TT -002 ca. 1931 Turturro OM-18     EXC   Nicola Turturro was a luthier based in Brooklyn who made lots of different fretted instruments in the 20's and 30's. This is the 2nd "Martin copy" of his that I have had. It is basically a replica of a Martin OM-18 with a very slightly smaller 14 3/4" lower bout. Same quality woods that Martin had access to for the spruce top and mahogany back and sides. Unadorned headstock front and Grover banjo tuning pegs with the "Turturro" stamp on the back of the peghead. There are a couple of stable hairline cracks on the back and the typical repaired (hard to see) center seam hairline. It is X-braced. Scale length is 24 3/4" and nut width is 1 3/4".   14 3/4" lower bout. Hard shell case. This thing looks and sounds like a thirties Martin and is built with the same quality of materials and construction at a fraction of the price.
Price:   $3850.00

PB 0005 1929 Paramount Style C Original 5 string Banjo.     EXC   Paramount set the design standard for resonator banjos in the twenties and other makers followed suit. Their tenor and plectrum banjos were very popular and many of them were manufactured. But rarely does one encounter an original 5 string model. I've seen quite a few Style A 5 strings and a handful of these beautiful Style C models and 3 Style F's. I love the flying bird motif of the fingerboard inlays and, of course, on the first fret good old Beethoven (or maybe Cupid). Beautiful carved heel. And that prominent volute that Paramount used. There's colorful intricate marquetry that graces the resonator and the bottom and inside of the rim as well as the side of the neck. Serial # 4587. Elegant headstock inlay and Page tuning pegs. Hard shell case.
Price   $5500.00

NAT 000-13 1928 National Triolian Tenor Guitar     EXC   This is a hoss indeed. Great tone and volume. And completely original from the tuning pegs to the tailpiece. Gold to brown sunburst on the top and the back and sides. Scale length is 23" and the nut width is 1 3/32". Bound fingerboard. Low action. These guitar shaped Nationals are much more comfortable to play than the pear shaped ones. And they are far less common. Serial #1614. Oversize very nice thirties hard shell case with restored ribbon hinges.
Price:   $4500.00

MFG -0001 1903 Martin 00-42.     Exc-   I got this guitar from Stan at Mandolin Bros. in 1968! The back finish had fogged and the bridge was cracked. Chris Berkov did a wonderful job of restoring it. In 1974, when I was the accompanist to Mimi Farina, she fell in love with it and bought if from me. We toured all over the place with it until she decided it was too valuable and delicate to take on the road anymore. Many years later, she returned it to me. Abalone trimed spruce top and gorgeous Brazilian Rosewood back and sides. Replaced Grovers for tuners work fine. Slight hairline in the ivory end strip. The Serial Number is 9665. It has a hard shell case in good condition. You can see more pictures of it on the Museum Page.
Price: $23,500.00

LL-0001 July 9,1923 Gibson F-5 Master Model signed by Lloyd Loar. Excellent condition. One of the best ones. Ask David Grisman, Jake Howard or Martino Coppo what they think of it. Classic elegant sunburst spruce top. Flame maple back. Elegant headstock. Original tuning pegs. Just a few teeny nicks here and there. Original tailpiece. And the labels are in fine shape. The original case has had its ribbon hinges and pocket tab replaced and it snuggles it's baby quite nicely. You can see more picture of the case on my Museum Page. I sent it to Steve Gilchrist shortly after I got it a few decades ago to have a few minor issues taken care of. All further details can be gone over when you come here to check it out. Price:   $145,000.00

NM - 0002 ca.1900 Maurer "New Model" Presentation Mandolin   EXC   This baby is flat out amazing! Gorgeous in every respect and it is easy to play and sounds great with plenty of volume and lots of cut. Intricate Ivory,Abalone and pearl abounds everywhere. beautiful Headstock design with pearl buttons on the tuners. Nice volute and engraving on the back of the peghead . thirty eight rosewood ribs make up the back. Engraving graces the tailpiece. Top and back. There might be a number after the "New Model" on the label but I can't see it. It plays comfortably with a nice low action. The evony strip under the fingerboard binding is a sign that this is a Larson made instrument. Scale Length = 13" and Nut Width = 1 1/8". It is blessed to live in a hard to find good quality vintage hard shell case.
Price: $2850.00

