Vintage and Preowned Guitars & Mandolins for Sale

Audey Ratliff runs a one-man shop making mandolins in east Tennessee. At one time he had a small production shop with assistants, but he found that the way to insure high quality workmanship and good sound was just to do it himself. He has now concentrated his efforts on building the finest F5 style bluegrass mandolin available. The mandolins sound better than ever...the bad news is that they're getting harder and harder to get. Audey just may make the best bluegrass mandolin on the planet for under $5000...we invite you to be the judge.

NEW Ratliff R5 Mandolin
(Serial No. 1249) New with lifetime warranty to the original owner, medium red brown sunburst finish. Audey only build about 18 mandolins a year. Getting a new one to sell is tough - every dealer out there wants one, as they are excellent mandolins. Ratliff builds a fine looking and fine sounding mandolin. Build quality is top notch, as good as it gets. This is the Country Boy model R5 from Audey. The Country Boy is built the same as the top of the line R5 from Ratliff, with a satin finish, less trim, with a single bound top and unbound back and headstock. It still has all the design features that give Ratliffs their tone and power. This is the classic F5 style mandolin with the long neck, f holes, and the elevated ebony fretboard with dot inlays. Nut width is 1 1/8 inch. It features a beautiful maple back and sides, and a maple neck. It also features a hand-carved Adirondack red spruce top and is top bound only. Tradional flat fretboard thats slightly shortened to eliminate pick click in the sweet spot. Decal logo. Fit and finish is as good as the big builders, and the sound is there. Even though its a new mandolin, it has that woody bluegrass bark and the excellent volume and tone that is typical of these mandolins. Here is a video clip of this mandolin as played by Nathan Beaumont. Comes with a new shaped hardshell case........USD $3750

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OTHER MANDOLINS AND RELATED

2002 BRW F5 Mandolin
(Serial # 9) Excellent condition. I originally bought this mandolin from Jack Lawrence of Doc Watson fame, sold it, and I just bought it back. This is an early mandolin from one of the better small shop builders out there today. Ben Wilcox builds a fine mandolin, and this one shows he had the sound dialed in from the beginning. Traditional F5 body style mandolin with an Adirondack spruce top, heavily flamed maple back, sides and neck, fully bound including the neck and peghead, ebony peghead overlay with a pearl inlay and "BRW" logo, ebony bridge, nickle Schaller tuners with pearl buttons, one piece Montleone style cast tailpiece. Tradition sunburst finish in lacquer. The flat ebony fingerboard has a 1 1/8 inch nut, banjo frets, a round neck profile, and is scooped to eliminate pick click. Recently set up professionally for low easy action. Good loud bluegrass mandolin with a good woody chop and sweet trebles. Shows some very minor nicks and dings from years of playing music, but no major issues or repairs. Fitted with an internal pickup and an endpin jack. Click here for a video clip of this mandolin as played by Nathan Beaumont. Comes with a nice hardshell case......USD $4250

2010 Eastman MD-514 Mandolin
(SN 7982) Near mint condition - looks unplayed. Sunburst lacquer finish. Looking for a old F2 or F4 but put off by the prices? This mandolin is your answer. It is built like a Gibson F4, with the oval soundhole and 10 frets clear of the body. Back, sides and neck are figured maple, top is solid spruce, the unbound fretboard and bridge are ebony. The fretboard is radiused with a nut of 1 3/16 inch, and is shortened when made to eliminate pick click. Scale is 13 7/8 inch, same as a Gibson. Has the pearl logo in the peghead, top bound only, unbound fingerboard. All finish and hardware is original. No pickguard as made. Shows very little pick wear, neck is straight, frets are fine. No repairs or refinish noted. Has the big round sound typical of the oval soundhole instruments which is excellent for Celtic, old time and jazz. Comes with the original Eastman fiberglass hard case.......USD $850

1971 Goya Model 158 Mandolin
(Serial No. 1143) Excellent condition. Original hardware and finish. Good mandolins are made everywhere. This is a Goya Model 158, made in Sweden by Levin. Levin is an old and well respected musical instrument maker. This mandolin has a mahogany back and sides, a spruce top, and a rosewood fretboard and bridge. Has a 1 1/8 inch nut with a flat fretboard. Frets are fine, neck set is good and the neck is straight. Body is top bound only with multi-ply white binding. No pickguard as made. Very good sounding mandolin with good response all across the strings and up and down the neck. The instrument has a flat top and back. Its not surprising that it reminds me of the Flatiron pancake mandolins, as this one also has a loud and direct sound. Comes with the original shaped hardshell case....USD $750

1930s Harmony Biltmore A Style Mandolin
(Serial No. none) I realize not everybody has the budget for expensive vintage mandolins. Here is one that is reasonably priced, from the 1930s, that plays very well and sounds pretty good. Excellent condition, blonde finish. Nice entry level mandolin made in the 1930s. Laminated top. All original. Plays easy as it was just set up by my luthier. Frets are good, neck is straight, neck set is good. For two short video clips of this mandolin click here and click here. The mandolin is played by Nathan Beaumont of Brandon, FL. Comes with the original softshell case...USD $750

1953 Martin Style A Mandolin
(Serial # A-21398) Near mint condition showing almost no wear. Original lacquer finish with a Sitka red spruce top, mahogany back and sides, ebony fingerboard with small dot markers, original ebony bridge and nut, 3 ply top/single ply back binding, and tortoise pickguard. Good neck and original frets, plays nicely with a low action but still has plenty of volume. Original tailpiece and tuners. Shows very little of the usual nicks and dings of a well loved instrument. No repairs noted. Great for old-time, Celtic, or jazz, or just noodling around with a mandolin. Comes with a newer hardshell case......USD $1150

1932 Martin Style C Mandolin
(Serial No. D-15376) Excellent condition with minor playing wear. Martin made 5 grades of flatback mandolins, from A to E. The Style A and Style B mandolins are easily found, but the higher grades are more difficult to locate, with Style C being the middle grade. Its a early Style C with the colored wood marquetry top binding, Adirondack spruce top with beautifully grained Brazilian rosewood back and sides, a bound ebony fingerboard with slotted diamond inlays, and an abalone pearl soundhole rosette. Good neck and frets, plays nice with a low action but still has plenty of volume. No cracks or repairs. Great for old-time, Celtic, or jazz. Nice tortoiseshell pickguard. All original finish and hardware, with inset tuners and no tuner bushings as made. Martin stamp and serial number on the back strip inside the mandolin. Original tuners and engraved tailpiece cover. Click here for a video clip of this mandolin as played by Nathan Beaumont of the Duck Wallow Band, Brandon FL. Comes with a older but probably not original hardshell case.....USD $2450

1930 National Style 1 Mandolin
(Serial No. 302) Early Style 1 mandolin with triangular body, single resonator and 12 frets clear of the body. Has a round neck with a bound rosewood fretboard. Shows some playing wear on the cover plate and a few nicks and dents, but nothing major. Original hardware and finish. Typical with Nationals, the neck has some bow in it and would need a reset to play up the neck in standard. But that not what you want this for - its very cool just like it is for slide work, especially slide blues. Think Sam Bush. Sam plays slide mandolin - check out his sound to see all the possibilities. Very loud with a unique sound. Comes with a slide and a Travelite style foam hard case. Consigned. ..USD $1500

1920s Stahl Flatback Mandolin
(Serial No. 027323) Excellent condition. Made by Larsen Brothers. This mandolin is identical to the Mauer Style 30 flatback style shown in the 1932 catalog (with the exception of a Stahl label). Back and sides are Brazilian rosewood, top is Adirondack, ebony fretboard and bridge. Has a pearl trimmed soundhole rosette, fancy marquetry top binding, pearl peghead inlay and fretboard position markers, engraved tailpiece cover and tuners backplate. For a short video clip of this mandolin played by James Hurlburt of Lakeland FL click here. Just set up so it plays nicely. Comes with the original very cool case missing the handle.. ....USD $2050

