1992 Sobell Model 1 Brazilian Rosewood Small Jumbo Guitar

Overview: Sobell instruments are not often seen around these parts and that's a shame -- as a fan of Celtic music, I remember eating-up web material on them in the late '90s. His designs seem to be specifically built to bring out the best for fingerstyle players, but the lightly-domed top design and build style also make them ideal for modal and open tunings as strings and notes played on these guitars are balanced and defined in a way that's just very different from your average American-style flattop. I play a lot in open D around the house and it's lovely to hear everything I'm doing when playing this guitar rather than hearing a more-typical mixmash of sound folded into overtones. It's not archtop-like, though they do a similar thing, but it is a distinct sound.

This one dates to '92 and is in excellent shape and arrived here playing perfectly, with a setup dialed-in exactly the way we do them here. The top, with its bearclaw figure, is quite the stunning look when trimmed with herringbone and fit with that D-shaped soundhole. The Brazilian rosewood back and sides, however, are the real feast for the eyes. The body has a slightly wedged shape which makes it more comfortable in the lap and it has a sort-of "gypsy-jazz" outline as well, with the softly-cut, longer cutaway.

Repairs included: I dusted it off and picked a bit on it! In the past, it had some repairs done to tight hairline cracks in the back (two of them) and I've shot photos of some of the cleats inside. I also took a photo of the one (repaired) back crack that (once in a while) catches the light and makes itself visible. It's playing spot-on and ready to go.

• Weight: 5 lbs 2 oz
• Scale length: 25 5/8"
• Nut width: 1 13/16"
• Neck shape: slim-medium D
• Board radius: 20"
• Depth at first fret: 0.83"
• Depth at seventh fret: 0.83"
• Body width: 16 1/4"
• Body depth: 4 5/8"
• Top wood: solid spruce
• Back & sides wood: solid Brazilian 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: bigger/jumbo

Condition notes: Aside from a few hairline crack repairs to the back and a little weather-check/fine crackle to the finish here and there, it's in excellent shape. There are also a few pickmark/scratches at the soundhole that are only really visible from the player's point of view. The clearcoat has yellowed "just so" as it's aged, too, so it has the look of a fine, old guitar. It has a passive pickup fit that is on the lower output side but anyone with a modern mixer board or outboard DI will get a good sound out of it.

It comes with: It has an original, presumably older, hard case.

Consignor tag: JSOC