The Artistry of the Guitar - Day 1
The Artistry of the Guitar - Day 1
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Description
1928 Gibson Nick Lucas Special
Lot # 1 (Sale Order: 1 of 136)
The serial number on this guitar typically would date from 1926, but many early Nick Lucas Special guitars did not conform to Gibson’s serial number system at that time. Lucas played a similar (or possibly the same) guitar with a glossy black finish (sans pinup girls, of course) in the 1929 Warner Bros. film Gold Diggers of Broadway.
Serial number: 83239.
FON: 8989
Top: Spruce, black finish with decoupage decorations.
Back and sides: Mahogany
Neck: Mahogany
Fretboard: Ebony
Frets: 19
Bridge: Rosewood pyramid pin with slight bottom belly extension
Tuners: Open gear three-on-a-plate with white plastic buttons
1940 Gibson ES-300
Lot # 2 (Sale Order: 2 of 136)
Serial number: 96520.
FON: 1931F 24
Top: Spruce, natural finish
Back and sides: Maple
Neck: Maple with mahogany center strip
Fretboard: Rosewood
Frets: 20
Bridge/tailpiece: Rosewood, nickel-plated trapeze with arrows and diamond motif
Tuners: Nickel-plated Kluson open gear with metal buttons
Other: Large diagonal single-coil pickup, master volume and tone controls
1919 Gibson L-4
Lot # 3 (Sale Order: 3 of 136)
This guitar has a reasonable amount of playing wear and is missing its original elevated pickguard. It allegedly once belonged to J.J. Cale, the celebrated songwriter and guitarist who penned the songs “After Midnight,” “Cocaine,” and “They Call Me the Breeze,” which were covered by artists like Eric Clapton and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Serial number: 49794
Top: Spruce, sunburst finish
Back and sides: Birch
Neck: Mahogany
Fretboard: Ebony
Frets: 20
Bridge/tailpiece: Ebony, pin trapeze
Tuners: Open gear three-on-a-plate Waverly with engraved base plates and white plastic buttons
1935 Martin 000-28
Lot # 4 (Sale Order: 4 of 136)
Serial number: 59289
Top: Spruce, sunburst finish
Back and sides: Brazilian rosewood
Neck: Mahogany
Fretboard: Ebony
Frets: 20
Bridge: Ebony belly pin
Tuners: Individual 6:1 Grover G-98 open gear with metal butter bean buttons
1929 Gibson L-5
Lot # 5 (Sale Order: 5 of 136)
Serial number: 89354
Top: Spruce, sunburst finish
Back and sides: Maple
Neck: Maple with walnut center strip
Fretboard: Ebony, Pearloid blocks inlays beginning at 3rd fret
Frets: 19
Bridge/tailpiece: Ebony, gold-plated trapeze
Tuners: Gold-plated open gear Grover G-98 with metal butter bean buttons
C. 1934 Washburn Style 5238 DeLuxe Grand Concert
Lot # 6 (Sale Order: 6 of 136)
Serial number: 1809
Top: Spruce
Back and sides: Rosewood, decal transfer decoration
Neck: Mahogany
Fretboard: Ebony
Frets: 19
Bridge: Ebony “smile” pin
Tuners: Waverly open gear machine with plastic buttons
1934 Euphonon
Lot # 7 (Sale Order: 7 of 136)
This 1934 Euphonon features a jumbo 16-inch body with figured curly maple back and sides. The top purfling and rosette are abalone, and the headstock is decorated with rhinestones and the Larsons’ signature mother-of-pearl inlay work. Like most other Larson-made guitars, the x-braced top is built under tension with a slight longitudinal arch that improves volume output and sustain.
This guitar appears on page V of the color photo section of Robert Carl Hartman’s book, The Larsons’ Creations.
Serial number: 14421-8
Top: Spruce, natural finish
Back and sides: Maple
Neck: Maple with mahogany center strip
Fretboard: Ebony
Frets: 20
Bridge: Ebony flattened pyramid pin
Tuners: Nickel-plated open-gear machine with engraved strip baseplates and ivoroid buttons
1907 Gibson Style O
Lot # 8 (Sale Order: 8 of 136)
This 1907 Style O shows how Gibson quickly transformed from the rather old-fashioned style to a design that more closely resembled the modern archtop and flattop guitars of today within a surprisingly short period of only five years.
Serial number: 7867
FON: 588
Top: Spruce, black finish
Back and sides: Birch
Neck: Mahogany with walnut center strip
Fretboard: Ebonized
Frets: 20
Bridge: Ebony flattened pyramid pin
Tuners: Engraved three-on-a-plate open gear with white plastic buttons
1946 D’Angelico Excel
Lot # 9 (Sale Order: 9 of 136)
The attention to detail in the engraved headstock inlay and fretboard inlays on this guitar is stunning, as is the figuring in the flamed curly maple used for the neck, back, and sides. The ebony fretboard, gold-plated stairstep trapeze tailpiece, and gold-placed Kluson Sealfast tuners prove that D’Angelico was making no post-war compromises in quality.
