1930s Slingerland Songster Archtop Guitar

Overview: These old Slingerland archtops are seriously deco-cool. They have the giant, "open book" headstock shape, a glittery celluloid headstock veneer, a smart sunburst all over with flamed maple on the back and sides, and Chicago-style segmented f-holes. I still haven't pegged the maker of these instruments (no, Slingerland did not make their own fretted instruments as far as I have seen -- they bought from Regal, Kay, Harmony, and Oscar Schmidt for the most part) but because of all of the peculiarities I am either in the Regal or Schmidt camp on the Songster and Nighthawk model archtops. This one has a punchy, woody, dry tone that both flatpicks and fingerpicks (country-blues-style) nicely.

Interesting features: The segmented f-holes are cute on this one -- a little "streamlined" compared to Kay and Harmony jobs. It has a rosewood adjustable bridge in the Gibson Kalamazoo fashion and a rosewood fretboard, maple neck, solid spruce (press-arched) top, tonebar bracing, and better-quality tailpiece and tuners. The flamed-maple-veneer back and sides are really eye-catching as well.

Repairs included: It got a neck reset, fret level/dress, cleaning, and setup work (I think a mix of work by myself and Jose, as I recall) and it's ready to go and playing spot-on.

• Weight: 5 lbs 0 oz
• Scale length: 24 7/8"
• Nut width: 1 3/4"
• Neck shape: medium-full C
• Board radius: 12"
• Depth at first fret: 31/32"
• Depth at seventh fret: 1 5/64"
• Body width: 15 5/8"
• Body depth: 3 5/8"
• Top wood: solid spruce
• Back & sides wood: ply maple
• Bracing type: tonebar
• Bridge: rosewood adjustable
• Fretboard: rosewood
• Neck wood: maple
• Action height at 12th fret: 3/32” bass 1/16” treble (fast, spot-on)
• String gauges: 54w-12 lights
• Truss rod: non-adjustable
• Neck relief: straight
• Fret style: lower/smaller

Condition notes: It's entirely original (save the bone nut) and crack-free with all of its original hardware. There's wear and tear throughout the finish in both fine-line weather-checking throughout and then also handling/playwear in scratches, nicks, and dings, but overall it's a good-looking box.

It comes with: Sorry, no case.

Consignor tag: MKRN