1970s Augustino AR-38 Dreadnought Guitar

Overview: I've worked on a bunch of Augustino (and the related Loprinzi) guitars over the years but this one takes the cake for cleanest and earliest. Its decal is missing on the headstock but the imprint remains and it has a very low serial number of 0009 (as I read it) at the neckblock. I'm guesstimating that it's an early '70s build as it has features of the "rank and file" Augustino guitars of the mid-'70s and specs-out as an AR-38 model as far as I can tell. Unlike later Augustinos (which have squarer shoulders and look more like Martin Ds), this one has a narrower upper bout with rounder shoulders which gives it a Gibson sort-of shape mated to a Martin aesthetic.

Tone: It's punchy, loud, even, and has good, tight, warm lows and saucy mids. It's got a Martin-style velvet to its voice but the mids and lower mids are more present and focused. Maybe it's sort-of Martin velvet with Guild-like punch? It's hard to describe, but it's very fun to play. It'll do the "bluegrass and old-time backup" easy-peasy.

Feel: The neck has an "on the quick side" medium C profile and it appears quite stable as I did not need to adjust the truss rod (access at the neck block) at all.

Interesting features: As noted, the round-shoulders look has interest when mixed with the Martin aesthetic. It's also got a great-looking pickguard and enough fine-line finish weather-checking to pass the "old and cozy" test. The tuners are currently '80s-looking Schallers but it looks like it had Grovers on it when it was new.

Repairs included: I reset the neck and then Jose reglued the bridge, leveled/dressed the frets, and fit a new bone saddle and set it up. It's ready to roll and playing fast.

• Weight: 4 lbs 13 oz
• Scale length: 25 3/8"
• Nut width: 1 11/16"
• Neck shape: medium C
• Board radius: 14"
• Body width: 15 3/4"
• Body depth: 4 3/4"
• Top wood: solid spruce
• Back & sides wood: solid rosewood
• Bracing type: x
• Bridge: ebony
• Fretboard: ebony
• Neck wood: mahogany
• Action height at 12th fret: 3/32” bass 1/16” treble (fast, spot-on)
• String gauges: 54w-12 lights
• Truss rod: adjustable
• Neck relief: straight
• Fret style: medium-bigger

Condition notes: It's mostly original but does have a replacement saddle, replacement bridge pins and endpin (I think), and later tuners. There are some extra holes in the headstock where old tuner screws were placed. There's fine-line weather-checking throughout the finish but I have found no real cracks anywhere. It's in good, clean shape, structurally. There's not a ton of saddle height (post-reset the top deflected more than expected under tension) but there's enough for minor adjustments now and then as there's a little under 1/8" clearance (Martin factory standard for many decades) there to shave.

It comes with: It's got an old hard case.

Consignor tag: PFB