A demo video can be found on our YouTube channel here.
This guitar was made as a 1937 model by Gibson to be sold in the Spiegel's mail order catalog as the top of the line Old Kraftsman acoustic archtop, selling for $44.95 at the time. This model features a hand carved Adirondack spruce top with curly maple back and side, a sunburst finish that was "hand rubbed and polished", genuine mother of pearl inlays, rosewood fingerboard, and checker board celluloid binding. This model is the same as the Recording King Model 1285 which was replaced by the better known M-5.
The guitar plays beautifully with a full voice that responds well to being driven hard. This one is parallel braced and the braces are fully carved. This guitar gives all of the classic 16" Gibson sound of the early 1930s, actually comparing very favorably to 1920s versions I've been fortunate enough to play. This is easily the way to get that sound for 1/10th or less of the price of some of the Gibson branded versions and made right next to ones sold with the Gibson brand by the same craftsmen.
The celluloid pickguard is long gone on this one and the bridge has been replaced, but the original finish, tuners, and tailpiece are intact. The top has a small crack running from the far side bass side f-hole toward the neck which appears stable and glued. Otherwise, the guitar is free of cracks.
The guitar comes with a fairly new Gator hardshell case.
Ships free in the continental United States. We also ship worldwide. Contact us for international rates.
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$2,150.00Price
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