c.1910 Louis Sutz "Parlor" Guitar

This is a really nicely-made gut-strung (well, intended for that, I have carbon/nylon strings on it at the moment) "parlor" size instrument, c.1910, and made by Louis Sutz out of Cincinnati. Unfortunately, probably in the 40s or 50s, this guitar was given "new life" with steel strings and an associated chaos of glued-on newspaper photos on the upper bout and decals a-gogo on the lower bout.

I've rectified the issues that it came to me with -- loose frets, need of a fret dress, lots of cleaning, brace problems, a bridge that had pulled up with an accordingly bellied top, etc. Then I set it up with some good quality high tension carbon/nylon Savarez strings and it sings. It's quite loud, very clear and direct, with a big open tone. It'd be great for flamenco, folk strumming or fingerstyle, or classical and jazz, for that matter.

This is an extremely lightly built guitar and as such is very responsive.

Top is solid spruce, back and sides and neck are dark-stained maple.

Fretboard and bridge are rosewood.

Original (but shaved) rosewood pyramid bridge, with original celluloid bridge pins. Uncompensated fret saddle for nylon/gut stringing. Intonation is (now) spot on.

Original tuners (one replaced button) and original ebony nut.

Rosewood fretboard was originally dyed darker, but that's worn off where the areas of most wear are at.

Nice celluloid-bound top with inlaid wooden purflings and simple, spare, Martin-ish rosette.

Here's some newspaper residue that, after being joined with glue, has become part of the finish. I imagine that when this was first done there would have been pictures on the front side, with the text side glued to the back. When I got it these areas were simply giant ugly brown-grey blobs. Not much to do about it unless the whole top is stripped...!

There was a big impact crack on the back that's since been reglued, but because of the damage and it having sat for forever unrepaired, the bottom of the repair is not perfect, but it's sound.

Someone reset the neck at some point and, while the angle necessitated a previous bridge shave, the set was sound and sturdy.