1934 Harmony Size 5 Mahogany Parlor Guitar

Overview: This is unmarked but it's a Harmony product and has the factory's date stamp (S-34) inside. I have worked on many iterations of this same, 3/4-size guitar design (Martin calls this "size 5" and so I do as well). They came in spruce over birch, all birch, spruce over maple, and variations between for the most part. It's rare to have an all-mahogany one, however, and in such good shape. It's no surprise that a local buyer snapped it up before it could even make its way to online listings!

Tone: It's woody, mellow, and balanced with a good "chunk" to it.

Feel: It has an old-fashioned, medium-heft, soft V neck shape with a flat board.

Interesting features: The black pickguard is very of its time. The build is pretty plain-Jane besides that, though, with only a simple binding ring used as a rosette. It has a nice, satin finish that echoes Martin 17-series models from the same years.

Repairs included: Tim and I tag-teamed the neck reset job and I made the new bridge for it. Tim installed it, leveled/dressed the frets, fit side dots, made a new bone saddle, and fit the bridge pins. It's turned into a nice player with a cozy, easy feel. While the short scale length suits higher-pitch tunings, we strung it up 54w-12 for normal EADGBE tuning.

• Weight: 2 lbs 4 oz
• Scale length: 21 3/4"
• Nut width: 1 11/16"
• Neck shape: medium V
• Board radius: flat
• Body width: 11 1/4"
• Body depth: 3 1/2"
• Top wood: solid mahogany
• Back & sides wood: solid mahogany
• Bracing type: ladder
• Bridge: rosewood
• Fretboard: ebonized maple
• Neck wood: poplar
• Action height at 12th fret: 1/16" overall (fast, spot-on)
• String gauges: 54w-12 lights
• Neck relief: straight
• Fret style: medium-lower

Condition notes: The bridge, saddle, and pins are replacements but otherwise it's completely original. The finish looks good and shows only minor usewear throughout. There are no cracks and there's plenty of saddle height for later action adjustment. There is an area of the fretboard (fret 13) where the board was damaged from chipout (these ebonized boards get "mealy" as they age) and so there's some fill and touchup in that area.

It comes with: It had a nice Taylor gigbag with it.

Consignor tag: CMT