AC - 0003 1937 Gibson AC Century Mandolin   Excellent and Original.   Factory Order number 1336 C-3 places its manufacture date to 1937. Classic dark sunburst top and sunburst flame maple back. Pearloid peghead overlay with rosewood inset with Pearl script and slotted diamond inlaid into the rosewood inlay. Pearloid truss rod cover. Pearloid fingerboard also with rosewood insets and pearl diamonds inlaid into them. This is a pretty flashy instrument. Original tuning pegs and engraved tailpiece. Chipboard case is likely also original and maybe even the cool old cord strap.
Price: $4500.00

EM -1002 1940 Gibson EM-100 Electric Mandolin   VG++   This one has the classic look with the sunburst top and the flame maple back . It has been played and shows it but it's solid and crack free. It has the sought after early "Charlie Christian" pickup which sounds great. Original jack, tailpiece and bridge. "Gibson" a bit worn on the peghead. One side of the tuning pegs has been replaced ... not sure which. The uppermost frets need to be replaced and even though it plays fine as it is, it would appreciate a fret job. Looks like serial #FGE2376 on the back of the headstock. The case is probably not original.
Price:   $1850.00

DV-0001 Early 1960's Del Vechio Resonator Electric Mandolin Made in Brazil, these mandolins sound great both acoustically and plugged in. This is a high quality instument and this is a prime example. Straight grain Brazilian rosewood triple bound top with resonator that is quite mellow. Book matched lovely figured Brazilian rosewood single bound back and bookmatched 5 ply bound sides. Standard plug in jack and volume and tone knobs for the single bar pickup. All original form the headstock to the tuning pegs. Original hard shell case is missing the arm to the snap latch but it still closes securely.
Price:   $1650.00    SOLD

OG - 00036 ca. 1936 Oahu Jumbo X-Braced (Nick Lucas) Flat Top     VG++   I've played a few of these and they are all tone monsters. This one may have originally been a square neck but now has a comfortable C profile neck. Nicks and small scratches here and there but no cracks. All original finish and parts. Sunburst spruce top with the gold leaf in fine shape. Flame maple back and sides. Oahu decal on the headstock and original tuners. NIck Lucas style deep body. Hard shell case.
Lower Bout Width = 14 1/2"   Nut Width = 1 13/16"   Scale Length = 25 5/8" Body Depth = 4 5/8" Action at 12th fret is 8/64ths" bass and 6/64ths" treble.
Price   $3450.00

SM - 2104 1913 Shutt Professional Style A-1 Mandolin     EXC   This mandolin made by The Shutt Mandolin and Guitar Company in Topeka, Kansas has many innovations that appeared later on Gibson's "Loar" F-5. Carved spruce top with F-holes and mahogany back and sides. Twelve frets to the body with an elevated fingerboard and elevated pickguard. It's all original from the tuning pegs to the tailpiece with a little bit of the celluloid binding missing around the bottom there. Tortoise-oid peghead overlay is the only one I've seen on a Shutt mandolin. The label is in fine shape but is placed so that it is practically impossible to photograph. Nice picture of Albert Shutt on it though. Chipboard case.
Price:   $2250.00    SOLD

AG - 1381 1953 Guild M-75 (Aristocrat) Electric Guitar     EXC   This guitar is identical to the one that was presented to Banana by Mark Dronge at the Guild Factory in 1966 that was later modißfied by Rick Turner at Alembic with abalone trim, extended head stock, new fingerboard with fancy inlays, etc...
It is in excellent original condition with mild play wear. Suburst top and mahogany back and sides. Original knobs and switch control the two pickups and one can get a wide variety of distinct sounds. The peghead has aged beautifully and it has its original tuning pegs. The original tailpiece shows some wear. I don't know why there are two input jacks. One works normally and the other doesn't work. Scale length is 25". Nut width is 1 5/8". The original case is in very nice shape.
Price:   $5000.00

