1107 West Coast Time
Or write to: Box 445, Inverness, Ca. 94937
Lowell Levinger - Proprietor
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