c.1945 Levin Model 127 Lute Guitar

Serial number places this Levin lute-shaped guitar at 1945. It's got a high-quality solid spruce top, solid flamed birch back and sides, and a curly walnut fretboard. The bridge is stained flamed maple. These are quite rare instruments to find in the US, and side from a shaved bridge and somewhat-ugly (but well-repaired) back crack, it's in pretty great condition.

Unlike most of the steel-string lute-shaped guitars that the Levin (Swedish) company made, this one has a pin bridge and slotted headstock, which gives it a vintage look and also imparts that more sweet-sounding flattop tone. It's a pretty loud guitar, and expertly ladder braced (nice shaved braces), with great clarity across the strings and a big open tone. It essentially sounds like a Martin OO or OOO 12-fret but with a little bit crisper tone across the spectrum.

Levins have their own sound for sure and are becoming highly sought-after instruments.

My work included general cleaning/de-scuffing, dressing of the frets, and installation of a new bone saddle (long style). The bridge had been shaved at some point, but I finished the job off.

Cool headstock with gold Levin decal. This looks like it's possibly a replacement nut.

The curly walnut fretboard is really gorgeous and looks fantastic with the rest of the instrument.

Nice understated, Martin-esque rosette.

The new bone saddle improved tone quite a bit. Check out the cool original wood bridge pins.

Really a looker. It's feather-light, too. With a strap on it feels like you've got nothing slung over your shoulders. The body is just a hair over 14" wide which makes it around an OO in size, but because of bridge placement and a longish body, it has the volume and rich tone of a larger OOO size guitar.

Oh, right! Forgot to mention the insanely flamed birch back and sides!

How about that? There's a black strap button at the heel that looked sort of 1960s. I added a felt washer under it to keep that bit of wood safe.

Old, repaired back crack. Very sturdy. Looks like much of the back was reglued at one point.

Tuners are all-brass including the knobs, which makes them practically indestructible.

Painfully nice flamed birch!

End pin.

No doubts about it... this is a serious guitar, equally suited to fingerpicking or flatpicking. And, if you're in a Celtic or old-time band, it sure looks the part.