2005 Stanley F5 Mandolin
(Serial number 4) Near mint condition. This is out of my personal collection. Chris Stanley is a great picker and has owned several Loars and Ferns, so he knows tone. He's also an accomplished woodworker and luthier, so when he decided to build mandolins he had a pretty good head start. This mandolin is impressive - the fit and hand rubbed varnish finish is great, the action is easy and the tone is there. The back woood was chosen for tonal characteristics on each side, this is not bookmatched. This is how Loar built his F5s. The top is red spruce and is also mismatched like most Loars you see. All high grade parts - ebony fingerboard and bridge, pearl logo, silver plated hardware, and grained multi-ply ivoriod binding. Now, there's two camps on mandolin sound. The Loar F5 was made to play in ensembles, so it has a good midrange as well as bass and treble. Many modern mandolins are looking for a deep woody woof on the bottom, sometimes decent trebles, but usually lack in the mids. This mandolin is firmly in the Loar camp. Its a very well balanced mandolin across the strings, with strong even response. Yes you have the chop but you also have the rest of the notes as well. Here is a link to a video of the mandolin as played by Nathan Beaumont of Brandon, FL. Comes with a hardshell case. .. ....USD $7550 ON HOLD for RS in CAN

1940-50s Kay Strad-O-Lin Mandolin
(No serial number) Good entry level vintage instrument. I think this is 1940s wartime production (or just before wartime) based on the logo and the type of tuners, and no bushings. Structually fine with a maple back and spruce top. Has the original see through plastic pickguard and tailpiece cover. The reset of the hardware and finish also look original. Frets are good and the mandolin has just been set up so it plays nicely. Has a modern case..... ....USD $750

1996 Summit F5 Artist Mandolin
(Serial No. 76) Excellent condition, built by luthier Paul Schneider of Tennessee. The mandolin features a solid Sitka spruce top with an one-piece maple back. Frets are fine, neck is straight and the neck set is good. Fitted with gold Schaller tuners and a gold Allen one-piece tailpiece. Excellent sounding mandolin with clear trebles and a nice woofy bass. Here is a link to a video of the mandolin as played by Nathan Beaumont of Brandon, FL. Comes with a nice hard case... ....USD $4450

2010 Weber Yellowstone Mandolin
(Serial No. 182510) Excellent plus/near mint condition. This is the main workhorse mandolin for Weber, and it carries the load well. This mandolin will give you that good bluegrass sound. Has a dark sunburst lacquer gloss finish, a solid carved red spruce top which gives it the cut and chop, traditional tone bar bracing, heavily flamed AAA grade maple back, sides and deep V profile neck, fully bound, nickle Grover tuners with pearl buttons, Weber one piece cast tailpiece, pearl "The Weber" logo, and an ebony Weber Traditional bridge. The finish has been removed from the back of the neck (a speed neck) to stop your hand from sticking on the back of the neck in the summer. This work is so clean it has to be factory work. Fitted with an easily removable armrest. Bound radiused fret board with 1 1/8 inch nut, diamond position markers, jumbo frets, and no treble extension which helps to eliminates pick click. Its a loud mandolin with good chop and a very warm woody tone. Very clean mandolin - anything that looks like a blemish is probably a reflection. Bruce Weber built a lot of great Gibsons and Flatirons there in Montana. This was built in his own shop, Sound to Earth LTD. in Belgade, Montana. Here is a link to a video of this mandolin as played by Joe Donahue of Wesley Chapel, FL. This instrument is ready to go. It needs nothing but your fingers on the strings! Comes with the original shaped grey Weber hardshell case.....USD $3950

2014 Weber Gallatin Wide Nut Mandolin
(Serial No. 14479703) Excellent plus/near mint condition. Made in Bend OR, this is Weber's entry level F style mandolin. The term is misleading; the mandolin is built to the same high quality and performance level as the higher grade Webers, just without most of the bling. This mandolin will give you that good bluegrass sound. Has a overall dark gloss lacquer finish, a solid carved red spruce top which gives it the cut and chop, traditional tone bar bracing, flamed maple back, sides and deep V profile neck, nickle Grover tuners with pearl buttons, Weber one piece cast tailpiece, pearl "The Weber" logo, and an ebony Weber Traditional bridge. The fret board is radiused with 1 3/16 inch nut, diamond position markers, jumbo frets, and no treble extension which helps to eliminates pick click. Its a loud mandolin with good chop and a very warm woody tone. Very clean mandolin - anything that looks like a blemish is probably a reflection. Here is a link to a video of this mandolin as played by Nathan Beaumont. This instrument is ready to go. It needs nothing but your fingers on the strings! Comes with the original shaped grey Weber hardshell case......USD $2750

ELECTRIC MANDOLINS

For a brief discussion of Tiny Moore, Johnny Gimble and the Gibson EM-150 mandolin click here!

1954 Gibson Florentine Mandolin
(Serial No. none) This is the solid body electric mandolin made by Gibson to compete with the Fender Mandocaster. It looks a lot like a double cut Les Paul. The mandolin has all original finish and hardware with the exception of the bridge. A new mandolin bridge has been fitted, which is an improvement over the original brass rod used by Gibson as the saddle. I think this is the first year for the Florentine. The pots do not have a date code and look original to the instrument. Gruhns book indicates Gibson started using dated pots in 1953 or 54. The control knobs are also correct for mid 50s. Tuners are no line Klusons, used from 1950 to 1956. Everything seems to fit for a 1954 instrument. There are no cracks or breaks but it does show some playing wear on the side of the neck. I think these Florentines sound more like a mandolin plugged in than the Fender Mandocaster, as the Florentine has eight strings which will give the mandolin jangle better than a single course instrument. You can turn this one up on your gig, as it will not feed back any more than an electric guitar. Comes with the original brown hardshell case......USD $2750ON HOLD for PM in VT

