KK - 00010 ca. 1937 Kay Kraft Venetian Style C     EXC   A rare top of the line model with checkerboard trimmed solid spruce top and likewise trimmed solid rosewood back and sides. Patented Stromberg-Voisinet system to vary the height of the action by an ingenius adjustable neck. Original Grover tuning pegs work fine and this guitar is fun to play and sounds really good. Go have a look at all the detailed pictures of it on its page in the museum. Chipboard case. The price has been reduced and this is a rare piece in fine condition.
Price:   $2995.00

TG - 00112 Ca. 1940 Lark Jr. Archtop Tenor Guitar     EXC -   Here a deep bodied (4 " deep and 15 3/4" Lower Bout) archtop tenor that sounds great with lots of warmth to the tone and is in splendid condition and quite unusual. The sunburst spruce top has just a few scratches and the mahogany back has one small area of finish flaking and the sides are in beautiful shape. The Brazilian rosewood fingerboard has mother of pearl 1/8th note inlays. The body is bound with wonderful tortoise - oid binding. Original tuning pegs work fine. "Lark Junior" is inlayed in pearl on the headstock. And, of course, there is The Lark itself to admire. This is a fun guitar to play and it sounds great. Chipboard case.
Price:   $1695.00

TG - 00111 1937 Gibson EST- 150 Electric Archtop Tenor Guitar     EXC   but for one solidly repaired crack in the mahogany back. This is a great sounding classic with original sunburst top and Charlie Christian pickup. It plays really smoothly with a nice acoustic sound as well as electric. Original tuning pegs. Gibson script on the headstock. Love the one brown and one black knobs. Takes a standard 1/4" guitar cord in the original end pin hole. And it has the way cool racing stripe original hard shell case in pretty good shape but the center latch is kaput. Lower Bout = 16"   Nut Width = 1 3/16"   Scale Length = 23"
Price:   $3350.00

HO -0005 ca. 1900 Howe Orme Style 4 Mandolin     EXC -   These little old things put out a lot of sound for their size. Lower Bout = 7 1/2".   Nut Width = 1 1/8".   Scale Length - 13 1/8".   The Style 4 sports the spruce top with the "cylinder" hump being partially responsible for it's fine tone. It also has gorgeous Brazilian rosewood back and sides and fancy engraved inlays on the ebony fingerboard as well as the headstock. Lovely soundhole rosette and five ply (white/red/black/white/black) body binding. Original tuning pegs. The label is in good shape and the serial number is #0785.   There are two repairs, both typical. One at the heel and one at the back of the peghead. Both are solid and professionally done. It has it's original violin case in fairly decent shape.
Price:   $1895.00

GM - 00106 2007 Corrado Giacomel Octave Mandolin     EXC+   A beauty from Corrado Giacomel of Genoa Italy. Red Sunburst spruce top and flamey maple back and sides, all crack free. Maple neck and ebony fingerboard, pickguard and adjustable bridge. Super comfortable ebony tailpiece. I think if the classic Loar design two point body with a scroll is the American equivalent to the Corvette, then the Giacomel design is equivalent to the Ferrari. He has given an Italian flavor even to the 'flowerpot' on the headstock and certainly to the classic scroll. Gold plated tuning pegs. This mandolin has great power and fantastic tone that has plenty of depth in the low end and develops nice reverberation at the high end. 20" Scale Length     1 5/16" Nut Width.   Gig Bag. Price:   $10,500.00

HO - 00012 1896 Howe Orme Style 1 Guitar Howe Orme mandolins come up for sale every once in awhile but it's unusual to have a Howe Orme cylinder top guitar for sale. This one has an amazing sound. Big and clear and balanced. And it's set up really nicely. Action is easy to adjust of course with the adjustable neck joint and the removeable mahogany neck . It's a comfortable slight V shape with ebony fingerboard with pearl dots at the 5th, 7th and 9th frets and Brazilian rosewood peghead overlay. Lovely spruce top and mahogany back and sides. Original tuning pegs work fine. Lower Bout = 12 1/2"     Scale Length = 25 3/8"     Nut Width = 1 13/16"   There is a well repaired heel crack and three repaired cracks in the top below the replica bridge. The bass side also has a couple of repaired cracks as can be seen in the picture of the sides. It has an early style label and a later neck serial number #2104 which makes us think the neck and body are from two different instruments. But, it sure sounds good and is fun to play and is a rare bargain priced Howe Orme guitar. No case.
Price:   $2250.00

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

NM - 0008 ca. 1932 National Triolian Mandolin     VG ++   Great setup and sound on this classic. The brown to tan sunburst finish is in really nice shape on the top with pick wear in the usual spot and just a few nicks near the edges. The back also looks fanstastic with just a few edge nicks and scrapes. Original tailpiece and endpin and a new cone with biscuit bridge and a new fretboard and neck set. It plays in tune and true and clear with replaced Elite tuning pegs and good frets and a straight neck. The Trioian decal on the headstock is in fine shape. The 15" scale length makes it sound great when tuned down to F or even E. Original case could benefit from some stitching. There's a little undocumented history on this one. The consignor says that it was supposedly played on The Amos and Andy show (whether radio or TV is not clear) and it came from an estate sale in LA of a guy who played in a lot of studio bands.
Price:   $1395.00

TG - 00106 1933 Gibson TG-7 Archtop Tenor Guitar     EXC   A full 16" carved archtop body with the standard 23" scale tenor neck that plays great and sounds incredible. A little play wear but no cracks or issues and a fresh neck set with a great neck angle for any type of action you want. Sunburst spruce top and mahogany sides with figured mahogany (or maybe birch?) back. Fleur de Lys inlay on the headstock and Nick Lucas style inlays in the fingerboard which is elevated. Original two band Grover tuning pegs, original tailpiece and adjustable bridge and pickguard. The label is in fine shape and displays Serial # 91149. And it has the original if a bit tattered green plush lined hard shell case which would bring a pretty penny on it's own no doubt.
Price:   $4250.00

LM - 00012 ca. 1920's Leland Brilliantone Mando by Larson Brothers     EXC-   This is a lovely Larson made mandolin and yes it is really called a "Mando" on the label. The top is beautifully aged spruce and crack free. The back and sides are highly figured Brazilian rosewood and there is one repaired crack in the back and none on the sides. Rosewood overlay on the headstock and original enclosed tuning pegs that work fine. Original tailpiece. Paper thin tortoise shell pickguard and exquisite reproduction bridge by Chris Berkov as well as a complete setup. Clear strong voice and easy playing. It fits in this funky old case so that's what we'll ship it in.
Price:   $895.00

TG - 00104 1932 Martin 0-18 T Shaded Top     EXC+   A beautiful and powerful sounding example of this classic model. Check it out on it's Museum page in the tenor guitar secion of The Museum. Sunburst spruce top and mahogany back and sides. Crack free and plays wonderfully. Serial # 50132   Original Hard Shell Case is a bit worn but a gem itself.
Price:   $3750.00

MC - 00016 1935 Kalamazoo Mandocello     EXC   This is a remarkable example of a rare instrument and it is a fine player as well. Crack free spruce top and mahogany back and sides also crack free. Nicely contoured slight V shape neck with rosewood fingerboard and good original frets and it has just been reset and frets done and the setup is superb. It plays easily and has a strong smooth sound, not tubby like so many round hole mandocellos but more like the 'real deal' K-5. Kalamazoo script on the headstock and completely original from the tuning pegs to the end pin including the tailpiece, adjustable bridge, and firestripe pickguard. There is FON # 351A stamped inside the back. No case but we'll pack securely.
Price: $3850.00

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