TG - 00080 1928 National Style O Plectrum Guitar     EXC +   This old National Style 0 body that is in wonderful condition both front and back has had a new replica plectrum neck beautifully made and installed by Joel Eckhaus (Earnest Instruments). The original peghead overlay has been retained and a truss rod installed. High quality tuning pegs work great and this baby is set up beautifully and sounds fantastic. It has a nice modern hard shell case that fits it very well.
Price:   $1895.00 NOW $1750.00

LS - 00037 1939 Gibson EH- 185 Lap Steel     VG++   Here's the rare one with the aluminum headstock that becomes an aluminum slab that runs the whole length of the instrument under the fingerboard and surfacing on the body to surround the triple bound Charlie Christian pickup. The back has factory non slip paint. And it has the wonderful tweed hard shell case with the racing stripes we love so well.
Price:   $2195.00 NOW $1995.00

SB - 0006 SS Stewart American Princess ca. 1889     EXC+   sn. 4920 makes it an early one. New cherry wood dowel has replaced the old broken one which is included. Very comforable short 24" scale length cherry wood neck with thick ebony fingerboard with nice inlays and spikes at frets seven and nine. There's some capo marks on the back of the neck but they feel just fine. This banjo plays beautifully and sounds very sweet with it's 10" spunover rim the wood in which appears to be brazilian rosewood. The rim hardware is all original and the plating has 'brassed' through in many areas giving the banjo a wonderful glow. It has a newer calfskin head. Shiny bright star inlaid on the peghead and the tuning pegs are vintage small scale Grover Champions with their bases recessed into the peghead. Not sure if the tailpiece is original as the 'common sense' tailpiece was generally not used on these early models. This is a fine playing small banjo in beautiful condition. Old chipboard case does the job.
Price:   $750.00 Now: $599.00

OF - 0003 1935 Oahu Model 68K Square Neck     EXC   A few marks and scratches here and there but basically in fine condition with no cracks and a huge sound. Big 15 1/2 inch lower bout. Aged spruce top with abalone trim around the edge and soundhole. Brazilian rosewood back and sides. Tree of life vine inlayed in the fingerboard. Ornate inlaid headstock and original tuning pegs. This is a rare instrument and one heck of a player as well. Non original hard shell case in fair shape.
Price:   $4500.00 Now: $3995.00

LS - 00030 1964 Supro Comet Eight     EXC   The classic tone in an eight string model with legs. And classic art deco styling to match that tone put out by the great pickup. Original tuning pegs and Lightning Bolt Supro Logo on the peghead. Original hard shell case is in pretty nice shape.
Price:   $975.00 Now: $795.00

TF - 0001 ca. 1890 Tiltons Improvement Guitar     EXC +   This is the best example of one of these that I've seen. It arrived in exquisite cosmetic condition but with the top severly sinking and needing a neck reset. Luthier John Knutson did a beautiful structural restoration and re-braced the top with a classic X-brace pattern. The result is by far and away the best sounding one of these I've ever played. And with it's new frets and great neck angle it plays like a dream. Spruce top with diagonal grain. Book matched Brazilian rosewood back and sides and peghead overlay. Crack free other than some teeny surface cracks on the sides near the heel. Beautiful original tuning pegs. The 'improvement' is a dowel running the length of the inside of the body on which is mounted a wooden disc (think Virzi) on which is secured a wonderful label. Surely this must be an improvement. And ... a fabulous original coffin case. Lower Bout Width = 12 1/8"     Nut Width = 1 7/8"     Scale Length = 24 3/4"     Thin mahogany neck with "V" profile and ebony fingerboard. A truly fine parlour guitar.
Price:   $2450.00 Now: $2100.00

VF - 0009 1928 ca. Vega Style 83 Guitar     EXC   13 9/16" Lower Bout and 1 7/8" Nut Width combine with outstanding volume and tone and a 25" scale length to make this guitar a great one for fingerpickers. Crack free spruce top with colorful marquetry binding and beautiful Brazilian rosewood crack free back and sides with a couple of teeny hairlines at the corner of the lower bass bout side that pose no threat. Ebony bridge with engraved mother of pearl inlays and bound ebony fingerboard with engraved mother of pearl inlays. Brazilian rosewood peghead overlay and orignal tuning pegs. Non original hard shell case in fair shape.
Price:   $2850.00 Now: $2650.00