MARTIN ACOUSTIC GUITARS 1960 Martin 5-18 Guitar
(Serial No. 1703702) Excellent condition. This is the guitar model made famous by Marty Robbins and Dolly Parton . The "5" designates this acoustic's unique size, which is the smallest guitar in the Martin catalog. The 5-18 is actually considered a "Terz" guitar, a German tradition of guitars tuned a minor third higher. It has a 16 inch body length with a 21 1/2 inch scale and a 1 5/8 inch nut. The lower bout is 11 1/4 inch and the upper bout is 8 1/4 inch. Its just a bit larger than a baritone uke! The top is Sitka spruce, back and sides are mahogany, and the fretboard and bridge are Brazilian rosewood. Binding is tortoise plastic. It has the usual nicks and dings of a guitar used to make music for over 50 years. All hardware and finish is original. No repairs noted. It is deceptively loud and balanced with great tone. The neck was recently reset and the frets dressed by luthier Jack Dillen. The guitar plays beautifully with a nice low action. Here is a short video clip of this instrument played by Nathan Beaumont. Comes with a SKB molded case that fits perfectly.....USD $3750
1935 Martin 0-17T Tenor Guitar
(Serial No. 268112) The Martin 0-16NY is as close as the 1960's Martin company got to making a 1920's guitar. The "folk boom" of the late '50's made the old-style 12-fret Martins fashionable among discerning traditional players, and several so-called "New York' models were officially added to the line from 1962-1965. These were named to honor both the Martin company's original roots in that city and the strength and influence of the contemporary Greenwich Village folk scene. The blank fingerboard, satin lacquer finish, smaller rectangular bridge, and lack of a pickguard certainly gives it a more vintage vibe, but rest assured these models were intended for steel strings and work well with light gauge bronze. That doesn't mean this one wouldn't sound good with silk & steel strings, however, which would make for even easier string action, and it's very easy with the light gauge steel strings that are on it now. Original tuners, nut, bridge (reglued) and bridge pins and the satin finish is all original. 1 7/8 inch nut, bar frets, top bound only with black/white 5 ply binding, mahogany back and sides with a Sitka spruce top. Has the desirable small maple bridge plate. one minor repair on the bass side, but no cracks. Cosmetically, there are several nicks /dings and some finish checking, common to vintage instruments. It does show some playing wear, with some fretboard divots in the positions near the nut and some pick wear at the edge of the soundhole. Excellent neck set. Nice low action well suited to fingerstyle playing. It has a bigger sound than is typical of a 0-16, with a lot more bass response. Comes with a newer nice hardshell case that fits well...USD $2850
1970 Martin 016NY Guitar
(Serial No. 268112) The Martin 016NY is as close as the 1960s Martin company got to making a 1920s guitar. The folk boom of the late 50s made the old style 12 fret Martins fashionable among discerning traditional players, and several so-called New York models were officially added to the line from 1962-1965. These were named to honor both the Martin company's original roots in that city and the strength and influence of the contemporary Greenwich Village folk scene. The blank fingerboard, satin lacquer finish, smaller rectangular bridge, and lack of a pickguard certainly gives it a more vintage vibe, but rest assured these models were intended for steel strings and work well with light gauge bronze. That doesn't mean this one wouldn't sound good with silk & steel strings, however, which would make for even easier string action, and it's very easy with the light gauge steel strings that are on it now. Original tuners, nut, bridge (reglued) and bridge pins and the satin finish is all original. 1 7/8 inch nut, bar frets, top bound only with black/white 5 ply binding, mahogany back and sides with a Sitka spruce top. Has the desirable small maple bridge plate. one minor repair on the bass side, but no cracks. Cosmetically, there are several nicks /dings and some finish checking, common to vintage instruments. It does show some playing wear, with some fretboard divots in the positions near the nut and some pick wear at the edge of the soundhole. Excellent neck set. Nice low action well suited to fingerstyle playing. Here is a short video clip of this instrument played by Nathan Beaumont. It has a bigger sound than is typical of a 0-16, with a lot more bass response. Comes with a newer nice hardshell case that fits well....USD $3850
1970 Martin 018 Guitar
(Serial No.: 264680) Excellent plus condition. These small body Martins have a volume much larger and all out of proportion to their body size, and they are super comfortable for just sitting on the couch and playing. This guitar was purchased from the original owner whose parents bought it for her new. The guitar features mahogany back and sides, a solid Sitka spruce top, and a rosewood fretboard and bridge. Frets are good and the neck was recently reset by luthier Jack Dillen in Ashville. The guitar plays like butter with a nice low action. If you look closly you can determine the guitar is not mint, but there are no repairs or noticible nicks or flaws. The original black pickguard is starting to curl up very slightly at the edges. Thats all I see. Good volume and tone from this 53 year old Martin. Comes with the original molded blue Martin hardshell case.....USD $3450
1926 Martin 018K Guitar
(Serial No. 24446) Excellent condition. These small body all Hawaiian koa wood Martins are outstanding for fingerstyle, especially blues and ragtime. The guitar is 12 fret all koa construction, slotted peghead, original 1 3/4 inch nut, V profile neck, bar frets, and an ebony fretboard and bridge. Luthier Dave Sheppard reset the neck. The frets are dressed and the neck is straight. Its currently set up with Santa Cruz low tension steel strings. All original hardware and finish. Has a few small back cracks that have been glued up, and a few minor nicks and dings from a lifetime of playing music. This was no case queen - this ones been out making music! Very comfortable guitar to play, nice low action and has a big sound all out of proportion to the small size. Here is a short video clip of this instrument played by Nathan Beaumont. Has the beat up but original hard case.....USD $6850
2015 Martin 00-28VS Guitar
(Serial No. 1879530) Mint condition. I bought this from a pro who used it only to record a CD. Its never been gigged. Martin updated the design of their 18 series a few years ago. This guitar has the 12 fret body, slot peghead, 1930s V profile on the neck, gloss finish, traditional bracing, Indian rosewood back and sides, tortoise binding, Sitka spruce top with aging toner, the modified low oval neck profile, a 24.9 inch short scale, 1 7/8 inch nut, 2 5/16 inch string spacing, open geared Grover tuners with butterbean buttons, and a rosewood peghead overlay with the old style Martin decal logo. It has a big sound much larger than its size, and it is set up well so the guitar is very comfortable to play. Comes with the original hardshell case. Click here for a video clip of this guitar as played by Nathan Beaumont of the Duck Wallow Band, Brandon FL.......USD $4850
Please click on the name of the instrument or the camera icon beside it to see more details and larger pictures. If you would like additional images of a specific instrument please email your request.
Click here for how to order and return policy information
Click here for information on selling your instrument to me
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GIBSON ACOUSTIC GUITARS
1935 Recording King Carson J Robison Guitar
(No serial number) Built by Gibson, this guitar was issued to capitalize on the fame of Robinson, who was the first Singing Cowboy. It is in excellent condition with a couple of repairs. The body is identical to a Kalamazoo KG11, also built by Gibson. Based on the Gruhn book, this guitar was only built from fall 1939 until fall 1940. Excellent condition. Has the larger 1-3/4 nut on the chunky neck, Brazilian rosewood fretboard and small straight bridge, sunburst top, mahogany back and sides with a Adirondack spruce top, top binding only, and original firestripe pickguard. The body is slightly shorter than the Gibson L00. This is a remarkably original guitar. Black button tuners are original. Original ladder bracing gives that authentic Delta blues and old time sound. The action is very low and playable. It sounds much larger than a small body guitar. This is an excellent guitar for ragtime or fingerstyle blues. Two top cracks from the edges of the bridge on each side have been glued and cleated and should present no future issue. Click here for a video clip of this guitar as played by Nathan Beaumont of the Duck Wallow Band, Brandon FL. Comes with a newer soft case......USD $3950
1930s Gibson L00 Guitar
(No serial number) Excellent condition. I think this is a late 1930s guitar based on the white script logo and the back binding; however, there is no serial or factory order number evident. It may be an early wartime guitar. Nice guitar with all original finish showing some playing wear. There are no structural repairs but a small section of mahogany has been replaced on the bass side. Has a mahogany back and sides and a x-braced mahogany top with an uniform brown finish, firestripe guard that follows the body contour, bone 1 3/4 inch nut on the chunky V profile neck, small straight bridge, bound top and back, and a silkscreened white script Gibson logo in the peghead. The mahogany top gives a slightly darker sound than spruce - its perfect for blues and ragtime. The bridge and few braces were reglued, the frets were dressed and the guitar was set up by by luthier Marty Beeson here in town. The guitar is ready for gigging, as it has been fitted with moden Waverly tuners and was drilled for an endpin jack. A NoJack endpin has been installed, but this can easily be removed to allow the re-installation of a pickup and endpin jack. The guitar is all solid and in good playing condition. Frets are good and the neck is straight. This box has a big sound - its one of the better sounding L00s to come through here in a while. Perfect for ragtime and fingerstyle playing. Click here for a video clip of this guitar as played by Ed Wright and another video clip of this guitar as played by Nathan Beaumont, both from the Brandon FL area. It's in excellent playing condition - all it needs is your fingers on the strings! Comes with a newer hardshell case.......USD $6950
1946 Gibson LG2 Guitar
(Serial No. none) Excellent condition and structurally sound small body Gibson with more volume and tone than you would expect for the size. It has the typical finish checking and shows some playing wear, as I'm sure this was the go-to guitar for the previous owner. I took this down to a 15 person old time jam here in town and you could still hear this guitar. Everything is original. Sunburst finish, X braced Sitka spruce top, mahogany back and sides, Brazilian rosewood fretboard with pearl inlays and a Brazilian rosewood bridge. Gold script Gibson logo on the peghead. Has a nut width of 1 3/4 inch. Neck profile is beautiful - a little more girth than modern necks but not the "half baseball bat" of the Banners. The Kluson tuners are moden replacements, but they use the exact same holes as the original tuners. The frets are in good shape and the neck is straight. Nice tall saddle, about 1/8 inch. Has a nice low action as the neck was reset by luthier Jack Dillen in Asheville NC. Click here for a video clip of this guitar as played by Ed Wright of Brandon, FL. There are two hairline top cracks coming from the bridge bolts. These have been glued and cleated and will present no issues in the future. Comes with a newer hardshell case......USD $4950
1953 Gibson LG3 Guitar
(Serial Number: 4915 34) Excellent condition. The LG3 is the natural top version of the LG2. Features a mahogany back and sides, an X-braced Sitka spruce top, the small tortoise pattern pickguard, tapered headstock, small rectangle bridge, single bound top and single bound back, and the gold Gibson decal peghead logo. The Kluson tuners are reissues but they use the exact same mounting holes as the originals. The neck has been reset at some time in the past, as the action is very low and comfortable. Great sounding guitar with a sweet tone and good volume. Click here for a video clip of this guitar as played by Nathan Beaumont of Brandon, FL. No repairs noted. Completely solid and a great playing and sounding guitar. Comes with a soft shell case that fits well.......USD $4500
2021 Gibson J-200 Studio Rosewood Guitar
(Serial No. 21610196)Near mint condition. The Gibson J200 is one of the most famous acoustic guitars and has earned its designation as the "King of the Flat-Tops." Its always been the most expensive flattop acoustic guitar made by Gibson. This is a J200 Studio, which is a modern take on the J200. It has a slightly slimmer profile body, a Sitka spruce top and a 17 inch Indian rosewood back and sides, Grover rotomatic tuners with kidney buttons, a pearl Gibson logo and crown peghead inlay, the distinctive J200 crown fretboard inlays, and the famous open mustache bridge. It has a 1 3/4 inch Tusq nut. A strap button has been added at the heel. It is also fitted with a LR Baggs Element Bronze undersaddle pickup and an endpin jack. Click here for a video clip of this guitar as played by Nathan Beaumont of Brandon, FL. No playing wear, repairs or refinish noted. Comes with the original hardshell case, also very clean.......USD $2950