UK - 0003 1920's Fancy No Name Banjo Uke     EXC +   What a cutie this is. And it is in splendid condition. The fancy cutouts in the metal clad rim are exquisite and there is a big metal tone ring that gives it a big but mellow tone. The two tiny screw holes in the head stock and the oval shadow indicate that there was once an oval placque residing there as is typical of British instruments. The original tuning pegs have a screw adjustment that allows quick and slip proof tuning. The mahogany resonator has a large knurled screw for quick easy removal. Some fancy inlays on the fingerboard. Orginal bridge and tailpiece . Chipboard case . Rim = 7 1/2"   Scale Length = 13 1/4"   Nut Width = 1 1/4".  
Price:   $1350.00

RECK 000 12 ca. 1936 Recording King Tenor guitar with 6 strings!     EXC -   I've never seen another tenor guitar with double course treble strings and single course bass strings, thus a 6 string tenor guitar! A nice chimey strong sound results. A video link is below. This one is in excellent condition with some finish wear but no big scratches and no cracks anywhere. Sunburst spruce top with the fabulous gold leaf and Indian Head motif all in great shape. Subtle sunburst mahogany back and sides. All original from the tunng pegs to the endpin and tailpiece and bridge. Elevated fingerboard and the action is adjustable via the wingnut and wedge system pioneered by Stromberg Voisinette.
23" Scale length   1 1/8" Nut width. Lower Bout 13 7/8"
It came with no case but we can figure something out for safe shipping.
Price:   $2250.00

Here's the video clip:

HO - 0004 ca. 1895 Howe-Orme Style 4 Guitar     EXC ++   Howe Orme family instruments are rare. Those of the mandolin family are the most commonly found. The guitars turn up far less often. I've been a big fan of Howe Orme instruments for a long time. They have so many innovations which contribute to a big full sound. This is one of the higher end models of which there are very few. Spruce "cylinder" bound top and brazilian rosewood bound back with 'zipper' center stripe. It appear to have mahogany sides but maybe it's rosewood. The cylinder feature which provides not only structural support but enhanced fidelity can be best viewed from the bottom. Another brilliant innovation is the adjustable neck angle and neck attachment method which provides an elevated fingerboard. Elegant un-adorned headstock and yes, a zero fret in the late 1800's. Original tuning pegs . The label is nicely intact. Serial number 2448. This guitar is in museum quality condition. Newer hard shell case.
Price:   $6850.00

KK - 00011 mid 30's Kay Kraft Venetian Gold Leaf guitar     EXC   You can find a lot of beat up models like this but I have not seen one in as fine condition as this example. No cracks and hardly any scratches or blemishes. Sunburst top with the gold leaf in fine shape and the Indian Heads clean and crisp. Straight neck and adjustable action via the large wingnut inside and the sliding adjuster pad at the heel . Sunburst mahogany back and sides. Original tuning pegs. Clean Kay Kraft logo on the headstock. Chipboard case may be original.
Price:   $!850.00

KTG 0003 ca. 1935 Kay Kraft Flat Top Tenor Guitar     EXC -   This is the only one of these Indian Head Gold Leaf motif flat top tenors I've ever run across and it is a hoss. Big bold sound from the almost 15" wide ladder braced spruce top and mahogany back and sides will hold up just fine in an ensemble situation. All originalfrom the end pin to the Grover tuning pegs. Lovely MOTS headstock. A pickup was once installed as evidenced by a little chunk carved out of the top just below the fingerboard. Scale length = 22 7/8". Lower Bout Width = 14 7/8". Body Depth 3 7/8". Nut width = 1 3/16". No case but we will ship securely.
Price:   $1895.00

To contact Players Vintage Instruments, e-mail us at info@vintageinstruments.com
Or telephone:  415-669-1107   West Coast Time
Or write to: Box 445, Inverness, Ca. 94937
Best Yet ! e-mail us at info@vintageinstruments.com
Thanks Lowell Levinger - Proprietor