VG - 0008 1939 Vega Profundo Flat Top     EXC+   Here's Vega's "Dreadnought" model. It's a fine example, crack free with nicely aged spruce top and fine mahogany neck, sides and back with a colorful center stripe. Great Art Deco peghead and replaced tuning pegs. Non original chipboard case.
Price:   $1695.00 Now: $1550.00

LF - 0009 Mid Twenties Stetson (Larson Bros.)     EXC   Lovely Larson made Parlour guitar with the Stetson Stamp within. She sports a 12 3/4" lower bout and a generous 1 7/8" nut width. Beautiful aged spruce top with three expertly repaired hairlines. Nicely figured bookmatched Brazilian rosewood back and sides. Plain elegant headstock and original engraved tuning pegs. Way cool original (probly - maybe) chipboard case. Plays easy and sounds fantastic. Great fingerpicker.
Price:   $2850.00 Now: $2650.00

BF - 0002 Joseph Bohmann ca. 1900 Parlour Guitar     EXC -   A great little fingerpicker all freshly set up with proper bridge, neck angle and compensated saddle. It plays and sounds terrific. Crack free all around with 100 year old spruce top and wild original sunburst back and sides. Plain peghead and rare original enclosed engraved tuning pegs. Beautifully intact label shows the many Gold medals Joseph garnered and states his challenge to all other makers. No case.
Price:   $1450.00 Now: $1250.00

AG - 00093 ca.1953 Vega Duotron Model E-300 NX     EXC   Vega guitars are always a great value. As well or better made than any Gibson, Gretsch or Guild often with higher quality woods and usually a lot less expensive. This one is a real gem. It's in gorgeous condition and it plays and sounds great both acoustically and plugged in. All original and crack free. Spruce top and highly flamed maple back and sides. Nothing but inlaid class on the peg head and original Klusen Deluxe tuning pegs and original electronics which work fine and include the fablulous Rhythm Switch as well as the standard Volume and Tone knobs. The original pickup floats off of the body attached to the end of the elevated fingerboard extension. Thus the entire top is free to vibrate un-impeded as on any standard acoustic archtop guitar. Compare this to an L-5 cutaway in similar condition and you get one heck of a deal. Older hard shell case is fair to OK.
Price:   $2850.00 NOW: $2500.00

AG - 00041 1948 Epiphone Zenith     VG+   This is an exceptionally good sounding well balanced 16" archtop guitar. Original finish sunburst top with one small crack coming down from the treble side f-hole and the initials "S T W" affixed to it. Player (honest) wear on the neck but it feels good. One missing pearl dot on the rosewood fingerboard. Mahogany back and sides with a hairline crack in the upper side that isn't going anywhere and a jack hole in the lower side. (It also hasn't gone anywhere.) Original tuning pegs and nice pearl Epiphone script and shield on the peghead. Newer hard shell case.
Price:   $1350.00 NOW: $995.00

AG - 00078 1938 Gibson 16" L-5     Exc Restored   Yep, it's a 16" body with mid twenties style and appointments. And, it sounds like a mid to late twenties L-5 .... a real good one. Maybe this is one of those "floorsweep" models where they used up old parts because the serial number is #95498 and it sure appears to be a 1928 L-5. The professional restoration includes repairing two cracks and one jack hole on the top, a lower center seam repair on the back and a complete refinish. New gold Waverly's have been installed and the tailpiece appears original. Classic flowerpot 20's peghead. Newer hard shell case.
Price:   $5850.00   Now:   $5250.00

AG - 00071 1947 Gibson L-7     VG   What we've got here is a great player. And it just happens to have a nice sunburst crack free top with original finish in nice shape. The back, on the other hand, has one big ole repaired crack and a lot of flaking to the original finish. There's a little flaking in places on the sides as well as the headstock. And there's one other stable crack in the side near the heel. Original tuning pegs work fine though the buttons have aged. All else is original and in fine shape including the label. The neck is nice and straight, original frets are pretty good and it is great fun to play and has plenty of volume and punch plus good warmth to the tone. Sturdy newer hard shell case.
Price:   $2195.00   Now:   $1895.00

