1920s Unmarked Angular Tailpiece Guitar





This homemade, odd contraption was brought-over by a luthier-friend of mine (Mr. David Richard) and it immediately piqued my interest. It's got a long, 26 1/4" scale length and a tailpiece load over a ladder-braced, strangely-angular body. Maybe someone wasn't so hot with bending wood or maybe someone wanted to stand-out on stage?

There are similarities to banjo aesthetics and design in this instrument, but I still think the idea is to just capture an audience's eyes. Being a tailpiece load with a long scale adds to bark, bite, and punch, though, too. Mr. Richard hasn't done any work to it, yet, but I hope he gets some downtime to spruce it up a little. It'd make a great stage guitar!



How about the little rub-guards at the end of the slots for the tuners?


The rosewood board has big, yellow, celluloid dot inlay. There are even nibs in the binding to cover the fret-ends!


The alligatored finish gives the instrument a pleasing look, I think. It's certainly more interesting than if it didn't have any texture to it.



The neck is 3-piece with divider strips and a wild, sculptural volute.


Someone got to the back, unfortunately, and refinished it.


The tuner plates are, curiously, recessed.

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Comments

Nick R said…
14 frets to the body suggest 1930s but it could well be earlier. That volute is something else!
July 30, 2018 at 8:18 AM
Rob Gardner said…
The condition of the finish suggests some age to the guitar, but on the other hand, we have no idea what that finish is. It could be peanut butter based, for instance, who knows? But all the little details (recessed tuners, rub bumpers, volute) suggest someone with a lot of attention to detail. Odd detail but still...

Interesting guitar.
July 30, 2018 at 9:56 AM
daverepair said…
The finish is (old) shellac- I looked it over again yesterday, and tried alcohol on the fingerboard finish(yes, it has finish on it), and it came off.
July 31, 2018 at 7:38 AM
daverepair said…
I have recently refretted this one( to correct excessive relief), and at that time removed the tailpiece. The finish underneath is similar to the back: this tells me that the back was not refinished, but that the finish everywhere else is simply aged from exposure( to UV). While refretting, I gave the fingerboard a 10” radius: it now plays beautifully.
June 21, 2020 at 10:02 AM
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