MOSSMAN ACOUSTIC GUITARS

Mossman guitars are considered to be some of the better handcrafted instruments from the 70s and 80s. In direct competition with other high-end brands, Stuart Mossman's guitars could be rightfully compared to Michael Gurian who was also active around the time time period. In fact, it is our opinion that Gurians are to fingerpicking what Mossmans are to flatpicking. Mossman combined high-quality workmanship with great attention to detail to create some of the finest guitars of his era and helped to pioneer the small factory guitar.

1976 Mossman Great Plains Guitar
(Serial No. 76-3795) My first "real" guitar was a Mossman. I still think they are outstanding guitars. Excellent condition with straight grain three piece Indian rosewood back and sides, solid spruce top, ebony fingerboard with pearl dots, nickel hardware and an ebony bridge. Built pre-fire in the Winfield, KS shop and signed on the label by all the craftsmen that worked on it. Finish and hardware is all original. Shows the typical finish checking for Mossmans of this era. Mossman was a direct competitor to Martin and Gibson in the 70's and built very high quality guitars. Good action and playability. There is a very well repaired peghead crack, hence the nice price. This is an excellent vintage hand built US made bluegrass guitar with lots of volume and tone. Here is a video clip of this guitar as played by Ed Wright of Brandon, FL. Why play the same thing everyone else has? Comes with a nice hardshell case....USD $2900

1974 Mossman Flint Hills Guitar
(Serial No. 74-841) My first "real" guitar was a Mossman. I still think they are outstanding guitars, and this is one of the best ones I have ever played. Its a tremendous, powerful guitar that will drive your music. Excellent condition with what I believe is high grade Indian rosewood back and sides, solid spruce (probably Sitka) top, ebony fingerboard with pearl dots, nickel hardware and an ebony bridge. Built pre-fire in the Winfield, KS shop and signed on the label by all the craftsmen that worked on it. Mossman was a direct competitor to Martin and Gibson in the 70's and built very high quality guitars. Good action and playability. Finish and hardware is all original with no repairs noted. The neck was just reset, frets were dressed, the saddle replaced and the guitar set up by luthier Richie Dotson. Here is a video clip of this guitar as played by Nathan Beaumont of Brandon, FL. The action is perfect. This is an excellent hand built US made bluegrass guitar with lots of volume and tone. Why play the same thing everyone else has? Comes with a newer hardshell case. ......USD $3450
1976 Mossman Flint Hills Guitar
(Serial No. 76-3113) Mossman was a direct competitor to Martin and Gibson in the 1970's and built very high quality guitars. This is a beautiful sounding, very easy playing guitar, set up for fingerstyle, that will help you find your music. Excellent condition with straight grain Indian rosewood back and sides, solid (likely Sitka) spruce top, ebony fretboard with pearl dots, nickel Grover tuners and an ebony bridge. Built pre-fire in the Winfield, KS shop and signed on the label by all the craftsmen that worked on it. Looks like the bridge has been off and on, and shaved a bit before it was put back on, as the intonation is correct and the action is very low and smooth. Frets are fine. Finish and hardware is all original with no repairs noted. Nut is 1 11/16 inch. The action is perfect. Strap button added at the heel, and there is a undersaddle pickup (works fine) with an endpin jack added as well. Here is a video clip of this guitar as played by Nathan Beaumont of Brandon, FL. This is an excellent hand built US made bluegrass guitar with lots of volume and tone. Why gig with the same guitar everyone else is using? Here is a quality, hand built vintage guitar, set up for low action, at a good price. Comes with a period hardshell case. ......USD $3250
1977 Mossman Flint Hills Guitar
(Serial No. 77-4950) My first "real" guitar was a Mossman. Back during the "dark days" of Gibson and Martin in the mid-70s, Mossman was consistently making high quality hand built guitars. The pride of craftsmanship shows, as each employee who worked on the guitar signed their initials on the label. They have stood the test of time and are still considered outstanding guitars. Excellent condition with straight grain two piece Indian rosewood back and sides, solid Sitka spruce top, ebony fingerboard with pearl dots, nickel hardware and an ebony bridge. Strap button added at the heel. Built in the original Winfield, KS shop. Finish and hardware is all original with no repairs noted. Shows the typical finish checking for Mossmans of this era. Good action and playability. Here is a video clip of this guitar as played by Ed Wright of Brandon, FL. The action is perfect.This is an excellent vintage hand built US made bluegrass guitar with lots of volume and tone. Comes with a hardshell case........USD $3450

2000 Mossman Blackland Custom Vintage Guitar
(Serial No. 0018018) Excellent condition. Built in Texas, this guitar upholds the reputation of the Kansas built guitars. Top wood was reclaimed from the old pecan trees that were harvested from the grounds in front of the State Capitol building in Austin, Texas. It has flamed Santos mahogany sides, and a three piece back of Santos mahogany and black walnut. Nut is 1 11/16 inch. Neck is straight and in set, frets are fine. The action is low and comfortable, with room to lower the saddle if desired. Fretboard and bridge are rosewood. Click here for a video clip of this guitar as played by Nathan Beaumont of Brandon, FL. This is an outstanding hand built US made bluegrass guitar with lots of volume and tone....USD $2750

