Sold!
Description

Well, folks, I don’t know who made this guitar, when it was made, or even what it’s made of. I’m confident that it dates from before WW II, and my guess is the 1930’s. I bought it thinking that the flat-topped headstock looked vaguely Martin-ish, but I see no logos, serial numbers, or marks still visible anywhere, inside or out, and certainly the finish, woods, and appointments are nothing like any Martin I’ve seen. So it’s almost certainly not a Martin of any kind, but what is it? Vega? Silvertone? Montgomery Ward? Harmony? Perhaps somebody out in Gbase land can offer some enlightenment….

In most respects this instrument is in excellent condition for 75-85 years old, with light wear on the apparently original very thin frets and little visible wear on the fingerboard, suggesting that it has hardly been played for much of its career. There are no cracks anywhere that I can see, and the finish is in very good condition, with only a 1” scratch on the bass side, and a ding in the low E area of the headstock. The bridge, saddle, tailpiece, nut, end pin, and tuners are present and apparently original. The open tuners are tight and the black buttons are in remarkably good shape.

The guitar’s total length is about 36”, with a body length of 17 3/4”, a lower bout of 13 1/8”, a 12/18-fret scale length of about 24”, and a depth at the lower bout of 3 5/8”. The original ebony nut is 1 ¾”, the upper bout is 9 ½”, and the waist is 7 7/8.” Note: the vintage parlor case previously pictured with this guitar is now being listed separately.

All in all, this is a wonderful period piece, and is sure to appreciate as a part of a serious stringed instrument collection. I suspect it will be tremendous fun to play, of course, as well. I trust it will find a home with a real guitar person who can enjoy it and treat it with the respect it deserves.

Buyer pays a flat rate of $45 for insurance and shipping to the lower forty-eight states; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. Payment by Paypal is preferred; cashiers and personal checks are acceptable, but checks must clear before the guitar will be shipped.

I have tried to be perfectly clear and accurate in describing this vintage instrument, so its return will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing. Please check out the pictures and ask any questions you might have before buying.

Thanks.

ALUMPSTER'S GUITARS

ALUMPSTER'S GUITARS

~1938
Anonymous
Very Good
9 Years
ALUMPSTER'S GUITARS
ARTHUR H LUMPKIN
803-731-0515
Online Only
2:11 AM
24/7 by e-mail: akmgj@bellsouth.net. I'm old; I don't sleep much.

Payments by Paypal, cashier’s checks, money orders, or personal checks are acceptable, but all payments must clear my bank before the guitar will be shipped. I will CONSIDER reasonable offers, even including installment payments and trade-ins, but generally since I already attempt to price my guitars very competitively, unusual deals must be unusually sweet.

From henceforth [that's how retired English teachers talk], insurance and shipping to the lower 48 states is $55 due to constantly rising shipping costs unless a specific listing says otherwise; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. I have sold guitars to Russia, Japan, Australia, and over 50 other countries, as well as almost every state in the USA. Since some of my guitars travel thousands of miles, I take care to use lots of packing materials, protect the neck inside the case, and of course de-tune the strings.

I make every effort to describe and illustrate each guitar and case with scrupulous accuracy. However, many of my instruments are well-played vintage items which are many years old, and I am not a luthier. One should assume that any guitar will require some set-up to satisfy your personal requirements, and that not every flaw or ding will be seen/recognized/described in the listing. Thus the return of an instrument will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing. Please read the listing carefully, check out the pictures, and ask any questions you might have before offering to buy.