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:   $3250.00 Now: $2995.00

GA - 00044 1980 Monteleone Grand Artist     EXC ++   This is #44 and signed and dated by John Monteleone. I'm lucky enough to hear a lot of great mandolins played by great mandolin players on a regular basis. This one has character and quality to equal any of them, whether they are worth 25 grand or a hundred grand. Gorgeous sunburst spruce top and intense flamed maple back and sides. The Grand Artist displays many of John Monteleones distinctive innovations such as the tailpiece which has since been copied ad infinitum and the headstock design. The custom bridge has bone insets for the treble strings. His unique scroll is a beautiful extrapolation of old Orville's from both front and back. Triple bound rosewood pickguard. Gold engraved tuning pegs. Deluxe arched plush lined hard shell Ameritage case.
Price:   $26,000.00 Now: $24,500.00

GM - 00071 1919 Gibson F- 2     EXC-   Sn # 49891     A fine sounding and playing example of a late teens Gibson F model with the reddish sunburst top and red stain birch back and sides. This one has the nice carving on the rear scroll as well as the front one. Original engraved tail piece and replacement Schaller tuning pegs and adjustable bridge. Pearl angled "The Gibson" script inlayed on the headstock. There is some 'honest play wear' and a few nicks and scratches and one typical hairline coming up from the treble point and another teeny hard to see hairline across the back of the peghead which has been closely inspected, sealed and pronounced healthy. Nice original hard shell case with replaced handle.
Price:   $4350.00 Now: $3995.00

GM - 00087 1932 Gibson A-4     EXC -   This is an unusual variant of the A-4. It has a little player wear but no cracks anywhere and original tailpiece, bridge, tuning pegs, and finish which is nicely checked on the back. The top has the nice dark small sunburst with plain rosette. The "Gibson" inlay in the peghead is straight across. It has an elevated fingerboard. Good sounding and playing rare mandolin. Non original hard shell case.
Price:   $1995.00 Now: $1750.00

GM - 00104 1934 Gibson A-75     EXC   A rare model from Gibson and in beautiful condition with great sound and playability. Sunburst spruce crack free top and subtle sunburst mahogany back and sides with just one surface crack right where the neck block ends on the treble side. Note the elevated fingerboard. Curlicue vase on the headstock and original tuning pegs. Original adjustable bridge and tailpiece. TKL plush lined hard shell case.
Price:   $2495.00 Now: $2250.00

GM - 00084 1955 Gibson A-50 Blackface     VG   Here's a unique one in my experience. I've never seen a blackface from this era and this is original. It's got tons of play wear but no issues. There's one repaired crack going down from the bottom of the bass f-hole to the edge and that's it. Lots of finish checking on the top but the finish on the back has hardly a scratch. The tuning peg buttons have shrunken a little but still function fine. A previous owner used stick on letters to put an "R" under the Gibson script on the headstock and also to put "Basil" under the strings at the tailpiece. Such vanity. Beat up hardshell case.
Price:   $1750.00 Now:   $1495.00

MM - 00014 1929 Martin Style 20 Mandolin     VG+   Here's a first year of issue of this model. Crack free with well aged spruce top and flame maple back and sides. Ebony fingerboard with abalone dots inlaid. Nice engraved tailpiece, original tuning pegs, ebony bridge, replaced pickguard and brazilian rosewood peghead overlay. This one plays very easily, really sweet and beautiful tone. Non original hard shell case.
Price:   $2800.00 Now: $2495.00

EM - 00011 1937 Epiphone Adelphi Mandolin     EXC -   This is a fine early example of this model from Epiphone. Carved spruce top with f-holes. Flamey maple back and sides. Nice mahogany neck. Heel cap is just lifting off of the heel a bit. All original adjustable bridge, tailpiece, cool pickguard, and tuning pegs. Epiphone script on the rosewood headstock. Fine playing and sounding mandolin. Gig bag.
Price:   $1395.00 Now: $1250.00