COLLINGS, TAYLOR, GUILD, AND OTHER FINE ACOUSTIC FLATTOP GUITARS

2008 Breedlove CM Classic Guitar
(Serial #8921) Near mint condition, not even a strap button added. This is one of the top of the line Breedlove Masterclass guitars. I play mostly vintage Martins, but I have to tell you this unconventionally shaped guitar is very, very good. Its about a 00/OM size with a 15 1/2 inch lower bout. Its designed for fingerstyle players, and the asymmetrical body gives a huge bass response and clear, crisp trebles. The top is Western red cedar, back and sides are figured walnut, binding is bloodwood, and all hardware is gold. These tone woods paired with the modern body shape make for an impressive acoustic voice as well as a very playable design with easy access to the upper register due to the sharp cutaway. The play feel is light and fast with a nice low action and the tone is full and well balanced. Nut is 1 3/4 inch, scale is 25 1/2 inch, string spacing at the bridge is 2 1/4 inch, the fretboard and winged bridge are ebony, and the soundhole rosette is abalone. The guitar has a Bridge Doctor inside as installed by Breedlove at the time of build. Click here for a video clip of this guitar as played by James Hurlburt of Plant City, FL. Comes with the original hard shell case. This is a top class, outstanding instrument in terms of playing and sound, and its sure to turn heads at your next jam!...USD $4250

1972 Gallagher G65 Guitar
(Serial No. 439) Excellent well played condition, made in the heart of bluegrass country in Wartrace, TN. Gallaghers are made in very limited numbers so you have to seach them out. Gallagher are probably best known for their G60 which was played by Doc Watson. The G65 is their top of the line rosewood back and sides equivalent. This is a very resonant guitar with fantastic bass response, and great attack and clarity. Its uncommon to find a used one. Pickers that play a Gallagher have owned the other makes and models and have chosen a Gallagher for the sound. This is a blue ribbon flatpicking guitar. It has all solid woods with a Sitka spruce top, mahogany back and sides, an ebony fingerboard and bridge, bone nut and saddle, grained ivoriod binding, pearl logo, and nickel hardware. Strap button added at the heel. Nut width is the standard 1-11/16 inch. This guitar is a great gigging guitar. Its fitted with an undersaddle pickup and endpin jack. Most of the finish on the back of the neck has been played off, so the neck is silky smooth and as comfortable as your favorite pair of jeans. The sound is simply amazing - very loud with excellent tone. Click here for a video clip of this guitar as played by Nathan Beaumont of Brandon, FL. Action is low with plenty of saddle left. Comes with the probably original nice hardshell case.......USD $2950

1979 Gallagher G-70 Guitar
(Serial No. 1375) Near mint condition with one obvious repair, made in the heart of bluegrass country in Wartrace, TN. Gallaghers are made in very limited numbers so you have to seach them out. Its uncommon to find a used one. Pickers that play a Gallagher have owned the other makes and models and have chosen a Gallagher for the sound. This is a blue ribbon flatpicking guitar - the same make as the one that was played by Doc Watson. It has all solid woods with a Sitka spruce top, figured Brazilian roswood back and sides, an ebony fingerboard and bridge, bone nut and saddle, grained ivoriod binding, pearl logo, and nickel hardware. Strap button added at the heel. Nut width is the standard 1-11/16 inch. A long grain crack is repaired on the back. According to the original owner, this happened when the guitar was about six months old, and was glued and cleated by Don Sr. himself. The sound is simply amazing - very loud with excellent tone. Here is a short video clip of this instrument played by Nathan Beaumont. Action is low with plenty of saddle left. Fitted with an undersaddle pickup and endpin jack. Comes with the original hardshell case.....USD $5950

1991 Goodall Koa Standard Guitar
(Serial No. KS 435) Excellent condition with a little pickwear on the top. Jean Goodall indicated that this guitar was a custom order and was built by James himself. It has beautifully figured flamed Koa back and sides, a Sitka top with a abalone soundhole rosette, ebony fretboard and bridge with pearl diamond inlays, a Koa peghead face with the logo in pearl, gold Gotah tuners, and the body binding is Acacia wood. Nut is 1.75 inch and the scale is 25.5 inches. James Goodall has taken the iconic shape and elevated it tonally to more rarified air with the Standard model. It's curves look familiar, but the voice is just as well suited to fingerstyle as flatpicking -- I love the bass response of this guitar, and the balance is superb all the way up the neck and across the strings. The sound is bold and moves free. It's warm, yet focused and bright. The neck fits my hand like a glove. There's something about the feel of this guitar that is just so pleasantly round.It show a little pickwear on the top right under the clear pickguard, but thats about it. The guitar is fitted with a K&K internal pickup and endpin jack. Its a pretty clean, good sounding, and nice playing guitar. Click here for a video clip of this guitar as played by Nathan Beaumont of the Duck Wallow Band, Brandon FL. Comes with a nice hardshell case. Its a pretty clean, good sounding, and nice playing guitar. Comes with a nice hardshell case....USD $4950

1970s Gurian JM Guitar
(Serial No. C1235) Excellent condition showing some typical playing wear. Here is one of American luthier Michael Gurian's JM Jumbo mahogany models made in the early 1970's in Hinsdale, New Hampshire. Although he called it a jumbo, it is not as large as a Gibson J-200 but is instead more akin to a jumbo OM with the top being 15.5 inches across the lower bout. Gurian got his start building classical guitars and even though this is a steel-string guitar, it has a lot of classical elements such as the slightly rounder, less squared-off body, a plain fretboard and wooden binding. Has a Sitka spruce top and mahogany back and sides. The binding is maple and a fine rope-pattern purfling borders the top. The rosette features a herringbone center and wooden outer rings. Scale length measures in a 25.6", nut width is 1-11/16", and the neck has a comfortably asymmetrical rounded profile. Gurian guitars sound really good and they play very nicely. This example was obviously well loved and played and would be perfect instrument for someone looking for a robust but well-mannered fingerpicking guitar. The guitar is clean throughout and in excellent structural and cosmetic condition with a fast playing neck typical of Gurians. It is fitted with an undersaddle pickup and an endpin jack. The tone of the guitar is deep, warm and mature revealing the clarity of each note. Click here for a video clip of this guitar as played by Nathan Beaumont of the Duck Wallow Band, Brandon FL. Gurians are rare high quality acoustics that have been played by pros like Jackson Browne, Paul Simon, Pierre Bensusan and of course many others. As a side benefit, Gurians have the best label ever inside! It reads "Gurian Workshops, Earth, Third Planet from the Sun". Comes with the original blue lined hardshell case.....USD $3250

1970s Gurian JR Guitar
(Serial No. C1235) Excellent condition showing some typical playing wear. Here is one of American luthier Michael Gurian's J-R Jumbo Rosewood models made in the mid 1970's in Hinsdale, New Hampshire. Although he called it a jumbo, it is not as large as a Gibson J-200 but is instead more akin to a jumbo OM with the top being 15.5 inches across the lower bout. Gurian got his start building classical guitars and even though this is a steel-string guitar, it has a lot of classical elements such as the slightly rounder, less squared-off body, a plain fretboard and wooden binding. Has a Sitka spruce top and Indian rosewood back and sides. The binding is maple and a fine rope-pattern purfling borders the top. The rosette features a herringbone center and wooden outer rings. Scale length measures 25.6 inch, nut width is 1-11/16 inch, and the neck has a comfortably asymmetrical rounded profile. Gurian guitars sound really good and they play very nicely. This example was obviously well loved and played and would be perfect instrument for someone looking for a robust but well-mannered fingerpicking guitar. The guitar is clean throughout and in excellent structural and cosmetic condition with a fast playing neck typical of Gurians. The tone of the guitar is deep, warm and rosewood mature revealing the clarity of each note. Click here for a video clip of the guitar as played by James Hurlbert of Lakeland, FL. Gurians are rare high quality acoustics that have been played by pros like Jackson Browne, Paul Simon, Pierre Bensusan and of course many others. As a side benefit, Gurians have the best label ever inside! It reads *Gurian Workshops, Earth, Third Planet from the Sun*. Comes with the original blue lined hardshell case....USD $3250

