1920s Oscar Schmidt FHCM Parlor Guitar

This is an Oscar Schmidt-made product, just like the same-period Stella, Sovereign, and La Scala models. It's quite similar to a lower-mid-grade "Stella" but bears the "First Hawaiian Conservatory of Music" branding on the inside rather than a Schmidt brand. These instruments were intended to be used as Hawaiian/slide guitars when sold and came with a raised nut and note marks for open tuning notes plastered all over the fretboard via a big sticker/glued-on sheet of paper.

Because of its association with Blind Willie Johnson, this model of Schmidt has become really popular. They're slightly different from other Schmidt/Stella-style guitars, too, in that they have two braces on the top on the lower bout and an extended bridge plate/pad of spruce that's more large and rectangular in shape than the more-usual thin/wide bridge plate/pad. I've played enough of both type to know that these generally sound warmer, woodier, and closer to a dark-sounding x-braced guitar than the usual ladder-braced Stella does.

This one in particular is pretty mellow and warm but also has good volume and punch. It's a bit of an ideal fingerpicking country-blues box because of that. Things to consider as a player are the wide nut width, flat board, and larger neck profile. These are all plusses to a lot of fingerpickers, but it's no walk in the park for those of us used to modern, quick neck profiles.

Repairs included: a neck reset, fret level/dress, bridge pinholes filled/redrilled, saddle slot fill/recut to compensated, new bone saddle, side dots, brace reglues, seam repairs, setup.

Top wood: solid birch

Back & sides wood: solid birch

Bracing type: ladder

Bridge: ebonized maple or poplar

Fretboard: maple

Neck wood: poplar

Action height at 12th fret: 3/32” bass 1/16” treble (fast, spot-on)
String gauges: 52w, 40w, 30w, 22w, 16, 12 custom set

Neck shape: medium-bigger V

Board radius: flat

Neck relief: straight

Fret style: medium-low

Scale length: 24 7/8"

Nut width: 1 7/8"

Body width: 13 1/2"

Body depth: 3 3/4"

Weight: 3 lbs 2 oz

Condition notes: it's actually in great shape for one of these models -- no cracks, all original except for the saddle, bridge pins, one pearl dot, and nut -- and it's tidy and ready to go. The finish on the back and sides has a bunch of discoloration/wear to it -- presumably from being a little damp and warm in its old case. I see this a lot on old Oscar Schmidt products as the finish is thin and very touchy on them. The fretboard originally had a gold-colored sticker pasted its entire length describing notes on each fret for old "low bass A" Hawaiian tuning. That was removed during the neck reset and fretwork so it could be played as a "normal" guitar, hence the odd discoloration of the fretboard.

It comes with: sorry, no case. If I have an old chip case that fits decently-enough when sold, I will include it with it.