1920 Oscar Schmidt Lyra (Bruno)

$3,450.00

  • Year: 1920 (Circa)
  • Manufacturer: Oscar Schmidt
  • Model: Lyra (Bruno)
  • Case: Hard
  • Color: Natural
  • Condition: Excellent
  • Description: Oscar Schmidt Stella guitars, it's reported, became popular with many rural players in the days of the 78 rpm record because they could be mail ordered, they were cheap, and, with their signature ladder brace bark, they sounded great. But the Schmidt factory in Jersey City also produced some pretty stunning high-end guitars, constructed with quality woods and inlaid with fancy marquetry and pearl. It's rare to find these examples on the market, likely because so few were made. This example, bearing the Lyra/Bruno label, is one of those elusive rare birds. The Lyra label reads "Lyra Brand Bruno Trademark" and is pasted over a yellow Stella label. Several things make this a fairly unique guitar. First, the top, side and neck woods are top notch. Second, the body size is not a typical small-bodied Stella, which usually measure 12 1/2" to 13 1/2" across the lower bout, and were referred to as Standard Size in OS catalogs of the day. This one measures a full 14", and is referred to as a Concert Size guitar in the period catalogs. The scale length is 25"; a bit longer than the Standard size, but shorter than the larger Grand Concert or Auditorium sizes. Another unusual aspect of this guitar is the neck profile. Typically, OS guitars have a 'V' neck profile. The mahogany neck on this one is a very modern 'U' shape, the same profile as the Standard size Bruno that came through the shop a while back. Schmidt guitars are often tricky to date, but a Bruno catalog from 1912 reads: F "Concert size, Dark Mahogany, Highly Finished, Very Fancy Top and Back Edge, Strip in Back, Fancy Inlaid Sound Hole, Full Celluloid Bound Body Fingerboard and Head -- Mahogany Neck, Ebony Fingerboard with Fancy Pearl Positions, Veneered Head Inlaid with Pearl Star, Ebony Bridge ...$15.00" The body is mahogany, bound in the fanciest "Lead Belly" purfling and white celluloid. The mahogany neck is bound in white and the head stock is overlaid with Brazillian rosewood, bound in white and inlaid with a pearl "Bruno" star. The neck measures 1 3/4" across at the nut, and 2 9/32" at the bridge. Tuners and ebony pyramid bridge appear original. The guitar is structurally very sound and has had a neck set in the past; the action measures ~ 5/64" at both the high and low E. The bridge had a hairline between a few bridge pin holes glued, there is a seam separation along the back strip, and some chip-out was repaired in the flat bridgeplate/brace. Other that that, this is a stellar example. And if all that's not enough, this beauty produces superior sound..not the rough and tumble ladder brace bark associated with its plainer cousins, but an articulate, well-rounded mellow sound, much like the larger Grand Concert Stellas. A pleasing guitar for finger picking. Comes with a modern hard case.