1920s Harwood Parlor Guitar
(Serial No. 35493) Excellent restored condition. “Harwood” is one of those mystery brand names that dot the American musical instrument landscape of the pre-depression age. In late 19th and early 20th centuries HARWOOD was a trademark used by J.W. Jenkins Sons of Kansas City, Missouri, one of the biggest jobbers in the western US, for their best quality instruments. The Harwood Guitar Co. built guitars from 1885 to about 1930. Many details of this guitar are similar to the Haynes Guitars built under the Bay State and Tilton names. Jenkins claimed to have made the line in-house; recent research supports this and in fact points to a 30 year plus operation of a small factory in Kansas City building fairly high-grade merchandise. Back and sides are Brazilian rosewood, while the very tight-grain spruce top (described as “Norway Spruce”) is ladder braced in “the Harwood System” and has survived quite well with only minimal bellying. The neck/body joint is at the 12th fret, which is typical for guitars in the period. The ebony fretboard carries pearl slotted diamonds at frets 3,5,7, and 12, and an engraved bone “Harwood” logo plate inlaid between the last frets. The top is edged with celluloid binding and multiple wood purfling, while the soundhole has the same purfling and two additional rings. Braced for steel strings. I think this is a size 1 3/4 guitar, about the size of a 12 fret Martin size 0. Overall length is 37 in., 13 3/8 in. wide at lower bout, and 3 3/4 in. in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/8 in. Width of nut is 1 3/4 in., and the neck has the typical 20s-30s V shape. I think the guitar has been oversprayed after the restoration, as you can see strumming marks under the finish where the pickguard would have been. Its a very comfortable, nice sounding small body ideally suited as a couch guitar. Its also perfect for ragtime or any other fingerstyle picking. Wonderful tone and volume, much more than you would expect of such a small guitar. Click here for a video clip of this guitar as played by Ed Wright of Brandon FL. Comes with a newer case.....USD $2250

1996 Jeff Henry LJ (Little Jumbo) Guitar
(Serial No. 028) Excellent condition. Jeff Henry is the head luthier at Maple Street Guitars out of Atlanta, and has been building acoustic guitars since 1994. Even with this relatively early build, he figured out how to get the sound out of the wood. For a short video clip of this guitar played by James Hurlburt of Lakeland FL click here. The LJ is a midsized guitar that responds well to fingerpicking and flatpicking. It has the sustain and presence expected from a lightly built instrument and responds well to the touch. It is a pleasure to play up and down the fretboard. Its about the size of a 000 Martin but shaped like a small jumbo. The back and sides are mahogany, the top is solid Sitka spruce, binding is tortoise, the nut on the rosewood fretboard is 1 11/16 inch, scale length is 25 3/4 inch, and the bridge is rosewood with a straight saddle. Fitted with an internal pickup and endpin jack. Strap buttom added at the heel. Pearl logo. Neck is straight, frets are good. Finish and hardware are original. There are no structural repairs. The action is nice and low. Shows minor playing wear but nothing significant. Comes with the original hardshell case......USD $1750

2012 Santa Cruz Vintage Artist Guitar
(Serial No. 6512) Very clean excellent condition. Dreadnaught body size, Sitka top with a factory custom cutaway with advanced, scalloped X-bracing for powerful bass, complemented by the clear tone and definition of master grade Mahogany in the back and sides. Other features include a small tortoise guard, herringbone rosette and top trim, zipper backstripe, fully bound top, back, fretboard and peghead with grained ivoroid, ebony bridge and fretboard with small dot inlay. Peghead overlay is Brazilian rosewood with a pearl logo. Tuners are original Waverly open back style with metal buttons. Nice low action, Neck set is good, fret are fine. 1 11/16 inch nut, 25 1/2 scale, V neck profile. Very strong sounding guitar that Santa Cruz calls "tonally equal and technically superior to the most respected pre-war guitars". That is a pretty strong claim, but this IS a powerful guitar with beautiful tone. Strap button added at the heel. Fitted with a L.R. Baggs pickup system with controls at the soundhole and an endpin jack. Here is a video clip of this guitar as played by James Hurlburt of Lakeland, Fl. Shows the usual nicks and dings of a guitar used to make music. Comes with a newer hard shell case......USD $3950

ELECTRIC AND ACOUSTIC ARCHTOP AND SEMI-HOLLOW GUITARS
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TENOR GUITARS 1935 Martin 0-17T Tenor Guitar
(Serial No. 460218) The early 30s were something of a magical time for the instruments being constructed in Nazareth. It seems that Martin and Co. had really hit their stride in building steel-string guitars; and to many, the instruments built in the ealy 30s represent the apex in all things acoustic guitar. This is a delightful 30s tenor guitar. All hardware and finish is original. The tenor guitar was initially developed in the mid to late 1920s. Tenor guitars enabled players of the four-string tenor banjo to double on guitar without having to learn the six string guitar. The tenor guitar can be considered to be a transition instrument between Dixieland banjo and the six string swing guitar, particularly as it started to outpace the tenor banjo in popularity towards the end of the 1920s. The usual tenor tuning is CGDA, but I tune tenor guitars to octave mandolin tuning (GDAE), which brings out more of the warmth, low end, and overtones the instrument has to offer. This guitar has a clean fundamental, excellent upper mid-range presence, and a beautiful sustain. It has a throaty mid-range when hit hard, and pretties up under a lighter attack. The guitar is in excellent minus condition showing some minor playing wear. These small body all mahogany Martins are great for blues, with that warm sound only a mahogany top will give. Has the scalloped bracing and the larger neck of the 1930s guitars with a 23 inch scale, bar frets, and a 1 3/4 inch nut. There is one minor back crack on the lower bout that was repaired and a ding on the top near the sound hole but thats about it. It does have the usual nicks and dings of a guitar used to play music for decades. Neck has the typically slightly beefier profile thats the hallmark of the best 30s 14-fret Martins. Has the original ebony nut and the original clip point tuners. Plays great with a nice low action and has a huge sound all out of proportion to the small size. This guitar has a full and deep dry voice with enough of a push in the midrange to keep any ragtime picker happy, but plenty of warmth and openness across the strings to satisfy a melodic single note picker. It offers that thunderous response in the bass-end, and a sweet and well rounded treble. Comes in the original soft case...USD $ 3250
1939 Gibson ETG-150 Tenor Guitar
(Serial No. EGE 2336) This instrument has been beautifully preserved over the years, and it is all original. It is currently set up for low g tuning like an octave mandolin. When you plug it in, this guitar sings with a deep, wooly low-end presence you won't expect from a tenor guitar. Add a little reverb or delay, and it's easy to get inspired and lost in the wide-open tenor sound. This guitar is an incredible piece of prewar Gibson craftsmanship, but it's also a playable tenor with inspiring tone. The tenor ETG-150 is almost identical to the six string ES-150, except it has a four string neck and appropriate 23 inch scale. It features the same 16-1/4 inch wide body, constructed with a carved spruce top that is x-braced and a flat maple back. It has the same slender f-holes, thick pearl logo, the same sunburst top and single-ply binding appointments. It also has the same curious tailpiece mounted input jack and of course the famous Charlie Christian blade pickup. In many ways, the eye-catching Charlie Christian pickup is perhaps what makes the ETG-150 most famous, and the rich, deep tones it produces set the standard for the electric archtop sound. Click here for an audio clip of this model guitar as played by Tiny Grimes of the Rocking Highlanders in 1950. Comes with a newer hardshell case....USD $4250
1923 Vega Style X No.9 Tubaphone Tenor Banjo
(Serial No. 54625) Excellent condition. If you play Celtic music, or are just in to tenor banjo, here is the instrument you were seeking. This is a 17 fret Vega Style X No. 9 Tenor Banjo from 1923, in great original condition with the original hard shell case. I think this is a 1923 - I could be off by a year or so. This instrument was built in Boston. Peghead veneer is heavily inlayed with elaborate “floral” pattern and “trillium” just above the nut, the back of the peghead has pearwood overlay with the highly engraved Vega “star”. The heel and last part of the bole of the neck are elaborately hand carved floral pattern. Multi-laminate ebony heelcap with elaborate engraving. The fretboard has engraved Mother of Pearl inlays which are in excellent condition. The banjo also has a tube-a-phone tone ring and a maple neck and dowel. The heel is hand carved. The backstrap, the wood covering the back of the head, plus the head plate, are dyed maple. The resonator is a Vega pie plate style in maple as well, and is marked Vega in several places. Original 5-Star planetary tuners with pearl buttons. There is minor fingerboard and fret wear but it plays well. You can tune this either in CGDA or GDAE, depending on the strings used. For you Celtic players, it has the 17 fret fretboard. Comes with the original hardshell case, also very clean.....USD $3250