Serial number: 1732
Top: Spruce, natural finish
Back and sides: Maple
Neck: Maple
Fretboard: Ebony, block inlays
Frets: 20
Bridge/tailpiece: Ebony, gold-plated D’Angelico stairstep trapeze
Tuners: Kluson Sealfast with keystone buttons
1953 Epiphone Triumph Regent
Lot # 10 (Sale Order: 10 of 136)
Serial number: 65943
Top: Spruce, sunburst finish
Back and sides: Maple
Neck: Maple with mahogany center strip
Fretboard: Rosewood
Frets: 20
Bridge/tailpiece: Rosewood, nickel-plated Frequensator
Tuners: Nickel-plated Epiphone “E” with marbeloid buttons
1961 Gibson Johnny Smith
Lot # 11 (Sale Order: 11 of 136)
This 1961 Johnny Smith is one of only 28 that produced during the model’s first year. It has a 25-inch scale, floating mini-humbucker installed at the neck position, and an L-5-style tailpiece featured an engraved plastic Johnny Smith name plate.
Serial number: 33872
Top: Spruce, sunburst finish
Back and sides: Maple
Neck: Maple with mahogany center strip
Fretboard: Ebony
Frets: 20
Bridge/tailpiece: Ebony with pearl inlays, gold-plated L-5-style Johnny Smith trapeze
Tuners: Gold-plated Kluson Sealfast with metal tulip-shaped buttons
Other: Floating mini-humbucker neck pickup, master volume control mounted on pickguard
1932 Martin OM-18
Lot # 12 (Sale Order: 12 of 136)
By 1931 when production was in full swing, the OM-18 was one of their most popular models, outsold only by significantly cheaper models like the 1-17, 0-17, and 0-18. By 1934 when the company changed the model’s name to the 000-18, it was Martin’s second most popular model, falling behind only the favored 0-17.
This 1932 OM-18 has the shaded brown finish that Martin introduced during the early 1930s. Typical of the OM model’s progressive design, it has all of Martin’s modern features—a belly bridge, pickguard, and solid “paddle” headstock with the C.F. Martin & Co. gold silkscreened logo. With the exception of its bar frets, this guitar looks like it could have come from the Martin factory in recent years.
Serial number: 50692
Top: Spruce
Back and sides: Mahogany
Neck: Mahogany
Fretboard: Ebony
Frets: 20
Bridge: Ebony belly pin
Tuners: Nickel-plated individual Grover G-98 open gear with metal butter bean buttons
1900 Manuel Ramírez Flamenco
Lot # 13 (Sale Order: 13 of 136)
Why this guitar’s label is marked with serial number 1 is unknown, as it certainly isn’t the first guitar made by Ramírez or to come out of his workshop. Considering the year also marked on the label is 1900, perhaps Ramírez wanted to identify it as his first guitar of the 20th century.
The style of the label is quite different from those preceding it and those seen on guitars from his workshop made later in the 1900s, and it reads “Manuel Ramírez, Constructor de Guitarras, Segunda Epoca, Año 1900 No. 1, Arlabán 10 – Madrid.” Antonio de Torres had printed the words segunda epoca, which means “second season,” on his labels starting in 1887, and perhaps Ramírez was imitating Torres, although by 1900 he hadn’t really been making guitars long enough to truly enter a second phase. Perhaps the number 1 on this label is there to identify this guitar as being the first of Ramírez’s second epoch. Regardless, the segunda epoca label was short-lived, replaced a short while later by the much simpler label seen on the 1912 guitar in this auction.
The aesthetics of this guitar are relatively plain, particularly the rosette, which is just a series of simple rings. There are a few flourishes of style, however, including the triangular inlays on either side of the bridge and the wonderfully detailed circle and diamond pearl inlays on the ebony friction tuner buttons, which are also engraved. The guitar is as light as a feather and produces brilliant tone that even flamenco players today would admire.
Label: Manuel Ramírez, Constructor de Guitarras, Segunda Epoca, Año 1900 No. 1, Arlabán 10 – Madrid
Top: Spruce
Back and sides: Cypress
Neck: Three piece Spanish cedar neck
Fretboard: Ebony
Frets: 19
Bridge: Tie block
Tuners: Ebony friction with engraved pearl inlaid buttons
1936 Gibson Super 400
Lot # 14 (Sale Order: 14 of 136)
This 1936 still has the narrower 12 1/4-inch upper bout, which Gibson widened to 13 5/8 inches later in 1936. Other notable “first edition” features include the gold-plated open gear Grover G-98 tuners and the hand-etched Super 400 trapeze tailpiece. The characteristic “mottled” pickguard is missing from this example.
