1930s Hollywood (Schireson) Size 5/Terz Guitar

Update: This sold before I could finish taking specs! Apologies for some of the missing ones...

Overview: Hollywood is a relatively famous brand among vintage ukulele fans, though most guitarists don't know much about it. It's a label used by the Schireson Brothers for their instruments made in Los Angeles, CA and is mostly seen on a higher-end line of ukulele products. Guitars and tenor guitars can be found from time to time, however. This example is a "Size 5" or "terz" guitar and is roughly comparable to a Martin 5-17 from around the same time -- solid mahogany throughout and with a lightly x-braced top and short scale. While most will be familiar with the Martin 5-17T tenor models, the company did make a number of 6-string 5-17 models as well and this is a copycat of one of them. The 5-18 is a guitar more commonly seen in the Martin lineup (the spruce over mahogany version).

It's built to around the same quality, too, with a comfy neck, clean build, and nice materials. Unsurprisingly, it sounds similar to a 5-17 but with a little less velvet and a little more snap in the mids. Guitars of this scale (like Baby Taylors, for example) really shine when tuned up a bit, and common practice was to string these a little lighter (this has 46w-10 on it right now) and tune up G-to-G. With 42w-9 it could go up to A-to-A, too, if you're a "crossover ukulele player" looking for an instrument tuned ADGCEA. They can sound decent in standard tuning as well, though the tension and feel is a little off for my tastes. If one were wanting an EADGBE tuning I would suggest stringing-up "Nashville" style with the EADG an octave up from normal.

Repairs included: Before I got it, someone had reset the neck and fit a new, repro-style bridge and new bone nut and saddle. I removed a fretboard extension shim that was creating a ski jump problem, leveled and dressed the frets, added side dots, reprofiled the saddle for better intonation, cleaned it up a bit, and set it up. It's playing spot-on and ready to serve.

• Scale length: approximately 21"
• Nut width: xx
• Neck shape: medium V
• Board radius: 14"
• Top wood: solid mahogany
• Back & sides wood: solid mahogany
• Bracing type: x
• Bridge: rosewood, modern
• Fretboard: Brazilian rosewood
• Neck wood: mahogany
• Action height at 12th fret: 1/16" overall (fast, spot-on)
• String gauges: 46w-10 for GCFBbDG tuning (like fret 3 of guitar)
• Neck relief: straight
• Fret style: medium-modern

Condition notes: It does have light scuffs and scratches here and there throughout. There's a bit of finish touchup that's visible around the bridge but it's not obvious in-person. The bridge, saddle, nut, and pins are all replacements. The tuners are original. The finish is original throughout.

It comes with: I managed to modify a hard Baby Taylor case to fit it.

Consignor tag: JW