UKULELES, BANJOS, TIPLES, AND OTHER ACOUSTIC INSTRUMENTS
1923 Vega Style X No.9 Tubaphone Tenor Banjo
(Serial No. 54625) Excellent condition. If you play Celtic music, or are just in to tenor banjo, here is the instrument you were seeking. This is a 17 fret Vega Style X No. 9 Tenor Banjo from 1923, in great original condition with the original hard shell case. I think this is a 1923 - I could be off by a year or so. This instrument was built in Boston. Peghead veneer is heavily inlayed with elaborate floral pattern and trillium just above the nut, the back of the peghead has pearwood overlay with the highly engraved Vega star. The heel and last part of the bole of the neck are elaborately hand carved floral pattern. Multi-laminate ebony heelcap with elaborate engraving. The fretboard has engraved Mother of Pearl inlays which are in excellent condition. The banjo also has a tube-a-phone tone ring and a maple neck and dowel. The heel is hand carved. The backstrap, the wood covering the back of the head, plus the head plate, are dyed maple. The resonator is a Vega pie plate style in maple as well, and is marked Vega in several places. Original 5-Star planetary tuners with pearl buttons. There is minor fingerboard and fret wear but it plays well. You can tune this either in CGDA or GDAE, depending on the strings used. For you Celtic players, it has the 17 fret fretboard. Comes with the original hardshell case, also very clean.....USD $3250
1925 Martin T-18 Tiple
(Serial #23197) Think of a tiple as an ukelele with 10 steel strings and is tuned A-D-F#-B. The first and fourth strings are double, like a mandolin, while the second and third are triple with the center string tuned an octave below the outer strings in each group. The firsts are tuned in unison. In this standard tuning you can play harmonies to everybody elses guitar and make a major contribution to the ensemble. If you have never heard swing jazz on a tiple you are missing a treat! Natural lacquer finish, Adirondack spruce top, mahogany body and neck, rosewood fingerboard and bridge, original ebony nut. No peghead decal as Martin did not use decals until the 30s but it does have the Martin stamp on the back of the peghead. While not well remembered now, numerous small African-American string-swing ensembles of the 1930's and '40's made extensive use of these small but loud instruments for fast melody work and rhythmic strumming. Two of the best known were the Spirits Of Rhythm (featuring guitarist Teddy Bunn) and Cats and the Fiddle, where Tiny Grimes got his professional start. Overall length is 27 1/2 inches, and the nut is 1 1/2 inches. Has the typical nicks and dings of a well played instrument with some finish checking. A couple of top cracks at either end of the bridge have been glued and cleated, and the bridge has also been reglued. Neck is straight, frets are fine. Plays well with a nice low action as it was just set up by luthier Marty Beeson. Has the cool jangly sound you are looking for. Comes with a recent hard shell tenor uke case that fits well....USD $2250
1934 Martin T-17 Tiple
(Serial #56985) Think of a tiple as an ukelele with 10 steel strings and is tuned A-D-F#-B. The first and fourth strings are double, like a mandolin, while the second and third are triple with the center string tuned an octave below the outer strings in each group. The firsts are tuned in unison. In this standard tuning you can play harmonies to everybody elses guitar and make a major contribution to the ensemble. If you have never heard swing jazz on a tiple you are missing a treat! Natural lacquer finish, all mahogany body and neck, rosewood fingerboard and bridge, original ebony nut. It has the Martin decal on the peghead as well as stamped inside. While not well remembered now, numerous small African-American string-swing ensembles of the 1930's and '40's made extensive use of these small but loud instruments for fast melody work and rhythmic strumming. Two of the best known were the Spirits Of Rhythm (featuring guitarist Teddy Bunn) and Cats and the Fiddle, where Tiny Grimes got his professional start. Overall length is 27 1/2 inches, and the nut is 1 1/2 inches. Has the typical nicks and dings of a well played instrument with some finish checking. No repairs noted. Neck is straight, frets are fine. Plays well with a nice low action as it was just set up by luthier Marty Beeson. Has the cool jangly sound you are looking for. Comes with a recent hard shell tenor uke case that fits well.....USD $1750

STEELS AND RESONATOR INSTRUMENTS For a good article on Weissenborn, Kona and similar Hawaiian slide guitars click here!
1930 National Style 1 Mandolin
(Serial No. 302) Early Style 1 with triangular body, single resonator and 12 frets clear of the body. Has a round neck with a bound rosewood fretboard. Shows some playing wear on the cover plate and a few nicks and dents, but nothing major. Original hardware and finish. Typical with Nationals, the neck has some bow in it and would need to be addressed to play up the neck in standard. But that not what you want this for - its very cool just like it is for slide work, especially slide blues. Think Sam Bush. Sam plays slide mandolin - check out his sound to see all the possibilities. Very loud with a unique sound. Comes with a slide and a Travelite style foam hard case. Consigned. ..USD $1500
1930-33 National Duolian Guitar
(Serial No. C3720 pat pending) Blues approved! Excellent condition. Its hard to date Nationals exactly. This one is in the 1930-1933 time frame due to the features. Has the original cool grey/green Duco crystal finish on the top and sides, and the back has been painted grey to match the undercoat on the top. Has the 12 fret body, original neck, slot peghead and the pre-1933 flat f-holes. The tuners are modern Stewart-Macdonald reproductions (I think), which work fine; the rest of the hardware is original. The fretboard is in good condition. Its been refretted and the neck was reset at that time. The cone looks original - please see the pic below. The front of the peghead is stamped National Duolian and the serial number stamp and the words Pat Pending is on the top edge of the peghead. No structual repairs noted. Strap button added at the heel. Neck is straight, neck set is excellent, and the guitar has the sound you are looking for in a metal body. It plays very nicely - it was set up by my luthier. Here is a video clip of this guitar as played by Ed Wright of Brandon, FL. Comes with a newer hard shell case. ....USD $3750
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ELECTRIC GUITARS, BASSES, AND AMPS
1940s Vega Electrolux Guitar
(Serial No. 058-16) Excellent plus condition. In production from 1937 to 1942. This is an awesome playing and sounding guitar. This Vega Electrovox electric actually has an all-laminate flamed maple body with double "soundposts" below the bridge for top stability and feedback reduction. With the single coil pickup in the bridge position and this hollowbody soundpost design, it sounds like a cross between a 50s Gretsch full-hollowbody archtop electric and something like a 60s semihollow guitar. It also does swing and early jazz sounds as well as rootsy blues and folk-rock. It has a Brazilian rosewood fretboard with dot inlay. Ther body is fully bound. Very comfortable "C" shape neck. The neck on this feels more like a modern electric neck than something from its period of build and there's no truss rod, so it doesn't hurt to keep things lighter. The profile actually reminds me a lot of late 50s/early 60s Gibson electrics. It is fitted with volume and tone knobs with the tone knob being a three-way with "dark/mud" to the left, "normal/full output" in the center, and a "bass cut" or treble to the right. I like the center position the best, but the "treble" position is actually awesome if you're wanting to strum cowboy-style chords like you would on a normal acoustic. It reminds me of a 50s/60s DeArmond soundhole pickup sort of tone that way. The center position, with your amp's tone turned just slightly down, nails that Western swing lead guitar sound. Comes with a hardshell case.....USD $2450