Serial number: 94003
Top: Spruce, sunburst finish
Back and sides: Maple
Neck: Maple with mahogany center strip
Fretboard: Ebony
Frets: 20
Bridge/tailpiece: Rosewood, gold-plated Super 400 “Y” center trapeze
Tuners: Gold-plated brass Grover G-98 with metal buttons
1935 Martin C-2
Lot # 15 (Sale Order: 15 of 136)
Serial number: 59637
Top: Spruce, sunburst finish
Back and sides: Brazilian Rosewood
Neck: Mahogany
Fretboard: Ebony
Frets: 20
Bridge/tailpiece: Ebony, nickel-plated trapeze with “Martin” engraved on baseplate
Tuners: Nickel-plated individual Grover G-98 open gear with metal butter bean buttons
C. Late 1940's Stromberg Ultra Deluxe
Lot # 16 (Sale Order: 16 of 136)
With its engraved fretboard inlays, rear headstock overlay, gold-plated hardware, and figured maple neck, sides, and back, this Ultra Deluxe is certainly fancier than most existing Stromberg Deluxe models. Interestingly enough, the top is not quite as attractive as the rest of the guitar, featuring a wavy grain pattern and unbound three-segment f-holes. On a few occasions the Strombergs were known to use reclaimed wood to build guitars (long before it became fashionable to do so) and that may have been the case here.
Serial number: 522
Top: Spruce, natural finish
Back and sides: Maple
Neck: Maple with two mahogany center strips
Fretboard: Rosewood with engraved pearl block inlays
Frets: 20
Bridge/tailpiece: Rosewood, gold-plated engraved Stromberg trapeze with Y and arrow center section
Tuners: Gold-plated Grover G-98 open gear with butter bean buttons
1950 Gibson Super 400CN
Lot # 17 (Sale Order: 17 of 136)
This example’s curly maple back has unusual and rare bubble figuring.
Serial number: A4521
FON: 17382
Top: Spruce, natural finish
Back and sides: Maple
Neck: Maple with mahogany center strip
Fretboard: Rosewood
Frets: 20
Bridge/tailpiece: Rosewood, gold-plated Super 400 “Y” center Varitone trapeze
Tuners: Gold-plated Kluson Sealfast with white plastic buttons
C. 1956 Epiphone FT-210 Deluxe Cutaway
Lot # 18 (Sale Order: 18 of 136)
Measuring 17 3/8 inches across the widest part of its lower bout, the FT-210 Deluxe Cutaway is almost ½ inch wider than a Gibson J-200. It also has a carved, arched back that contributes to the guitar’s impressive volume output and projection. Jazz guitarist Harry Volpe often played an Epiphone FT-210 Deluxe Cutaway during the 1950s.
Serial number: 69624
Top: Spruce, natural finish
Back and sides: Maple
Neck: Maple
Fretboard: Rosewood
Frets: 20
Bridge: Rosewood rectangular pin
Tuners: Gold-plated Epiphone “E” with marbeloid buttons
1914 Gibson K-4 Mandocello
Lot # 19 (Sale Order: 19 of 136)
Gibson made all of these instruments except the mando-bass in two styles: a simple rounded teardrop shape and the more elaborate Florentine style, with a two-point body, upper bass bout scroll, and scroll on the headstock. This Florentine-style 1914 K-4 mandocello is the largest of Gibson’s Florentine-style mandolin instruments. It features an oval soundhole, three extended frets for the two highest sets of strings, pearl double flowerpot headstock inlay, and Handel tuners with decorative inlays on the tuner buttons.
Serial number: 22245
FON: 2266
Top: Spruce, sunburst finish
Back and sides: Maple
Neck: Mahogany
Fretboard: Ebony
Frets: 24
Bridge/tailpiece: Ebony, “The Gibson” engraved tailpiece
Tuners: Four-on-a-plate Handel open gear with white ivoriod inlaid buttons
1955 Martin D-28
Lot # 20 (Sale Order: 20 of 136)
In 2010, Martin offered the limited edition D-28 1955 CFM IV guitar in celebration of CEO Chris Martin’s 55th birthday, who was born on July 8, 1955. While that model was built as a painstaking replica of the original 1955 D-28, it did not have the Brazilian Rosewood back and sides that one finds on the real deal, like this particular guitar.