VM - 0007 ca. 1940 Vega D- 100 Electric Hollow Body Mandolin     EXC+   A nice example of electrification from one of the innovative pioneers of the early days. And it sounds pretty good acoustically too with its elevated fingerboard and it plays real nice and easy. Sunburst spruce top and subtly 'bursted' mahogany back (those are reflections in the picture) and sides. All crack free and clean and all original from amber buttoned tuning pegs to cloud tailpiece to the tone and volume knobs and the inside label. Vega script on the headstock is nice and clean too. It's got the old amphenol style input jack and a good proper cable that works fine. All the electronics also work fine.   The original hard shell case is in nice shape. Scale length is 13 3/4".
Price:   $1995.00 Now: $1795.00

NM - 0005 1930 National Triolian Mandolin     VG+   This is a rare little beast and it is one of the loudest mandolins I've ever heard. Plays good too. 15" scale length so it sounds real bluesey tuned down to F or E. (E sounds great but F is easier for transposing 'on the fly' in jams) It's got the rare early 8 grid coverplate with the usual worn pick area, some chipping on the sides, just a few nicks on the back. Original tuning pegs and the National Triolian Shield on the peghead. No case.
Price:   $2195.00 Now: $1850.00

YB - 0002 Yosco #3 Tenor Banjo     EXC   Probably from the mid-twenties as the patent for the internal resonator was granted in 1918 and they were listed as being in business in 1930. This is a high quality instrument in fine shape. The patented internal resonator design makes for a deep archtop rim and the f-holes in the back of the sound chamber are fancier than the Bacon variety. Attention to detail is evident at the heel as well as the fancy backstrap on the back of the peghead. Elegant inlay adorns the fingerboard and headstock. The original hard shell case is pretty nice as well.
Price:   $1395.00 Now:   $1095.00

EB - 00001   Original 5 String Epiphone Banjo  ca. 1920   VG   This is a rare banjo for an Epiphone afficionado. It's got a great old timey sound and puts out a lot of volume. Take a look at the inside of the rim. Very straightforward. The banjo is all orignal including the pegs . The label on the back dates it to the days of "The House of Stathopoulo". There is very nice detail where the neck widens for the fifth peg. The resonator is pretty birds eye maple which shows up nicely even on the inside. A simple flange keeps it in place. The headstock has a simple but elegant veneer overlay. The banjo is in excellent condition with no problems. It has playing wear. The original double pocket, plush lined case is in quite good shape on the inside but worn on the outside. Two latches need to be replaced and it is not really structurally sound. It could be restored.  
Price Reduced:   $1995.00 Now $1495.00

TG - 00067 1942 Gibson ETG-150 Electric Archtop Tenor Guitar     EXC   This is a rare example of the early transitional pickup as Gibson improved on the large and cumbersome Charlie Christian blade pickup moving toward the P-90. This one has four adjustable screw/poles. We've got the classic Gibson sunburst top and maple back and sides, all crack free. Finish is original as are all parts including the Kluson Deluxe tuning pegs. Fat and funky pearl Gibson script inlaid in the headstock. Nice and clean with light normal wear even around the jack area. And ... great old original hard shell case that is a bit beat but worth a bundle these days as it is also appropriate for a 16" L-5 or a D-28 of similar vintage. This guitar plays and sounds fantastic and the neck is straight and the frets are good.
Price:   $3995.00 Now: $3500.00

TG - 00051 1937 Martin R-18 T Archtop Tenor guitar     VG   This is one of the great years for Martin guitars and this is a nice sounding example and one of 24 made that year. Sunburst top has many little nicks and scratches but only one small hairline crack up near the fingerboard and another well repaired one off the bottom of the treble f-hole. No side cracks and the back seam has been repaired near the bottom. Straight neck and good frets and action. Gold Martin script on the headstock and original Grover tuning pegs. And the original hard shell case is to die for. ... really nice shape with the ribbon hinges still holding the lid upright.   Lower Bout = 14 3/8"  
Price:   $1495.00 Now: $1350.00

TG - 00052 Late Thirties Gretsch Archtop Tenor Guitar     VG   This is a really fun playing good sounding tenor guitar. Very rich and sonorous for an f-hole model. Lower Bout = 15 7/8"   Sunburst spruce top has one big ole crack in it but it's solidly repaired. Sunburst sides and neck are crack free. Original Grover 'two tab' tuning pegs and classy Gretsch banner inlaid in the headstock complimented by the engraved "Gretsch" on the tailpiece. And a really nice original hard shell case whose back hinges need replacing.
Price:   $995.00 Now: $885.00