TUNERS AND BUTTONS NONE AT THIS TIME MUSICAL BONES Black Bart Bones
New. These are traditional cow rib bones made by Black Bart in Wisconsin. Bart boils, polishes and engraves the bones and ties them together with a leather thong. Heavier bones give a deeper sound and are good for jigs. All pairs of bones are approximately 6 inches long. Please click the link above to see the sets available. Sorry, no international shipping...USD $40/set(pair)

STRAPS Vintage 1960s Plant Leaf Design Guitar Strap
Original 1960s Ace style guitar strap as used by Hendrix, Page, and every other band during that time. Nice clean strap, fairly stiff, showing little use. Black leather backing with yellow and red background with a plant leaf design. Hint - what plant was popular in the 1960s? Black colored metal buckle and rivets on the ends. Black leather ends. Good condition, a good looking and functional strap...USD $125
Vintage 1950s White Guitar Strap
Original 1950s white leather guitar strap. Definitely has that cowboy vibe going. Nice clean strap showing little use. Strap extends to 52 inches. The wool on the back of the shoulder pad is in excellent condition. Gold tone hardware shows some tarnish. Possibly a Gretsch strap. Excellent condition, a good looking and functional vintage strap....USD $100

CASES
1950s-60s Gretsch 17 Inch Guitar Case
This looks like a Gretsch guitar case but there is no badge on the case. It has an arched top and back and is completely solid. It fits 17 inch (lower bout) guitars like Gibson L5 and L7, Gretsch White Falcons or similar, or a jumbo flattop. All of the latches and hinges work perfectly and hinges. Has the maroon crushed velvet interior. It is perfectly usable for gigs and it looks cool. Case has some dust and exterior scuffs but should clean up nicely. The interior is nice, with no stains or odd smells. No key......$USD $750

LUTHIER SPECIALS

Are you searching the flea markets and antique stores every weekend for looking for old or cool instruments? Are you looking for something decent to fix up and play? On a tight budget and don't mind a little sweat equity? Keep reading for great deals! I get a lot of instruments in. Some need work or have significant wear or finish issues. Many are projects that I just do not have the time to get started, let alone complete. A few I've just had for too long and they need to go on down the road. Some are just cool wall hangers. These instruments are sold as-is. There is no approval period. I might look at a trade if its not another project. I'm not interested in low ball offers on these, as most are priced at my cost. Assume that they need work to make them right. You do get a good deal on the price!

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All prices subject to change, up or down, without notice. All instruments are subject to prior sale. All instruments are sold as-is, with an approval period of 48 hours after receipt. For details click on "How to order" information above.

Appraisals Click here for information on appraisals.

I'm looking for O, OO, and OOO size Martins and Gibsons, also Gibson mandolins and mandolin parts. Please let me know what you have for sale. Cash or fair trades offered. Thanks! Keep in touch!
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MANDOLIN WORLD HEADQUARTERS, INC.

MANDOLINS, GUITARS, AND OTHER INSTRUMENTS
FOR SALE OR TRADE

IN TRANSIT OR IN THE SHOP:
No further details are available on these. I do not price instruments until they are ready for sale. Please keep watching the page for the listing!

GIBSON F HOLE MANDOLINS:
(Click on the underlined name for price and details- most instruments have video clips as well)

OTHER BLUEGRASS MANDOLINS:
(Click on the underlined name for price and details)

GIBSON OVAL SOUND HOLE MANDOLINS:
(Click on the underlined name for price and details)

MANDOLAS, OCTAVE MANDOLINS, MANDOCELLOS AND BOUZOUKIS:
(Click on the underlined name for price and details)

OTHER MANDOLINS:
(Click on the underlined name for price and details)

MARTIN ACOUSTIC GUITARS:
(Click on the underlined name for price and details)

GIBSON ACOUSTIC GUITARS:
(Click on the underlined name for price and details)

MOSSMAN ACOUSTIC GUITARS:
(Click on the underlined name for price and details)

OTHER FINE ACOUSTIC GUITARS:
(Click on the underlined name for price and details)

TENOR GUITARS:
(Click on the underlined name for price and details)

ELECTRIC SOLIDBODY GUITARS:
(Click on the underlined name for price and details)

ARCHTOP AND SEMI-HOLLOW GUITARS, ELECTRIC AND ACOUSTIC:
(Click on the underlined name for price and details)

UKULELES, BANJOS, TIPLES, AND OTHER ACOUSTIC INSTRUMENTS:
(Click on the underlined name for price and details)

STEELS, DOBROS, NATIONALS, AND RESONATOR INSTRUMENTS:
(Click on the underlined name for price and details)

ELECTRIC GUITARS, BASSES, AMPS, AND OTHERS:
(Click on the underlined name for price and details)

CASES, PARTS, AND MISCELLANEOUS:
(Click on the underlined name for price and details)

LUTHIER SPECIALS AND FIXER-UPPERS:
(Click on the underlined name for price and details)

MANDOLIN WORLD HEADQUARTERS, INC.

MANDOLINS, GUITARS, AND OTHER INSTRUMENTSFOR SALE OR TRADE

IN TRANSIT OR IN THE SHOP:No further details are available on these. I do not price instruments until they are ready for sale. Please keep watching the page for the listing!

GIBSON F HOLE MANDOLINS: (Click on the underlined name for price and details- most instruments have video clips as well)

OTHER BLUEGRASS MANDOLINS: (Click on the underlined name for price and details)

GIBSON OVAL SOUND HOLE MANDOLINS: (Click on the underlined name for price and details)

MANDOLAS, OCTAVE MANDOLINS, MANDOCELLOS AND BOUZOUKIS: (Click on the underlined name for price and details)

OTHER MANDOLINS: (Click on the underlined name for price and details)

MARTIN ACOUSTIC GUITARS: (Click on the underlined name for price and details)

GIBSON ACOUSTIC GUITARS: (Click on the underlined name for price and details)

MOSSMAN ACOUSTIC GUITARS: (Click on the underlined name for price and details)

OTHER FINE ACOUSTIC GUITARS: (Click on the underlined name for price and details)

TENOR GUITARS: (Click on the underlined name for price and details)

ELECTRIC SOLIDBODY GUITARS: (Click on the underlined name for price and details)

ARCHTOP AND SEMI-HOLLOW GUITARS, ELECTRIC AND ACOUSTIC: (Click on the underlined name for price and details)

UKULELES, BANJOS, TIPLES, AND OTHER ACOUSTIC INSTRUMENTS: (Click on the underlined name for price and details)

STEELS, DOBROS, NATIONALS, AND RESONATOR INSTRUMENTS: (Click on the underlined name for price and details)

ELECTRIC GUITARS, BASSES, AMPS, AND OTHERS: (Click on the underlined name for price and details)

CASES, PARTS, AND MISCELLANEOUS: (Click on the underlined name for price and details)

LUTHIER SPECIALS AND FIXER-UPPERS: (Click on the underlined name for price and details)