Serial number: 144138
Top: Spruce
Back and sides: Brazilian Rosewood
Neck: Mahogany
Fretboard: Ebony
Frets: 20
Bridge: Ebony belly pin
Tuners: Enclosed Kluson ridge back with metal buttons
C. 1935 B & D Senorita S-1
Lot # 21 (Sale Order: 21 of 136)
With its jumbo body and 14-fret neck, the B&D Señorita, built by Regal, was designed to compete with guitars like the Martin dreadnought and Gibson Jumbo. The scalloped X-braced top produces impressive volume output and rich tone. John Fahey played a B&D Señorita and was pictured with one on the cover of his album Requia.
Serial number: 34887
Top: Spruce, sunburst finish
Back and sides: Rosewood
Neck: Mahogany
Fretboard: Rosewood, dot inlays
Frets: 19
Bridge: Rectangular pin
Tuners: Nickel-plated Grover G-98 open gear with butter bean buttons
1914 Martin 000-28
Lot # 22 (Sale Order: 22 of 136)
Serial number: 12045
Top: Spruce
Back and sides: Brazilian rosewood
Neck: Spanish cedar
Fretboard: Ebony
Frets: 20
Bridge: Ebony pyramid pin
Tuners: Waverly machine with white plastic buttons
C. 1935 Prairie State
Lot # 23 (Sale Order: 23 of 136)
Serial number: 1077
Top: Spruce
Back and sides: Brazilian Rosewood
Neck: Mahogany
Fretboard: Ebony
Frets: 19
Bridge: Ebony flattened pyramid pin
Tuners: Nickel-plated Grover G-98 open gear with metal buttons
C. 1950 Stromberg Master 400
Lot # 24 (Sale Order: 24 of 136)
Another notable guitarist who played Stromberg instruments is Hank Garland. While Garland is best known for the Byrdland model that he and Billy Byrd designed for Gibson, Garland owned and played instruments from a wide variety of manufacturers, including Bigsby, D’Angelico, Del Pilar, Epiphone, and Stromberg in addition to the numerous Gibson models in his arsenal. One of the most sought-after studio guitarists in Nashville during the 1950s, Garland was likely one of the first to bring multiple guitars to sessions to provide the ideal sound for each recording.
Garland played on hundreds of recordings in Nashville during the 1950s until 1961, when he suffered serious injuries due to an automobile accident. Some of the records he played on include numerous singles with Elvis Presley (“Little Sister,” “Are You Lonesome Tonight,” and many others), “I Fall to Pieces” with Patsy Cline, “The Hot Guitar” with Eddie Hill, various rockabilly sides with Eddie Bond, Patty Page’s “Just Because,” Bobby Helms’ “Jingle Bell Rock,” and many memorable hits. Garland also released numerous instrumental recordings under his own name, bookended by his signature single “Sugarfoot Rag” recorded in 1949 and his visionary jazz breakthrough album Jazz Winds in a New Direction, released in 1961 just before his accident.
Garland was always a fan of jazz music, and during a trip to New York City for a recording session with Eddie Albert in the early 1950s he met jazz guitarist Barry Galbraith, who showed Garland his short scale Stromberg guitar. Garland loved the instruments playability, and he ordered a similar Stromberg for himself. The Stromberg’s short scale inspired him to include the same feature on his Gibson Byrdland model. When Garland acquired this Stromberg Master 400 is unknown, but it was likely after he ordered his short scale model.
The Master 400 is a mammoth archtop with a body measuring 19 inches across the bottom bout. This guitar has a Stromberg gold-plated tailpiece that was not so subtly inspired by that of the Gibson Super 400, featuring a similar Y-shaped center section with two additional cross pieces forming an arrow design. The tuners are the same ones found on an Epiphone Emperor and even are embossed with Epiphone’s trademark “E” letter logo. Garland’s signature is on the back of the lower bass bout as well as on this guitar’s case.
Serial number: 546
Top: Spruce, natural finish
Back and sides: Maple
Neck: Maple with two mahogany center strips
Fretboard: Ebony
Frets: 20
Bridge/tailpiece: Ebony, gold-plated Stromberg trapeze with Y and arrow center section
Tuners: Gold-plated Epiphone “E” with marbeloid buttons
1939 Gibson J-35
Lot # 25 (Sale Order: 25 of 136)
This blonde example dates from 1939, the first year that Gibson produced the J-35 with a natural finish. It also has the rounded neck profile and rounded heel that started to appear on the J-35 during that year. Other notable features include the single-layer binding on the back and the gorgeous diagonal firestripe pickguard.
FON: 9445F 17
Top: Spruce, natural finish
Back and sides: Mahogany
Neck: Mahogany
Fretboard: Rosewood
Frets: 19
Bridge: Rectangular rosewood pin
Tuners: Open gear three-on-a-plate Kluson with plastic buttons